RODI Help

thanks for the link to the solution, Is there a sticky on routine RODI care with a type of how to tutorial floating around? I am not new to reefing but RODI units are not something iv ever really took apart or seen taken apart to be cleaned or replaced.

 

I used to have one on the local reef forum here in AZ but it folded a couple years ago. Been meaning to do another one but haven't had the time. Several reef forums have requested one from me.
If you go to Spectrapure's FAQ and Technical sections, thye have a ton of good useful information on troubleshooting, disinfection and maintenance. If I dug back through all the forums I could probably do a cut and paste as most question have been asked and answered over the last 15 years on one forum or another.

 

I just copied and paste the advice AZDesertRat said on this thread:

All sediment and carbon block filters should be changed at least every 6 months regardless of the vendor or manufacturer. Their sole purpose is to protect the expensive RO membrane which is the workhorse of the system and what protects the DI resin. Each component has a job to do and everything downstream depends on how well it works.
Where the Spectrapure systems shine is their use or absolute or near absolute rated sediment filters which actually protect the billions of tiny pores in the carbon block so it in turn can do its job of removing chlorine and protecting the membrane. Then they specially treat their membranes with a proprietary treatment which is proven to improve their rejection rate which in turn makes the DI last longer. On top of that they custom blend all their own DI resins in house so you get the freshest possible resin specifically for reef use. It is a well through out system from start to finish.

I would replace the resin with non color changing once it is exhausted. Color changing resin actually contains small amounts of dye which contributes to TDS, besides not being completely accurate. It can turn all at once, never, top to bottom, bottom to top, in streaks and so on. Alway use your handheld TDS meter and never rely on inlines or color changing resins.

Use this for TDS meter calibration:
http://spectrapure.com/TEST-KITS-ME...ation-solution-available-as-342ppm-3oz-Bottle

There are things you can do to extend the 6 month replacement schedule provided you have good water quality and a low silt density, little to no particulates in other words.
The first is always use softened water if you have it available, membranes love soft water as it does much of the work for them so they last longer. Another is you can use pressure gauges before and after the sediment and carbon filters to monitor headloss due to fouled or plugged filters. If your waters suspended solids or particulates are low the sediment filter can very well last longer than 6 months so you watch for signs of headloss and change it when you start to see a differential between the upstream and downstream gauges. Along with that you need a low range chlorine test kit to monitor for chlorine breakthru from fouled or exhausted carbon. Yet another thing often overlooked is to do at least an annual disinfection of the system to keep things clean and sanitized. If you have ever seen a membrane covered in slime you would understand why it is necessary.

All these things can add up to a reduced cost of ownership and don't take much time or a large investment.

 

I agree that there should be a sticky for this sort of thing. This way people can go to the sticky for reference

 

Another quick question, what type of booster pump do I need and how does it generally work? I am getting under 40 PSI and need one to maintain good water pressure. Preferably something under 70 bucks I just don't have a lot of extra money laying around for this type of purchase but really do need one.

 

A RO booster pump fits inline between the sediment and/or carbon block filter and the RO membrane so it is protected by the filter(s). It raises your incoming pressure to a preset or adjustable pressure between 60 and 100 psi so your RO membrane is more efficient. The advantage of a booster is it not only increases the GPD the membrane produces but also increases the rejection rate so your DI lasts longer and you have better finished water quality.

I only recommend one pump, the Aquatec 8800. There are other, cheaper imports and clones but the Aquatec is a proven product with decades of use. My personal 8800 is over 6 years old and going strong. You won't find the pump power supply and pressure switch for under $100 though. I would save up and buy the good one the first time if it were me rather than skimping.

Watch some of the vendors and ads, many sell the pump, power supply and pressure switch separately but make it look like you are getting everything for a low price. Expect to pay around $130-$160 complete with the good power supply and switch.
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/1-4-aquatec-8800-booster-pump-kit.html

 

got the aquatec 8800 last night from ebay for $105.00 with the power supply but no pressure switch. I don't run to a container with a float so I didn't think I needed one. I just fill what I need for the week/month and run my water changes every two weeks manually with buckets. Now that being said from what I observed they just ran it from the line to the pump to the RO unit, if I put a prefilter from home depot (or deconstruct my old unit for the 10in canister) before the pump intake could that work also or do you have a picture reference on how to plumb it between the existing filters on the RO unit.

 

Here is a simple diagram:
http://spectrapure.com/huds/NEW-MO-BPK.pdf
and a very elaborate one with all the bells and whistles:
http://spectrapure.com/huds/NEW-BPK-PS-PP-LLC-S-DWK.pdf
They have others that are sort of in between here:
http://spectrapure.com/hookup-diagrams

 

first diagram makes perfect sense keeps crap out of the pump

Thank AZ K+

 

Another question, The TDS after you make fresh saltwater should it also be zero or is that impossible?