RO/DI Funky Smell

[zemuss]

I use a rubber made container to store the water for my ATO. I normally make about 15 gallons at a time. Lately I have found that I should probably only make 10 gallons as the holding tank gets a white slime on the walls of the holding tank. Algae?

Also there is an odor kind of a BO smell which comes out of the tank at times..

Anyone else experience this?

 

[joekool]

Sometimes it's a cat urine smell. Anyways wash and scrub your container with distilled white vinegar. Bam nice and clean and not smelly.

 

[zemuss]

Yes JoeKool that is it exactly. Why does it get like that? Seems every batch I make in a few days starts to stink!

 

[joekool]

Can't really remember why anymore. I know you should alway clean new containers this way to remove any processing chemicals from forming the container. But I do know that if you do clean it this way every so often you want get the smell. I did notice it smelled more if the lid was closed. But you don't want to leave lid off RO water as it absorbs stuff out of the air.

Vinegar is cheap per gallon so at least we have that going for us. It cleans so many things safely for our tanks. It is also great for breaking in new skimmers.

 

[AZDesertRat]

DI resin that is either brand new and not rinsed up, or nearing exhaustion gives off a fishy smell and is normal.
FAQ

 

[zemuss]

AZDesertRat

Do I need to be concerned about this?

 

[zemuss]

I have had the RO/DI unit for a Year if that helps.. Do I need to purchase another DI resin?

 

[AZDesertRat]

What is the TDS of your RO/DI water? If the final TDS is anything other than 0, then yes you need a replacemnt. Really you need to know 3 TDS numbers, tap water TDS, RO only TDS before the DI and final RO/DI TDS. If you have had the system for a year you are past due on the 6 month sediment and carbon block replacements and it is time for your annual disinfection. If you search my username and RO/DI disinfection or filter replacements you will come up with hundreds of threads where I detail the disinfection and filter replacement and rinsing process.

 

[franciscosalazar]

I haven't had extensive experience with what I'm about to describe but it has been a couple months and continues to work. I started to store my rodi dry after the stink started, my tds has stayed at 4 and the smell has disappeared...

 

[joekool]

If your producing 0 tds water into your holding container than wash the container as I said. Yes it really is that simple.

If your not producing 0tds water into your holding container than it could be both. We had a whole thread about this last year and by multiple input concluded that it was the Rubbermaid containers making the smell. One good wash and it was gone.

having experience with this issue with perfect water that doesn't smell like anything coming out of the unit. It's a container issue

Blah blah blah and so on.

 

[AZDesertRat]

DI resin should never be allowed to dry out. Without the moisture it loses its cation and anion electrical properties. If you buy in bulk or more than you need for a replacement, seal it in a double zip loc bag with a little RO/DI water inside or better yet vacuum seal it with a seal a meal type food saver and store it in the rerigerator for up to a maximum of 6 months. If you are using the DI, always make sure your RO/DI unit is stored with water in the housings when not in use so the membrane and resin stay wetted. The fishy smell is only from brand new or worn out resin.

 

[joekool]

I haven't had extensive experience with what I'm about to describe but it has been a couple months and continues to work. I started to store my rodi dry after the stink started, my tds has stayed at 4 and the smell has disappeared...

4tds is your end production. Do you put it in your tank. Get some DI and or increase the pressure to the membrane to achieve a higher rejection rate.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Let me ask a question about the cat urine smell. Is your home new or have you had carpeting replaced recently? The reason I ask is it common to have that smell if you have new carpets and your water utility uses chlorine dioxide as their residual disinfectant. When the Utility I supervised added a source that was treated with chlorine dioxide rather than free chlorine we started receiving complaints from new housing developments and after a lot of research came up with the answer. Just a thought.

 

[joekool]

Zemuss had the cat urine smell not fishy.

Anyways I'm out. Think you got it from here

 

[zemuss]

AZDesertRat house is old but we did have new carpets up stairs not in the room where RO/DI is.

I will search the articles and follow the directions.

End product of TDS is 0 per meter.

 

[zemuss]

Just an update on this issue. I will be purchasing all new media for the RODI unit as it has been over two years since I purchased. Also the guys from spectrapure said that this cat **** smell happens when the DI resin is heavily exhausted which mine is. He said to purchase the RO membrane as well and we will check it once I get everything. If the Membrane is ok then he said store in the fridge.

Also I will be adding the TDS inline, the one I am buying checks all three points.

"Z"

 

[AZDesertRat]

Like I mentioned in post #5 and I mentioned the refrigeraor in post #11 I believe, works for a new sealed Spectrapure wetted membrane or DI equally well.
I would highly discourage the inline meter though! Get the TDS-4TM or COM-10 handheld instead. Inlines are not nearly as accurate and limit you to the places the probes are installed. The handhelds I mentioned are ATC temperature compensated so much more accurate and you can test anywhere including your tap, RO only, dual DI's, RO/DI, your ATO container, LFS water, bottled water, your reefing buddies water etc. I have two dual inlines and never even turn them on since they never agree with my hanhelds which I trust.