Hi! I currently have a BRS 4 stage value plus 150gpd RODI system. My tapwater coming in is around 300 ppm and above 7 pH value. I am on well water. My reading after the membrane is usually around 14-16ppm. The best I have ever achieved was 12ppm. I just chew through DI resin like crazy. I understand 14-16 is relatively high, but I am only getting about 60-80 gallons per standard resin cartridge. I am packing it tight, following BRS's method of doing so, and when it reaches the top it does start leeching like 2ppm into my second DI cartridge. I have been reading about possible high levels of CO2 in well water, could this be my DI resin issue? Should I invest in a degassing holding tank and some better membranes (99% rejection)? Looking for any advice. I am thinking about running an ICP test on my well water and RO (not DI) water to see the contents, would this give me accurate results? Thanks for any input guys, really looking to solve this to save time and money!
RO/DI Help
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Crabs McJones
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If you're on well water, high CO2 would be my first suspect if DI is being depleted rapidly.
Stingray122
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I have also noticed that my flush kit has a slight hissing sound to it (always has), is this normal? Its coming from the valve, I have tried adjusting the lines but to no success. I typically flush my membrane for 45 seconds before and after each water making session.
rkpetersen
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What's your incoming pressure at the membrane? You're getting a rejection rate of 95% which is ok but many people aim for and achieve 98%.
Hissing from your restrictor valve is ok. Some people get it, some don't.
Hissing from your restrictor valve is ok. Some people get it, some don't.
Stingray122
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Are there any quick tests to confirm this? I would like to know for sure its the culprit before setting up a degassing station. What should my DI life be with a TDS of 14?
Stingray122
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I run a booster pump, 65psi.
rkpetersen
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That's probably not it then. I'd try a different membrane, as you suggest.
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If you can measure PH and hardness of your water KH, you can use that to determine CO2 levels.
http://aquadaily.com/2009/01/29/co2-ph-kh-chart/
Otherwise I'm not sure if an ICP test checks for CO2 or not, perhaps someone who has sent in an ICP test can confirm that.
http://aquadaily.com/2009/01/29/co2-ph-kh-chart/
Otherwise I'm not sure if an ICP test checks for CO2 or not, perhaps someone who has sent in an ICP test can confirm that.
Stingray122
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The ICP test was to see if I could avoid using DI resin, but being in a rural area, probably something I don't want to do, since all the nitrogen products and others being used on farm fields (the lake I live on grows algae like crazy during the farming season).
rkpetersen
walked the sand with the crustaceans
ICP-OES testing would be interesting but it won't tell you anything about excess CO2. It measures individual chemical elements, not compounds, and doesn't test for carbon or oxygen at all. Also not sure if the results would be valid with freshwater samples, as these tests are designed for saltwater aquarium water. The ATI test does include additional free testing of your RO/RODI water, but it's a more limited panel of test parameters (typical breakthrough contaminants) compared to what is measured for the primary tank water sample.
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