***SBB- Summer Sizzle Sale***- 700 WYSYWG - 400 Auctions! $1, $5 Corals. up to 80% off Starts 7/13/23!!! $2,000 In Games and GIfts!!!!!!!

[stoney7713]

@SBB Corals i have the BRS 7 stage rodi unit. i make about 50-60 gallons of rodi water a month. How often do you recommend replacing the filters, resin (i have one anion, one cation and one mix), and membranes? I changed everything out about a month ago and added a booster pump. Not sure if it is coincidence but some of the corals seem like they are starting to do better since then (SPS are growing not just surviving).

That little use a month for a 7 stage, you're barely using it.

But it depends on you tap water, sediment, TDS, and if you have chloramine.

Your sediment filters and carbon should last a year unless you have high sediment in your tap, or chloramine.

You're RO membranes 1-2 years. Again it depends.

Your resin, well again it depends, I assume it's color changing. But as @CodyBot has mentioned the change of color isn't always accurate.

I would suggest a TDS meter before the resin and post resin at a minimum.

Preferably one between each resin container. It might help telling when one resin is exhausted . If you want to monitor the RO, one before it too.

Unless you have high silicate in you water, splitting the resin isn't really worth it. They both run out about the same time. 3 mixed stages would be just as well, when the first one runs out you can swap it. Nothing will make it past the second and the 3rd is just a safety.

Now the question is, do you want to squeeze every last drop out of the filtration or play it safe.

Playing it safe, change the sediment and carbon every 6 months, RO every 6-12 months. Again it depends on your source.

Carbon can get clogged with bacteria, especially in a system that is barely used.

KDF can actually be useful in this to prevent bacterial growth, removing heavy metals and chlorine. Placing it before the carbon. But KDF requires backwashing occasionally as like GFO it's heavy and clumps. They also have now KDF sponges which don't require frequent backwashing.

Catch is KDF has copper and zinc, but unless you have reactive tap water, there isn't a concern. KDF can actually trap free copper ions, as well as lead, chlorine, mercury, chromium, and many other metals. Also preventing bacteria and slime buildup in your filtration system.

Plus you have RO membranes which remove those and Resin to further scrub the water. The main benefit of KDF will be removing some of those heavy metals and preventing the bacteria and slime buildup before it gets the carbon and RO membrane.

Again the reason it is not used in our system is KDF requires back washing It's also pretty expensive compared to carbon. And our RO membrane take care of those metals anyway.
But bacteria and slime inhibiting qualities would allow our carbon to work better.


Sorry for the long rant. I learned a lot researching and installing my whole house filtration last year.

 

[Joe462]

Do you all buy the color changing di resin and pack it yourself or buy the ones that are already pre packed

i buy the separate cation, anion and mixed resin and pack it my self. it is color changing but i don't pay much attention to the color change, they are rarely completely color changed before i'm getting break through and i replace them. I rely more on the TDS meters. also when you use the separate cat and anion, there is some thing were they don't all color change, has to do with what triggers the color change, i'm not a chemist but i wouldn't rely solely on the color change.

 

[stoney7713]

Do you all buy the color changing di resin and pack it yourself or buy the ones that are already pre packed

Pack it myself, add 1/4 and tump it against the counter, add 1/4 more and repeat. When it gets full push and pack hard.

I've seen threads of prepacked not being packed tight and it can and will fail. Water will channel through the center and the resin won't change color and TDS will be high.

But it's rare, I prefer to DIY most things.

 

[Thuan]

i buy the separate cation, anion and mixed resin and pack it my self. it is color changing but i don't pay much attention to the color change, they are rarely completely color changed before i'm getting break through and i replace them. I rely more on the TDS meters. also when you use the separate cat and anion, there is some thing were they don't all color change, has to do with what triggers the color change, i'm not a chemist but i wouldn't rely solely on the color change.

From what I read and most people i asked, it's beter to buy the pre pack because sometimes you don't pack it tight and good enough

 

[Thuan]

I’’m lazy so I’ll probably just buy the prepack when it’s time.

I can pack it myself but I'm worry that I may not pack it tight and good enough.

 

[Joe462]

From what I read and most people i asked, it's beter to buy the pre pack because sometimes you don't pack it tight and good enough

doesn't sound like those people are trying hard enough.

