+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I currently have a 4 stage RO/DI system, I am still burning through to much DI resin, following some advise I got here (thanks Juiceman) to not send water with a high DTS to my DI resin, bleed it off until it is low, has helped but I am still using way more than I did before. I'm now in Round Rock, before I was in Steiner Ranch (620/2222 area) so I am comparing my usage between those two places. Before (in Steiner) I'd be able to fill my 55g barrel MANY times before getting a 1/+ reading for DTS. Now, even with only sending 6-4 DTS water to my resin I get less than 1 barrel and I start to get a DTS reading. I've also bought a new DTS tester to ensure my tested was just not bad/old. My filters are all pretty new (about a year, but only about 300g of water pushed through) My existing stages: Stage One: 1 Micron Sediment Stage Two: 1 Micron Carbon Block Stage Three: RO Membrane (2 - 75 GPD) Stage Four: DI Resin. So I'm thinking about trying to add a fifth stage, or rather insert a stage bringing me to 5. The question is, what should I add? As I said above, after running for a few minutes I get 4 to 6 DTS going into my resin now. What would help bring that down even further, or am I still looking at this the wrong way?? In the scheme of life buying resin is not the end of the world, and if I did not have the experience I had before I may not even know any better, but I do! Plus it is a pain to fill the resin container making sure it is all nice an packed etc. every other week. With the new even bigger tank (twice the size), I'm going to need more top-off, etc. so I would REALLY like to "fix" this. Any help would be GREATLY appropriated!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Something sounds like it isn't right. You should be able to get way more than a few 55g batches before you get TDS bleedthrough. Can you post some pictures of your setup? Things that come to mind are maybe a pressure issue (low pressure) or the flow restrictor not functioning properly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I think your problem is high CO2 content in your water. Try aerating your water for 8-12 hrs prior to pumping it into your RO/DI. Here's a handy calculator for CO2 DI depletion. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/CO2DIDepletion.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 I'll take some pic tonight, or try to remember, I've been forgetting that for mbrown the past few nights!!! But I do have a pressure gauge before my inlet, and I get 60 to 70 PSI with no booster right now. I'm not sure how much I had before. Not sure how to tell if the flow restrictor is an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 I think your problem is high CO2 content in your water. Try aerating your water for 8-12 hrs prior to pumping it into your RO/DI. Here's a handy calculator for CO2 DI depletion. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/CO2DIDepletion.php I did see a video about this posted by BRS. I'll have to try this, seems like such a pain in the a** to have to do that. Mostly because now I need another container and another pump.... sometime... I feel like I do more for my fish/coral than I do for my two girls.... who am I kidding, sometimes??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 You might be a reefer.... if you aerate tap water before sending it through your RO/DI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 You can tell if your flow restrictor is working by checking your waste water to product water ratio. Set the outlet for both lines in a bucket and observe the difference in quantities. The ratio can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (of the membrane) but it should typically be a 4:1 ratio of waste to product. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 You might be a reefer, if you tell your kids [insert family member here] you are too busy playing with rocks [insert many] to help them with their [insert ANYTHING here]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 You can tell if your flow restrictor is working by checking your waste water to product water ratio. Set the outlet for both lines in a bucket and observe the difference in quantities. The ratio can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (of the membrane) but it should typically be a 4:1 ratio of waste to product. I'll give that a try this evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 You might be a reefer geologist, if you tell your kids [insert family member here] you are too busy playing with rocks [insert many] to help them with their [insert ANYTHING here]. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 You can tell if your flow restrictor is working by checking your waste water to product water ratio. Set the outlet for both lines in a bucket and observe the difference in quantities. The ratio can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (of the membrane) but it should typically be a 4:1 ratio of waste to product. I'll give that a try this evening. I should say set the lines in *different* buckets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 I think your problem is high CO2 content in your water. Try aerating your water for 8-12 hrs prior to pumping it into your RO/DI. Here's a handy calculator for CO2 DI depletion. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/CO2DIDepletion.php I'm a little confused by this calculator. When I change the DTS to a lower number, it is saying I have a higher % of depletion by CO2, high shows lower % of depletion, shouldn't it be the other way around? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 You can tell if your flow restrictor is working by checking your waste water to product water ratio. Set the outlet for both lines in a bucket and observe the difference in quantities. The ratio can vary from manufacturer to manufacturer (of the membrane) but it should typically be a 4:1 ratio of waste to product. I'll give that a try this evening. I should say set the lines in *different* buckets. Uhm... I guess thanks for the clarification, but I go it. I'm not THAT dumb. LOL But I can see it now. I'll post tomorrow, the bucket filled up at the same rate. I even places the waste water outlet LOWER in the bucket to offset the flow rate difference. