Question about RO/DI water

DJOfir · 03/30/2006, 12:30 AM

OK I have been wondering if I can use water cooler water to instead of buying RO/DI water from the LFS. I am not sure if you guys are familiar with the refilling stations at the supermarkets. They are called Glacier and they refill these standard 5 gallons water cooler jugs. Sorry but I can't think of any other way to describe them. LOL. Anyways if anybody understands what I am talking about, will I be able to use this water from the refill machine instead of RO/DI? Thank You! I will try to get a picture of it tomorrow to clear things up.

chImerAnz · 03/30/2006, 01:02 AM

I don't think so. Dont water coolers generally only come with a pre-filter and some fine micro-filter? Anyways they dont have an RO membrane and they dont DI resin so it wont be enough to strip all the impurities, a good 4-stage (or better) RO/DI does a much better job.

DJOfir · 03/30/2006, 09:03 AM

I am not sure what the water coolers use for filtration. I just thought since it was drinking water it would be good enough for my fish.

Thanks for your reply though.

afishyonados · 03/30/2006, 09:13 AM

Some drinking water is actually bottled from a municipal (tap) water supply, then shipped out to a different state.
If the water you are referring to even was once R/O purified, magnesium salts and the like are normally added back to it for"taste"!
Publix used to have R/O vending machines. Bring your own jug, slide in the quarters and poof! R/O water!
There has to be someone local who has it, check health food stores!

Wombat_101 · 03/30/2006, 09:16 AM

FYI, I was lending my TDS meter to a co-worker and to show him how it worked, I tested my office water cooler and the Deer Park water came out as 2ppm. Thats not bad at all. Poland Spring was 8ppm I think.

DJOfir · 03/30/2006, 09:17 AM

The machine I am talking about is at Publix supermarket and you do have to bring your own jug. I am just not sure if it R/O water. In any case this might be the same machine, would the water quality be sufficient?

afishyonados · 03/30/2006, 09:25 AM

You should be able to ask the Manager to look into it for you. If it is an R/O system it will have a bladder tank in the back somewhere, he will have probably seen it. If so, you may be good to go.
If in doubt, take a sample of it, and some sink water (from the same store) to a LFS who tests water. They should have a TDS meter (thanks Wombat_101) to check it with. Take the R/O reading and divide it by the sink water reading. This will give you the rejection rate or purity of the water. If the rejection rate is 90% or better, that is great water!

DJOfir · 03/30/2006, 09:32 AM

Nice I will definitely try that method and see what I come up with thanks wombat, afishyonados and chImerAnz.

03/30/2006, 12:30 AM	#1
DJOfir Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale FL Posts: 100	Question about RO/DI water OK I have been wondering if I can use water cooler water to instead of buying RO/DI water from the LFS. I am not sure if you guys are familiar with the refilling stations at the supermarkets. They are called Glacier and they refill these standard 5 gallons water cooler jugs. Sorry but I can't think of any other way to describe them. LOL. Anyways if anybody understands what I am talking about, will I be able to use this water from the refill machine instead of RO/DI? Thank You! I will try to get a picture of it tomorrow to clear things up. __________________ Ofir "In case of a fire, never take the elevator. Walk through life hold your breath and take the steps." Current Tank Info: 55g FOWLR

03/30/2006, 01:02 AM	#2
chImerAnz Registered Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: NZL Posts: 136	I don't think so. Dont water coolers generally only come with a pre-filter and some fine micro-filter? Anyways they dont have an RO membrane and they dont DI resin so it wont be enough to strip all the impurities, a good 4-stage (or better) RO/DI does a much better job. __________________ Everything you need to know - MARINE and REEF TANK FAQ! http://www.chimera.co.nz/marinefaq/

03/30/2006, 09:03 AM	#3
DJOfir Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale FL Posts: 100	I am not sure what the water coolers use for filtration. I just thought since it was drinking water it would be good enough for my fish. Thanks for your reply though. __________________ Ofir "In case of a fire, never take the elevator. Walk through life hold your breath and take the steps." Current Tank Info: 55g FOWLR

03/30/2006, 09:17 AM	#6
DJOfir Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale FL Posts: 100	The machine I am talking about is at Publix supermarket and you do have to bring your own jug. I am just not sure if it R/O water. In any case this might be the same machine, would the water quality be sufficient? __________________ Ofir "In case of a fire, never take the elevator. Walk through life hold your breath and take the steps." Current Tank Info: 55g FOWLR

03/30/2006, 09:32 AM	#8
DJOfir Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Ft. Lauderdale FL Posts: 100	Nice I will definitely try that method and see what I come up with thanks wombat, afishyonados and chImerAnz. __________________ Ofir "In case of a fire, never take the elevator. Walk through life hold your breath and take the steps." Current Tank Info: 55g FOWLR

03/30/2006, 09:13 AM	#4
afishyonados Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sumter, SC Posts: 459	Some drinking water is actually bottled from a municipal (tap) water supply, then shipped out to a different state. If the water you are referring to even was once R/O purified, magnesium salts and the like are normally added back to it for"taste"! Publix used to have R/O vending machines. Bring your own jug, slide in the quarters and poof! R/O water! There has to be someone local who has it, check health food stores!

03/30/2006, 09:16 AM	#5
Wombat_101 Reefer Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Long Island Posts: 281	FYI, I was lending my TDS meter to a co-worker and to show him how it worked, I tested my office water cooler and the Deer Park water came out as 2ppm. Thats not bad at all. Poland Spring was 8ppm I think.

03/30/2006, 09:25 AM	#7
afishyonados Registered Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Sumter, SC Posts: 459	You should be able to ask the Manager to look into it for you. If it is an R/O system it will have a bladder tank in the back somewhere, he will have probably seen it. If so, you may be good to go. If in doubt, take a sample of it, and some sink water (from the same store) to a LFS who tests water. They should have a TDS meter (thanks Wombat_101) to check it with. Take the R/O reading and divide it by the sink water reading. This will give you the rejection rate or purity of the water. If the rejection rate is 90% or better, that is great water!