About to install my new RODI. Have question

91mini · 03/31/2012, 01:42 PM

I bought a Spectrapure 4 stage.

I went to Lowes and got everything I need to install it. Will be installing it in the laundry room with lag bolts to the wall.

Can anyone give me some basic tips on what to do after installation? I know the some of the basics, like black is waste, blue is fresh water. Got the Y splitter from Lowes to hook up with the water coming out for the washer. Only one I could find was one used for garden hoses like this one.

Is there anything I should do when I run it for the first time? If I let it run until TDS shows 0 is that good enough?

Any other tips would be helpful too. Thanks

disc1 · 03/31/2012, 03:39 PM

When you start it up for the very first time or any time you change the carbon filters, it's a good idea to take the line loose that runs into the RO membrane from the carbon and let the carbon filters flush for a few gallons without that running into the RO.

royvoss · 03/31/2012, 03:47 PM

there are rinse up instruction with the unit, if it is a used one the go to there site. also you will need to check the product to waste ratio. again it is in the instructions. read thru them . you may or may not need a booster pump. depends on the water pressure in your home.

tkeracer619 · 03/31/2012, 04:29 PM

Sorry to tell you this but the last thing you want to use is the plastic splitter. Take it back and find a metal one. I have seen multiple plastic ones fail. Fine in the yard. Not fine in your house. Do not use it.

91mini · 03/31/2012, 07:14 PM

Thanks for the advice. I will get the metal one next time I'm in Lowes. Don't want to come home to a flooded house for sure.

As for the flushing off the system. I've read every word in the manual and it did not say anything about removing the filters and running the system before operation so I should be OK there I think.

It did however give instructions for the restrictor. Which they give you a calculation to follow. I cut the restitctor a little at a time to be safe because it didn't seem like the chart matched the ml that I was getting out of the unit. I cut it until there was only a nub left on it and now it gets 3.75:1 ratio but makes a noise.

Also, I put a valve on the waste and fresh water lines. Can I leave the water in the on position coming from the Y splitter and just use the valve to turn on the waste and fresh water when I need it? Would this put any stress on the system?

tkeracer619 · 03/31/2012, 07:43 PM

Run the unit for a bit without it hooked up to the di. Run at least a gallon or two through the DI before using it. That should be sufficient.

Restrictor is fine.

You want to leave the unit pressurized or at least full of water. It will not hurt anything. Consider an ASOV (Auto Shut Off Valve) instead of two valves. When the RO water is shut off it cuts off the waste as well. This works well with float valves to shut down the system when you are done filling whatever it is you are filling. You don't want to shut one off and forget the other.

91mini · 03/31/2012, 08:00 PM

I do think an auto shut off will make my life easier. I'll throw it into my next online purchase.

Thanks for all the advice. I think I will try my hand at mixing my first batch of saltwater now. This should be easy. Just have a nano to keep up until my 100G project is complete. It's gonna be nice not having to make special trips to the fish store just for water!!

tkeracer619 · 03/31/2012, 09:43 PM

Your welcome! Enjoy your RO. For now make sure to fill whatever it is your filling in the sink or bathtub. That feeling of greatness that you have an RO can turn to pure horror when you are on your way home from a night out and all of a sudden the thought "did I turn off the RO?" goes through your head. Longest 15 minute ride home ever and its usually worse when you get there

. Trust me, you don't want to go there ;P

91mini · 03/31/2012, 10:20 PM

LOL. Right now I only need one gallon at a time of fresh water and 5 gallons of salt at a time for my nano but when I am finished with my 100G build I may have to take your advice. Only problem is that the unit is in my laundry room so not really near my tub or a close sink without a very long tube.

I'll have to figure it out.

big cats · 03/31/2012, 11:20 PM

for your 100g build and even for now, why not consider a plastic water container? like the hundreds of gallons capacity types. I have seen them for sale, and if you have a 100g container, and your RO unit only makes 25g a day, then you could ideally forget about it for 4 days and then have something to worry about..I'm sure your LFS has one of those containers and it's probably near the 1000g mark. Ask them where they got theirs from.

91mini · 03/31/2012, 11:46 PM

My RO is rated for 90GPH, but still wsorth looking into a larger container for the built. My plans are to build with no canopy so I will be getting a lot of evaporation.

tkeracer619 · 04/01/2012, 10:04 PM

A lot of people use a brute trash can.

