Using RO Wastewater For Rays?

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T

tanglovers

Plecostomus
MFK Member
Dec 28, 2007
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Michigan
Hi All.

Well after a recent post of mine and finding out tap water would be fine to use with rays I guess this opens up another thought.

I currently have a RO/DI unit as I have a very large saltwater reef aquarium. As a result I waste alot of water in the porcess of cre ating the RO water. Can this waste water be used to do the water changes on a ray tank?

I am in the process of finishing my basement and am running water lines etc to make it easier to do the ray tank on the other side of the basement. The ray tank won't be started for a couple years yet though.

Let me know - Scott
 
just from my judgment i wouldnt do it... thats all the crappy stuff in water and puting it directly into a ray tank just doesnt sound like a good idea to me but im not an expert on ro units
 
I kind of figured but would like to get some opinions. The waste water I do not beleive is real concentrated with the 'bad' stuff as I beleive I produce 6-7 gallons of waste water for every 1 gallon of RO water. I will check my stats on the unit when I get home tonight to double check this.

The waste water still goes through the sediment and carbon block filters before it is wasted so when I was looking at some peoples drip systems utilizing these it got me to thinking.

Would there be a way to test this waste water for its quality? I mean obviously I could handle the basic pH, ammonia, nitrates, TDS, phosphates but I am thinking more along the lines of chloramines, heavy metals etc.
 
you could check it by setting up a tank with it and putting some rosies or something cheap in there....
 
Would this be an adequate way to test it? Since it is going through a carbon block, should I still use Prime?

How long should I let this run before assuming it is safe? I ask because if I am going to try and utilize the wastewater I need to run the future lines to the other side of the basement soon.
 
I also have rays and a large reef tank and I definitely wouldn't use RO waste water on your rays. You are correct that the water has gone through the micron/carbon filters so no chlorine/chloramine would be present. However, high concentrations of heavy metals that are kicked out in the wast water during the RO process would be added to your Ray system and over time would likely build to lethal levels.

If you are producing 6-7 gallons of waste water for every gallon of RO water you produce you can increase the efficiency by increasing the PSI to your RO unit with an electric pump, at 50-65psi it will run about 2 to 1 wast water.

Shaun
 
Thanks for the info!

I figured it was worth asking. My reef tank is on one side of the basement (RO Unit is behind it) and the rays are going on the other side so now is the time I need to run tubing if it was possible.

I kind of figured I knew the right answer but at the same time was not for sure.

I am not exactly sure the waste water production as it is plumbed directly into one of my plumbing drains for the house.
 
i don't run an r/o unit but i know that a lot of that water is from the unit self-cleaning the membrane.
 
yea i wouldnt use it or risk it... collect the waste water and use it for your garden/ lawn
 
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