RO Question

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

I got an iSpring 6 stage RO.

I do my testing on Saturday. So, I tested my RO since I just got it and my issue with tap water was Nitrates.

My tap water reads 20 ppm.

My RO only seems to remove 15.

This still reads 5 IMO. The picture looks a little dark compared to natural light.

dwest · Sep 8, 2018

DraggingTail said:
I got an iSpring 6 stage RO.

I do my testing on Saturday. So, I tested my RO since I just got it and my issue with tap water was Nitrates.

My tap water reads 20 ppm.

My RO only seems to remove 15.

This still reads 5 IMO. The picture looks a little dark compared to natural light.

I don’t trust your test kit. Nitrates are tough, but salifert would be better.

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

DraggingTail said:
I got an iSpring 6 stage RO.

I do my testing on Saturday. So, I tested my RO since I just got it and my issue with tap water was Nitrates.

My tap water reads 20 ppm.

My RO only seems to remove 15.

This still reads 5 IMO. The picture looks a little dark compared to natural light.

Here is the filter. Also should I keep the alkaline filter on? My PH from RO is 8.4.

https://www.homedepot.com/p/ISPRING...gclsrc=aw.ds&dclid=CKPR46-orN0CFUrIwAod8tgDIA

dwest · Sep 8, 2018

Better yet, buy a tds meter for checking your rodi. $15-$20...

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

dwest said:
Better yet, buy a tds meter for checking your rodi. $15-$20...

Will the alkaline adder filter throw off the TDS?

dwest · Sep 8, 2018

DraggingTail said:
Will the alkaline adder filter throw off the TDS?

No idea. My spectrapure unit does not have that. Nor the brs units I have seen. Sorry.

Flippers4pups · Sep 8, 2018

Not sure what the alkaline filter is for.

I would make sure you have a pre sentiment filter first, then a 1 micron carbon block second, then a 5 micron carbon block third, before the membrane. You need to add a DI chamber to the unit. Color changing di resin to tell when it's exhausted.

lapin · Sep 8, 2018

DraggingTail said:
I got an iSpring 6 stage RO.
I do my testing on Saturday. So, I tested my RO since I just got it and my issue with tap water was Nitrates.
My tap water reads 20 ppm.
My RO only seems to remove 15.
This still reads 5 IMO. The picture looks a little dark compared to natural light.

For a start :
I would unhook the part (filter) that it says restores Alk and see what the result is. It maybe putting something back into your 0 tds water.

dwest · Sep 8, 2018

DraggingTail said:
Will the alkaline adder filter throw off the TDS?

After looking at the system, I do believe the alkaline filter will increase tds. Not sure id run that part if possible. I wouldn’t be able to see how the unit is operating...Hopefully others will chime in.

Flippers4pups · Sep 8, 2018

dwest said:
After looking at the system, I do believe the alkaline filter will increase tds. Not sure id run that part if possible. I wouldn’t be able to see how the unit is operating...Hopefully others will chime in.

I agree to remove it.

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

Thanks for the feedback.

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

Flippers4pups said:
Not sure what the alkaline filter is for.

I would make sure you have a pre sentiment filter first, then a 1 micron carbon block second, then a 5 micron carbon block third, before the membrane. You need to add a DI chamber to the unit. Color changing di resin to tell when it's exhausted.

I should be able to add any DI membrane right.

DraggingTail · Sep 8, 2018

LFS guy said my water pressure might be too high. He lives near me and said he had the same problem. Come to find out the 80psi water pressure around here causes some water to push past the rubber seals in the RO membrane. More money for a pressure regulator to see if that works

WVNed · Sep 8, 2018

The alkaline "filter" adds alkalininity to the water. It doesn't remove anything

This filter produces "mineral" water.

Most cost effective 6-stage alkaline RO - produces mineral water while RO removes up to 99% of sediment, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, radioactive, and 1000+ contaminants

DraggingTail · Sep 9, 2018

WVNed said:
The alkaline "filter" adds alkalininity to the water. It doesn't remove anything

This filter produces "mineral" water.

Most cost effective 6-stage alkaline RO - produces mineral water while RO removes up to 99% of sediment, pharmaceuticals, heavy metals, radioactive, and 1000+ contaminants

Are you saying this is a bad filter for aquarium water?

WVNed · Sep 9, 2018

It is not a RO/DI filter. There is no deionization stage.

The product water will be almost pure, but not quite. This is why it travels into the next stage which contains the DI (deionization) cartridge (Stage#4 in a 4 stage system and stage #5 and #6 in 6 stage systems). Here, the water passes over positively and negatively charged resins that remove any and all leftover traces of contaminates including silicate, nitrate, and phosphate.
https://blog.marinedepot.com/educat...everse-osmosis-deionization-rodi-system-works

What you have is a RO only filter that then adds back minerals to make drinking water. Your filter is not meant to remove all the nitrates since you want some in drinking water.

It would be easy to convert your filter by removing the alkalinity filter canister and adding a DI filter canister if you intend to use it for aquarium water only and dont use the drinking water in your house. It could even do both.

DraggingTail · Sep 9, 2018

WVNed said:
It is not a RO/DI filter. There is no deionization stage.

The product water will be almost pure, but not quite. This is why it travels into the next stage which contains the DI (deionization) cartridge (Stage#4 in a 4 stage system and stage #5 and #6 in 6 stage systems). Here, the water passes over positively and negatively charged resins that remove any and all leftover traces of contaminates including silicate, nitrate, and phosphate.
https://blog.marinedepot.com/educat...everse-osmosis-deionization-rodi-system-works

What you have is a RO only filter that then adds back minerals to make drinking water. Your filter is not meant to remove all the nitrates since you want some in drinking water.

It would be easy to convert your filter by removing the alkalinity filter canister and adding a DI filter canister if you intend to use it for aquarium water only and dont use the drinking water in your house. It could even do both.

So I can put the following in the 6th stage and then try my test again?

Aquatic Life DI Color Changing Mixed Bed Resin Cartridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DSP57BQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_OAsLBbGSFQJDT

lapin · Sep 9, 2018

Yes. It is best that di resin stages remain upright and not to lay them flat.
A refill able unit will also work. It maybe cheaper in the long run depending on how much water you need to make.
Im in the sticks and sat internet in this heavy rain makes for hit or miss timely response.
This one would work for a refillable
They sell it also with a built in meter. You can add those at any time
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/single-deionization-canister.html

WVNed · Sep 9, 2018

Yes. I expect it will work. It is mixed bed and refillable. Mine is the BRS unit that lapin posted.

chipmunkofdoom2 · Sep 9, 2018

It's not that this filter is no good for aquariums, it's just designed for drinking water, not ultra-pure deionized water. You should remove all the canisters after the RO membrane. Whether they add alkalinity or just use activate carbon for taste, they're both unnecessary for reef tanks.

The base unit is probably good. You have three prefilters and an RO membrane. Just get rid of those other two filters and add some DI resin and you'll be good.

Also, the bit about 80 PSI causing membrane bypass is likely not true. Many reefers here push close to the max rated pressure on their membranes, which is 90 PSI. 80 PSI will not cause any problems.