How to store clean water with Cati-Ani unit...?

[malulu]

that is what i have in mind:

- one thread for step by step in DYI
- another summary thread for standard setup of Cati-Ani (case 1) with the diagrams

are you guys saying, put them all in one thread? i am afraid it became a long thread like this one and no one want to read them (due to many good advice, replied)

thx

BTW is anyone collecting these cool diagrams that David/John/Rich/and I forget who else has made. We can collect them and Release a DIY book ....

 

[Artisan Corals]

David,

I have never been asked if the Kati Ani can be placed in the water storage container, but the answer would be yes. It is waterproof and should be heavier than water so it should remain where it is placed.

Bruce

 

[Phyl]

What about the long term exposure with the ion-stripped water?

 

[malulu]

may be warp them in a tie-sharon-wrap??
;D

just kidding... (wait for Bruce's reply - i guess?)

 

[Artisan Corals]

Well, the water coming out of the last canister is deionized and it doesn't seem to affect the canister. I know if David adds calcium or alkalinity to the deionized water in storage it will be fine. If you want, I can ask the manufacturer in Germany, but it will take a week or so until we struggle through the translation accurately.

 

[RichT]

Dave - have you come up with an all plastic solution for the float valve yet? I'm hoping the only mod to the one you looked at would be the rod and the swivel pin. There has to be a all plastic solution our there somewhere. We can't be the only one's that need something like that.

 

[malulu]

Bruce,
please help to check with the manufacturer, just in case...
thx

Rich,
due to busy at work today, i did not have a chance to check on anything yet, may be this weekend.
thx

 

[malulu]

I finally got the Cati-Ani-5 unit on hand (i think it can produce 5,000-gals for each recharge) - sitting in my basement right now, waiting for the pumping parts!!! however, at least for now, i can use it MANUALLY to open/shut-off valves to make DI water!


after more research, this will be the plan for the float valve, and hose fitting... (pls help to comments)

FACT:
- the Cati-Ani required 1/2 fitting
- the biggest self-tapping saddle valve i can find is 3/8 in Lowes (to connect to water main)
- float valves (3/4 or 3/8)

McMaster.com (in NJ) - Tank-Wall Mount with Polyethylene Float— NPT Male
Page - 452, part# 5741K26, $37, BUT 3/4 fitting

ValveShop.com (in CA)- Kerick Heavy Duty PVC Float Valve, .187 Low Flow Orifice, Stainless Steel Hardware, bulkhead Tank Connection.
http://www.thevalveshop.com/menu/manual/kerick/float.html part# PT3838187, $28, 3/8 fitting

PLAN:
- i can't find 3/8 (saddle valve) to 3/4 (float valve) to 1/2 (cati-ani) fittings, it also seems too big anyway for the float valve?
- i am going to go for the 3/8 (saddle valve) to 3/8 (float valve) to 3/8-1/2 (connector found in Lowes) to 1/2 (cati-ani)
- will need to order the float valve from ValveShop.com, and wait for it to come
- regardless, am thinking to find a plastic rob or use some type of (coating?) to paint over the stainless steel rob, by looking at their catelog, it seems the original stainless stell screw was used to tie the two part together, and will not be a moving part, so replacing it with a plastic one, seems very do able)

one more note:
- should i order the 3" rob? or the 6" one? for the 55 gals barrel.

thx

 

[Artisan Corals]

David,

The hose for Kati Ani connection is 3/8" inside diameter, not 1/2" unless you were referring to the outside diameter which is not the norm. Technically since it is European, the Kati Ani connection is a 9mm ID and 13mm OD tubing made by Eheim (green). The white "icemaker" hose in the 3/8" size also is commonly used in the US. I find the Eheim tubing much easier to work with.

Bruce

 

[Artisan Corals]

The other thing I meant to reply to was your expected gallons processed between regenerations. This size unit will process 6000 gallons at no General Hardness. You divide this thoughput by your General hardness number. For example, my tap water is a GH 4, so I would get 1500 gallons between regenerations.

 

[JohnS_323]

David - Did you check your GH? Just curious what value you got if you did.

