Ro/di filter change frequency

[Gareth elliott]

Reading through posts of people who change out their ro/di filters regularly and knowing I have never changed mine.
Have a dual HM tds meter. One reads the after ro the other reads after DI. My beginning tds is give or take 50-70 tds. I also have a flush valve on my unit. 4 stage brs unit.

 

[WVNed]

I change the carbon and filter every 6-8 months and the resin when the TDS goes over zero. About every 2 months. I changed the membranes after 2 years.
I make a lot of water and probably need to invest in an auto flush system. A water change is 80 gallons now.
I am doing one once a month.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I change the carbon and filter every 6-8 months and the resin when the TDS goes over zero. About every 2 months. I changed the membranes after 2 years.
I make a lot of water and probably need to invest in an auto flush system. A water change is 80 gallons now.
I am doing one once a month.

Changing about 20 gallons a week. 15 on the reef with an auto changer and weekly water changes on the 55 gallon planted are based on general hardness creep.(used to be more got tired of EI dosing and 27 gallons a week lol).

Side note last ATI icp of my ro/di was 2 months ago showed nothing out of line, system was installed 2 years ago. Maybe religiously flushing before and after every fill is keeping it lasting longer? Also my relatively low starting tds?

 

[WVNed]

I have been bringing together a 400 gallon system. It's all full now.

 

[fish farmer]

I think my incoming TDS is between 50 to 100. I have my inline meter before and after my DI. Right now going into the DI is 2 pmm and coming out is 2 pmm......the new DI canister came yesterday. My 50 GPD RO I change yearly to every 2 years. The last time I changed my DI was this spring.

 

[Dvanlier05]

I change my pre filters about once a month, DI resin twice a month and RO membrane once a year. Its overkill on the pre filter but its also peace of mind to know my water is always 100% clean. Probably make about 100 gallons a month

 

[FactoryKTMmotocross46]

Good water is so critical, I change ro every 2 years, pre and carbon filters every 4 months. I have never measured tap water tds but after my ro is around 7ppm tds. I had a brs 5 stage but added a second di chamber when I realized how much resin I was wasting. I make around 90gal per month. 45 for water change and 45 topoff. I flush before and after every use. Change di when its exhausted and and around 4ppm tds going into second di chamber. No chloramines in our water.

 

[Gareth elliott]

I have been bringing together a 400 gallon system. It's all full now.

Nice! Read through a build a bit, not sure if i like the cat-fish or the angel more

 

[Schweezy]

It all depends on water quality. You’ll have to baseline over time to decide what’s best for your setup. For example, the first time I changed my sediment filter (after 18 months), it was filthy. I just changed it this past weekend and it was decently clean after 10 months. So, I should probably shoot between 12-14 months. The carbon blocks are another story. They should have ratings/info sheets that tell you their useful lifespan (https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/matrikx-cto-plus-carbon-block-1-micron.html - read product sheet) and keep in mind this includes waste water too. So... you have to figure the rejection rate of your RO membranes to calculate, but 20k gallons is A LOT. The RO membranes should last a number of years if you keep up with the prefilters. Always flush the RO membranes before making water especially if it sits weeks on end.

 

[Waters]

I change the resin and filters anytime the TDS shows anything other than 0. Membranes roughly once a year.

 

[S2G]

I check the dual tds meter, chlorine, & psi. If something's off change the necessary filter. Really no timeline. You really need to keep an eye on the carbon

 

[Reef AquaCult]

Ways to check if things need replacement. You need a pressure gauge and TDS meter for monitoring,

1. Sediment Filter - Record pressure gauge when first install and when it drops 10% or more then change it
2. Carbon Blocks - check RO WASTE water for chlorine using test strips - if you see any chlorine / chloramines then change it
3. RO Membrane - flush membrane before and after use - Monitor RO TDS and when you note it going higher then change it - or change once a year
4. DI - based on color change and TDS reading.

Should always get 0 or near 0 TDS from your system - and make sure your carbon block is working by getting some chlorine test strips

 

[Opus]

Changing about 20 gallons a week. 15 on the reef with an auto changer and weekly water changes on the 55 gallon planted are based on general hardness creep.(used to be more got tired of EI dosing and 27 gallons a week lol).

Side note last ATI icp of my ro/di was 2 months ago showed nothing out of line, system was installed 2 years ago. Maybe religiously flushing before and after every fill is keeping it lasting longer? Also my relatively low starting tds?

Flushing the RO membrane will not really make it last too much longer, at least not in our consumer level systems. The only thing we can do is compensate for tds creep.

I have a zetazorb sediment filter so I change it out every 18 months are so. The carbon filters every 8 to 12 months. RO membrane will last 4 to 5+ years. I go thru 10 to 20 gallons a week, depending on if I can actually make myself do a water change.

Starting tds can range from high 300's to 450, depending on time of year, and it runs 3 to 4 tds after the ro membrane.

 

[KStatefan]

Flushing the RO membrane will not really make it last too much longer, at least not in our consumer level systems. The only thing we can do is compensate for tds creep.

DI bypass is a more efficient method to remove TDS creep.

Membrane and sediment filter 3 years
Carbon block and resin as indicated by test strips and tds meter.

I do sanitize the system every year

I want to install a meter and switch to gallons produced.

 

[fish farmer]

Since we are on the subject. Would you consider this DI cartridge exhausted, its a mixed bead cartridge? TDS in was 1 to 2 ppm and out was the same.

I just added a new mixed DI cartridge from BRS and STILL am getting 1ppm in and 1ppm out after a gallon of passed water. I think my inline meter is still working as when I was firing up the RO it shot up for a bit.

 

[madweazl]

My RO membrane is about four years old now and our tap water is typically 100-102 TDS. Post RO membrane, we're generally sitting at 1-2 TDS and obviously 0 after the DI resin. Sediment filters typically last 4-6 months and the DI resin makes it about twice as long.

I expect to replace them more often now that the 150g is online but typically change 20g/week in the 75g plus top off water (estimate 3/4 gallon per day in top off water) plus we use it for drinking water (about the same 3/4 gallon per day).