# My first RO/DI



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

So I finally picked up a RO/DI in prepartion to my salt endevour.

Dropped by SUM to pick up my box of Indo live rock Ken put aside for me. Figured since I was here, I'll just pick up a RO/DI. Ken hooked me up with a Vertex Puratek 3 Stage 100GPD and a seperate Coralife DI unit with a brand new DI cartridge.

Since this is my first RO/DI I have a few questions:


Do I simply plumb the DI stage to end product line and does the output of the DI stage become the new end product line?
I ran the unit w/o the DI canister for 2hrs as per Vertex instructions, do I need to do the same when using a new DI catridge?
How often do you flush your unit and for how long? 
Can someone recommend a TDS meter?
What about chloramine? Is Prime still needed or will the mixing of salt for 24hrs be enough to dissipate traces of Chloramine? 

Here is the unit without the DI stage.



Garbage can needs a float valve.


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

Nice ! congrats.

yes output of RO goes into input of DI and output of DI is the water you use (be sure to not connect the drain ! there is a drain from RO going to waste )
everytime I change the DI, I let it run for half an hour before I sue it. read it somewhere, cant recall where.


Prime is not needed as the carbon (second stage) will remove those.

mine has a inline TDS meter, and a automatic flush so Im not sure, but it flushes every 2 hours for 15 seconds. 

good luck  and be careful with the float valves


----------



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Big Ray said:


> Nice ! congrats.
> 
> yes output of RO goes into input of DI and output of DI is the water you use (be sure to not connect the drain ! there is a drain from RO going to waste )
> everytime I change the DI, I let it run for half an hour before I sue it. read it somewhere, cant recall where.
> ...


Thanks BR.

I always thought the carbon block was only for chlorine? Either way, I'm sure it'll be all gone by the time I use the mixed water.

Yes, the waste line is going down the drain at the momment.

Hmmm, autoflush feature sounds convenient. Wish I knew about that beforehand. Oh well....maybe in the future.


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

gucci17 said:


> Thanks BR.
> 
> I always thought the carbon block was only for chlorine? Either way, I'm sure it'll be all gone by the time I use the mixed water.
> 
> ...


ok that made me go back and recheck lol, but yes, carbon does remove it, as it would harm RO remembrance if not.

good link : 
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php

the autoflush, I think u need a pressure pump for it, as I live high in a condo, the water pressure is low and I needed to get a pressure pump as well ... not pocket friendly


----------



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Big Ray said:


> ok that made me go back and recheck lol, but yes, carbon does remove it, as it would harm RO remembrance if not.
> 
> good link :
> http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.php
> ...


Awesome article ty! Some new reading material for tonight.

Oh, makes sense...yes, those are pricey.

Do you know if plastic float valves fail easily?


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

gucci17 said:


> Awesome article ty! Some new reading material for tonight.
> 
> Oh, makes sense...yes, those are pricey.
> 
> Do you know if plastic float valves fail easily?


I got one from BA, made by KENT, it has not broken, BUT, I placed a couple of styrofoam under it, and glued it to the float valve, so it closes TIGHTLY when water level raises, that way I made sure no more water is made.

I disconnected it about a month ago, when the float valve and the line were pulled, and water was dripping out side the bucket, came home to about 20G of water on the floor Lol not a good night, so after that, I only run my RO/DI after work at nights when Im home.


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Plastic float valves can stick, but anything can fail. Overflowing RO top-up seem to actually be a somewhat common problem.

If you're filling a tank, I'd suggest that you have a fail-safe overflow built into it (think 1/2" bulkhead and tubing to drain almost at the top of the top up tank) so that if the float valve does fail, you don't have a flooded floor situation.



Big Ray said:


> the autoflush, I think u need a pressure pump for it, as I live high in a condo, the water pressure is low and I needed to get a pressure pump as well ... not pocket friendly


I got my AquaTec 6800 booster pump for $60 brand new 
How much pressure do you get out of yours? I get about 85psi at the maximum, but I think I can get it higher with newer cartridges.


