Using RO/DI waste water

[bkvreef]

Since spring/summer time is near I was wondering if I can make use of the waste water from the RO/DI to water the yard or plants?  Will the impurities that are filtered out be to strong to be used on the grass or plants?

[mdcoblentz]

It should be just fine to water plants and other simple activities with.  Unless you're talking about orchids or other finicky types

[bkvreef]

What taking care of my tank isn't enough time consuming?
Flowers that die every fall?  I finally got to the point were I wasn't killing fish every year 

Thanks mdcoblentz

[verper]

It should be just fine to water plants and other simple activities with.  Unless you're talking about orchids or other finicky types

+1  Although I don't know a thing about orchids.

[Amstar]

I saw somewhere that you can use one of those low pressure sprinklers for flower beds and just hook your ro/di waste water line up to it.  I believe wal-mart sells them.

So I guess if you had a long enough line of ro waste water line you could actually use it to water the grass??

[ohioreef]

I saw somewhere that you can use one of those low pressure sprinklers for flower beds and just hook your ro/di waste water line up to it.  I believe wal-mart sells them.

So I guess if you had a long enough line of ro waste water line you could actually use it to water the grass??

Would probably work great with a drip irrigation system but probably not so well to water the grass.

[Amstar]

using something like this???

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=productDetail&productId=241454-13598-15300U&lpage=none

sure it wouldnt get a huge area... but like stated it might work in a garden or the flower-bed

[ohioreef]

Would depend on the pressure coming out of the waste line. I would think a lot of pressure would be lost pushing the water through the membrane.

[MechanicalEngineer]

No, you can't use waste water on orchids...I grow them. 

We run our waste water into our washer...and sometimes I water plants with it.  So yes, it's fine. 

[Amstar]

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=1598708

I thought I saw something like this on reefcentral.. So i asked someone to find the link.

[Russ]

If you can do it, use a long enough tube to reach your washing machine - and as Reed'd up said - do you wash with it.

Russ

[bkvreef]

the washer won't overflow?

[Russ]

It will if you let it.

[Reefd Up]

the washer won't overflow?

Hehehe...we've had that happen all too often.  You just have to watch it or set up a shut-off system.

[bkvreef]

Sorry maybe a better way of asking is this:  Does the washer have a float valve so that it fills until it trips the float and then won't fill anymore?  So that if I add water prior to the start up it will still only fill up to the normal level.

[Russ]

No sir

[bkvreef]

No sir

I'm sorry if I'm not understanding.
If the washer adds 10gal of water normally even if I add 7gal of waste water it will still add 10gal?

[Russ]

Your washer will "know" when it is full.  So if you added 7 gallons of waste water, it would only add 3 more.

The potential still exists to overflow the washer because you don't have a float valve on the end of the DI tube however.

Russ

[bkvreef]

Thanks for the insight.  That answers alot of questions

[Reefd Up]

Just to clarify for anyone else out there (the train of thought up above might be confusing to some):

If your waste water goes into the washer, if you don't turn the RO/DI off or have it set up to shut itself off with a solenoid...your washer will overflow.

If you fill your washer up only halfway with waste water and want to run a load of laundry, the washer will fill itself up to the level selected on the washer.  So, if you want to run a full load of laundry and only have the washer half full of waste water, the washer will know to add another half bin of water. 

[bkvreef]

Thanks.
I'll now ask the question my wife will pose to me.
Using waste water will it affect the cleanliness of the clothes?

[Russ]

I've been using waste water for laundary for years - seems to work fine- I can't tell a difference in the laundary.

Russ

[Riderc82]

My waste water goes into the washer and so far no one has told me I stink so I think you'll be fine. 

[chromiumlux]

BFS hit the nail on the head. Thats what I do. Tube runs to washing machine. works great.

[bkvreef]

Well it works so far.  Granted the first load I used the water had to be washed several times but that was because leaving it in the washing machine for a full day after you wash it tends to leave it not smelling to good