Tank Journal Archive

[Str8edge]

This is a thread for ideas of using RO wastage to my advantage.. Obviously with the upgrade to the 8ft I'm going to use a lot more top up RO & RO water to mix up salt. I have solved one of these problems by going to NSW which I will pick up from melb every few months with an ibc, works out cheaper then buying and mixing salt as I had to goto melb to get the salt anyway.. :) while I was looking for a way to use RO waste I came across a video from mr saltwater tank,

this seems like a really good idea and I was wondering if anyone had been doing it and what the results where like. On eBay everything that is needed can be found including inline RO boosters to boost water pressure.. As always thoughts and discussion is welcome..

 

[Str8edge]

Oh and by the way this isn't so much about saving money it's more about being green and not wasting so much water..

 

[MagicJ]

Maybe we could ask the expert :) @callum@psi can we do this with your systems?

I think some people use the waste water in their washing machine.

 

[Str8edge]

Thanks magic see what the expert thinks hopefully he has the extra canister and ro membrane I need to get this to happen rather buy from them then the internet.. I know some people use the waste for there laundry I have thought about this but it also has a lot of problems from what I have read most washing machines need the water under pressure otherwise it is to hard on the motors and I will need to store the waste.. Plus I know myself to well the waste IBC will get full as I'm to lazy to use it for washing/garden :p lol.. If this way works it should double my RO water producing it faster halving my waste..

 

[Sam Parker]

you could also use your RO waste to "flush" your skimmer cup. Saw this done on another form, nifty idea.
Sam

 

[DavidS]

Oh me likey this. It takes me an entire day to make enough RO/DI to last a week for the ATOs. Happy to look at a way to save more water, and spend far less time ferrying containers around the house :P

 

[Str8edge]

Haha i know that feeling Dave.. I will be setting this up in the coming month so I will let you know how it goes... Also rigging it up to a float switch and a solinoid so I always have a couple of hundred litres on hand, I really hate waiting for RO..

 

[DavidS]

I'd love to have a decent container for RO/DI, but just don't have the space for it here. I can't complain much - all of my ATO reservoirs can all hold over a weeks worth of water now, so it's a bloody improvement over doing it every couple of days!
Hoping to buy a house in a couple years. I'll bloody fill an IBC with RO/DI when that happens :P

 

[Ian3145]

PSI have various firttings to divert waste water to grey water systems, garden irrigation etc. I only make 25 litres of RO at a time, I put the waste outlet in my washing mc and use it for washing. Plus if I forget it (who me?) the machine overflow takes care of it.

Eventually I'm going to buy a very small boost pump* & run the water directly to a drip irrigation system for the bromiliads, elk horns , orchids, etc I grow high on trellis, on my carport wall. My laundry faces a rear carport so it's easy to set up.

*1st I'll try it at the pressure coming out of the unit as the head height from the unit is only about a metre or maybe 1.5 metres.

 

[ReeferRob]

Glad I ventured in here. I have a well and it has between 50 and 75 psi, not very fast. I have another smaller smaller membrane that I'll plumb into the waste side to see how it works. I've always wondered if it would work, looks like it will.

I save my waste water to water the garden in a 1000l IBC tote, all that waste water goodness is fantastic for your garden. Since I started doing this, my tomatoes have never looked better. We put up, on average, 60 litres of sauce from a small 4x4 metre garden. I also use it in the puppy pond as top up.

 

[Str8edge]

I'm am going to plumb the waste into the garden sprinklers I just need to ensure the one way valve on the RO unit is strong enough to hold the water back when the autosprinlkers turn on and fill the sprinkler lines.. It should be but better to be safe..

 

[macca_75]

@callum@psi

Defintely interested to hear if PSI offer something like this (and your thoughts on if the value is as good as described in the YouTube clip)? Definitely interested in reducing waste and increasing throughput.

I currently get about 120-125psi in of both gauges, no DI.

 

[Buddy]

I thought the maximum safe psi was 120psi? I have a booster pump that I had to use at my old house, but if I use it at where I am now, it goes way over 120psi

 

[macca_75]

Yeah - Pete said it was OK but at the top range. That's what got me thinking if I could install a second membrane and either double output and/or reduce waste.

 

[MQ-9]

The waste water from RO is excellent for African Rift lake cichlids, and goldfish ponds.

 

[callum@psi]

It can be done but only if the waste ratio is increased. Typically systems imported into australia are 1L Product to 3-4 L Brine water. As we run our systems at 1-1 already, it is not recommended to add a second membrane without increasing the waste ratio to suit. By adding the second membrane on without it will destroy the membrane quite quickly.

Ro Brine water is not recommended for any fruit/veg products.

 

[callum@psi]

as far as operating pressures , it depends on what brand and type of housing you are using. Also if it is under mains pressure or booster pump constantly.....

 

[MTG]

wait that guy just drank rodi water isnt it not for human consumption?

 

[callum@psi]

yeah at the end of the video... its fine to drink but not all the time.