How much tds is acceptable?

[Monster00101]

I just got a tds meter and my water is reading 5ppm. I just replaced my carbon and ro membrane. Is this ok?

 

[sedor]

If your using a DI canister on your unit and its producing more than 0 TDS the DI is exhausted and needs to be replaced. Most people will replace their filters when TDS creeps up to about 5 or so.

 

[Monster00101]

The system im using is four stage and the ladt one is block activated carbon pre-filter. Im guessing this is not di. Can i run a di in line with it?

 

[Toddrtrex]

A 4 stage can still have a DI section -- mine has; pre-filter, carbon, RO membrane and finally DI chamber.

Any time I get a TDS reading above 1, I figure where it is coming from, and take action.

 

[Monster00101]

Also i noticed where i placed my t im getting 35ppm. How have i maintaned a reef for a year with that much tds?

 

[CMcNeil]

zero tds is acceptable

 

[Nexenn]

I also change it when it reads 1. I notice changes in my tank when the tds goes from 0 to 1

 

[preef]

5 ppm is high. If I was getting that after my DI filter I would be changing the resin ASAP.

Keep in mind that RO membranes experience a phenomena called TDS creep. After the filter sits for a couple of days without use the first bit of water out of the RO will have a very high TDS. If you aren't using DI resin you should monitor the TDS of the water until it finishes falling and stabilizes. Discard the initial water produced by the filter.

 

[NCSUsalt]

you can keep a reef tank using tap water and prime. using r/o water just helps with maintenance and nuisance algae growth. if it doesn't have a DI chamber 5 may be the lowest it can go depending on your source water TDS

 

[tkeracer619]

TDS doesn't tell you what is in the water. TDS of 35 might be fine for one person depending on what that TDS is made up of but a TDS of 3 might be bad for another.

That is why 0 TDS is recommended because there is no way of knowing what the stuff is that is getting through.

It can take a long time for a problem to show up with high tds water. It can take even longer to correct it.

 

[Monster00101]

So can I buy the di separate and run it inline with my system?

 

[Toddrtrex]

Yes you can -- run it last.

But, what does your unit have? An average 4 stage will have;
1) Pre-filter
2) Carbon
3) RO membrane
4) DI resin

A bit confused about this;

The system im using is four stage and the ladt one is block activated carbon pre-filter. Im guessing this is not di. Can i run a di in line with it?

If the last one was a carbon block it could actually raise the TDS.

 

[Monster00101]

mine has 2 block activated carbon prefilters. then its ro. and then its a granular activated carbon post filter

 

[Toddrtrex]

I personally would switch that out -- and you could use the current set up you have, just use the order that I listed above.

This is what my unit looks like, if yours is similar it should work;

The DI resin is on the right, the final stage, after the RO membrane

 

[talwen]

you could add a DI stage onto the unit there is some great add on kits out there on the web that are not to hard to add on.

 

[talwen]

here is the link to one of the add on DI stages
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/single-di-canister.html

 

[Monster00101]

So should i take out the last one in mine and replace it with di? The last stage in mine is Granular activated carbon.

 

[Monster00101]

this is what mine looks like

 

[Monster00101]

1) block carbon
2) block carbon
3) ro membrane
4) Granular carbon

 

[nanojg]

So should i take out the last one in mine and replace it with di? The last stage in mine is Granular activated carbon.

No, add it after everything else