 

[AKL1950]

@SBB Corals i have the BRS 7 stage rodi unit. i make about 50-60 gallons of rodi water a month. How often do you recommend replacing the filters, resin (i have one anion, one cation and one mix), and membranes? I changed everything out about a month ago and added a booster pump. Not sure if it is coincidence but some of the corals seem like they are starting to do better since then (SPS are growing not just surviving).

When I was having problems with my system, Shane was all over how important changing the filters and membranes is to maintain pure water. I’m sure he will jump in on this, but here is his guidance to me. I use about 120 gallons of RO/DI a month. His quote, “i would change all filters every 45 days and membranes every 3 months”. All corals in my tank started looking extremely healthy after I started focusing on cleaner water.

 

[stoney7713]

From what I read and most people i asked, it's beter to buy the pre pack because sometimes you don't pack it tight and good enough

Someone not know and just pours it in will have that problem. But if you make an attempt to pack it 5 or 6 times while filling you won't. Literally overfill it a bit too. I have trouble putting the cap on sometimes because when I fill, I don't level it off and leave it slightly above the top.

 

[Thuan]

Someone not know and just pours it in will have that problem. But if you make an attempt to pack it 5 or 6 times while filling you won't. Literally overfill it a bit too. I have trouble putting the cap on sometimes because when I fill, I don't level it off and leave it slightly above the top.

so pack a little then tap and push down and add some more resin and tap and push down. I get it. Maybe I give it a try the next time. It does save a bit doing it vs buying the pre packed ones

 

[stoney7713]

so pack a little then tap and push down and add some more resin and tap and push down. I get it. Maybe I give it a try the next time. It does save a bit doing it vs buying the pre packed ones

I have trust issues I guess...lol... But hearing prepacked resin failing, might as well do it yourself.

 

[stoney7713]

When I was having problems with my system, Shane was all over how important changing the filters and membranes is to maintain pure water. I’m sure he will jump in on this, but here is his guidance to me. I use about 120 gallons of RO/DI a month. His quote, “i would change all filters every 45 days and membranes every 3 months”. All corals in my tank started looking extremely healthy after I started focusing on cleaner water.

If I ran a business like him, I would too, it's a business expense and my lively hood.

I'm coming up on my 1 year mark and will be changing my sediment, carbon, and RO membranes on my water mixing station.

But I have a whole house filtration that I change sediment filters every 3 months or less and carbon every 6 months or less.

With that running , my sediment filter on my RO station is still white as snow. So it does put me in a different category.

 

[StatelineReefer]

Do you all buy the color changing di resin and pack it yourself or buy the ones that are already pre packed

I guess I technically have an 8 stage RODI... Sediment, GAC, Carbon 1 micron, RO membrane, wastewater into a second RO membrane (watersaver, but really to just speed up generation time). Anion, Cation, then mixed bed resin. All the DI are refillable cartridges.

 

[billyocean]

I run 4 stage with 40-50 incoming tds and change every 3 months ish. Also run a 75gpd membrane which has the highest rejection rate

I have the extra 3 stages sitting in my closet because I don't need it.

 

[Thuan]

I run 4 stage with 40-50 incoming tds and change every 3 months ish. Also run a 75gpd membrane which has the highest rejection rate

I have the extra 3 stages sitting in my closet because I don't need it.

you change everything?

 

[StatelineReefer]

I run 4 stage with 40-50 incoming tds and change every 3 months ish. Also run a 75gpd membrane which has the highest rejection rate

I have the extra 3 stages sitting in my closet because I don't need it.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, are why Billy's corals are infused with neon and unicorn magic!

 

[stoney7713]

I run 4 stage with 40-50 incoming tds and change every 3 months ish. Also run a 75gpd membrane which has the highest rejection rate

I have the extra 3 stages sitting in my closet because I don't need it.

I WISH I had 50 TDS tap...lol

 

[StatelineReefer]

I WISH I had 50 TDS tap...lol

Water so pure you could actually drink it and not chew it?

 

[Thuan]

I WISH I had 50 TDS tap...lol

mine is about 45 TDS tap

 

[Joe462]

I run 4 stage with 40-50 incoming tds and change every 3 months ish. Also run a 75gpd membrane which has the highest rejection rate

I have the extra 3 stages sitting in my closet because I don't need it.

that would be awesome, mine is more like 300, which actually is pretty good for around here.

 

[billyocean]

you change everything?

Yes. Sediment, carbon/chlorine, membrane, di