Bruce - Where did you say we could get those GH test kits? I'd like to test my water.

Thanks!

 

[RichT]

Bruce - I have high sulfur content(stinky) in my well water. Would this cause a problem with the resins?

 

[malulu]

Bruce,

thanks for catching that...

yes, i am aware of that (only since yesterday) - about the 3/8-ID, 1/2-OD...etc.
i was in Lowes few days back for more than 2 hours trying to figure out what the heck they are, that sometime a 1/2 marking did not fit to a 1/2 fitting...
:-[

sorry to not making it clear, the 3/8, 1/2 i gave in the example was for Outside-Diameter-tube.

John,

i think i have the test kit, will check when i got a chance and let you know...
i don't think it would be any issue for the GH, cause regardless what is the reading, i have no choice to use it anyway, it is just for a reference purpose, won't change any thing...

(after i type the above sentence... hummmm, i do have a questions though...)

I have a water softener, should I take the water-main-line from BEFORE or AFTER the water softener? since the Cati-Ani is to remove all the particle in the water, it probably better to use the BEFORE the softener source, so the Cati-Ani do not have to work that hard (to removing the extra salt that the softener added in.) but if think of it in other angle, the purpose of the softener was to remove the water's GH, therefore, it would also make sense to use the AFTER the softener source (let the water softener to work harder, so the Cati-Ani don't have to?)...

anyone have comments on this??
thx

 

[malulu]

or, may be, for people that already have water softener, may be the Cati unit is not required?
only need the "water-main" to "softener" to "Ani" unit?
thx

 

[stcreef]

If its a sodium based softener, put the Kati after it. The sodium replaces calcium and other hard metals. Someone with more knowledge with the Kati will know better. If it is a Hague softener(Basically a large RO), you probably dont need the Kati.

 

[Artisan Corals]

I answer several questions since my last post.

The sulpher should not be an issue. I can give you a demo Kati Ani set to try out if you want to see if it removes the smell.

The GH test kit is made by API and is sold in most LFS. It is a combination Alk and GH kit.

The Kati Ani should be placed before the water softener. The water softener does take out the hardness chemicals, but it replaces them with others (sodium), so your TDS is typically higher and thus uses up the Kati Ani resins quicker. It can be used either way though.

Bruce

 

[malulu]

Latest update:

- ordered the Kerick Heavy Duty PVC Float Valve, .187 Low Flow Orifice, Stainless Steel Hardware, bulkhead Tank Connection., waiting for it to arrived.
- decided place the Kati-Ani outside of the 55g barrel - just in case, if it leaks, the media will then find it way into the tank via auto top-off.
- Since i have water softener (to remove hardness), i am *thinking* to add a pre-filter (to filter the extra stuff got added by the softener) to the setup, (in the orange area)... (good idea? bad idea?)

 

[RichT]

Shouldn't the kati be before the softener?

The Kati Ani should be placed before the water softener. The water softener does take out the hardness chemicals, but it replaces them with others (sodium), so your TDS is typically higher and thus uses up the Kati Ani resins quicker. It can be used either way though.

 

[malulu]

Bruce did said: It can be used either way though.

and based on a reading from here (basically the exact same issues we are talking about in this NJRC thread)
therefore i add the pre-filter to it.

thx for the great question

Shouldn't the kati be before the softener?

The Kati Ani should be placed before the water softener. The water softener does take out the hardness chemicals, but it replaces them with others (sodium), so your TDS is typically higher and thus uses up the Kati Ani resins quicker. It can be used either way though.

 

[JohnS_323]

Looks good Dave. One thing I don't understand though: You have two Tee's feeding into the TDS meter. The flow from both directions is in. Unless you're planning on using shut-offs to direct the flow, you're going to have problem. I'm not sure why you want those Tee's anyway. Why not eliminate that loop completely and just put the TDS meter after the Ani and before the top off drum? Just a suggestion . .

Anyway, good luck and keep us posted. It's nice to see someone giving this a shot. I kind of hope it DOESN'T work because if it does, I just know that I'm gonna hafta have one!