Multi stage RO units

[Joe Batt]

Nowadays you can buy seemingly endless stages of water filtration in commercial RO units (7 was the last one I saw) but these units are aimed at the drinking water market.

With that in mind do all the 'extra' stages end up adding anything harmful back into the RO water for the aquarium?

 

[Ty Hamatake]

As long as it doesn't have a stage that's adding minerals and stuff for drinking water I would think you're good to go. I would imagine a seven stage being 2 prefilters, 2 carbon blocks, RO membrane, and 2 DI canisters (or something along those lines, maybe one pre filter and two membranes). We're you looking at a specific one?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I do not know of any common methods that are a problem, but some are unnecessary.

 

[bif24701]

If you have chloramines in your tap water you will need at least two carbon blocks. The BRS 6 stage is for you.

I use a BRS 6 stage water saver plus: sediment filter, 2 each BRS carbon blocks, 2 each RO membrane, and two DI canisters. Has two dual TDSs meters so I can check TDS before RO, after RO and after each DI.

Starting with good pure water is soooo important and over looked with beginners. Don't want to skimp here.

Also leaner when to change the filters. I make about 200-300 gallons a month and haven't need to change any filters in over 12 months because I check and test them and know when it's needed. Everyone will be different depending on tap water. I do have to change the DI every couple months.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If you have chloramines in your tap water you will need at least two carbon blocks. The BRS 6 stage is for you.
.

I don't agree. It doesn't hurt to use more or special carbon blocks, but I would not conclude it is needed in all cases (maybe very few).Chloramines do not get through my single normal carbon block, and in the tests I had many reefers do for my chloramine article, chloramine getting through is an unusual situation.

Chloramine and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/index.htm

 

[GoPitt88]

If you have chloramines in your tap water you will need at least two carbon blocks. The BRS 6 stage is for you.

I use a BRS 6 stage water saver plus: sediment filter, 2 each BRS carbon blocks, 2 each RO membrane, and two DI canisters. Has two dual TDSs meters so I can check TDS before RO, after RO and after each DI.

Starting with good pure water is soooo important and over looked with beginners. Don't want to skimp here.

Also leaner when to change the filters. I make about 200-300 gallons a month and haven't need to change any filters in over 12 months because I check and test them and know when it's needed. Everyone will be different depending on tap water. I do have to change the DI every couple months.

I bought the exact same unit from BRS (Bulk Reef Supply) and love it!

 

[prsnlty]

I bought the exact same unit from BRS (Bulk Reef Supply) and love it!

I upgraded mine into this + booster pump. I'm on well water that goes though a whole house softener system before the ro unit. 200 tds going into the unit / 0 tds out. Yet something must still be getting through. I believe it's sulfur, silicates or both.

 

[bif24701]

I upgraded mine into this + booster pump. I'm on well water that goes though a whole house softener system before the ro unit. 200 tds going into the unit / 0 tds out. Yet something must still be getting through. I believe it's sulfur, silicates or both.

What leads you to that conclusion?

 

[bif24701]

I don't agree. It doesn't hurt to use more or special carbon blocks, but I would not conclude it is needed in all cases (maybe very few).Chloramines do not get through my single normal carbon block, and in the tests I had many reefers do for my chloramine article, chloramine getting through is an unusual situation.

Chloramine and the Reef Aquarium - Reefkeeping.com
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2003-11/rhf/feature/index.htm

I've not seen this article, thank you.

That recommendation is direct from BRS site, so there is some bias.

A total chlorine test strip should reveal the presence of chloramines in the waste water correct?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Yes, chloramine gets counted in total chlorine.

 

[PatW]

It depends on your goals.

If you have really high tds in your tap water, you might want two ro membranes in succession to minimize your DI resin usage. I suppose the same system would do well if you had normal tds and just wanted to produce large amounts of zero tds water.

I have tap water that is about 130 tds. I have a 6 stage BRS system. It has a sediment filter, a 5 micron carbon block, a .5 micron carbon block, ro membrane and two canisters of DI resin. When the first canister of DI resin depletes, I repack it. That way I can completely deplete the resin while producing 0 tds water. The water comes out of the ro membrane at 2 tds. My membrane is rated at 75 gpd but I think the production is a bit higher. My DI storage is a 44 gallon Brute trash can. I wish I had gone with the 55 gallon. My water pressure might be as high as 55 psi which is a tad low but things work fine. I can easily crank out about 70 gpd but I usually don't.

Having 2 carbon blocks is not expensive and I think it is cheap insurance. It protects the ro membrane. And I have already said why I like two DI resin canisters.

Now I use about 80 plus gallons per week But the system could crank out about triple of that.

It is good having your own system. It is convenient. You have the 0 tds water in your own house. You don't have to drive someplace during office hours and carry it home. It is probably cheaper. And in my system, I know that I have 0 tds water.