Reverse Osmosis System with filter stages labeled

Your RO/DI arrangement is your front-line defense force against contaminants that could make their way into your reef tank via your water supply. It is critical to change out the filters on time earlier those harmful contaminants and toxins can sneak through and wreak havoc in your aquarium.

Monitoring the performance of each of the individual RO filter stages is going to exist the best mode to get the most bang for your buck and ensure your changing out the filter cartridges before putting your tank at chance. Being everybody has different source water quality, at that place is no generic timeframe we can requite you and exactly why you should exist monitoring performance closely. Thankfully, monitoring your individual RO/DI arrangement filters is pretty simple with just a couple of tools and a bit of know-how.

Required Supplies

  • Inline Pressure level Gauge
  • TDS meter
  • Total Chlorine Examination Strips
  • Replacement RO/DI Filter Cartridges

VIEW INSTRUCTIONS: How To Change Your RO/DI Filters

Dirty RO/DI sediment filter

When To Change Your Sediment Filters

When y'all encounter a pressure drop going into your RO Membrane via the inline pressure gauge, it'south time to swap out the sediment filter. Shop Sediment Filters >>

When the sediment is chock-full, you volition notice a force per unit area drib on your inline force per unit area gauge that is installed between your carbon block filter and RO Membrane. It will likewise change color or offset to darken over time as it becomes clogged

If your RO Organisation does not accept a pressure gauge, it's extremely useful and like shooting fish in a barrel to install. We take consummate Pressure Gauge Install Kits and replacement gauges available as well as a cracking video with detailed instructions to show you lot how to practise it.

Read Instructions: How To Install A Pressure Gauge On Your RO/DI System

The exact time frame in between necessary changes will vary based on your particular source water quality but changing these out no less than every 6-12 months is typical. Nosotros recommend the ROSAVE.Z Depth Sediment filters because they contain truly progressive filtration fibers meaning they will last longer and outperform almost any other sediment filter in its price range.

When To Alter Your Carbon Block Filters

Test for the presence of Chlorine and Chloramines using Total Chlorine Test Strips in your RO Arrangement's wastewater. If chlorine shows upward, swap out your carbon filter. Shop Carbon Cake Filters >>

To test for total chlorine, first, run your RO system for 30 minutes and so collect a sample of your wastewater from your RO system wastewater line. Submerge the test strip into your sample for ii minutes and wait another 10 minutes for the colour indication to develop. If yous show more than than 0.5 PPM of Total Chlorine in your wastewater, bandy out your carbon block filters right away.

Watch Video: Larn How To Test Your RO/DI Water For Chloramines

Carbon block filters are the 2d phase of filtration in your RO/DI system with the about important function of removing chlorine and chloramines. This is disquisitional to ensure long-lasting DI Resin and eliminate the adventure of toxic ammonia making its way into your aquarium.

Beingness pesky Chloramine use is on the rise in municipal water supplies, using two carbon block filters is becoming quite common to ensure complete chloramine removal. On that annotation, not all carbon block filters are created equal and some will not remove those harmful chloramines. We recommend the employ of our BRS Universal Carbon Cake filter which targets both chlorine and chloramines.

The aforementioned advice applies in terms of a typical time frame in between changes, everyone's situation will exist unlike. On average you should be irresolute out carbon block filters no less than every 12 months. Carbon block filters do get chock-full over time which will as well exist indicated by a drop in input pressure, just like a clogged sediment filter. Therefore, monitoring that input pressure is also a dandy indicator of your carbon block filter functioning aslope the presence of chlorine/chloramines. Alternatively, you tin can just change both the sediment and carbon block filter at the aforementioned time on a schedule, this is an easy and proactive approach to ensuring the best possible performance of your RO/DI organization.

When To Alter Your RO Membrane

Monitor your RO Membrane rejection rate using an inline or handheld TDS meter. When product water TDS starts to climb, your RO Membrane should exist changed out. Store RO Membranes >>

You will demand an inline TDS meter to exam your membrane. Watching the TDS reading of water coming out of your RO Membrane, before it goes through the DI Resin, is the primal. When this number starts to climb, you need to alter out the membrane. Computing the "rejecting rate" is a good way to gauge how well your membrane is performing.

Rejection Rate = Per centum of TDS removed by your RO membrane.

For example, if your tap h2o measures 100 PPM using a TDS meter and your RO water coming out of the membrane measures 2 PPM, your membrane is performing with a 98% rejection rate. RO Membranes are typically rated for 96%-99% rejection rates and when yous get-go to run across this performance drop below the rated 96%, it is time to get a new membrane. Having the inline TDS Meter installed on your RO/DI organization is extremely valuable for active monitoring.

The RO Membrane is the centre of your RO/DI system and is doing most of the work, it besides the virtually expensive and critical filter in your RO/DI System. How long it lasts is based on tap water quality and how much RO/DI h2o your producing so monitoring that TDS is critical. It is not uncommon for an RO Membrane to last for ii+ years with proper pre-filter changes (carbon & sediment) and the regular use of a flush valve.

When To Alter Your DI Resin

Monitor TDS of your product water and apply color-irresolute DI resin to indicate when information technology is time to swap out the DI Resin. Shop DI Resin & Filters >>

Using an inline TDS meter to measure the TDS of your DI water coming out of the DI Resin filters is your best style to directly monitor functioning. Anything other than 0 PPM on the TDS meter is not condom for use in your reef tank. We recommend the utilize of colour-irresolute DI Resin which allows you to get ahead of the resin and change information technology out before it has been wearied 100%. When 75% of your colour-changing DI resin has inverse color, it'due south time to swap out the resin. Exercise Non Look UNTIL 100% OF THE DI RESIN HAS Changed COLOR!

Lookout man Video: How To Replace DI Resin

Your DI Resin is the terminal stage of filtration that absorbs any and all contaminants leftover past the RO membrane. This is what gives you that 0 TDS purified water that is safe for use in your saltwater aquarium. If yous permit for even 1-two PPM of contaminants to sideslip through your DI resin filters, this can stack up over time in your display tank causing a myriad of issues pending the exact contaminant.

If you lot're using refillable DI resin, exist sure to pack the resin as tight every bit you mayhap tin inside the canister to avoid channeling of h2o and ensure proper performance.

RO/DI systems will accept 1, 2, and 3 stage DI Resin filters which are chosen based on your item demand for 0 TDS product water and the quality of your source h2o.

  • Mixed Bed DI Resin: 50/50 blend of cation and anion removal resins for RO/DI systems with 1 or two stage DI filters.
  • Single Bed Pro Series DI Resins: Contain only Cation or only Anion resin in a unmarried cartridge and are used in the 3 Stage Pro Series DI Systems.