What to do with Waste water from RO/DI machine?

CaptNemo · 08/28/2007, 11:14 AM

Hello everyone,
I want to buy an RO/DI machine since i hate carrying water home from lfs now. Anyway, what can i do with the waste water? I believe it is better quality than tap water right?
1) Can i use it to change water for my freshwater fish?
2) Can i use it to cook or something?
3) since the water run through the DI thing, does it have any bad effect if i use water for water change for freshwater fish?

Thanks,

davocean · 08/28/2007, 11:16 AM

Water your plants.

DSKinchen · 08/28/2007, 11:54 AM

use it for your fw tank. the waste water has slightly more solids (about 1/3 to 1/4 more by volume) than regular tap water and it's been stripped of chlorine and other nasties. it will have no negative effect. Otherwise, water your plants!

PSam · 08/28/2007, 12:02 PM

I do laundry (top loader), water house / courtyard plants, change FW tank (50' RO tube that I run directly into the tank)

old salty · 08/28/2007, 12:51 PM

I use it to do laundry, but using for a FW tank is a good idea; I never even thought of that. I tried RO water for the tank, but the plants didn't care for it. I have been using dechlorinated tap water for the past 2 years.

Thanks for the idea!!

CaptNemo · 08/28/2007, 01:02 PM

Hi Dskinchen,
I was wondering how come it has more solid matter in the waste water? I thought it went through the carbon already. I don't know much about this matter, if you could explain it in more detail, that's would be great.
Thanks,

AZDesertRat · 08/28/2007, 01:20 PM

The waste stream is 20 to 25% higher in TDS than tap water since it is the 4 part of the 4:1 waste ratio. It is used to flush the solids away from the membrane and carry them away. So for every one gallon of good water you get 4 gallons of flush, brine or waste water with the extra solids the obe good gallon used to contain.
It has been through a pre or sediment filter and a crabon filter but neither does much for dissolved solids, only suspended or larger solids. The RO membrane is waht removes the dissolved solids. It has not been through the DI as that is after the RO membrane.
It is safe for almost all uses where hard water or high TDS water is suitable. A freshwater or planted tank would probably be fine with it.

Charlie97L · 08/28/2007, 02:32 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by PSam
I do laundry (top loader), water house / courtyard plants, change FW tank (50' RO tube that I run directly into the tank)

fw use will depend on your fish stock and what plants you keep, if any... if it's a basic FW tank, with run of the mill community fish, it should work decently.

however, many plants, and some fish, need the water on the softer side. just do your research and you'll be fine!

08/28/2007, 11:14 AM	#1
CaptNemo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 195	What to do with Waste water from RO/DI machine? Hello everyone, I want to buy an RO/DI machine since i hate carrying water home from lfs now. Anyway, what can i do with the waste water? I believe it is better quality than tap water right? 1) Can i use it to change water for my freshwater fish? 2) Can i use it to cook or something? 3) since the water run through the DI thing, does it have any bad effect if i use water for water change for freshwater fish? Thanks,

08/28/2007, 11:16 AM	#2
davocean Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: San Diego, CA Posts: 14,655	Water your plants. __________________ There's a fine line between owning your tank and your tank owning you! Current Tank Info: SCA 120g RR Starfire, Tunze silence 1073.02 return, 40g sump w/ fuge, SWC Extreme 160 cone skimmer,Geismann reflexx 4xT5, 2x Panorama Pro LED strips, Vortech MP40QD

08/28/2007, 12:02 PM	#4
PSam Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Chicago Posts: 3,036	I do laundry (top loader), water house / courtyard plants, change FW tank (50' RO tube that I run directly into the tank) __________________ ..no vemos las cosas como son las vemos como somos nosotros...

08/28/2007, 12:51 PM	#5
old salty Genius Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: The Island of Misfit Toys Posts: 3,131	I use it to do laundry, but using for a FW tank is a good idea; I never even thought of that. I tried RO water for the tank, but the plants didn't care for it. I have been using dechlorinated tap water for the past 2 years. Thanks for the idea!! __________________ "The man who reads nothing at all is better educated than the man who reads nothing but newspapers." Thomas Jefferson Current Tank Info: Out of the marine aquarium hobby

08/28/2007, 11:54 AM	#3
DSKinchen Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Miami, FL Posts: 59	use it for your fw tank. the waste water has slightly more solids (about 1/3 to 1/4 more by volume) than regular tap water and it's been stripped of chlorine and other nasties. it will have no negative effect. Otherwise, water your plants!

08/28/2007, 01:02 PM	#6
CaptNemo Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 195	Hi Dskinchen, I was wondering how come it has more solid matter in the waste water? I thought it went through the carbon already. I don't know much about this matter, if you could explain it in more detail, that's would be great. Thanks,

08/28/2007, 01:20 PM	#7
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	The waste stream is 20 to 25% higher in TDS than tap water since it is the 4 part of the 4:1 waste ratio. It is used to flush the solids away from the membrane and carry them away. So for every one gallon of good water you get 4 gallons of flush, brine or waste water with the extra solids the obe good gallon used to contain. It has been through a pre or sediment filter and a crabon filter but neither does much for dissolved solids, only suspended or larger solids. The RO membrane is waht removes the dissolved solids. It has not been through the DI as that is after the RO membrane. It is safe for almost all uses where hard water or high TDS water is suitable. A freshwater or planted tank would probably be fine with it.