RODI vs WATER SOFTENER

reedrodz · #1 10/29/2007, 12:10 AM

Hi guys.. can anyone share their knowledge about RODI vs a water softener home system..which is better? thanks again.

Reefugee · #2 10/29/2007, 12:15 AM

They are two complete different beasts.

Water Softener - basically a water softener is used to replace the calcium and magnesium ions in your water with sodium ions. The sodium ions come from the salt that you add to your water softener. It doesn't remove anything like chlorine, copper, and other minerals. Water softener is good to reduce "deposits" that you see on your glass or calcium deposit on the faucet. "Softened" water using only feeds your hot water line.

RODI - it make sure that your water is pure (containing only H20). It is not really economical to have a RODI system for the house. Plus, you will be wasting a lot of water.

For aquarium, you want to use an RODI system. However, some people have reported success using the commercial DI system.

pbetito · #3 10/29/2007, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Reefugee

For aquarium, you want to use an RODI system. However, some people have reported success using the commercial DI system.

Some people also claim to have seen Elvis!!

Reefugee · #4 10/29/2007, 12:20 AM

Paul - it really depends on where you live. I know someone who had a very successful tank on DI water only. I know someone else whose tank was very successful on RO water only. In Davis - our water is so crappy that I am sure we need an RODI system.

funman1 · #5 10/29/2007, 12:41 AM

Most places will need RODI.
And your water could change at ANY time with NO notice from your utility, so I always say go with RODI!!

MrMikeB · #6 10/29/2007, 02:50 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by pbetito
Some people also claim to have seen Elvis!!

I swear man, it WAS him running across I80 that night we went to Oakland for some late night reefin' madness. Had to lock up all 4 tires on the truck at 80 mph to keep from running his *** over. I was like, "Damn E, you trying to get killed (again)?!"

pbetito · #7 10/29/2007, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrMikeB
I swear man, it WAS him running across I80 that night we went to Oakland for some late night reefin' madness. Had to lock up all 4 tires on the truck at 80 mph to keep from running his *** over. I was like, "Damn E, you trying to get killed (again)?!"

Was it young Elvis or the Older version. If it was the older version then you better watch out or he would do some serious damage to your truck

MrMikeB · #8 10/29/2007, 11:07 AM

Well if people can make a ton of money selling pieces of toast that look like the Virgin Mary's face, can you imagine the $$$ that would roll in when I have an actual imprint of Elvis (the old one) on my bumper?! Retirement here I come!!

Wow how did we get so far off track?! - RO water to Elvis, now that has to be a first. Seriously Reed, hands down, use an RODI system for your aquarium water. Home water softeners do little for cleaning the water for aquarium use.

Fragmented · #9 10/29/2007, 11:54 AM

I am on well water. A water softener can be a very good addition to your household water. It has made living here nicer water wise. (We use potassium in the water softener instead of salt).

You can run water through the softener before it goes into the RODI unit. I also use a neutralizer with calcite before my RODI unit.

plankton · #10 10/29/2007, 12:58 PM

I agree with Fragmented. IF you have hard water use the water softner to ... well .. get rid of most of the minerals first, then run through your RO (to purify down to 98%) then DI to polish off by removing nitrates, silicates, etc.

Scott

pv1191 · #11 10/29/2007, 03:00 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by MrMikeB
I swear man, it WAS him running across I80 that night we went to Oakland for some late night reefin' madness. Had to lock up all 4 tires on the truck at 80 mph to keep from running his *** over. I was like, "Damn E, you trying to get killed (again)?!"

E and I partied it up drinking cough syrup in wine glasses, popped enough perkidan to kill a horse, shot out every TV in the house, then had deep fried peanut butter and nanner sandwhiches before calling it a night!

reedrodz · #12 10/29/2007, 11:08 PM

thanks guys...

Reefugee · #13 10/29/2007, 11:12 PM

Scott,

I am not sure I follow your logic. I thought that the only thing the water soften does is replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. So your RO either has to remove calcium/magnesium ions or sodium ions. So wouldn't it be a "wash" in either case?

Minh

Quote:

Originally posted by plankton
I agree with Fragmented. IF you have hard water use the water softner to ... well .. get rid of most of the minerals first, then run through your RO (to purify down to 98%) then DI to polish off by removing nitrates, silicates, etc.

Scott

Fragmented · #14 10/30/2007, 12:52 AM

I didn't mean to start anything. I was just covering the fact that you can run softened water through RODI and have good results---in case anyone was wondering.

I already had the softener and the neutralizer before I added the RODI. For the record, I don't claim to know how any of it works. (For that I would defer to the distinguished gentleman from Davis.) I just know it does work.

plankton · #15 10/30/2007, 03:08 PM

Minh - I don't have an article to point you to but your RO membrane should last longer after the water softener since the membrane should clog less filtering Sodium (or potassium in my case) than mineral salts.

Separately it also helps to purge the old 'gunk' from the filter membrane. Yes, your GAC and spun pre filters should remove al debre, etc, but 'flushing' still helps alot.

Scott

BuckeyeFS · #16 10/31/2007, 06:06 AM

Remember that a water softener contains DI resin - but only the cation beads. So as memntioned above it will remove primarily the scale-foming minerals calcium and magnesium. These are the culprits not only in depositing scale on your kitchen faucet, but also within the membrane. So very hard water typically leads to a short membrane life.

Just how softened water "feels" - slippery - is how it behaves within the membrane - it helps avoid the buildup of scale in the membrane.

Russ

Fragmented · #17 10/31/2007, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by BuckeyeFS
Remember that a water softener contains DI resin - but only the cation beads. So as memntioned above it will remove primarily the scale-foming minerals calcium and magnesium. These are the culprits not only in depositing scale on your kitchen faucet, but also within the membrane. So very hard water typically leads to a short membrane life.

Just how softened water "feels" - slippery - is how it behaves within the membrane - it helps avoid the buildup of scale in the membrane.

Russ

Thanks Russ. That is interesting. I didn't know that the water softener contained DI resin. How do you change it out? My water softener is about 10 years old and I've never done this type of service on it. I have a Kinetico system, maybe it works differently. I will have to look for my manual.

BuckeyeFS · #18 10/31/2007, 07:04 PM

You don't change the resin - you recharge it in place by running brine through it. That what all those aslt pellets are for. The sodium displaces the calcium and magnesium which is flushed out. After recharging, the cation beads will drop the sodium in favor of calc and mag.