When to change RO/DI

[GangstaReefa]

I know the 1 micro and carbon block along with the DI resin usually 6 month of heavy use? And the RO TFT is 1 year or a bit more? I ran out of TDS test and waiting for mine in the mail. What should the TDS suppose to be on the blue side?

[Hop]

The blue side?

Replace the three (1 sediamte, 2 carbon/micron) lower every 6 months or when the pressure drops at the membrane. If you take care of the membrane, you can easily get 2-3 years out of it. You can check the membrane by running a tds meter after the membrane and before the DI media. When you see the TDS start going up, order a new one.

The DI media gets replaced when the TDS raises here. Ideally you want 0 TDS after the DI media... Replace when it begins to rise over your normal readings.

[Hop]

And get a good handheld TDS meter. They are usually under $40. I think I got mine for 29 bucks...


And welcome to TRT

[GangstaReefa]

hummm... I need to get a TDS kit. My membrane looks very new and smells pretty nice also. I have 2 DI resin working on the thing, each get replaced every other 3 months, so there is always one that works.

So if I use a DKH carbonate hardness test kit it should work too right? Since the kit measures general hardness and just gives out a carbonate hardness number from the GH.

[Hop]

Maybe. The only way to tell is with a TDS meter. Also if it has the two DI cartridges which mount horizontally, water can run through only the bottom half and exhaust the lower media and give you high TDS water, even though there is good media in the container. A standard 10" verticle cannister would be a good addition to ensure your getting good DI reaction and using all of the media before throwing it out

[GangstaReefa]

naw i have 4 10'', 1 micro, carbon block, and 2 DI, both stands up vertically. But I somehow see the water in the DI tank runs down the side wall, and not directly into the DI cartridge. So there is always like water drooling down the glass container, and it's just one stream of it coming from the top where the line connects to. Is that normal?

Should the water coming from the carbon block fall on the wall of the DI compartment? or should I see water in the DI compartment filled like the 1 micron block? Because the DI canister is always empty.

[Hop]

Just to make sure... Water should go from the tap to the first sedimate cartridge, to the carbon next, to the RO membrane and then to the DI cartridge. Hopefully that's how yours is set up. Usually two DI cartridges are not necessary unless your setting things up different with a piggy backed system etc.

It is common for water to trickle as you mentioned in the DI cartridge. Mine fills about halfway and then I just get a trickle down the inside. The water enters the top, on the outside of the internal container and then is forced up through the inside of the media in the DI container.

[GangstaReefa]

ok thats good. I opened the thing and it looks like it's designed for the water to fall outside of the DI cartridge and go back in on the bottom.
Mine is 1 micron, carbon block, DI, RO, then to another DI before it goes into the rubbermaid.

[Hop]

DI before the RO membrane is just wasting DI within a few gallons, depending upon your water sources TDS and other additives. I would replace that with a .5 carbon cartridge. that;s how the majority are set up

[Hop]

Here is a pic to illistrate

[fyrfytr1717]

Originally Posted by GangstaReefa

ok thats good. I opened the thing and it looks like it's designed for the water to fall outside of the DI cartridge and go back in on the bottom.
Mine is 1 micron, carbon block, DI, RO, then to another DI before it goes into the rubbermaid.

You should run both of your DI's after the RO. The water coming out of your carbon is (relatively speaking) dirty and will exhaust your first DI very quickly if you run it before your RO. After passing through a .5 micron sediment filter and a .5 micron carbon block, my TDS reading is somewhere around 115. After the RO it is only 5. In my situation, a DI cartridge placed before the RO theoretically would be exhausted 23 times faster than if it were placed after the RO membrane. Doubling up your DI's after the RO can give you longer DI life as explained here.