RO DI Supplies

[Unresistible Bl]

Hey folks - I've got mixed bed, color indicating DI resin for sale, as well as the refillable cartridges: $10 for the cart, $12 for the resin. Reduced price of $18 for a filled cartridge.

Also:
1 micron, 10" sediment filters - $2.75
1 micron, 10" carbon block filters - $9
Hanna Instruments Primo TDS meters - $25

Shipping will be a few additional bucks. I can ship priority mail, UPS ground, or by another means if you'd prefer.

Let me know if you'd like to order. I've attached a pic of the refillable cartridge.

Blue

 

[fishfreek]

I am interested in your DI carts. Can you provide more info on that.

I have a RO/DI unit that I got off ebay last year. It was rated at 75GPD but is now down to about 1/2 that. The sediment filters look slightly yellow but I think its the DI thats plugging things up.

 

[Unresistible Bl]

Fish: Have you had all your cartridges (sediment, carbon, DI) in place for over a year? Decent rule of thumb is to expect about a 6 month life span out of them.

What's the TDS level in your tap water? Post RO water? and post DI water?

Do you have/been using a flush kit?

Anyway, I've got mixed-bed, color indicating DI resin. I've been using it to produce 0 TDS water for my 200 g reef tank. I've attached a pic of the refillable cartridge.

 

[fishfreek]

No i have not replaced any of the carts. I was under the impression that the replacement cycle for these filters was not only governed by time but also amount of usage. Given that I run my RO filter maybe 4-5 days out of the month I did not understand why I would need to replace the cartrages so frequently.

I could see if the unit was filtering water on a much more frequent basis.

I do not have a TDS kit.

 

[Unresistible Bl]

You're right - its usage, not time. Sounds like you have only minimal use or your system.

 

[fishfreek]

Ok this is what I think i need to replace. My RO/DI unit is a 5 stage unit with three large stages in line that look like they are two differnt types of floss filtration and 1 carbon filter. Then it goes to a stage that is horizonal above the three. The membrane pictured below is in that horizonal stage. Then the output of that stage is split off. One leg goes to my storage tanks for the tanks. The other leg goes to a 5th stage that is horzonal above the other stage and it goes to a faucet attachment.

The only time i use the faucet attachment is when drawing water for drinking.

 

[fishfreek]

Here are a few pics of the entire RO/DI unit. The item photoed above is in the first horizonal stage just above the three vertical stages.

Ignore the small storage tank in the photo. I do not use that for water storage except for drinking water storage.

 

[Anemoneman]

The filter in the 1st pic is the reverse osmosis membrane. The floss is for particulate removal, resin is for DI, the AC is for final polish. That's the way I understand they work. Replace your particulate filters. I wouldn't replace the membrane this early with such minimal use. Use of his color changing DI resin bed sounds like a good idea if only to monitor the life of the DI resin.

 

[fishfreek]

Ok.

Will replace the sediment filters first.

In the first chamber I have a 50 micron sediment filter.

The second chamber holds a 10 micron AC cartrage

The third chamber holds a 1 micron sediment filter.


The 50 micron filter is a shade of yellow. The AC and 1 micron sediment filter appear the same color as in the photos above (white).

I think I am gonna look at Lowes for a 50 micron filter as I have seen RO water systems on display in there.

 

[Anemoneman]

50 micron doesn't sound like much of a filter. Does it catch anything? The yellow might just be bacteria growth, reason enough for changing it.

 

[fishfreek]

Well i see no noticable particular mater on the outside of the AC filter. Or would these units filter from the inside out?

All I know is from visual inspection the only canaster that looks any different from when when I got the filter is the first 50 micron unit.

 

[Unresistible Bl]

Here's what I'd suggest.

Put a 1 micron sediment filter in the right hand housing.

Put a 1 or 2 micron carbon block cartridge (looks like you have a carbon block filter, not a AC filter - there's a big difference in performance between the two, with block carbon being much better in this use) in the middle housing.

Replace the membrane only if you have reason to believe its gone bad. Does your unit have a flush valve? Hopefully yes, and hopefully you've been using it.

If you want/need DI, replumb your unit as necessary and turn the left housing into the DI housing.

Blue

 

[fishfreek]

I have a waste water valve. If thats what you call a flush valve.

Water enters the system and exits either via the waste water tube or via the RO water tube.

 

[Anemoneman]

I think he's talking about a backflush vavle. An RO membrane works by only passing things no larger than a water molecule. Crap will build up on one side of the membrane. Backflushing will unplug it, prolonging the life of the membrane.

 

[fishfreek]

Oh, No mine does not have that. But as you can see from the DI membrane pics the first side shot pic (the one with the slit in the center plastic rod). There was no noticable build up as it loooked just like the other side.

 

[Unresistible Bl]

HAven't been on this site in a while. Noticed I left a question unanswered here. The order of your filters should be:
1. sediment filter(s)
2. Carbon (use a carbon block rather than GAC)
3. RO membrane (this is in the horizontal housing on top - what you showed in your pictures above.
4. DI cartridge

and then, ir you have it for drinking water,

5. Storage tank
6. GAC filter
7. faucet.

You're right - a 50 micron filter has very large pores. A more typical setup in our hobby, if you want to use multiple sediment filters, is a 10 micron sed cart first, then a 1 micron sed cart second.

I'd have to look at how your unit is plumbed, but if the water is routed as I describe in the list above, you could easily and cheaply turn yourr final housing into the DI chamber. The DI carts I sell fit right into those housings.

If you'd rather not do it that way, I have add on DI units - essentially a 1-housing setup just for DI. Uses a clear housing like what you have already.

Also - I don't see a flush kit on your unit. Let me know if you want to install one - cheap, quick, and easy to install.

Blue