Anyone diy RO/DI systems?

[islandVib3s]

I'm thinking about upgrading my system, currently have a 75gpd ro/di buddy system.  I think I'll save some if I just buy the housings and tds metter and build one myself.  Id just re-use my ro buddy membrane and add on 3-6 additional 10in housings with sediment, carbon blocks and di... I want to see if I can get my tds down w/o the need for DI and save a little from it.

[goldenbasketreef]

I am in Tigard, for 30+ years I have never use RO, just nuclear grade DI on final stage, I get 0 TDS for 6-8 months and I use a lot of water. I replace when I have 1 TDS

My filter is 1st stage sediment filter in 4'X20" filter housing, 2nd stage KD85 & KD55 in 4"x20" with replaceable insert, 3rd stage 2 filter each with Catalytic Carbon in 50" filter housing,  and 4th stage 2 filter each with Mixed Bed DI in 50" filter housing.

I have called in several water filter company and according to these companies RO not required when tap water at 20-40TDS.

For those that using RO, do 4"x20" filter housing for all prefilter before the RO, the RO membrane will last a long time.

Also buy Nuclear Grade Mixed Bed DI media, it will last a long time compare to standard window cleaning grade mixed bed DI media

 

[islandVib3s]

59 minutes ago, goldenbasketreef said:

I am in Tigard, for 30+ years I have never use RO, just nuclear grade DI on final stage, I get 0 TDS for 6-8 months and I use a lot of water. I replace when I have 1 TDS

My filter is 1st stage sediment filter in 4'X20" filter housing, 2nd stage KD85 & KD55 in 4"x20" with replaceable insert, 3rd stage 2 filter each with Catalytic Carbon in 50" filter housing,  and 4th stage 2 filter each with Mixed Bed DI in 50" filter housing.

I have called in several water filter company and according to these companies RO not required when tap water at 20-40TDS.

For those that using RO, do 4"x20" filter housing for all prefilter before the RO, the RO membrane will last a long time.

Also buy Nuclear Grade Mixed Bed DI media, it will last a long time compare to standard window cleaning grade mixed bed DI media

 

Question, for your 20in canisters are you using the 3/4 lines or converted to 1/4? Thanks alot!

[pdxmonkeyboy]

If your looking to save money, certainly don't start looking at the 20" long filters.  They are substantially more expensive.   The most effective solution is separate DI resins and then finish with a mixed bed.  I bet a million dollars you will blow through the anion before the cation is even getting close to being needed to be replaced. 

 

 

[goldenbasketreef]

1 hour ago, islandVib3s said:

Question, for your 20in canisters are you using the 3/4 lines or converted to 1/4? Thanks alot!

In my application I stay with 1" connection and gate valve at the beginning to control the flow than reduce at the end. No waste water.

This is the canister that I use and refillable cartridge. It is heavy when full of water but in your application you may be looking more like 1-2 years before you need to replace media. You have the option to go 4"X10" but you will replace often.

https://www.amazon.com/20-inch-Transparent-Housing-standard-Cartridge/dp/B07HPD7L9N/ref=sr_1_26?crid=W7DOGFCIR4BA&keywords=4x20+filter+housing&qid=1647907107&sprefix=4x20+filter+housing%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-26

https://www.amazon.com/Refillable-Empty-Water-Cartridge-CuZn/dp/B01GIHSECE/ref=rvi_2/144-1279843-6713511?pd_rd_w=ZbrEL&pf_rd_p=f5690a4d-f2bb-45d9-9d1b-736fee412437&pf_rd_r=AW1735WKCT7KNJNS7PZG&pd_rd_r=5d188c19-f12f-44b5-afbb-543e69cee328&pd_rd_wg=Y2mIh&pd_rd_i=B01GIHSEFQ&th=1

[goldenbasketreef]

Modular system is great and economical in the long run compare to running RO/DI system. The RO membrane getting very expensive for the good quality brand.

Modular system can be down size or expand according to the daily or weekly need of freshwater with 0 TDS and zero waste water.

[islandVib3s]

4 minutes ago, goldenbasketreef said:

Modular system is great and economical in the long run compare to running RO/DI system. The RO membrane getting very expensive for the good quality brand.

Modular system can be down size or expand according to the daily or weekly need of freshwater with 0 TDS and zero waste water.

Yea the waste water part doesn't make that much sense to me.

[Parzifal]

Oh this is getting good.  I’ve been looking at changing my water filter out,  I hate wasting so much water!

