After review of the 100 GPD restrictor, I was getting about 2.75:1 I started trimming the tube, and after trimming ALL of it off, I could only get about 3.5:1. So, I took a small drill bit and bored out the capilary. I'm now at 5:1, whaich I'm happy with because as the summer comes, I'm sure it will be close to 4:1. Don't ya think?
RO/DI decision time
- Thread starter five.five-six
- Start date
five.five-six
Well-known member
well hana told me today that I have 585 TDS, oddly enough my LFS's RO/DI water has 30ppm TDS ouch!
LOL, yes it was still installed. I'm an idiot. It's ok though, I ordered an adjustable one so I can compensate for the cold winters here in MN.
And on a possitive note, I still achieved the outcome I was looking for.. I just did it kinda wrong.
P.S. I also ordered a TDS meter so I can stay up on my TDS.
five.five-six
Well-known member
oh, I will be posting here a lot
Hi everyone--sorry to bother you again, but your advice has been REALLY helpful. I have zero aquarium experience. I am trying to surprise my boyfriend with this RODI unit for Valentine's day and I don't want to mess up!
Anyhow, I am trying to order ASAP, and the airwaterice people have not gotten back to me about a question...
I am looking at this 5 stage unit after altering the filters as suggested(http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1TYPHOON/Typhoon_5_stage_RODI_Reefkeeper_75_GPD.html), but it does not come with a pressure gauge. How difficult would it be for us to add one after the fact? Will it be hard to get it in between the filters and the membrane? What would I need to purchase to connect it?
If it is difficult, would I be better off just ordering a 4 stage with a pressure gauge and then adding another stage if necessary (and how do I know if the 5th stage is necessary?) after the fact? This 4 stage (http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=168&Sub=166) seems to be a good deal because it comes with a TDS meter and has the pressure gauge already, but I dont want to buy something that is inadequate unless it is easy to alter.
Which one would you rather receive as a gift?
Thanks!
Anyhow, I am trying to order ASAP, and the airwaterice people have not gotten back to me about a question...
I am looking at this 5 stage unit after altering the filters as suggested(http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1TYPHOON/Typhoon_5_stage_RODI_Reefkeeper_75_GPD.html), but it does not come with a pressure gauge. How difficult would it be for us to add one after the fact? Will it be hard to get it in between the filters and the membrane? What would I need to purchase to connect it?
If it is difficult, would I be better off just ordering a 4 stage with a pressure gauge and then adding another stage if necessary (and how do I know if the 5th stage is necessary?) after the fact? This 4 stage (http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=168&Sub=166) seems to be a good deal because it comes with a TDS meter and has the pressure gauge already, but I dont want to buy something that is inadequate unless it is easy to alter.
Which one would you rather receive as a gift?
Thanks!
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five.five-six
Well-known member
wow dump him, date me
call Russ at buckeye he will hook you up!
call Russ at buckeye he will hook you up!
Fishbulb2
New member
Either unit would make a fantastic gift. I recall you had VERY low levels of chloramines in your water so I don't think I would be too concerned about the extra carbon block. It certainly won't hurt anything but you will be fine without it. It is pretty easy to install a pressure guage inline between the prefilter and the membrane. Let me dig up a link to the one I use and you will get the idea. If you do go with the AWI unit, I would make sure to get the 75GPD membrane, 1 micron sediment, and the .5 micron carbon block. I think their default filter array is something like 10um, 5um, 1um. It might just be easier for you to go with the buckeye unit since the pressure gauge is already installed, but again both are great units.
FB
FB
Fishbulb2
New member
Look at part E.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+4533&pcatid=4533
It is a pressure gauge with a T fitting that will allow you to splice it directly inline between the prefilters and membranes. Just follow the water lines that lead from the input to sediment to carbon to membrane housing. Then just cut between the carbon housing and membrane housing and plumb this in. I'm not a huge fan of those turn fittings on the pressure gauge but mine have held up. Unless you screw them down very well, they can leak. But all in all, it's a simple addition.
