Carbon block micron .2 .5 1 5?

STEVEN ADAMS · May 12, 2018

I have read on forums and watched vids. BRS is saying 5 is good 1 is better. people on forums are saying they use some as low as .2. some people are saying that lower is better? right now I got sediment filter unkown micron, then carbon block 5 micron. then 100 gpd membrane. DI not hooked up yet. I am going to add a second carbon block can and can for second DI. what carbon blocks do you use or recommend for me? is there a drop in water pressure from finer micron filters? I have tap TDS of 350. current system is at 3 after membrane. current water pressure reads 65 before membrane.

lion king · May 12, 2018

I use this one, a 5 micron: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-chlorine-voc-carbon-block-filter-5-micron.html
My tds is in the high 400s going in, always 0 coming out. I only change the sediment and carbon block about 3 times a year and I couldn't imagine my water being more pure. The lower the micron you go, the more it will lower your water pressure. I think if your water supply has chloramines you want to use the 1 micron, mine doesn't. You can go on your water supply website to see if they use chloramines.

STEVEN ADAMS · May 13, 2018

lion king said:
I use this one, a 5 micron: https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-chlorine-voc-carbon-block-filter-5-micron.html
My tds is in the high 400s going in, always 0 coming out. I only change the sediment and carbon block about 3 times a year and I couldn't imagine my water being more pure. The lower the micron you go, the more it will lower your water pressure. I think if your water supply has chloramines you want to use the 1 micron, mine doesn't. You can go on your water supply website to see if they use chloramines.

ok thank you! I am trying to find out about chlorine or chloramines but I cannot find my city water report online. Roy City Utah. I am going to try calling them next week. so really anything less than 1 is not really necessary?

lion king · May 13, 2018

STEVEN ADAMS said:
ok thank you! I am trying to find out about chlorine or chloramines but I cannot find my city water report online. Roy City Utah. I am going to try calling them next week. so really anything less than 1 is not really necessary?

I don't think so, if my water had chloramines; I'd use the 1 micron recommended by brs,

STEVEN ADAMS · May 13, 2018

lion king said:
I don't think so, if my water had chloramines; I'd use the 1 micron recommended by brs,

would you just use two 1 micron or would it be better to use 5 and 1?

lion king · May 13, 2018

Oh I see, do you have a dual carbon block system. I would likely do a 5 micron in line 1st, then a 1 micron to scavenge out the rest. This way the water pressure would stay stronger. Even at that, you'd likely only need to change them a couple of times a year.

STEVEN ADAMS · May 13, 2018

lion king said:
Oh I see, do you have a dual carbon block system. I would likely do a 5 micron in line 1st, then a 1 micron to scavenge out the rest. This way the water pressure would stay stronger. Even at that, you'd likely only need to change them a couple of times a year.

sounds good! thank you for the advice!

skim · May 14, 2018

First thing you should do is find out if have to worry about Chloramines or not.

TaylorPilot · May 14, 2018

The sediment should always be a lower than your carbon blocks. Also, make sure that your sediment is rated with an "absolute" micron rating. I run Spectrapure .2 micron absolute sediment, a Pentek ChlorPlus and a Spectrapure .5 micron carbon block. I could probably use the .5 micron sediment, but I really like the .2 performance. Once I stopped using cheap sediment filters, my carbon blocks never even change color. They don't really loose pressure either. They just eventually start having chlorine break through. My old system would show a pressure drop before the chlorine broke through. It was definitely shortening the life of the carbon blocks.

I haven't changed the sediment filter in 2 years, and I also use the RO portion of the system to make drinking water and ice for the house. I do run one of the large pentek 20BB carbon blocks on a portion of the house, so the water is pre-filtered before getting to the RODI system. I use to have to change those cheap systems every few months. Now I don't touch the RODI more than once or so a year.

Breadman03 · May 14, 2018

STEVEN ADAMS said:
ok thank you! I am trying to find out about chlorine or chloramines but I cannot find my city water report online. Roy City Utah. I am going to try calling them next week. so really anything less than 1 is not really necessary?

I think you need to create an account here to access your water report.

STEVEN ADAMS · May 17, 2018

skim said:
First thing you should do is find out if have to worry about Chloramines or not.

I got insta test cholorine test strips. Free chlorine reads 0 while total chlorine reads .5 this must mean I have chloramines?

STEVEN ADAMS · May 17, 2018

TaylorPilot said:
The sediment should always be a lower than your carbon blocks. Also, make sure that your sediment is rated with an "absolute" micron rating. I run Spectrapure .2 micron absolute sediment, a Pentek ChlorPlus and a Spectrapure .5 micron carbon block. I could probably use the .5 micron sediment, but I really like the .2 performance. Once I stopped using cheap sediment filters, my carbon blocks never even change color. They don't really loose pressure either. They just eventually start having chlorine break through. My old system would show a pressure drop before the chlorine broke through. It was definitely shortening the life of the carbon blocks.

I haven't changed the sediment filter in 2 years, and I also use the RO portion of the system to make drinking water and ice for the house. I do run one of the large pentek 20BB carbon blocks on a portion of the house, so the water is pre-filtered before getting to the RODI system. I use to have to change those cheap systems every few months. Now I don't touch the RODI more than once or so a year.

where do you buy those filters?

TaylorPilot · May 17, 2018

http://www.spectrapure.com/

Call these guys. The owner knows more about water filtration then probably anyone in the biz. He isn't the cheapest, but his systems work and last so long that it ends up being a value over the long run. You won't be disappointed.

And yes, if your free and total chlorine test are reading different values, then you have chloramines.

STEVEN ADAMS · May 17, 2018

TaylorPilot said:
http://www.spectrapure.com/

Call these guys. The owner knows more about water filtration then probably anyone in the biz. He isn't the cheapest, but his systems work and last so long that it ends up being a value over the long run. You won't be disappointed.

And yes, if your free and total chlorine test are reading different values, then you have chloramines.

so if I have chloramines then no micron carbon block is gonna do me any good I need a special carbon block? what do you guys recommend in each stage? what micron sediment filter and all? currently have 350 tds tap water. 1st stage 5 micron sediment filter, 2nd stage 5 micron carbon block, 3rd stage 1 micron carbon block, 4th stage 100 gpd membrane, 5th and 6th stage refillable DI resin canister. TDS is 3 after membrane and 0 after 1st DI can. obviously its working. I am gonna have to exhaust this system. could anything be better?

TaylorPilot · May 18, 2018

You want the sediment to be as small or smaller than your smallest carbon block. I would do atleast a .5 micron sediment. We have chloramines that are right at the legal limits in my town, so without a good setup, the carbon blocks don't last at all. If it was me, I would just bite the bullet and get the filters in this setup.....

http://spectrapure.com/RO-RODI/RODI...Removal-RO-DI-System-w-SilicaBuster-MaxCap-DI

Find out how hard your water is, then adjust your rejection rate to match. I don't remember the exact number, but the guys at spectrapure can tell you. That is important so that you don't foul the membrane. They also hand test each of their SpectraSelect-Plus RO Membranes to ensure that they are getting 99% rejection. If you look at allot of the other ones on the market, they claim up to that high, but they only guarantee a 97%. That extra 2% is allot when it comes to DI consumption. Those are the most expensive part of an RODI system, and need the water as clean as you can get it when entering the DI. You don't really have to do the whole system at once. I would start with the sediment and carbon blocks, then move on from there. Give spectrapure a call. They can give you more info than you want. HTH