Really starting to get mad, what is it?

[00youknowit00]

Do you have a tds meter? If your tap water has high tds, your filters will need replacing more frequently.
But hey, at least you've finally solved the mystery!

I know! One problem solved, one to go!

And I feel like do, I have a dual inline on my filter, along with a HM stick. I can't remember off the top of my head the exact numbers. It still comes out 0ppm from my di though.

 

[00youknowit00]

Okay, I got some phosguard today, about to put it in. It says 1 cup for 65-100g, so I took the average and used that number. I came up with right under 1/4 of a cup.

Info:
water going into my filter: 323ppm
from ro going to di: 25ppm
from di: 1ppm (which this is the first time I haven't seen it read 0)
Both my buckets and jugs: 1ppm

Unit was new on 4/22/13
Sediment and di resin replaced on 8/30/13 when I saw a rise in TDS.

So I got about 4 months out of the resin last time, and I'm coming up on 4 months again, so the rise out of the di seems normal. I have replacement carbon blocks, but not any sediment or di resin. My ro membrane should still be good though, right?

I don't know a ton about these filters, just enough though haha. What part of it should be taking silicate out?

 

[mr_X]

If it's zero ppm out of the DI, it's not the water. Your R.O. membrane should be good for a year or so.

 

[00youknowit00]

If it's zero ppm out of the DI, it's not the water. Your R.O. membrane should be good for a year or so.

Well it has been 0ppm out of the di until today, I promise lol

When I did the silicate test on the water straight out of the filter it tested like 2ppm though

 

[mr_X]

Water with zero TDS should be just that- water stripped clean of everything, even silicates.

 

[00youknowit00]

Water with zero TDS should be just that- water stripped clean of everything, even silicates.

Hmmm, because my ro/di has tested zero TDS for the entire time this has been going on.. Which is much longer than this thread.

I know this is where the silicate is coming from due to the tests, I just really want to figure out why exactly its happening.

Side note: phosguard should not tumble, correct?

 

[Stlrockguy]

Maybe you could get your hands on a hand held tds meter to double check you ro water. The one you have might be defective

 

[00youknowit00]

Maybe you could get your hands on a hand held tds meter to double check you ro water. The one you have might be defective

I have a hand held too, they're both HM digital. I need to get batteries for the hand held, I have a bad habitat of forgetting to turn it off. I had put the batteries from the inline one on my reactor to test earlier, but I'm not switching batteries again, it's annoying, I'll buy some new ones tomorrow.

I'm not doubting that the di resin is beginning to exhaust though, its been the same time frame as before, so ita actually "on schedule" you could say.

 

[Stlrockguy]

Always nice to get to the bottom of a problem

 

[00youknowit00]

Always nice to get to the bottom of a problem

Yeah, I just hope its as simple as some new filters. Seems like its never that easy for me haha

 

[Stlrockguy]

You've been fighting it for awhile. So it hasn't be that easy. I fought with high nitrates on my first reef tank the whole time I had it. Then I upgraded to my 150 and I never have nitrates. Of course it is set up better

 

[00youknowit00]

You've been fighting it for awhile. So it hasn't be that easy. I fought with high nitrates on my first reef tank the whole time I had it. Then I upgraded to my 150 and I never have nitrates. Of course it is set up better

I wish I could upgrade to a 150, but a 20 is all I'm allowed haha.



It's weird to fight this one since water changes make it worse, which goes against everything else in the hobby haha.

 

[Stlrockguy]

You're at the end of the battle. The only reason I do water changes now is to replace trace elements. A 20 wouldn't be enough for me

 

[00youknowit00]

You're at the end of the battle. The only reason I do water changes now is to replace trace elements. A 20 wouldn't be enough for me

I don't think any tank will ever be big enough..

 

[Stlrockguy]

My next tank will be an 8 foot tank

 

[00youknowit00]

My next tank will be an 8 foot tank

One day I'm going to get a 500. Being only 19 puts some restraint on that for now haha.

To stay back on topic,
How often do carbon blocks normally last? This is my first ro/di, so I'm still learning. I use to just buy distilled.

 

[Stlrockguy]

It really all depends on the quality of your tap water and how much water you make. The higher your tds is

 

[00youknowit00]

It really all depends on the quality of your tap water and how much water you make. The higher your tds is

Figured, oh well, I already have them if I need them. Just need to get more resin

 

[Stlrockguy]

I need to replace everything but the membrane

 

[00youknowit00]

I need to replace everything but the membrane

BRS has a pretty deal on packages. I'm pretty sure I got a sediment, both carbon blocks and resin for around $30. What brand is your rodi?