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Extremely high tds readings in iowa city area!?!

Discussion in 'General Discussion' started by bigbus, Jul 9, 2009.

  1. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    I just got a new ro/di unit and I ran the unit for about 120 gallons or so and my prefilters are already changin.  So I got a tds meter and tested the water.
    I got a reading of 576 ppm at tp??!  Anybody else have really nasty water?  I get about 170 or so after RO and 2 at DI.  My California water was way cleaner than this haha.
     
  2. Lee

    Lee Experienced Reefkeeper

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    I don't think that's all that extreme, but there must be something wrong with your RO membrane if you are only getting 170 ppm afterwards. You will burn through your DI in a matter of minutes if that is the case. That is roughly a 70% rejection rate, you should be getting at least 90% rejection.

    Do you have it putting out 5 gallons waste water to 1 gallon good water?
     
  3. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    Yea, its roughly that, about 4 gallons waste to 1 gallon good. The membrane is rated for 100 gpd at
     
  4. Lee

    Lee Experienced Reefkeeper

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    Well somethings not right. After 120 gallons it should be broken in by now. Are you using a clean cup to take samples? Are you testing after it has been running for awhile?
     
  5. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    Yea I am
     
  6. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    About half the DI cartridge has changed colors but I heard that the color changing slows way down after being broken in.
     
  7. beckerj3 Expert Reefkeeper Board of Directors Leadership Team GIRS Member

    West Des Moines, IA
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    I agree.  Something's definitely not right.  It sounds like the RO membrane is bad/clogged/used up - or you're getting a bad TDS reading out of the RO water.  We have bad water also here in West Des Moines.  The TDS on my input water runs about 500-550.  But the output after the RO membrane has varied from 6 - 15.
    As the other reply mentioned, you need to be very concerned about the DI unit, if you are truly getting 170 TDS out of the RO unit.  I just finished changing the resin in my DI unit.  I talked with the guys from Bulk Reef Supply, where I get the replacement resin, about how long the resin should last.  He indicated that about 5000 units of TDS will deplete the stuff.  So, if you're running 170 TDS into the DI unit, theoreticallyl you would only get about 30 gallon of water before it would would be depleted.  Expensive!
     
  8. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    Ok, I took membrane out and put it back in, the tds after ro now reads ~11, DI reads ~2, the waste reads 673
     
  9. Lee

    Lee Experienced Reefkeeper

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    perfect. It must not have been sealed right.
     
  10. bigbus

    bigbus Inactive User

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    So DI of 2 is ok? The unit is still practically brand new only like ~140 gals?
     
  11. Waverz

    Waverz Expert Reefkeeper

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    I'de say 2ppm is nothing to worry about.
     

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