----------



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

ameekplec. said:


> Plastic float valves can stick, but anything can fail. Overflowing RO top-up seem to actually be a somewhat common problem.


That's what I'm afraid of.


ameekplec. said:


> If you're filling a tank, I'd suggest that you have a fail-safe overflow built into it (think 1/2" bulkhead and tubing to drain almost at the top of the top up tank) so that if the float valve does fail, you don't have a flooded floor situation.


Thank you, that's a great idea.


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> Plastic float valves can stick, but anything can fail. Overflowing RO top-up seem to actually be a somewhat common problem.
> 
> If you're filling a tank, I'd suggest that you have a fail-safe overflow built into it (think 1/2" bulkhead and tubing to drain almost at the top of the top up tank) so that if the float valve does fail, you don't have a flooded floor situation.
> 
> ...


ahh man ! how do you get these deals  lol

PS. the styrofoam under the valve can solve it from sticking.

I have some serious Issues with pressure, it reaches maybe 50-60 at max, the DI part is never filled up fully with water.. always only a small like 2 inch of water at the bottom, and I have to change the DI resins quite often !! like every 3 weeks !! its killing me lol luckily Ken refills them for me ... .
no Idea what the Issue is. for some time, the feed line from cold water was half way open, so lowering pressure, I opened that all the way, and still pressure is low and DI gets used up prety fast

I change it once TDS reads above 5 PPM


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

That sounds crazy - what's your TDS after the RO membrane before the DI? Sounds like your RO membrane is fried, or the pressure is too low so you're not getting a good enough purification. I'm still on the same RO membrane/DI resin, and I've been using it for 2 years - and I still get 0 ppm TDS after the DI resin (and 2 - 5 ppm TDS after the RO alone) after running the RO/DI for a few minutes.

Did you accidentally run hot water through the RO membrane? Maybe your carbon block is spent and chlorine is making it into your RO membrane, killing it.

My DI chamber never has more than 1 - 2" of water either, and I get about 75 gph out of my RO/DI with 85 PSI of pressure. It's about 45 PST with no booster pump since I'm on the 14th floor of our building.


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> That sounds crazy - what's your TDS after the RO membrane before the DI? Sounds like your RO membrane is fried, or the pressure is too low so you're not getting a good enough purification. I'm still on the same RO membrane/DI resin, and I've been using it for 2 years - and I still get 0 ppm TDS after the DI resin (and 2 - 5 ppm TDS after the RO alone) after running the RO/DI for a few minutes.
> 
> Did you accidentally run hot water through the RO membrane? Maybe your carbon block is spent and chlorine is making it into your RO membrane, killing it.
> 
> My DI chamber never has more than 1 - 2" of water either, and I get about 75 gph out of my RO/DI with 85 PSI of pressure. It's about 45 PST with no booster pump since I'm on the 14th floor of our building.


hmm no hot water, but its possible I made a mistake at one point. got it 9 months ago, have changed DI about 5 times, carbon and sediment once !

I will check the TDS after RO tonight to see, last time I checked, it was HIGH, above 50 I think after RO !!! so you maybe right ! the RO may be dead due to an unkown reason to me, and poor DI has to remove everything and gets spent much faster, hmm makes sense ! guess I'm gonna get a new RO and renew the DI, and see how long it will run for. thanks.

my condo is new, and Im the 26th floor, so maybe on top of low pressure 
their pipping is still giving off metals making the water harder and increasing TDS on the way ... who knows lol but yea last night when I saw TDS go up to 11, I had enough lol I guess changing the RO membrane is my best option. or maybe I'll take it off on the weekend and take it to SUM to see if Ken can tell what's wrong with it lol


----------



## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

Damn, i would be worried to have so many gallons of water 26 floors up!!


