One year old rodi.. Time to get my tds back down to zero :)

I have the typhoon extreme from AirWaterIce. I am up to around 20 tds when I was at about 2 for like weeks.. Since its been a year its time to change out filters. There is only a scant amount of di resin left. I just read on their site to do 10 micron sed filter first then a 5 micron with a carbon block then a 1 micron. Other places I am reading 5, 1, .5.... Then there are the 1, 1, .5 (seems kinda extreme. I know it has a lot to do with what needs to be removed (pre-membrane). My water isn't that bad here, it's chlorinated for sure, the smell is there. So what do you people think...
What do you run in your first 3 chambers? Why?
Who has used the BSR di resin and refill thing? Like it? ( I really don't like the color change stuff from AirWaterIce... It's brown so not real easy to see a change..
Membranes... Replace this too? 75 gallon per day is what I have now. I could up it to a 100 or a 150. Why would I want to change the gpd?
Any other advice?
Please chime in, I have been reading a large array of opinions.. and really would like to hear from you guys.
Thanks in advance.
Heidi

 

I buy only from Spectrapure, they are the Cadillac of the industry and have done more research and development than all the others combinedand then some.

Their recommendations are a 0.5 or 0.2 micron sediment filter, a single 0.5 micron carbon block (two are a waste of money and I will explain) the RO membrane or membranes and either single or dual DI whichever you prefer.

The reason many vendors still provide two carbons is they use a high micron, somewhat inefficient sediment filter which passes dissolved solids through so the first carbon block in line is a sacrificial filter to make up for what the sediment filter misses. This renders that carbon useless for chlorine adsorption so the second carbon again makes up for what the first carbon misses.
This is very old technology going decades back when both sediment filters and carbon blocks were not what they are today, technology has come leaps and bounds.

Personally 1 run a 0.2 micron ZetaZorb sediment filter, a 0.5 micron carbon block, a 90 GPD hand tested and guaranteed better than 98% rejection rate RO membrane, a MaxCap DI and a SilicaBuster DI. My tap TDS is over 600, I have a 100G mixed reef and a 16G nano reef and a single MaxCap DI lasts almost exactly a year before it shows even 1 TDS and the SilicaBuster DI lasts about 3 years before it begins to show 1 TDS.

I owned a Typhoon III and was never happy with its performance, my DI lasted 150 gallons no matter what I did or what bulk resin I tried and I tried them all.

Spectrapure has a FAQ section on the website that explains why they use what they do and why it works so well.
FAQ FOR REVERSE OSMOSIS

Pay particular attention to the piece titled Maximizing Performance and Minimizing Cost this explains it quite well.

Also at the top of the page is a link to their current sales flyer which contains all the replacement filters I have mentioned plus some new Super DI cartridges that are even better. I changed my DI in December so have not had the opportunity to try the new Super versions yet but you can bet I will use them at the next replacement.

Make sure you disinfect the system before adding the new replacements no matter what you buy!

 

Thanks a TON! Two DIs.. I would have never thought of that. My tds out of that tap are only about 350 so I wonder if that's over kill. I do like that they each are set p to pull different stuff from the water.

Heidi

 

So upon examining more closely my unit I am wondering if I should try and "re plumb" it or buy a add on DI unit (canister) and add it after the one I have. It's the typhoon 3 (if that helps anyone) also you said to take out and "sanitize" everything. How does one do that? I always haves bunch of issues in cleaning anything in this hobby. And here is a job to clean something that will take out everything from the water but 2 h's' and an O.,..

Heidi

 

What is your tap water TDS, RO only TDS before the RO membrane and final RO/DI TDS?

These numbers help you decide what needs to be replaced and what may give you the most benefit.

I would eliminate the dual carbons no matter which way I went but converting that empty carbon canister to a second DI will only take a few minutes and maybe cost $5 in tubing fittings if you don't already have what you need somewhere on the unit.

The other thing I would do is measure your exact waste ratio using a measuring cup and watch or clock for exactly one minute from both the tretaed and waste lines. AWI uses the old style fixed restrictors and you would be better off with a capillary tube restrictor to get an exact 4:1 waste ratio you adjust yourself for about $5. You RO membrane will thank you.

AWI should have a written procedure for disinfecting the system, all major vendors do.