RO filter died :-(

[jhale]

I just spent a half hour trouble shooting my RO/DI trying to figure out why I was getting a 19 reading on the TDS meter :bigeyes2:

first I thought it was the DI resin that needed changing, it did, but that was not the cause of the high TDS. After changing the resin I was getting nothing coming through the DI filter. I don't know how many variations I tried till I got to the tubes coming out of the RO filter itself. When I tested that nothing but a drip :irked:
Well now I know why I was testing higher Po4 for a while, I thought it was strange to jump from .02 to .05 so quickly. I'm afraid to test it now.

I have cut the RO filter out of the system for the moment. I'm going through the 3 pre-filters straight to the DI resin. This is giving me a 0 TDS reading, but for how long will the DI last? I'm getting ready to do some large water changes because of this discovery.

On the plus side the corals in the tank all look happy, and the water production is really fast without the RO filter in the equation.

moral to the story, keep an eye on all the tank systems. I had some cyano growing that should have tipped me off to the problem. I thought it was growing due to higher nutrients in the tank, not because my RO/DI was pumping crap into the tank for who knows how long.

 

[prattreef]

Jon, you should get about 200g. from the DI filter alone. I have lots of bulk resin if you need to change it. the water quality from the DI will be just fine.

 

[jhale]

thanks Randy, I'd be happy to buy some of the resin from you. I'm using the resin that brett got a while ago. I think I have about one more container full left.

I think i will be using the DI for water changes from now on, if the water quality is the same the time saved making the water, and the fact that there is 0 waste water is a huge plus for me.

 

[House of Laughter]

Jon, be careful the DI resin has a shelf life - I just bought a brand new batch after I was getting 43 TDS out with a 43 in and also replaced my TFC and housing - back to "0" as well.

Anyhow, good moral - always check your systems.

J

 

[Bob 1000]

Checking my rodi now...I'm good...But have no idea how to check my di....It's been through close to 30 gallons now...And how do I convert to the refillable di cartridge? Do they fit in regular chambers?

 

[jhale]

Jim, thanks for the tip I did not know it had a shelf life, my tds meter says 47 in and 0 out, so far so good.

bob it's easy, you can get a kit like one of these,
http://buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=39&Sub=127
are you using one of the post filters now? the all in one tube? those are ok
but you will get a much higher production rate with the DI resin in the filter housing.

 

[Bob 1000]

I have a prefilter, carbon cartridge, ro, then di chamber that has to be replaced as a whole cartridge not able to refill it...

 

[jhale]

to track the DI use I have a in line meter on the output of the DI chamber.

with out some sort of meter, inline or hand held, you will have to test the DI production for Po4 and replace it when the Po4 starts to appear.

 

[Bob 1000]

That's what I've been doing...With asalifert Po4 kit...

 

[jhale]

the in-line meters are about $25 clams it's worth the $$

 

[bigbris1]

So can we just cut out the middleman & use prefilters & DI resin? No more membranes?

 

[jhale]

you can, some people do that full time.

I'm going to continue to use the RO membrane so I get water I can drink as well

If you do cut out the RO I would add another prefilter to the mix

 

[bigbris1]

My main selling point for picking up a RO/DI unit was that we could make our own drinking water

It has paid for itself many times over on just that front. I guess I should get a TDS meter, I've been going by taste to this point

 

[jhale]

by taste lol! don't drink the ro/di water, just the ro water!

 

[bigbris1]

Yeah, I disconnect the DI to make drinking water. The wife's amazed at the sludge I get on the prefilter. My DI is color-change technology.

Where can I get a dual in-line TDS meter for 25 clams?

 

[reefman]

$26.95

 

[Wes]

if you guys have to pay for your water, the cost of running without an RO membrane and replacing DI resin as needed may be cheaper...Especially if you buy the DI resin in bulk.

Most RO membranes we use waste about 4 gallons to make 1 gallon. Im sure water isn't exactly cheap in the NYC area if you have to pay for it. I don't know what ours costs it's included in our maintenance fees.

There are many people jumping on the DI only bandwagon after doing the math and realizing it's cheaper and faster to ditch the RO membrane and get the same quality water. I guess it all depends on how much you pay for water.

 

[pecan2phat]

Ditching the RO membrane will allow you to make about 200 or so gallons of water vs 3000 gallons + , so who's doing the math again

 

[prattreef]

I ditched my RO portion over a year ago. I need to make up so much water and I don't trust ATO's , so it was a major pain and very stressful. While it is still cheaper to use a RO unit, if you buy your resin in bulk ( I use a lot, and thus buy in large enough quantity to bring the cost down to about $6 per canister refill), and you factor in that all the water that passes through the filter is usable thus greatly reducing the frequency of changing the sediment and carbon cartridges the price difference narrows a bit more. If you are really ambitious ( I'm not) you can even recharge the DI resin and then your cost will really drop.

 

[bigbris1]

$26.95

Purchased. Thank you.

Thanks Jon for the thread.