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

Kweli said:


> Damn, i would be worried to have so many gallons of water 26 floors up!!


shhh! Im trying to sneak in a 5 foot long tank soon  lol


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Check with your condo or insurance first - I got the OK from both before I got my 110 built. I'm covered in the case that there's a catastrophic failure of the tank - but not a slow leak. So if it ever does leak, I have to smash the tank 

Your RO membrane is probably finished. My TDS out of the tap I think is somewhere between 100 - 150, out the RO membrane is 0 - 10 (lower the longer it's running), and after the DI it's 0 ppm TDS. Even on a system working 24/7, you shouldn't have to replace the DI so many times. 

One thing that just occured to me - is the RO/DI system connected right? If you're feeding in the wrong end, or feeding the DI from the wrong tube, you'll burn through the DI.


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

ameekplec. said:


> Check with your condo or insurance first - I got the OK from both before I got my 110 built. I'm covered in the case that there's a catastrophic failure of the tank - but not a slow leak. So if it ever does leak, I have to smash the tank
> 
> Your RO membrane is probably finished. My TDS out of the tap I think is somewhere between 100 - 150, out the RO membrane is 0 - 10 (lower the longer it's running), and after the DI it's 0 ppm TDS. Even on a system working 24/7, you shouldn't have to replace the DI so many times.
> 
> One thing that just occured to me - is the RO/DI system connected right? If you're feeding in the wrong end, or feeding the DI from the wrong tube, you'll burn through the DI.


OHH nice !! you got insurance on it ? I will check that out today for sure !!! I have been wondering for a while. cause 100G of SALT water, through building ... I dont even want to imagine what could happen  lol

the tubing is correct, I asked KEN to do it all for me and double check it when I got it, will get a new RO and see how long it will last 

thanks.


----------



## ameekplec. (May 1, 2008)

Yeah, well 110g of SW in an upper floor of a condo on the floor = thousands of dollars in damage, not just to our own place, but probably to the surrounding units too. I had to make sure that the condo insurance covered the damage in the highly unlikely event it ever happended, because if it did and we weren't covered, well, I'd rather not think of that....

If your RO membrane is kicking out 50 ppm TDS, more likely than not, it's shot. Replace the other filters while you're at it too, just for good measure if you haven't done so in a while.


----------



## BWI (Nov 13, 2008)

definitly shot.. that membrane should be no more then 1-7 TDS


----------



## aquanutt (Aug 27, 2010)

gucci17 said:


> So I finally picked up a RO/DI in prepartion to my salt endevour.
> 
> Dropped by SUM to pick up my box of Indo live rock Ken put aside for me. Figured since I was here, I'll just pick up a RO/DI. Ken hooked me up with a Vertex Puratek 3 Stage 100GPD and a seperate Coralife DI unit with a brand new DI cartridge.
> 
> ...


nice unit,
TDS meter at BA about $40. It works well...

Carefull with the valve on the DI unit, if tied too hard it can crack the whole canister...

cheers
sly


----------



## fury165 (Aug 21, 2010)

Just picked up a tds meter from SUM for 23.00


----------



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

thanks guys, I may go bother ken for one.


----------



## bioload (Oct 20, 2009)

Got this one from HD for $15


----------



## Big Ray (Dec 8, 2009)

TDS meter, like anything else in this hobby .... is better the more expensive it is lol (as of more sensitive to impurities) 

thinking back, I washed the RO membrance in tap water for an hour :S yea broke it then lol got a new one and working good for now .... so RO shouldnt be touching chlorinated tap water.


----------



## Kweli (Jun 2, 2010)

*sigh* such an expensive hobby...

machines to monitor machines...

Bought a RO/DI and thought "GREAT, time to save money"
*
Then i realized i needed to buy a heater and a powerhead to mix the salt...*


----------



## BWI (Nov 13, 2008)

we sell the HM handhelds also for $19.99 right now!


----------



## gucci17 (Oct 11, 2007)

Kweli said:


> *sigh* such an expensive hobby...
> 
> machines to monitor machines...
> 
> ...


lol it's funny because it's so true...

Think I'll pick an inline TDS meter.


----------