 

I’d love for you all the share how to have your DI systems set up. 
 

where do you get your resins from?

[goldenbasketreef]

1 hour ago, Parzifal said:

Oh this is getting good.  I’ve been looking at changing my water filter out,  I hate wasting so much water!

 

I’d love for you all the share how to have your DI systems set up. 
 

where do you get your resins from?

You can buy bulk 1 cuft about 40 lbs on amazon and share with a few people or buy retail smaller package

[islandVib3s]

Ok after pricing its coming out to nearly $240 2(3 stage housings 2.5x10in),4 cto 1 micron filters,4 5 micron sediment filters,5# nuclear di mix,cartridge insert,1/4 fittings,3 point tds meter.  Save on no waste water,and still have a new RO membrane and cartridge in case I need it after all that filtration. Also I still need to head to HD to make mounting brackets. @goldenbasketreefdo you think I need a pressure Guage? I know pole use it to diagnose filter clogging but ill be able to monitor tds(tds after 2 sediments,tds after 2 cto,tds after nuclear di. Im curious to what the output will be lol

[goldenbasketreef]

6 hours ago, islandVib3s said:

Ok after pricing its coming out to nearly $240 2(3 stage housings 2.5x10in),4 cto 1 micron filters,4 5 micron sediment filters,5# nuclear di mix,cartridge insert,1/4 fittings,3 point tds meter.  Save on no waste water,and still have a new RO membrane and cartridge in case I need it after all that filtration. Also I still need to head to HD to make mounting brackets. @goldenbasketreefdo you think I need a pressure Guage? I know pole use it to diagnose filter clogging but ill be able to monitor tds(tds after 2 sediments,tds after 2 cto,tds after nuclear di. Im curious to what the output will be lol

I don't think there will be high pressure and get the housing with pressure release button

You also need catalytic carbon after the prefilter

[youcallmenny]

@goldenbasketreefWhat is your GPD with this setup? Definitely interested myself. In Salem we have very clean water so this might be a great option down here. 

[Blue Z Reef]

@islandVib3s did you ever check your tap TDS? The system Rudy is using really depends on what your initial TDS is. Where I’m at in Camas, I get somewhere in the 60-70 TDS range from my tap. When I lived in Vancouver it was 120. If you do a filter/DI only system with those numbers that resin would only probably last 1 month, not 6. Considering resin is one of the most expensive parts of running the system you may want to consider that.

[islandVib3s]

21 minutes ago, Blue Z Reef said:

@islandVib3s did you ever check your tap TDS? The system Rudy is using really depends on what your initial TDS is. Where I’m at in Camas, I get somewhere in the 60-70 TDS range from my tap. When I lived in Vancouver it was 120. If you do a filter/DI only system with those numbers that resin would only probably last 1 month, not 6. Considering resin is one of the most expensive parts of running the system you may want to consider that.

Yep I figured that,thats why I'm doing a 6 stage,if it doesn't workout I still have a new RO membrane and housing. 

[albertareef]

On 3/21/2022 at 4:03 PM, pdxmonkeyboy said:

If your looking to save money, certainly don't start looking at the 20" long filters.  They are substantially more expensive.   The most effective solution is separate DI resins and then finish with a mixed bed.  I bet a million dollars you will blow through the anion before the cation is even getting close to being needed to be replaced. 

 

 

This is a good tip.  Do you have a good source for the separate anion and cation resins?

[goldenbasketreef]

10 hours ago, youcallmenny said:

@goldenbasketreefWhat is your GPD with this setup? Definitely interested myself. In Salem we have very clean water so this might be a great option down here. 

My system run for 6-8 months, no limit GPD. It is all depend on size of filter and tds out of tap.

If you set up good prefiltertrarion with catalytic carbon and kdf, the di resin will last longer

Edited April 2, 2022 by goldenbasketreef

[goldenbasketreef]

This is a link that explain what DI is all about, quality vs quantity

https://www.total-water.com/blog/quality-vs-quantity-use-mixed-bed-deionizer/

For our application mixed bed DI is for quality water that we require

[goldenbasketreef]

5 hours ago, Blue Z Reef said:

@islandVib3s did you ever check your tap TDS? The system Rudy is using really depends on what your initial TDS is. Where I’m at in Camas, I get somewhere in the 60-70 TDS range from my tap. When I lived in Vancouver it was 120. If you do a filter/DI only system with those numbers that resin would only probably last 1 month, not 6. Considering resin is one of the most expensive parts of running the system you may want to consider that.

