RO/DI Tap Unit?

[NanaReefer]

WTH UGH?!! I started filling my 32g Brute at 11am it is now 9:30pm and it is only half full. What gives? Yes it's always been like this but today it's bothering me more than usual Is there nothing I can do to speed it up?

 

[mfinn]

One thing I did to speed up my ro/di was to buy a booster pump and turn the pressure up to about 90psi.

 

[NanaReefer]

Awww heck no way can I afford that right now <sigh> oh well. Venting frustration over lol

 

[mfinn]

well,,, maybe the di resin isn't flowing right.
Do you have a back flush valve?
Also, is it warm where you are using the ro/di unit?
That might help the water temp a little.
You know, the colder the water, the slower the flow?

 

[NanaReefer]

Well I was told not to use warm water as it depletes the resin faster. No flush kit. Water flows down through the DI. I also changed carbon & sediment filters today.

Another couple questions Would a TDS meter pick up Silicates? Is it possible that my Brute can is leaching Silicates? Or are the Silicates getting past my Membrane? Reason I ask is it seems my SB gets worse after every WC. Then after 2-3wks of no WC it starts to clear up. Crazy still is its worse around the edges of the bottom glass areas.

I would really like to do WC via the sump, but I'm not quite sure how to. I've been adding the new mix directly into the DT via a small pump. I would also like to drain/clean the sump area during a WC, not sure how to do that either. I just drain from the DT. Now that I'm not running a sock, I'm worried about detritus buildup.

Hope I'm not being a PITA

 

[mfinn]

I can't answer the silicate question. Maybe Randy can answer that.
I do know the brute barrels are probably the most used container in the saltwater hobby.
From what I understand 70 degree water works best through a ro/di unit for the best results you can get.
But the damage from too hot of water can destroy the ro membrane very fast so most don't try to use the hot side on their faucet.

I use a python water change system that sucks water out of the tank or the sump. They hook up to just about any faucet with the right adapters.
A cheap wet/dry vac would also do the same, but you have to wheel it outside to dump, or lift it to dump it in a sink or bathtub.
Some people use a pump on a hose to empty sumps, but that seems clumsy to me.

 

[N1Husker]

Using warm water through the RODI also has the increased risk of bad bacteria breeding, colder water eliminates that. I live rurally and my water pressure is lousy, only about 35 psi through the filters. I got a booster pump from Aquatic life that includes a back flush valve, flow restrictor, a low pressure and high pressure shut off. Pretty neat little unit. It has cut the time it takes me to make 3 gallons of filtered water from an hour and forty minutes to 35 minutes. It also auto flushes the RODI for 18 seconds prior to making water each time it turns on.

 

[mfinn]

Using warm water through the RODI also has the increased risk of bad bacteria breeding, colder water eliminates that. I live rurally and my water pressure is lousy, only about 35 psi through the filters. I got a booster pump from Aquatic life that includes a back flush valve, flow restrictor, a low pressure and high pressure shut off. Pretty neat little unit. It has cut the time it takes me to make 3 gallons of filtered water from an hour and forty minutes to 35 minutes. It also auto flushes the RODI for 18 seconds prior to making water each time it turns on.

I did not know that about the warm water. I read something on one of the ro/di websites ( spectrapure? )a few years ago that said the best rate would be at around 70 degrees. At the time I looked into a temp control valve and it was more than the ro/di unit itself, so I never bothered with it again.

I went without a booster pump for about a week and found that I did not want to wait that long for ro/di water.
Found a pump and set it to 90psi and will fill my 65 gallon water change container in less than 20 hours in the winter.

N1Husker, do you have a link to your pump unit?
I like that auto backflush idea.

 

[N1Husker]

I did not know that about the warm water. I read something on one of the ro/di websites ( spectrapure? )a few years ago that said the best rate would be at around 70 degrees. At the time I looked into a temp control valve and it was more than the ro/di unit itself, so I never bothered with it again.

I went without a booster pump for about a week and found that I did not want to wait that long for ro/di water.
Found a pump and set it to 90psi and will fill my 65 gallon water change container in less than 20 hours in the winter.

N1Husker, do you have a link to your pump unit?
I like that auto backflush idea.

See if this works.http://www.aquaticlife.com/rodi-systems/smart-buddie
You can also get them from Amazon and Marine Depot.

 

[N1Husker]

I have a BRS RODI 5 Stage filter and I read that warmer water will filter faster. I emailed BRS and asked them about it and they wrote me and said that that is true, it will filter faster but it will also destroy the RO membrane faster and the warmer water will allow bad bacteria to grow.

 

[mfinn]

I have a BRS RODI 5 Stage filter and I read that warmer water will filter faster. I emailed BRS and asked them about it and they wrote me and said that that is true, it will filter faster but it will also destroy the RO membrane faster and the warmer water will allow bad bacteria to grow.

The filter faster is what I read quite a few years ago, but didn't see the part about using up the membrane faster.
My first experience with a ro/di unit was a cheap 50 gallon per day unit, using it on my house pressure which was about what yours was. Maybe 35psi.
After waiting 10 hours, I may have had 6-7 gallons. Not exactly what I expected.

 

[NanaReefer]

Well I'm not using warm water, nor have I ever-lol. Definitely cannot afford $129 booster pump. Soooo guess I'll just start making water at bed time and sleep through the whole thing

 

[mfinn]

Well I'm not using warm water, nor have I ever-lol. Definitely cannot afford $129 booster pump. Soooo guess I'll just start making water at bed time and sleep through the whole thing

I picked mine up from the classified section on another forum for about $75 shipped.

 

[Aquanaut]

This worked miracles for me, but requires 70psi

BULK REEF SUPPLY
Installing the 150gpd Water Saving Upgrade will essentially double the amount of product water you produce for the same amount of waste water. This means you only need to run your RO/DI unit for half as long (and thus you will use half as much waste water) as you without the kit.

 

[NanaReefer]

Sweet!! Thanks @Aquanaut! Awesome idea

 

[michellechristine]

I have very crappy water pressure, so I am curious how to hook my RO/DI unit to a pump. Do you fill up a container then use the pump to pump from the container to the RO/DI unit? Right now I have a hose connector on my intake line to the RO/DI. I also would like to use the pump because then I am thinking I can use warmer water vs the close to freezing hose water outside, thanks

 

[N1Husker]

I have very crappy water pressure, so I am curious how to hook my RO/DI unit to a pump. Do you fill up a container then use the pump to pump from the container to the RO/DI unit? Right now I have a hose connector on my intake line to the RO/DI. I also would like to use the pump because then I am thinking I can use warmer water vs the close to freezing hose water outside, thanks

The pump hooks up to the RODI where the pump hooks up between the final prefilter, usually the last carbon filter, and the RO membrane. The pressure has to be applied to the RO membrane, not the rest of the system. You still use the hookup you have currently, that isn't where the pump goes. So it goes: water from faucet to sediment filter, then to the carbon, then through the pump into the RO membrane, then into DI filter (if there is one), then to the collection container. I hope this helps.