RO/DI and changing filters

PatMayo

New member
I have the Typhoon III RO/DI system. I like it so far. I have made approximately 200 gallons of water with this system so far.

I have a TDS meter that came with the unit. Upon receipt of the unit and wasting the appropriate number of gallons of water per the directions, I tested the water at the pure output and it tested zero. So far so good.

Today I tested the pure out again after getting 200 gallons of pure water and it now reads .002 total dissolved solids.

I this normal and if so at what point do I change the filters on this thing. I would think that it should remain zero for quite sometime.

Can someone help me with this please?


Thank You.

Pat
 
Typhoon III

Typhoon III

I have the same unit. The meter supplied does not read decimal places. Do you mean 002 ppm?
Has the unit been off for a few days?
How does the DI resin look? About half blonde?
 
Yes that is correct. 002 ppm.

The DI resin is the unit on the far left next below the pure water outlet?
If so I don't know that I would call it blond but about the lower half of it is not a black color as the top portion is. It is more like a Carmel color.

What does this tell you and at what point is the water not useful in my tank.

The last thing I want to do is put bad water in my new tank. I just set it up 4 days ago.

Regards,

Pat

Sorry, yes the unit was off for a few days, but I did a fast flush for about 10 minutes before putting to the pure water setting. Was this flush not proper or long enough?
 
oyam123,
the filters look clean as a whistle except for the far left filter that is carmel looking about halfway up.

Pat
 
If the TDS is showing 002 parts per million, what is bad? Is this bad?

The reason for the meter is to take the guess work out of knowing when to change the filters.

Does anyone know what those parameters are?

Regards,

Pat
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6615933#post6615933 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by PatMayo
If the TDS is showing 002 parts per million, what is bad? Is this bad?
PAT:

That's not bad, but watch out for chlorine and chloramines leaks. You can get chlorine tester very cheaply.

The DI resins has a max capacity, once the limit is reached, the resins are exhausted. That all depends on the TDS of the source water, the higher the TDS, the shorter DI will last.

What's TDS of your tap water?

Here is what Walter from airwaterice.com has to say on DI resins:

http://www.airwaterice.com/category/z.2/
 
Most TDS meters have a least a 2 ppm margin of error. Once the DI canister is depleted the TDS goes up fairly quickly. Unless it continues to climb I wouldn't worry.
 
Thanks Tom, I appreciate the information. I'll test before each use and go from there.

Have a nice Sunday!!

Regards,

Pat
 
I am using a R/O with a DI. All my water tests are great except for the phosphates. These are sitting at 0.5ppm in the tank, and in my water that comes from my water treatment set up. I think I am goint to buy water from my LFS for next weeks water change. (I have been changing 20 gallons per week. I feel like I am adding phosphates when I change water!! Very frustrating. I am working with the algae probem and would like to get the phosphates under control. Has anyone used Kent Marine "phosphate sponge"?

Please warn me off if I am likely to poison my tank or do something foolish.

Thanks

Ann
 
Hi Ann,

You RO/DI will remove phosphates with no problem. About the only thing they have difficulty in removing is some forms of silica and even then they get out about 90% or better. It is more likely the phosphates you see are a result of feeding. All food contains some phosphate as it is an important component of cellular material. Iron based phosphate sponges appear to do a very good job in phosphate reduction as well as growing macro algae in your refugium.
 
Your source water = 081 ppm TDS

membrane rejection rate = 95%, therefore TDS at RO out is
81 *.05 = 4ppm

capacity of the cartridge is 3400 ppm

total vol of water before DI is exhausted is = 3400 / 4 = 850 gallon

You are about half way throught the resins, which matches your description of the color changing indicator: "carmel looking about halfway up".
 
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