Automatic Daily Water Changer

[D4n.gr33n]

Basically I've spent some time thinking up on how to do this. and this is my final idea, basically i would run the booster pump for 30-60 minutes a day on a timer and with a 50gpd ro unit that would make around 10l-20l of ro water, my tank is 200l so this is around 5%-10% water change a day which is a dam sight better than the 50% water change its gets once in a blue moon, and all i have to do is top up the water container when needed. But as I've never worked with an ro unit before id like to know if this would work?

 

[Juggler75]

Interesting idea, I look forward to seeing more practical members than me comments as it seems feasible and a good idea.
2 questions sprung to mind for me.

Why a waste pipe back to the RO unit?
How would you re mineralise the RO water?

 

[D4n.gr33n]

Interesting idea, I look forward to seeing more practical members than me comments as it seems feasible and a good idea.
2 questions sprung to mind for me.

Why a waste pipe back to the RO unit?
How would you re mineralise the RO water?

like i sed I'm not too clued up on ro units but I'm sure i read they give out waste water as well as ro water, is that right?

 

[TrainRek77]

What would be really cool is if you could use a toilet float valve in your 50l container and plumb a water source to it. That way when the level in the supply tank goes down, it will automatically fill. That would prevent the pump from running dry.
A flapper valve would be useful for the clean water fill tube to prevent water from siphoning backwards through the system.
Good job and good thinking.
I really don't know about RO units either. I'm an automotive mechanic so I pretty technically inclined. I like the idea.

 

[D4n.gr33n]

What would be really cool is if you could use a toilet float valve in your 50l container and plumb a water source to it. That way when the level in the supply tank goes down, it will automatically fill. That would prevent the pump from running dry.
A flapper valve would be useful for the clean water fill tube to prevent water from siphoning backwards through the system.
Good job and good thinking.
I really don't know about RO units either. I'm an automotive mechanic so I pretty technically inclined. I like the idea.

yh i was thinking about the pump running dry tbh, n id use a check valve to stop the water returning.

 

[Juggler75]

like i sed I'm not too clued up on ro units but I'm sure i read they give out waste water as well as ro water, is that right?

My bad, I read your diagram as the overflow running to the RO unit not the waste from RO running to a drain. Makes more sense now

 

[D4n.gr33n]

like i sed I'm not too clued up on ro units but I'm sure i read they give out waste water as well as ro water, is that right?

My bad, I read your diagram as the overflow running to the RO unit not the waste from RO running to a drain. Makes more sense now

haha, I'm hoping to pick up the parts this week, so i might give it a try at the weekend if all goes well plus I've gotta get rid of the 2 yellow bellied turtles too as i bought a roma 200 and fx5 for £150 the other day but they had to come with it

 

[curlyriff]

Looks good and with the details from TR77 that would work fine. The only issue you are going to have is to get the right flow from the pump so that the overflow pipe can handle the fill time from the RO unit.

Can I also suggest you run an inline heater after the RO unit so that the water coming in is at a similar temp to the current tank water.

Yes the RO unit will also give waste out and would need this plumbed in as well as your diagram shows so that is fine.

If you really wanted to you could add polishing material to the 50ltr tank which means the RO unit is not working as hard to clean the water and should give you longer life for the RO unit. If you then felt you still wanted to help you could also use a UV unit between the tank and the RO unit which again should also increase the lifespan of the RO unit as they would share the load to clean the water out.

On a final note allot of modern RO units come with storage tank that means you could keep the water stored in that rather than a separate tank.

Not sure what RO unit you have been looking at but this came to mind for the system; http/www.eastmidlandswater.com/Details.asp?ProductID=50

Kind Regards,

Adam

 

[OldMan47]

A typical RO wastes 10 gallons for every gallon that it makes. Your 50 litre tank would only end up making 5 litres of RO. A side issue is that fish cannot live in straight RO water because it contains basically no minerals. Instead set up a timer for water right from your fresh water piping. One type made for use with water is the kind used for a water sprinkler irrigation system. As long as you only make up 10% daily, you can get away with not dechlorinating the new water and temperature effects will be minimal.

 

[D4n.gr33n]

Booster pump bought