Top Off Water?

[TaknByD]

First of all let me say thank you guys so much for all the help... I have learned a great deal in the past month that I have been a member here on MAAST. It is really appreciated in more ways than one. As for my question...

What type of water do I use to top off my tank? I don't have a RO/DI system so I need to know what is the best thing... Thanks once again... :D

[alton]

I thought Gabe sold R/O Water? Maybe he will chime in.

[Reefer4ever]

I would say the next best thing would be distilled water. Like the ones you buy a mega-marts. There are plenty of places that sell R/O water here in San Antonio. Texas tropicals, Reefs2U, Fintique, and I'm sure there are others. Good luck on finding some water! :)

I find it very amusing that we have to buy water! haha Or buy a filter to filter the water.

[Mr Cob]

Oh man...I have reefed for years without an RO/DI unit...I used to get my water from Gabe and TT. I think most LFS that carry saltwater also sell ro/di and even pre-mixed saltwater.

[cbianco]

I would say the next best thing would be distilled water. Like the ones you buy a mega-marts. There are plenty of places that sell R/O water here in San Antonio. Texas tropicals, Reefs2U, Fintique, and I'm sure there are others. Good luck on finding some water! :)

I find it very amusing that we have to buy water! haha Or buy a filter to filter the water.

I've used distilled water many times with no ill effect.

Christopher :)

[TaknByD]

Yes I was told distilled worked just fine but I just wanted to hear everyone else chime in. Seems like everyone has their own way of doing things. Thanks for all the feedback!

[Kristy]

We used to use that Windmill water before we got our own RO/DI on the occasions when it wasn't convenient to buy it from a LFS. Never brought us any particular problems.

[txg8gxp]

I still use the windmill water, I always have. One of these days I will get my own RO/DI system, but until then windmill water it is.

[jrsatx20]

yes top off with ro/di. some of the sponsors sell the water. i used to use the water from the windmills. never had any ill effects.

[Reefer4ever]

What is this "windmill water"?

[jrsatx20]

sorry bout the late post i forgot to hit submit

[Europhyllia]

In front of Polly's pets (and other places I am sure) they have one of those RO water dispensing centers. A little house that's shaped like a windmill.
You put the money in, place a container underneath and it fills it up with RO water.

I am getting teh impression you want to be talked into getting an RO/DI unit though. Go buy one. You'll like it.
You can hook it up in your laundry room and have sparkling clean RO/DI whenever you want :)

When I didn't have an RODI I used Purified water from HEB (RO as well)

[TaknByD]

What about the water things inside Walmart...? The blue machine that fills up jugs of water?

[LuckySingh]

i use that water mills or what ever it's called...it's like $1.00 for 5 gallon..i always hve 30 glns as reserve sitting in my rubbermaid container ...u never know when u need it...

[txav8r]

Best thing to do is buy a hand held TDS (total dissolved solids) meter and check the TDS levels of the water at where ever you are planning to get water. Check it each time as the filters will degrade over time and TDS levels will rise. The TDS should be near 0 for RO/DI water.

[Bill S]

What Jack said.

Much of the water sold as "distilled" is actually RO/DI. It's much more efficient than distilling. Either works.

[alton]

A friend bought his water from culligan at Wal Mart. He would watch when they changed the filters and serviced the machine. I think they had a good pattern so he knew when to go?

[DarkHorseMBA]

I use RO water that I get from Gabe's or Texas Tropical. Buying a RO unit does not seem to make sense to me (Yet). Most stores sell Ro for .25 Cents or .35 Cents a gallon. With personal RO unit, first you buy the unit, maybe even install it, and then most units waste 3 gallons for each gallon of RO "made".

I might be wrong, I'm new to this too, but buying the water is easier.

As a note, I use this same RO water and add my own reef salt for water changes too.

[Big_Pun]

What is this "windmill water"?

some of us have windmills in our backyard......ok ok its those lil water stations in the parking lots that sells it by the gallon just bring your own jug. its the shape of a windmill. i used to use the one outside of heb's

[Big_Pun]

in the long run its just better to have your own filter and back up water so when things go wrong, or for late night top offs. i have come home lots of times late to see my auto top off warning light on telling me the buckets empty, so i just go to the garage and fill it up.

[Europhyllia]

and then most units waste 3 gallons for each gallon of RO "made".

How much waste you have depends on your set up. I went with a regular 75gpd for a year until I learned about the dual membrane set ups The waste water that leaves the first membrane feeds into a second membrane so rather than be immediately discharded it gets filtered and used again). I takes a booster pump to work but saves 50% water and makes the RO water twice as fast as a single 75 gph membrane set up. LOVE it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBkFi_4kiDk

[DarkHorseMBA]

How much waste you have depends on your set up. I went with a regular 75gpd for a year until I learned about the dual membrane set ups The waste water that leaves the first membrane feeds into a second membrane so rather than be immediately discharded it gets filtered and used again). I takes a booster pump to work but saves 50% water and makes the RO water twice as fast as a single 75 gph membrane set up. LOVE it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBkFi_4kiDk

Humm... Learn something new everyday I this hobby.


DarkHorseMBA
___________________________
Sent from my iPhone

[Big_Pun]

wow i like that and i 65psi on my unit, i was just about to buy a new 100gpd membrane, and i have a spare ro housing. thanks karin

[Europhyllia]

65psi without a pump. That's nice! I had 45 psi and had to get a booster pump. In the long run it's all worth it though. Faster, cleaner, less waste
... :)

warning: do measure psi. if you don't have enough it won't work efficiently and could turn out dirtier water.

[Gseclipse02]

What about the water things inside Walmart...? The blue machine that fills up jugs of water?

i did this when i set up my 100g and boom i got hair algae that next week i bought an RODI from buckeye

[jlh81]

How much waste you have depends on your set up. I went with a regular 75gpd for a year until I learned about the dual membrane set ups The waste water that leaves the first membrane feeds into a second membrane so rather than be immediately discharded it gets filtered and used again). I takes a booster pump to work but saves 50% water and makes the RO water twice as fast as a single 75 gph membrane set up. LOVE it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HBkFi_4kiDk

Thats a good idea! i know my Buckeye wastes alot of water. Might have to order one and give it a try.

[jlh81]

All sell you some RO water 10.00 a Gallon. Best water in town!!!