R/O unit waste water. How much?

Murdoch98 · 01/26/2008, 11:20 AM

I am thinking about installing a 50gpd R/O unit. I may tap into my water heater in the utility closet, but there is no drain in there. So than I thought of just dumping the waste water through the floor into the crawl space under the house. My question is....approximately how many gallons of waste water is produced per 25 gallons of r/o water? I don't want too much water under the house. Thanks.
Mark

Phyxius · 01/26/2008, 11:24 AM

Some units can produce a good to waste ratio of up to 1-4. So 25 gallons of good water would dump out up to 4 times that in waste water.
Not a good idea to dump that much water into your crawl space unless you want moisture and mold problems.

LobsterOfJustice · 01/26/2008, 11:28 AM

When you say tap into the water heater, do you mean the cold water line running into the heater? Running hot water through a membrane is one of the quickest ways to destroy it.

And the "typical" ratio given, as Phyxius mentioned above, is 1:4. So if you make 25 gallons of RODI, you have 100 gallons of water in your crawl space.

xenon · 01/26/2008, 12:10 PM

The new Spectrapure UHE Maxcap does 1:1 ratio.

chrismunn · 01/26/2008, 12:18 PM

bad idea!

McTeague · 01/26/2008, 01:05 PM

Save the waste water as much as possible and use it to water plants and the lawn.

adamn · 01/26/2008, 01:36 PM

I agree, I would try to recycle it for something, or drain it outside or into a sink. Draining to a crawlspace is just asking for trouble (mold)

Sk8r · 01/26/2008, 01:39 PM

Tap into your washing machine cold line via a Y connector [brass is ok for that] and route the wastewater into your washing machine: that way nothing is wasted.

Murdoch98 · 01/26/2008, 01:42 PM

ofcourse I would not dump that much water into my crawlspace. I had no idea it was that much waste water per 25g. I will just find another way, thanks for the info.

rbursek · 01/26/2008, 06:18 PM

DONOT TAP INTO THE HOT SIDE, water heaters trap heavy metals and other crap that you will distroy your filters and membrain!!!! The Filter Guys have a double membrain that only does 1-2 waste, but my need a pump but if I remember right it needs a min of 65psi, go to there web sight call and they will give the info, great guys and service and prices.
Bob

DEXNC · 01/26/2008, 06:31 PM

Or you can invest in a kold ster-il 3 stage water filtration system. Good for apartment dwellers or a person in your situation, there is no water waste with this system.

01/26/2008, 11:20 AM	#1
Murdoch98 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago Burbs' Posts: 24	R/O unit waste water. How much? I am thinking about installing a 50gpd R/O unit. I may tap into my water heater in the utility closet, but there is no drain in there. So than I thought of just dumping the waste water through the floor into the crawl space under the house. My question is....approximately how many gallons of waste water is produced per 25 gallons of r/o water? I don't want too much water under the house. Thanks. Mark

01/26/2008, 11:24 AM	#2
Phyxius Moving About Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: RTP NC Posts: 2,405	Some units can produce a good to waste ratio of up to 1-4. So 25 gallons of good water would dump out up to 4 times that in waste water. Not a good idea to dump that much water into your crawl space unless you want moisture and mold problems. __________________ -Mike I never drink water because of the disgusting things that fish do in it. W. C. Fields Current Tank Info: JUST SOLD AND TOOK DOWN ALL 11/10---210g AGA, 80g sump, Tunze Streams. Tunze ATO,RK Elite Controller, RKII,Dart, GEO Calcium& Nielsen Kalk Reactors,GEO media reactor, Kaleini Rock, 3-250 watt 14k EVC , VHO..... 34g Solana and 60g cube Last edited by Phyxius; 01/26/2008 at 11:32 AM.

01/26/2008, 11:28 AM	#3
LobsterOfJustice Recovering Detritophobe Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Cary, NC Posts: 7,443	When you say tap into the water heater, do you mean the cold water line running into the heater? Running hot water through a membrane is one of the quickest ways to destroy it. And the "typical" ratio given, as Phyxius mentioned above, is 1:4. So if you make 25 gallons of RODI, you have 100 gallons of water in your crawl space. __________________ If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right. I remember when zoanthids were called things like "green" and "orange" and not "reverse gorilla nipple." Current Tank Info: 180g reef with all the bells and whistles

01/26/2008, 12:18 PM	#5
chrismunn Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Austin, Texas Posts: 4,200	bad idea! __________________ Marine Aquarists Association of South Texas Austin Reef Club PBITAWA... Current Tank Info: 14g bio cube

01/26/2008, 01:36 PM	#7
adamn Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: On, Canada Posts: 49	I agree, I would try to recycle it for something, or drain it outside or into a sink. Draining to a crawlspace is just asking for trouble (mold) __________________ my progress & gallery @ biotic-reef.com Current Tank Info: 75g with 38 gallon sump. 8.8g nano with darwins and a goby.

01/26/2008, 12:10 PM	#4
xenon Owner of Canada Corals Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Mississauga, Canada Posts: 3,148	The new Spectrapure UHE Maxcap does 1:1 ratio.

01/26/2008, 01:05 PM	#6
McTeague Moved On Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Fort Wayne, Indiana Posts: 501	Save the waste water as much as possible and use it to water plants and the lawn.

01/26/2008, 01:39 PM	#8
Sk8r RC Mod Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Spokane WA Posts: 34,628 Blog Entries: 55	Tap into your washing machine cold line via a Y connector [brass is ok for that] and route the wastewater into your washing machine: that way nothing is wasted. __________________ Sk8r Salinity 1.024-6; alkalinity 8.3-9.3 on KH scale; calcium 420; magnesium 1300, temp 78-80, nitrate .2. Ammonia 0. No filters: lps tank. Alk and cal won't rise if mg is low. Current Tank Info: 105g AquaVim wedge, yellow tang, sailfin blenny,royal gramma, ocellaris clown pair, yellow watchman, 100 microceriths, 25 tiny hermits, a 4" conch, 1" nassarius, recovering from 2 year hiatus with daily water change of 10%.

01/26/2008, 01:42 PM	#9
Murdoch98 Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Chicago Burbs' Posts: 24	ofcourse I would not dump that much water into my crawlspace. I had no idea it was that much waste water per 25g. I will just find another way, thanks for the info.

01/26/2008, 06:18 PM	#10
rbursek Moved On Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: germantown,wi Posts: 2,339	DONOT TAP INTO THE HOT SIDE, water heaters trap heavy metals and other crap that you will distroy your filters and membrain!!!! The Filter Guys have a double membrain that only does 1-2 waste, but my need a pump but if I remember right it needs a min of 65psi, go to there web sight call and they will give the info, great guys and service and prices. Bob

01/26/2008, 06:31 PM	#11
DEXNC Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Greensboro, N.C Posts: 220	Or you can invest in a kold ster-il 3 stage water filtration system. Good for apartment dwellers or a person in your situation, there is no water waste with this system.