TDS Meter reading...thoughts?

[txmaverickmh]

Hey folks,
I finally got me a TDS meter today at City Pets in effort to check my water quality from my Corallife RO/DI system....and my reading was at 14 ppm
Is this something to be concerned with? It is sort of frustrating becuase I just installed the RO/DI system when we moved to Houston in June with all new filters and parts.
If 14 ppm is too high, which of the three canisters do I need to switch out first? The one on the far left is dark, rusty brown, the one in the middle looks great, and my DI resin is still clean and green (less than 1 inch is brown).
Thanks in advance for the help!
Michael

[Gseclipse02]

whats ur tap tds

[Europhyllia]

could your membrane be ruined? how old is it? what pressure do you have?

[Bill S]

Michael,

I go back to one of my cardinal rules of reefkeeping: "If ESU makes it, it's crap."

ESU is the parent of Coralife. And now, Oceanic. My LONG experience with ESU products is that I'll never own another one if I can help it. I threw my Coralife RO/DI unit out. I couldn't, in good conscience, even give it away. I replaced it with a Buckeye unit.

As well, in discussing RO/DI units with Russ, the DI canister on most is poorly designed, and won't take that last few ppm out unless well designed AND installed.

[txmaverickmh]

K, I will definitely look into getting a Buckeye setup, but is 14 ppm too bad to put in a tank?

[Gseclipse02]

its better than 15 ppm ..... jkjk but its better than tap ....

[Bill S]

As noted, it's better than tap. What is the TDS of your source? If it's around 300, than 14 out of your RO is about 95% - kind of typical. That would mean that your DI is not working correctly. Either it is used up, or it is poorly designed/installed. The DI resin tends to develop channels if it is installed horizontally and not FIRMLY packed with resin. It needs to be oriented up/down. See if you can relocate it, and see if that makes a difference. Also, check the output before the DI if you can.

[Texreefer]

sounds like Di could be installed upside down... take it apart and just Make sure

[kkiel02]

Mine is reading 50 ppm right now. Ive ran about 400 gallons out of the filter like this. I need new filters I know but, eh, the tank has been doing pretty good with it this high. I will probably change them this weekend and do a little water change. I take that back itll be dove season. Ill change out the filters but a water change is unlikely.

Oh and mine is only a reverse osmosis. So I will never have 0 ppm.

[krazykrakr2186]

I also have been getting readings around that range... I've been getting about 14ppm and this is a brand new unit from buckeye. I have only run about 100 gallons through it. When you test your water make sure it is in a clean cup. Any particles that may be in the cup from soap scum or dirt may throw your reading off too.

[Gseclipse02]

use a zip lock bag

[Big_Pun]

i would be worried about if your carbon blocks are exhausted and chlorine is being removed, also not sure if houston uses chloramine(need a filter for that). i think all units are basically the same housing wise, but the filters are the key factor. as with everything you get what you pay for, i try to buy the best performing filter for each stage. i run filters from brs or buckeye and have been very happy with their performance. i change out sediment and carbon every six months, it also helps to have pressure gage before the ro membrane so if pressure drops you know its time to change the stages before. also having a dual tds helps, that way you can see whats going in and out of DI stage, again once you start seeing numbers creep up you can figure out when its time to change them.

[Europhyllia]

the only time I had readings like that was when my RO membrane was shot.
I doubt your carbon filters are your problem.
It's either RO membrane or DI resin IMO

[dipan]

In order to figure out the problem more precisely, you will need to make some more readings. TDS of tap and post RO TDS (before DI stage(s)). If permeate TDS is high then go ahead and make a brine measurement while you are at it. Do it before doves this weekend :)

[ErikH]

Also, make sure your pressure is correct for your RO membrane. If it's too high, you could have ruptured it.

[BuckeyeHydro]

Max operating pressure on a Filmtec 75 gpd membrane for instance is 300 psi - so chances of someone overpressurizing a membrane are remote...

Russ

[BuckeyeHydro]

Did the original posted get the situation squared away?

Russ