Has anyone used this DI resin?

Eienna · May 28, 2014

I want to get this DI resin next month instead of the one from BRS, because it ends up being cheaper. Don't know if I should trust it, though. Has anyone here used this one before?
Amazon.com : Bulk Color Changing DI Resin Refill Pack 1.25lb : Aquariums : Pet Supplies

kschweer · May 28, 2014

That one in particular no. But with any bulk resin make sure that you seal it up very well when storing it. I used to get the bulk from BRS and if it wasn't sealed up very well when being stored I could tell, it's life span was noticeably shorter. I try to buy what I will use in a few months now. Hope that helps some.

Eienna · May 28, 2014

kschweer said:
That one in particular no. But with any bulk resin make sure that you seal it up very well when storing it. I used to get the bulk from BRS and if it wasn't sealed up very well when being stored I could tell, it's life span was noticeably shorter. I try to buy what I will use in a few months now. Hope that helps some.

I only have enough for one refill's worth this time around, so that shouldn't be an issue...unless these guys don't seal it well :/ Thanks!

Orchidcrazy1 · May 28, 2014

I use it all the time it's very good nothing wrong with it excellent product cheaper to

Eienna · May 28, 2014

Terrific, thanks for the info!

AZDesertRat · May 28, 2014

When it comes to DI resin nothing compares to Spctrapure. They have a long term test lab where they custom blend all their own resins in house then subject them to the worst possible conditions for thousands of hours non stop. They last at least 3x longer than any other resin I have ever used and it allowed me to quit buying in bulk and wasting resin. Since DI has such a short shelf life I was throwing new resin away since it had exhausted in the bag before I could use it. When I was using bulk resin, no matter what brand or vendor (and I have the ability to buy directly from suppliers) it would last around 150 gallons before my TDs was 2-3. On my first Spectrapure cartridge it lasted 830 measured gallons and has been over 1000 gallons ever since. Thats over 6 times longer than any other resin I used in the past. The cost ends up being much less in the end.

The other thing you need to do is test your RO membrane efficiency or rejection rate. If it is not as efficient as it could or should be you again could be throwing resin away. For every 2% efficiency loss in the membrane you cut your DI life in half so an increase from 96% rejection to 98% rejection doubles your DI life and quickly pays for a new membrane.

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1839653

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2342795

http://www.reefcentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2173771

cdness · May 28, 2014

I have tried BRS, Spectrapure, Air Water Ice and No Name... All lasted about the same for me. However this is not due to the resin but my high CO2 in the water. It kills resin too fast so I have decided to regenerate the resin instead which is working well for me so far.

markalot · May 28, 2014

I'm going to followup to AZ. I own a Spectrapure system thanks to AZ's recommendation. My RO/DI is nearing 2 years old and the TDS out of my RO membrane is 2 or 3 and after my DI is 0. I have replace the sediment filter and carbon block once (I did this when the sediment filter started to discolor). I still have not needed to replace my DI cartridge but I make sure to test TDS with a handheld temperature correcting TDS meter before each use.

Based on this I'm wondering why anyone is looking to save money on DI resins when they can last so long when using a high quality system? Sink the money in a good system, mine was a refurbished $250 unit, and only get the best media and they will last a long long time.

In my experience anyway.

Eienna · May 28, 2014

AZDesertRat said:
When it comes to DI resin nothing compares to Spctrapure. They have a long term test lab where they custom blend all their own resins in house then subject them to the worst possible conditions for thousands of hours non stop. They last at least 3x longer than any other resin I have ever used and it allowed me to quit buying in bulk and wasting resin. Since DI has such a short shelf life I was throwing new resin away since it had exhausted in the bag before I could use it. When I was using bulk resin, no matter what brand or vendor (and I have the ability to buy directly from suppliers) it would last around 150 gallons before my TDs was 2-3. On my first Spectrapure cartridge it lasted 830 measured gallons and has been over 1000 gallons ever since. Thats over 6 times longer than any other resin I used in the past. The cost ends up being much less in the end.

The other thing you need to do is test your RO membrane efficiency or rejection rate. If it is not as efficient as it could or should be you again could be throwing resin away. For every 2% efficiency loss in the membrane you cut your DI life in half so an increase from 96% rejection to 98% rejection doubles your DI life and quickly pays for a new membrane.

Why different DI cartridges? When to change and how to use. - Reef Central Online Community

SpectraPure's new 99% Rejection Membrane, your potential cost savings explained... - Reef Central Online Community

"Why should I switch vendors and go with SpectraPure?" - Reef Central Online Community

That would be lovely....

markalot said:
I'm going to followup to AZ. I own a Spectrapure system thanks to AZ's recommendation. My RO/DI is nearing 2 years old and the TDS out of my RO membrane is 2 or 3 and after my DI is 0. I have replace the sediment filter and carbon block once (I did this when the sediment filter started to discolor). I still have not needed to replace my DI cartridge but I make sure to test TDS with a handheld temperature correcting TDS meter before each use.

Based on this I'm wondering why anyone is looking to save money on DI resins when they can last so long when using a high quality system? Sink the money in a good system, mine was a refurbished $250 unit, and only get the best media and they will last a long long time.

In my experience anyway.

Mine is a Typhoon Extreme 3 from Air, Water, Ice. I haven't had to replace the membrane yet, so it's the original that came with the unit. My current prefilters are the BRS 5-stage replacement kit.