ATO Float valve RODI

[FlyTekk]

Question. I have the 150gpd rodi from brs. Also have a booster pump which really gives me good production flow.I also got the float valve. The booster pump came with float switch. So i was going to setup this up to a bucket and use reefkeeper to auto top off.

But then i just realized, cant i just drill my acrylic sump and place float vavle direct to system. Circumvent the whole ato, bucket, pump and float switches?

 

[roc5288]

Absolutely. Even better than putting water in the bucket. I find that even with 0 tds coming out of your RODI. When the water sits in the bucket for a while tds start to rise. Especially if you don't keep up with wiping the bucket out from time to time.

 

[bertyboy69]

The only downside is if the float gets stuck or if your skimmer overflows or theres a leak in the plumbing ect ect the tank will continue to fill with rodi and crash the salinity so make sure you find a way to prevent that

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

 

[FlyTekk]

If the skimmer overflows, it would fall right back into sump.

As for float switch... thats def a prob i guess. Especially when i shut off my return pump to feed, and the water in sump raises and saltwater soaks the float valve.... salt creep... yikes.

 

[bertyboy69]

My skimmer would too but some people have the skimmer cup empty to a bucket which would be a problem.

But as for the fliat im not sure how you could even make it so that its double redundant because its a mechanical float

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I317 using Reefs

 

[ecvernon]

I've asked that question in the past and I think I received good advice when I was told not to do it. Float valves can fail and get stuck or clogged . It can mess up your salinity In your tank. Also evaporation doesn't happen in large amounts. That would lead to your float valve moving from close to open often as evaporation varies.

 

[MatthewScars]

Look into a Tunze Osmolator.

Optical eye AND back up float value.

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

We recommend that you do not run your RODI to a float valve in the sump.

 

[fishman1069]

I use a lowes bucket for my ATO. I go thru about 5 gals of evaporation in less than a week. I always check the tds of the little bit of water left in the bucket and it's always 0-1ppm. I also use and electronic float switch because they are a lil more reliable than the mechanical ones. Don't use home depot buckets! They leach tons of tds.

 

[FlyTekk]

"Don't use home depot buckets! They leach tons of tds."

WHOA!!!! Never new that. i have orange home depot buckets and blue lowes. Maybe the white ones in lowes would be better? Have to research. Ive decided to use ATO instead of running straight to sump. Thanks guys.

Anyone else notice tds from buckets?

 

[divebri69]

Float Valve on Sump

I've had a float valve through the side of my sump for about eight years now.
The RO unit is connected directly to it. I've never had a problem with it at all.
I put a mini ball valve inline right behind the sump, so I can shut the flow if I want to move the sump, or take out the water to the point that the float valve would open.
It's been great for me.....

 

[lnevo]

The problem with that is that it is not efficient for your RO and you will get higher tds output when running the RO/DI for short duration instead of just letting it run in a large batch...

 

[divebri69]

What? I can see no reason why.....
The RO unit is an RO unit, regardless of run time.
Mine is plumbed to go to my refrigerator's icemaker, a 55 gallon drum for mixing water changes, and straight to my sump.
I've walked over and turned on my TDS meter after my unit has just started running and seen no difference in the reading from immediate startup to 10 minutes later, 30 minutes later.... unless of course I'm near the end of the life of the DI medium, and then the longer it runs, the worse the water as the DI medium depletes.
I'm confused...... But then, I'm an old guy (as my wife loves to tell me)!

 

[lnevo]

It will reduce the lifespan of your membrane and DI resin.

This doesn't go into it in depth but explains why..

http://www.reefaddicts.com/content.php/182-RO-DI-TDS-Creep-is-it-worthy-of-concern

Russ is the RO/DI expert and maybe will try and explain it better than myself.

By all means though if it works for you then don't stop on my account

 

[albano]

Mine is plumbed to go to my refrigerator's icemaker

I believe that many manufacturers do not advise connecting ice makers to RO units... Apparently the 'low pressure/slow flow' can allow water to freeze in the lines before it fills the ice tray.

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Couple things to think about:
1. If you route your RODI output to a float valve in your sump, when (not if) your float valve fails, your RO system will pump and pump and pump 0 TDS water into your sump, until the sump overflows, and then it will continue to pump. You'll likely significantly change the salinity in your tank, not to mention the mess you will have made outside the sump.

2. When you have a float valve in your sump (or for that matter in any container from which water will evaporate) and the water level drops just a very small amount (1/8" or something like that), the float valve will open and will kick the RO system on. It will stay on for a short period of time - just long enough to raise the float valve to the closed position. And so it will go, 24/7, with the RO kicking on and off, and only ever running for a short period of time. We call the "short-cycling." You may have heard of something called "TDS creep." This is the evening out of TDS levels on both sides of the membrane when the water pressure feeding the membrane is turned off. The result is that when you first turn and RO or RODI system on, it will produce water of relatively high TDS. The "TDS Creep Period" only lasts for a couple to several minutes. But if you are short-cycling your system and it only ever comes on for several minutes at a time, a high percentage of the water your get out of it is high TDS water. Your DI resin will exhaust quickly, and you'll deliver a lot of high TDS water to your tank.

Here's some data from two test runs on a 75 gpd RO membrane:


Russ

 

[divebri69]

Well, well....
Looks like I learned something today!!
Brian

 

[divebri69]

A Couple of Questions.... Rather Off Topic, but vaguely related....

Well, I've learned a couple of things, and thanks for that!

I've got a couple of questions for Russ @ Buckeye Field Supply...

- A member said slow flow from RODI unit is bad for the icemaker, the slow feed might allow freezing back down the lines. Ever seen this?

- Is it true that deionized water is not good for us to drink?
- My son has been after me to run the RO to the kitchen for a "drinking water" spout, which means I'd need a storage-pressure tank w/bladder. If I do this, should I "Y" the plumbing before the DI unit and run that water to the drinking water/ storage tank (and, I suppose, the icemaker)?

Brian

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Some refidgerators require a minimum water pressure in the line feeding the refidgerator. Esspecially if your pressure tank happens to be on the empty size, yes, you can go below that min. pressure and you can get an ice block in the back of the freezer. Yes - seen it happen.
There are workarounds: 1) Try it and see if it works for you as is. 2)Split the full pressure flow off after the carbon block and route that to the refrig. 3) add a delivery pump between the tank and the refrig.

I would avoid drinking DI water - it doesn't taste good and it is expensive to make. RO water is a much much better option.

Check out our Add on Drinking Water Kit - has all the fittings/parts you'll need to send RO water to a faucet on the kitchen sink.

Russ

 

[divebri69]

I've been using it as is for a couple of years now- from outlet of DI to icemaker, 55gal drum for mixing, and to sump.
If I add the drinking water options, (tank,etc.), would you still say split the drinking water supply off after pre-filters and before RO membrane/ or split after RO membrane but before DI media?
Thanks,
Brian