03/31/2012, 01:42 PM	#1
91mini Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 278	About to install my new RODI. Have question I bought a Spectrapure 4 stage. I went to Lowes and got everything I need to install it. Will be installing it in the laundry room with lag bolts to the wall. Can anyone give me some basic tips on what to do after installation? I know the some of the basics, like black is waste, blue is fresh water. Got the Y splitter from Lowes to hook up with the water coming out for the washer. Only one I could find was one used for garden hoses like this one. Is there anything I should do when I run it for the first time? If I let it run until TDS shows 0 is that good enough? Any other tips would be helpful too. Thanks

03/31/2012, 03:39 PM	#2
disc1 -RT * ln(k) Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Little Rock Posts: 9,705	When you start it up for the very first time or any time you change the carbon filters, it's a good idea to take the line loose that runs into the RO membrane from the carbon and let the carbon filters flush for a few gallons without that running into the RO. __________________ David Current Tank: Undergoing reconstruction...

03/31/2012, 04:29 PM	#4
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Sorry to tell you this but the last thing you want to use is the plastic splitter. Take it back and find a metal one. I have seen multiple plastic ones fail. Fine in the yard. Not fine in your house. Do not use it. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

03/31/2012, 07:43 PM	#6
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Run the unit for a bit without it hooked up to the di. Run at least a gallon or two through the DI before using it. That should be sufficient. Restrictor is fine. You want to leave the unit pressurized or at least full of water. It will not hurt anything. Consider an ASOV (Auto Shut Off Valve) instead of two valves. When the RO water is shut off it cuts off the waste as well. This works well with float valves to shut down the system when you are done filling whatever it is you are filling. You don't want to shut one off and forget the other. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

03/31/2012, 09:43 PM	#8
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	Your welcome! Enjoy your RO. For now make sure to fill whatever it is your filling in the sink or bathtub. That feeling of greatness that you have an RO can turn to pure horror when you are on your way home from a night out and all of a sudden the thought "did I turn off the RO?" goes through your head. Longest 15 minute ride home ever and its usually worse when you get there . Trust me, you don't want to go there ;P __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.

03/31/2012, 03:47 PM	#3
royvoss Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: nj Posts: 467	there are rinse up instruction with the unit, if it is a used one the go to there site. also you will need to check the product to waste ratio. again it is in the instructions. read thru them . you may or may not need a booster pump. depends on the water pressure in your home.

03/31/2012, 07:14 PM	#5
91mini Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 278	Thanks for the advice. I will get the metal one next time I'm in Lowes. Don't want to come home to a flooded house for sure. As for the flushing off the system. I've read every word in the manual and it did not say anything about removing the filters and running the system before operation so I should be OK there I think. It did however give instructions for the restrictor. Which they give you a calculation to follow. I cut the restitctor a little at a time to be safe because it didn't seem like the chart matched the ml that I was getting out of the unit. I cut it until there was only a nub left on it and now it gets 3.75:1 ratio but makes a noise. Also, I put a valve on the waste and fresh water lines. Can I leave the water in the on position coming from the Y splitter and just use the valve to turn on the waste and fresh water when I need it? Would this put any stress on the system?

03/31/2012, 08:00 PM	#7
91mini Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 278	I do think an auto shut off will make my life easier. I'll throw it into my next online purchase. Thanks for all the advice. I think I will try my hand at mixing my first batch of saltwater now. This should be easy. Just have a nano to keep up until my 100G project is complete. It's gonna be nice not having to make special trips to the fish store just for water!!

03/31/2012, 10:20 PM	#9
91mini Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 278	LOL. Right now I only need one gallon at a time of fresh water and 5 gallons of salt at a time for my nano but when I am finished with my 100G build I may have to take your advice. Only problem is that the unit is in my laundry room so not really near my tub or a close sink without a very long tube. I'll have to figure it out.

03/31/2012, 11:20 PM	#10
big cats Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Yucca Valley, CA, United States Posts: 338	for your 100g build and even for now, why not consider a plastic water container? like the hundreds of gallons capacity types. I have seen them for sale, and if you have a 100g container, and your RO unit only makes 25g a day, then you could ideally forget about it for 4 days and then have something to worry about..I'm sure your LFS has one of those containers and it's probably near the 1000g mark. Ask them where they got theirs from.

03/31/2012, 11:46 PM	#11
91mini Registered Member Join Date: May 2011 Posts: 278	My RO is rated for 90GPH, but still wsorth looking into a larger container for the built. My plans are to build with no canopy so I will be getting a lot of evaporation.

04/01/2012, 10:04 PM	#12
tkeracer619 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Westminster, CO Posts: 17,289	A lot of people use a brute trash can. __________________ Hobby Experience: 9200ish gallons, 26 skimmers, and a handful of Kent Scrapers. Current Tank: Vortech Powered 600G SPS Tank w/ 100gal frag tank & 100g Sump. RK2-RK10 Skimmer. ReefAngel. Radium 20k.