True.

As I explain above it is all depend on TDS to start with and how much water needed.

Even at up to 150tds the system that I used will still be more economical than ro/di

We always think that RO is the last filtration that we need, RO is actually the final step to lower tds before going to final stage which is DI filter.

DI filtration only last as long as the ro unit can bring down tds to the lowest much the same as other prefiltration without ro

So if tds that we start is up to 150 tds which is the tds around OR and WA for the most part, other prefiltration beside RO can bring it down the said tds level to a single digit tds level before going to mixed bed di. 

Another thing also between 10" vs 20" media container, it is not only just double the media but larger filter housing can process better with more surface media and last longer more than 2ea of 10" media can

[Blue Z Reef]

That system sounds good and relatively sound in principle, I just don’t see the need for most reefers who run maybe 100-200 gal tanks to need all that. I run a Spectrapure 99% rejection membrane 90gpd , considered one of the better ones out there and it’s $65. It gets replaced every few years? I swap carbon blocks/pre filter every 6 months (~$25). Rarely worry about resin as the membrane typically outputs between 0-1 tds. The waste water is arguably insignificant in cost as a unit of water around here low (748 gals is roughly $2). As a whole, my semi standard 3 pre filter, RO, 2 DI unit probably cost me somewhere between $50-100 max per year to run. I recently did an ATI ICP and my fresh water was literally perfect, 0s across the board.

 

Again, I'm not a shop so the factor of water usage is much different, this strategy just seems a bit overkill for most is all.

[islandVib3s]

2 hours ago, Blue Z Reef said:

That system sounds good and relatively sound in principle, I just don’t see the need for most reefers who run maybe 100-200 gal tanks to need all that. I run a Spectrapure 99% rejection membrane 90gpd , considered one of the better ones out there and it’s $65. It gets replaced every few years? I swap carbon blocks/pre filter every 6 months (~$25). Rarely worry about resin as the membrane typically outputs between 0-1 tds. The waste water is arguably insignificant in cost as a unit of water around here low (748 gals is roughly $2). As a whole, my semi standard 3 pre filter, RO, 2 DI unit probably cost me somewhere between $50-100 max per year to run. I recently did an ATI ICP and my fresh water was literally perfect, 0s across the board.

 

Again, I'm not a shop so the factor of water usage is much different, this strategy just seems a bit overkill for most is all.

I figured its worth a try being that im building it. Worst case if I don't get 0TDS ill have a beasty 7 stage ro/di system. Still better then paying $300+ for a pre-built 4-5stage ro/di

[goldenbasketreef]

17 hours ago, Blue Z Reef said:

That system sounds good and relatively sound in principle, I just don’t see the need for most reefers who run maybe 100-200 gal tanks to need all that. I run a Spectrapure 99% rejection membrane 90gpd , considered one of the better ones out there and it’s $65. It gets replaced every few years? I swap carbon blocks/pre filter every 6 months (~$25). Rarely worry about resin as the membrane typically outputs between 0-1 tds. The waste water is arguably insignificant in cost as a unit of water around here low (748 gals is roughly $2). As a whole, my semi standard 3 pre filter, RO, 2 DI unit probably cost me somewhere between $50-100 max per year to run. I recently did an ATI ICP and my fresh water was literally perfect, 0s across the board.

 

Again, I'm not a shop so the factor of water usage is much different, this strategy just seems a bit overkill for most is all.

OP was asking for a diy system that I am sharing all the information of what I use

It is certainly not to compete with any system or to discredit what system you have, the information I provided is just for diy purpose

Any system can be scale down and scale up or completely different set up, each to their own

[islandVib3s]

Another question, do you all usually run your system before making water just to flush it out? Lol I honestly haven't been.im still waiting on my shipments to get to build this thing.

[islandVib3s]

Well I did it finally,after waiting for parts. I had 95tds coming in. After all the filters I got it down to 5tds. Ro went back on and back to ZERO. maybe later ill add another stage to try and get that zero w/o RO. The flow was super fast and my pressure was a consistent 60psi and w RO it sits around 75-80psi.heres a picture of my monster RO/DI LOL

[islandVib3s]

Lol I also added.a tap for drinking water if I wanted.

[pdxmonkeyboy]

Don't drink ro water.. it is not good for you... at all.  That is, unless you want to strip your body of essential mineral ions.  

 

Edited April 19, 2022 by pdxmonkeyboy