FB
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+4533&pcatid=4533
It is a pressure gauge with a T fitting that will allow you to splice it directly inline between the prefilters and membranes. Just follow the water lines that lead from the input to sediment to carbon to membrane housing. Then just cut between the carbon housing and membrane housing and plumb this in. I'm not a huge fan of those turn fittings on the pressure gauge but mine have held up. Unless you screw them down very well, they can leak. But all in all, it's a simple addition.
FB
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Either unit is fine. An inline pressure gauge is easy to add for about $10-$12. It takes about 1 minute.
For the money the Buckeye 75 GPD Premium is probably the better deal and the extra carbon block is not necessary. Even the best company around, Spectrapure only uses a single 0.5 micron carbon block on their best units.
For the money the Buckeye 75 GPD Premium is probably the better deal and the extra carbon block is not necessary. Even the best company around, Spectrapure only uses a single 0.5 micron carbon block on their best units.
I use the AWI 5 stage reefkeeper and would recommend it to anyone. I'm sure the buckeye ones are great too.
FB, I was wondering where I should install my TDS meter. I ordered the inline one. So, should I put one in front of the membrane, and the other after the DI (finished product)?
Or one measurring the input (tap water) and the other after DI? I guess I don't know where to install.
Any reccomendations?
Thanks
FB, I was wondering where I should install my TDS meter. I ordered the inline one. So, should I put one in front of the membrane, and the other after the DI (finished product)?
Or one measurring the input (tap water) and the other after DI? I guess I don't know where to install.
Any reccomendations?
Thanks
Fishbulb2
New member
Do you have a hand help TDS meter also? I have mine straddling my membrane so can calculate rejection rates. In you case, I would probably have one side after the membrane and one side after the DI. So even though you may not be able to measure your rejection rate continuously, you will be able to detect and CHANGE in your rejection rate as the post membrane reading will go up. In my experience the input water TDS doesn't change by large amounts and so for a constant rejection rate, I get a fairly constant post membrane reading. I would put the other end after your DI so that you can tell when it needs to be changed also.
last tip, make sure that when you install your post membrane (pre DI) meter, you do not simply drop it in right before the DI chamber. If you have a drinking storage tank attached, you will want the water to flow through the meter even when you are just drawing RO and not RO/DI. So install it right after the membrane and as proximal on the permeate line as possible. When I first installed my friends Maxcap with drinking storage tank, i had accidentally installed the tank in between the the membrane and the membrane out meter. So it only read the meter when he was drawing water out of the DI cannisters as well. Basically, when we were running RO water through the faucet, the meter was sitting idle in stagnant TDS creep water and we couldn't figure out why the TDS was so high. We relocated the meter, and voila, 98% rejection.
LMK if any of this did not make sense.
FB
last tip, make sure that when you install your post membrane (pre DI) meter, you do not simply drop it in right before the DI chamber. If you have a drinking storage tank attached, you will want the water to flow through the meter even when you are just drawing RO and not RO/DI. So install it right after the membrane and as proximal on the permeate line as possible. When I first installed my friends Maxcap with drinking storage tank, i had accidentally installed the tank in between the the membrane and the membrane out meter. So it only read the meter when he was drawing water out of the DI cannisters as well. Basically, when we were running RO water through the faucet, the meter was sitting idle in stagnant TDS creep water and we couldn't figure out why the TDS was so high. We relocated the meter, and voila, 98% rejection.
LMK if any of this did not make sense.
FB
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Looking good, thats 98% rejection.
five.five-six
Well-known member
my system just showed up from BFS, very nicely packaged, looks nice. Russ recommended that I get my supply after the water softer, does that sound correct?
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
Yes, RO membranes love water softeners, they do much of the work for them.
Hey, did those readings seem good then? I guess someone said 98%. Is it possible for that to change?
On another note, I want to add a small storage tank to my RO only valve to hook up to my fridge/ice maker. If I put a permiate pump on it, will I be good to go? I really know nothing about that. I kinda looked up the pumps and am kinda confused as to how they work.