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Ruh roh. Sounds like we have found our problem. Now a flow restrictor might not be the cause. It could also be that the RO membrane isn't correctly seated which allows water to flow around the membrane and not through it. Check and make sure that the membrane is seated correctly and that the o-rings (one big one on bottom and two on top) are in good condition. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 Very interesting. I did replace my membrane's when I moved in here. I will check that tonight! Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 Circling back around, if you are considering upgrading your setup, BRS has a pretty sweet carbon block that I believe is superior to my setup (catalytic carbon + pentek chloramine block) in a single block setup which reduces your housing needs by one. You might also consider adding a second DI chamber. When I'm ready for a DI change by gallonage (I have a flowmeter), I swap the last DI block to first, and then replace the last DI block with new resin. With DI resin, contact time is king and a second DI unit doubles contact time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FarmerTy Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 I think your problem is high CO2 content in your water. Try aerating your water for 8-12 hrs prior to pumping it into your RO/DI. Here's a handy calculator for CO2 DI depletion. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/CO2DIDepletion.php I'm a little confused by this calculator. When I change the DTS to a lower number, it is saying I have a higher % of depletion by CO2, high shows lower % of depletion, shouldn't it be the other way around? You got me. Maybe the CO2 binds to some of these solids causing the number to be lower? Anyways, going off Victoly's theory, I just wanted to mention that the guy's at Filter Guy's recommended that for membrane installation, you actually don't want the membrane seated flush against the back of the chamber. You want to pull out the membrane and push it in just enough to be able to get the cap on. Then from that point, use the tightening of the cap to push the membrane in the rest of the way. They said if you don't do this, you could not seal properly and allow for your water to bypass some of the membrane. Just a tip, don't touch the membrane with your hands... you will contaminate it. Wear some gloves if possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share Posted April 9, 2015 Well, that is some conflicting advise. At this point who knows what way I did it, pushed it in, or let the cap push it in.... This really makes me laugh. There TRULY is NO right way to do anything in this hobby. lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bogdan Posted April 9, 2015 Share Posted April 9, 2015 What is the TDS of your tap water? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Okay, I opened and re-seated the RO membranes. I also had an extra dual TDS meter so I put it on the system to measure a couple more points. Lots of pics. I still burned through a LOT of DI resin making 45-50ish gallons of RO/DI water. Pics of the system: Front / Side / Top Getting about 70 PSI going into the system: My source TDS is 412 (WOW): After Sediment and Carbon TDS, only dropped 58 ppm, maybe I need new filters?? After RO membrane before DI. 7 TDS after letting it run for a few minutes: Finally result water, clean 0 TDS: The color changing resin is always inline with my TDS reading, so as you can see from this pic, I had a newly packed DI canister to start, and used about 3/4 of the resin to make this one barrel or water. Before / After My Storage and Mixing station: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Circling back around, if you are considering upgrading your setup, BRS has a pretty sweet carbon block that I believe is superior to my setup (catalytic carbon + pentek chloramine block) in a single block setup which reduces your housing needs by one. You might also consider adding a second DI chamber. When I'm ready for a DI change by gallonage (I have a flowmeter), I swap the last DI block to first, and then replace the last DI block with new resin. With DI resin, contact time is king and a second DI unit doubles contact time. I think I will pick this new carbon block up, and I will probably ad another stage, but I'm not clear how adding another DI stage will help to NOT burn through it so fast. I get 0 DTS after so more contact time does not really seem needed?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Adding one more is just insurance. Something isn't correct in your setup which what is eating your DI resin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 I think your problem is high CO2 content in your water. Try aerating your water for 8-12 hrs prior to pumping it into your RO/DI. Here's a handy calculator for CO2 DI depletion. http://www.hamzasreef.com/Contents/Calculators/CO2DIDepletion.php After last nights "test" maybe you are right. Maybe I need to aerate my water before sending to the DI resin. Grrr. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+SChrisEV Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share Posted April 10, 2015 Adding one more is just insurance. Something isn't correct in your setup which what is eating your DI resin. Did you see post 20 on page #1? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
victoly Posted April 10, 2015 Share Posted April 10, 2015 Not yet. Once I get some time after lunch I'll look carefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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