I've been using my RODI system wrong

[ninjamunky]

I bought my system used, didn't think I'd need instructions on how to use it. Then I read a post here somewhere mentioning waste water, and I'm thinking "there's supposed to be waste water"?

Could be part of the reason why algae is going crazy in my tank right now.

I thought that the other line was just there in case you wanted RO water. Now I just watched a video and you're supposed to have both lines open. And you get 4 gallons of RO water for 1 gallon of RODI water??? That seems like a lot of wasted water, might also explain why it takes days for me to get like 30 gallons of water.

Also I think the lines on my system are setup wrong. Right now I've got the water coming into the membrane filter first, but the video I just watched showed that as the 4th stage. :headwallblue:

I'm kinda just venting right now cause I feel like an idiot, but I've also got replacement filters and resin coming in the mail tomorrow and I want to make sure I get it right this time.

 

[MarkW64]

you're supposed to have both lines open. And you get 4 gallons of RO water for 1 gallon of RODI water???

Not quite right "” actually you get 4 gallons of reject (or "œwaste") water for 1 gallon of RO water. That RO water is usually then passed through DI resin to turn it into "œRODI" water.

 

[nereefpat]

No worries. I learn new reefing things every day, it seems.

The system should flow like this:
. ...................................................................................... ->RO concentrate (reject water)
Feed water -> Sediment filter -> 1 or two carbon blocks -> RO
........................................................................................ ->DI

It depends on a few factors like temp, pressure, membrane, but you are right. Most systems produce a couple times more reject water than RO permeate. The DI cleans up the RO permeate to get zero TDS water.

FYI, a pressure gauge and TDS meter are good tools to have to make sure you have things functioning correctly.

 

[ninjamunky]

No worries. I learn new reefing things every day, it seems.

The system should flow like this:
. ...................................................................................... ->RO concentrate (reject water)
Feed water -> Sediment filter -> 1 or two carbon blocks -> RO
........................................................................................ ->DI

It depends on a few factors like temp, pressure, membrane, but you are right. Most systems produce a couple times more reject water than RO permeate. The DI cleans up the RO permeate to get zero TDS water.

FYI, a pressure gauge and TDS meter are good tools to have to make sure you have things functioning correctly.

Yeah, I've got a pressure gauge and TDS meter. I'm still kinda confused though. The filter I've got is the Filter Guys Ocean Reef +1, with an extra DI canister.

The only picture I could find online looks like how mine is set up. The "waste water line (the yellow one in the pic) comes out of the 2nd carbon filter.

That seems wrong though because if you have that line open then you aren't getting any water to the next stage.

 

[rocsec1]

I have the same system. It is great.

 

[ninjamunky]

I have the same system. It is great.

Is there any way you could post a picture of it? Specifically how all the lines are connected?

 

[LeJeune981]

I have a spectrapure rodi..basically all the same but diff manufacturers...anyway.. mine is set up like this..ill try and get a picture here shortly as well...

Maine water comes into the sediment filter.. then into carbon block 1 then it goes into the ro filter housing..

There are 2 lines coming off the back if the housing... one center.. one offset..
The offset is my yellow waste water line (it also has a water restrictor inside the line)
Center line runs into di canister I then 2...then out as ro/di water

Sent from my SM-G930VL using Tapatalk

 

[rocsec1]

If you pm me your phone number I will text one in the bay or so. Going to be pretty busy at work but I will get it for over the weekend.

 

[ninjamunky]

If you pm me your phone number I will text one in the bay or so. Going to be pretty busy at work but I will get it for over the weekend.

Thanks, but I think I've got it figured out.

I found this pic online

Mine wasn't routed that way so I switched some of the lines around. The flow restrictor on mine wasn't in the line but was in one of the fittings that attaches to the canister for the membrane instead.

 

[ninjamunky]

The wierd thing is that I have this extra piece??? I have no idea what it is supposed to do. It has two ins and outs. I took it apart and it has this plastic and rubber piece inside. Is this some kind of flow restrictor as well?

 

[Indymann99]

Prob a float valve shutoff/bypass.

Does it look like the piece in the link below
https://www.bulkreefsupply.com/auto...hFqs92HMVGnV7chm66dQYbVAmK0PS_0caAqa4EALw_wcB

 

[ninjamunky]

Yep, that's it. Except I don't have the float part.

 

[Vinny Kreyling]

It's an auto shut off valve & it should be marked IN & OUT.
On mine, the top (where it is labeled in & out) is the waste water coming from the membrane. The bottom, running in the opposite direction, is the product water from the membrane going to the next canister.

 

[ninjamunky]

Thinking about getting the 150 gpd upgrade for my system soon. I hate the thought of having so much "waste water".

 

[D-Nak]

Thinking about getting the 150 gpd upgrade for my system soon. I hate the thought of having so much "waste water".

I have it on my system and it's great.

You may want to consider getting a second TDS meter. I have one before the DI and one after. This way I know what my TDS of the RO water is as well as the DI (which ideally should be 0).

 

[Indymann99]

I have it on my system and it's great.

You may want to consider getting a second TDS meter. I have one before the DI and one after. This way I know what my TDS of the RO water is as well as the DI (which ideally should be 0).

+1 on (2) TDS meters, one that measures pre AND post RO Membrane, and one that measures between the first DI and DI final output.

(note in picts below I tap off RO for drinking water/ice to 2x fridge)

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