Question About RO/DI

nfored · 04/21/2012, 08:28 PM

SO I am using a 6 stage RO/DI unit for the first time for my tank. To be honest it scares me more then using tap water. I know I need to dechlorinate tap water so I always dechlorinate my tap water before mixing the salt.

Now I can also do that with my RO water before mixing the salt, but what about the auto top off? I have never had to do an auto top off before. How do you guys sleep at night knowing one day chlorine could be auto topping off your water. I wish there was some test that I could do once a week or something just to feel safer.

f3honda4me · 04/21/2012, 08:35 PM

If you're using a rodi unit there is no chlorine to dechlorinate. I'm kinda confused about what your worry is?

shifty51008 · 04/21/2012, 08:37 PM

unless there is something wrong with your unit you won't have chlorine in your water. if your getting 0 tds on the output then you have pure H2O nothing else.

sucker_fish · 04/21/2012, 08:54 PM

as said,if your RODI is working properly your water has no chlorine...

Ron Reefman · 04/22/2012, 05:22 AM

We all sleep at night because we use RO/DI water and don't give clorine much consideration at all. That's why you have a carbon filter (at least one) before your RO membrane. If clorine gets past it, it will destroy your RO membrane and you'll have high TDS in your water (and therefore won't use it).

Reefmedic79 · 04/22/2012, 12:35 PM

Agreed with all that posted prior. The carbon pre-filters on your RO/DI remove the chlorine from your water so there is nothing you should worry about.

It sounds like your ??? about the ATO is you piping the RO/DI directly to your tank for top-off. I've heard of some people doing this, but most of us use a 5-10 gallon bucket as a reservoir an top-off from that and then manually refill the buck every 5-7 days.

nfored · 04/22/2012, 02:09 PM

Okay so as long as the TDS is 0 I should be fine, and I also should not use direct to tank R/O water. Thanks and sorry for the newbe questions I just dind't know that if chlorine/chloramine gets to the membrane it would destroy it, I thought it only cut its life down a bit; and there for could still pass chlorinated water.

04/21/2012, 08:28 PM	#1
nfored Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kansas City Missouri Posts: 157	Question About RO/DI SO I am using a 6 stage RO/DI unit for the first time for my tank. To be honest it scares me more then using tap water. I know I need to dechlorinate tap water so I always dechlorinate my tap water before mixing the salt. Now I can also do that with my RO water before mixing the salt, but what about the auto top off? I have never had to do an auto top off before. How do you guys sleep at night knowing one day chlorine could be auto topping off your water. I wish there was some test that I could do once a week or something just to feel safer.

04/21/2012, 08:37 PM	#3
shifty51008 12-5 Chiefs record Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: NW Iowa Posts: 10,134	unless there is something wrong with your unit you won't have chlorine in your water. if your getting 0 tds on the output then you have pure H2O nothing else. __________________ 75 gal. mixed DT, 100 gal. sump, 50 gal. fuge, Clownfish breeder

04/21/2012, 08:54 PM	#4
sucker_fish Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Covington, TN Posts: 441	as said,if your RODI is working properly your water has no chlorine... __________________ <------- Have you ever seen tortoises playing leapfrog? Current Tank Info: 40 B w/ T5's and tunze 9002 skimmer. no sump. 90 gal. mixed reef, 36"x16"x16" sump/fuge, reef octopus xp2000 skimmer, water blaster hy5000 return.

04/22/2012, 05:22 AM	#5
Ron Reefman Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Cape Coral, FL Posts: 10,431	We all sleep at night because we use RO/DI water and don't give clorine much consideration at all. That's why you have a carbon filter (at least one) before your RO membrane. If clorine gets past it, it will destroy your RO membrane and you'll have high TDS in your water (and therefore won't use it). __________________ The good thing about science is that it's true whether or not you believe in it. (Neil deGrasse Tyson) Visit my build thread http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2593017

04/22/2012, 12:35 PM	#6
Reefmedic79 Life and Reef Saver Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Tavares, Florida Posts: 6,202	Agreed with all that posted prior. The carbon pre-filters on your RO/DI remove the chlorine from your water so there is nothing you should worry about. It sounds like your ??? about the ATO is you piping the RO/DI directly to your tank for top-off. I've heard of some people doing this, but most of us use a 5-10 gallon bucket as a reservoir an top-off from that and then manually refill the buck every 5-7 days. __________________ ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º>¸. ·´¯`·.¸. , . .·´¯`·.. ><((((º>`·.¸¸.·´¯`·.¸.·´¯`·...¸><((((º> How much deeper would the ocean be if it didn't have sponges? P. Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sid Current Tank Info: 40 Breeder, 20L Sump, 10G Fuge, JBJ A.T.O, 4" Reef Octopus, DIY Stand & Canopy, RapidLED Dimmable 36 Kit on 3 6" MakersLED Heatsink, MP10es

04/21/2012, 08:35 PM	#2
f3honda4me Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 1,218	If you're using a rodi unit there is no chlorine to dechlorinate. I'm kinda confused about what your worry is?

04/22/2012, 02:09 PM	#7
nfored Registered Member Join Date: May 2009 Location: Kansas City Missouri Posts: 157	Okay so as long as the TDS is 0 I should be fine, and I also should not use direct to tank R/O water. Thanks and sorry for the newbe questions I just dind't know that if chlorine/chloramine gets to the membrane it would destroy it, I thought it only cut its life down a bit; and there for could still pass chlorinated water.