Rodi question

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

Feel free to give u a call when you are in front of the system if you want help troubleshooting it.

Russ

 

[Forsaken77]

Maybe get some test strips that test for free chlorine and total chlorine to see if your water system is using chloramines vs chlorine. You can also call your water department as well.

Are you flushing your filters a few minutes before and after making a batch of water? Not doing this will reduce the life of your DI resin.

Yes, but flushing wouldn't affect the carbon block, though useful advice nonetheless.

 

[Forsaken77]

I feel like this question has been asked 1000x but can't find an answer specific. We just moved to Louisiana, I have a BRS 150gpd 5 stage unit. Brand new RO membranes, pre filter, carbon block, and 2 DI canisters. I use a pump so I get about 90 psi. Basically both DI canisters were exhausted after filling my aquarium for the 1st time (170 gallons). TDS going in:115....TDS after RO:4....and zero after DI for about the first 150 gallons. Then it read 1-3. The di is exhausted and the carbon block is looking rough(little brown spots on outside of filter). My question is could this be chlorine ripping through the filters? If so should I run 1 pre filter, 2 carbon blocks and one DI? I really appreciate it.

What micron size is your prefilter? It sounds like you have a high amount of sediment getting through the prefilter. You're not using any warm water, right? Just cold? Because you get a lot more sediment when you mix in some hot water.

I would first try the cheapest and most likely option first, which is run a 5 micron sediment prefilter and then a 1 micron sediment filter after that.

But it's also a MUST that you know if your area is using chlorine or chloramines to treat the water. A regular carbon block won't stop chloramines and will destroy the membrane. If you do have chloramines and already ran that much water through the membrane, it needs to be replaced. BRS also sells a Universal carbon block to treat chloramines, so get on that asap.

But from your initial post, it sounds like you have too porous of a micron sediment filter. Even if you use one, it is better to be a 1 micron GE Save.Z filter from BRS.

You could also ditch the 2 membranes and just run one 150gpd membrane. You have the pressure for it and you'll produce more than 150gpd with high pressure like that. So you won't be wasting a super amount.

Also, when you produce large amounts of water in one run, you should flush the membrane every so often DURING the process, not just the beginning and end.

Hope that helps

 

[Artillerydrill]

What micron size is your prefilter? It sounds like you have a high amount of sediment getting through the prefilter. You're not using any warm water, right? Just cold? Because you get a lot more sediment when you mix in some hot water.

I would first try the cheapest and most likely option first, which is run a 5 micron sediment prefilter and then a 1 micron sediment filter after that.

But it's also a MUST that you know if your area is using chlorine or chloramines to treat the water. A regular carbon block won't stop chloramines and will destroy the membrane. If you do have chloramines and already ran that much water through the membrane, it needs to be replaced. BRS also sells a Universal carbon block to treat chloramines, so get on that asap.

But from your initial post, it sounds like you have too porous of a micron sediment filter. Even if you use one, it is better to be a 1 micron GE Save.Z filter from BRS.

You could also ditch the 2 membranes and just run one 150gpd membrane. You have the pressure for it and you'll produce more than 150gpd with high pressure like that. So you won't be wasting a super amount.

Also, when you produce large amounts of water in one run, you should flush the membrane every so often DURING the process, not just the beginning and end.

Hope that helps

Thanks for the reply, I use cold water from the washer tap and these filters from brs ...Purtrex 1 Micron Sediment Filter and BRS Universal 1 Micron Carbon Block Chlorine and Chloramine. Also the color changing DI. All my filters come from BRS. I could try two pre filters, id have to order another canister. I wasn't aware of the flushing during use. I did make a lot of water at once without flushing system in between. I have an auto flush kit that came with my 8800 pump, maybe I should just hook that up.

 

[joekool]

Catalytic carbon is for chloramines. Cheap enough to use. Just add another stage. Sediment. Catalytic. Carbon block. Membrains. The di.

Chloramines is a unseen killer of di.

Probably someone said this already but I'm not going to lie I didn't read everything.

 

[Artillerydrill]

Catalytic carbon is for chloramines. Cheap enough to use. Just add another stage. Sediment. Catalytic. Carbon block. Membrains. The di.

Chloramines is a unseen killer of di.

Probably someone said this already but I'm not going to lie I didn't read everything.

The carbon block I use from brs says it prevents chlorine for up to 35,000gal and chlorimine for 3500 gal.

 

[ruth howard]

I feel like this question has been asked 1000x but can't find an answer specific. We just moved to Louisiana, I have a BRS 150gpd 5 stage unit. Brand new RO membranes, pre filter, carbon block, and 2 DI canisters. I use a pump so I get about 90 psi. Basically both DI canisters were exhausted after filling my aquarium for the 1st time (170 gallons). TDS going in:115....TDS after RO:4....and zero after DI for about the first 150 gallons. Then it read 1-3. The di is exhausted and the carbon block is looking rough(little brown spots on outside of filter). My question is could this be chlorine ripping through the filters? If so should I run 1 pre filter, 2 carbon blocks and one DI? I really appreciate it.

You might want to check the specs on your membrane, as well. TDS from the water source is 115 and after RO before DI is 4 equates to %96.52 rejection rate. I find that if my rejection rate isn't about %99, I will burn through DI resin. I run my RO system (before DI) until I get the %99 rejection, then I plumb back in the DI canisters and start making usable water. My city water is usually around 335 TDS and after RO, I am looking for about 3 TDS, then I will run it through the DI resin. I hope this helps and I did not just confuse you. My city, as well as, a lot of cities uses chloramines. Chloramines are more stable in the water system, but it doesn't break down as easily.

 

[Artillerydrill]

You might want to check the specs on your membrane, as well. TDS from the water source is 115 and after RO before DI is 4 equates to %96.52 rejection rate. I find that if my rejection rate isn't about %99, I will burn through DI resin. I run my RO system (before DI) until I get the %99 rejection, then I plumb back in the DI canisters and start making usable water. My city water is usually around 335 TDS and after RO, I am looking for about 3 TDS, then I will run it through the DI resin. I hope this helps and I did not just confuse you. My city, as well as, a lot of cities uses chloramines. Chloramines are more stable in the water system, but it doesn't break down as easily.

They are both 75gpd DOW filmtec from BRS but they are also both brand new. I guess that may have something to do with it as well

 

[BluewaterLa]

This may be silly but happens often.
Make sure your lines are run correctly as sometimes the waste water line or lines get run to the DI and the good water gets discarded.
I have been to countless homes where the water made was horrible or the Di was getting used up real fast and the issue is one of two things.
most common is wrong water line going into DI stage
second is RO membrane not seated fully.

I made the wrong line mistake years back when I first got my RODI unit used from another person and was using it the way they had it plumbed up, well it was wrong for almost 3 years. This caused me much head ache and issues with algae and poor water quality killing corals.
The waste water was pretty clean but was not the best thing to be using for top off and mixing salt.