What do you do with your RO/DI waste water?
 

I started this thread after an argument I had with a FW only aquarist who stated that RO/DI filters are a waste of money and water. Lets forget that he dosn't know the importance of starting with pure H2O whether it be RO or just treated, and concentrate on where all that water goes. Personally I run my waste line into my washing machine and after 2 pails of RO I do a load.
What do you do?
I won't hold it against you if you say that it goes down a floor drain, I just want to spread some ideas on reusing waste water and maybe change your routine.:lol: I don't pay for water or drainage but if you do its just one more reason to be conservative. Thanks for your participation.

Last year it went out the window into a large garbage bucket. I then used it to water the plants around the yard that weren't covered by the automatic watering system. This year the system has changed and as there is no room for it in our new kitchen I have it set up in the bathroom tub with the waste water going down the drain. As the weather gets warmer I think I'll try to wedge it into the kitchen somehow and have it go out the window again :biggrin:

I wish I could set it up to go into the washing machine, its just not feasible right now. Maybe in the next house :wink:

Hi Greg

I run my waste line into my washing machine also. I plan on having 2 60gal barrels outside so we can water the flowers in the summer.Why waste the average ro unit is 3 to 1
that's a lot of wasted water.

Joel

I'll tag along on this one.

I run my waste water into my cichlid tank. Its still waste water but its hard, declorinted waste water. My fish are vibrant even my clowncloaches look better.

Really, I did the same for my oscar tank before I moved, he was very big and healthy.

That's a great idea...I haven't got an RO/DI yet, but waste water was one of my big concerns...if my Cichlids will like it then I'm set.

Down the drain.

And aren't I helping the City Sewers, dilution/solution/pollution?

Me too, I like to think that it's keeping my basement floor drain from plugging up and over flowing. The drain backed up and overflowed nasty grossness all over the basement floor when we first moved in, and I would prefer not to go through that again!

Down the drain here too, but then, I have a septic so nothign to worry about, its back into the ground where it came from.

Down the drain in the winter, and to a 45 gallon Rubbermaid container for watering plants in the summer.

I am ashamed to say mine has been going down the drain :redface:

Looks like I'll be picking up some new rain barrels for the excess. With that and rainwater I should be set to water the grass and plants all summer.

Water Change Disposal?
 

Getting off course here a bit. Next poll might be what happens do you do with water change water? I thought I would posison some weeds in our gravel driveway but so far they seem to enjoy the water, but I have only done 2 water changes and maybe a few more would bring the salt content to a level that is effective.

Using it to water plants is not a good idea as the amount of salts left in the ground will make that soil unusable for regular plants

I tried that with the same results. The weeds loved the extra water :confused: Now it just goes down the toilet.

reply
 

You can use the waste water for plants? I thought it was toxic with heavy metals etc. Someone needs to clarify this for me because i have a ton of plants that need watering all the time.

Has anyone ever tested the waste water with a tbs meter to see what kind of reading it would have?

The water used to fill the washer, and now in our new place I save some of it for plants, and the washer, and whatever I can't use goes down our floor drain to keep it clean. I have some paranoia about wasting water.

Well its the water we drink regularly so I would hope it isn't toxic :eek:

Down the drain... :redface: BUT.... i suppose I could use it to water plants this summer if I can rig it up on wheels so I can get it outside... (this is assuming I will have time to water the plants outside ha ha ha...)

Waste R/O water
 

Ive have heard people plumbing the waste water to there Hot Tub if they have one. I imagine there is quite a bit of water that evaporates from a Hot Tub too. As for now my waste water goes into the ground