Time to get the TDS back down to zero :)

Heidi · 03-07-2012, 03:14 PM

I have the typhoon extreme from AirWaterIce. I am up to around 20 tds when I was at about 2 for like weeks.. Since its been a year its time to change out filters. There is only a scant amount of di resin left. I just read on their site to do 10 micron sed filter first then a 5 micron with a carbon block then a 1 micron. Other places I am reading 5, 1, .5.... Then there are the 1, 1, .5 (seems kinda extreme. I know it has a lot to do with what needs to be removed (pre-membrane). My water isn't that bad here, it's chlorinated for sure, the smell is there. So what do you people think...
What do you run in your first 3 chambers? Why?
Who has used the BSR di resin and refill thing? Like it? ( I really don't like the color change stuff from AirWaterIce... It's brown so not real easy to see a change..
Membranes... Replace this too? 75 gallon per day is what I have now. I could up it to a 100 or a 150. Why would I want to change the gpd?
Any other advice?
Please chime in, I have been reading a large array of opinions.. and really would like to hear from you guys.
Thanks in advance.
Heidi

MizTanks · 03-07-2012, 04:10 PM

I just bought the BRS ro/di kit which included sediment/carbon/resin and I also got their membrane.....great prices and so far so good

rmalone · 03-08-2012, 10:27 AM

Unless your running a booster pump stick with a 75gpd membrane (if it makes enough water for your needs). If you run higher gpd membranes you'll see slightly lower water quality coming out of the membrane. At 2yrs I would just do a membrane they aren't that expensive.

In my setup I run a pleated pre-filter into a 2mic spun filter into a carbon block then to the membrane and finally 2 stages of di resin. I run the filters, membranes and max cap resin from spectra pure. \

You said there isn't much di resin left? I have never seen my exhausted di resin actually look like it was being consumed. I just see the tds go up. Mine doesn't go up much because I am feeding the resin about 2ppm from the membrane. If I don't see 0ppm from the resin then I know it's about time for a change. Make sure you let it settle in before you take your tds readings, tds will be higher right after startup.

Heidi · 03-18-2012, 09:28 PM

New membrane, 3 new pre filters, refillable di container and DI media, dual inline TDS meter. . . Sanitized unit via instructions on AirWaterIce... 3 TDS after membrane, ZERO TDS after DI

booya! I had tested stuff and found out that my membrane was leaving the TDS at around 30 and the DI was pretty much ineffective. How did that membrane die so quickly you ask? Well I had turned on the warm water very minimally to warm the water cause I was in a hurry to do a water change but when I went and checked on it it was SCALDING hot. This happened a couple of times and I think it ruined the membrane, so the di got used up way quick.. Oh well lesson learned. Thanks for the suggestions guys.
Heidi

AZDesertRat · 03-19-2012, 10:08 AM

Never ever blend or temper hot and cold water! As you found out, that s the easiest way there is to ruin a RO membrane in a heatbeat.
Besides, colder water will give you lower RO only TDS than warmer water since it is more dense and treats better so DI will last longer. If production rate (GPD) is an issue, use a booster pump but don't use warm water.

Sure wish I had seen this earlier, could have pointed you to better products for less money and lower cost of ownership.

Heidi · 03-19-2012, 05:38 PM

Yeah really I didn't know it was that big of a deal until my Di ran out and bam... Basically it was only getting pre filtered. I read a ton and found out that it will ruin your membrane to even have hot water going into it for a very short time. I wanted to make sure and let people know so thy won't make the same mistake. I have thought about running a second di, but am waiting to see how it goes with just the one. My friend goes though DI like every other week so I recommended what you wrote about the di saver and 2 di. He has ordered a second chamber for another di and will be setting it up. Hopefully this will make his di stretch more then a couple weeks. Thanks again for the great advice!!
Heidi

AZDesertRat · 03-20-2012, 08:52 AM

My tap water TDS runs between 600 and 850 and my DI lasts a year on the first or MaxCap DI cartridge and three years out of a 20 oz SilicaBuster DI cartridge.

There is a difference in DI resins. Another big item is how fresh the resin is and how it is stored, you can exhaust resin in a matter of days if it is not stored properly as in dampened in some RO/DI water and sealed in a seal a meal type bag or a minimum of a Zip Loc bag in the back of the refrigerator. Once resin drys out or is stored in direct lighting it loses its electrical properties and is shot. Never buy more than you can use in 6 months time and try to buy it in individual 20 oz bags so it stays sealed and fresh. Keep it in the refrigerator so it is cool and out of bright lighting and maintains its moisture.

rmalone · 03-20-2012, 03:41 PM

I run a max cap and a silica buster cartridge which is fed about 1-2ppm from my membrane. And I'm lucky to get 600g out of the max cap. How much water are you making to be getting a year out of a max cap cartridge?

AZDesertRat · 03-21-2012, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rmalone

I run a max cap and a silica buster cartridge which is fed about 1-2ppm from my membrane. And I'm lucky to get 600g out of the max cap. How much water are you making to be getting a year out of a max cap cartridge?

I have a 100G display with a 30G sump hooked up to an ATO and a 16G bowfront nano so go through quite a bit of water. Especially when you consider how dry it is in AZ so lots of evaporation.
I have not totalled it up recently but I imagine very close to 100G a month minimum between top off and my infrequent changes. It was much more a year ago before I switched from MH and VHO lighting with only fans for cooling to the AI Sol LED I have now, I don't even run the fans anymore so it should last even longer.

What is the source of your water and do you know if it has entrained CO2? We do have measurable CO2 in Phoenix but some areas are worse and CO2 has a big effect on DI lifespan. Also are you measuring your RO only TDS with a handheld TDS meter or an inline? I do not like inlines as they are not very accurate compared to a good handheld and I find they never agree.

rmalone · 03-23-2012, 09:54 AM

Good point not sure on the co2, I would doubt very much as alkalinity is about 350ppm carbonate hardness with a ph of about 7.2 (assuming the water is fresh from the well and didn't sit in my algae caked greenhouse water lines overnight). And yes I am measuring with the inlines from spectra-pure. I do have a quality ec meter for use in the greenhouse, it doesn't measure in ppm but the conversion is no problem. I'll have to test with my good specturm meter and see what kind of numbers I get. Overall I'm pretty happy with my consumption of di.