Help me set up my RO unit?
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Category: Specialized Discussion
Forum Name: Equipment
Forum Description: This is the place to ask question about reef equipment.
URL: http://www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=77720
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Topic: Help me set up my RO unit?
Posted By: proskier101
Subject: Help me set up my RO unit?
Date Posted: September 27 2015 at 6:30pm
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So I got a hold of an RO unit. http://s28.photobucket.com/user/sproskier101/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0927151814_zps4sjcmnvr.jpg.html" rel="nofollow"> 
Here is where I am getting it hooked up to and placed. Its being tied in to my refrigerator water line. Its going to be tied into that 1/4" water line a few feet from the main line, so between pressure and the pump, I shouldnt have an issue. Location: http://s28.photobucket.com/user/sproskier101/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0927151812_zpssii1uxnr.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  Where it is being tied into: http://s28.photobucket.com/user/sproskier101/media/Mobile%20Uploads/0927151810_zps7utop64x.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">  Ill be building a small "stool" for the trash can so it can sit up higher. a few questions: How do I keep it from overflowing? If i get a float switch, wont the water pressure just go right through the pump and keep filling? I will have a drain tube go from the top of the trash can side right into the drain on the floor just in case. I want to make sure im not wasting water though.
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Replies:
Posted By: Reefboy4life
Date Posted: September 27 2015 at 6:38pm
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you will need a float valve on your water reservoir to automatically shut of your RO unit when full http://www.ebay.com/itm/RO-Water-Float-Ball-Valve-Shut-off-1-4-Automatic-Fill-Feed-Fish-Tank-Aquarium-/131544875194?hash=item1ea0af80ba ------------- 90 gallon mixed reef |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: September 27 2015 at 6:42pm
That would stop the water from going in but since I have a pump, wouldnt I need one to turn the pump off too?
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Reefboy4life wrote:Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: September 28 2015 at 7:12am
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Do you actually need the pump? Most water systems here have enough pressure to effectively run an RO unit. If you actually need to shut off the pump, you can use a float switch inside the barrel to break a low voltage line going to a relay that supplies the pump with the household AC voltage you need to run it. I have relays here at the house, but don't have any float switches. It's a simple build. Fat |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 5:25pm
no i didnt. but I have one now. lol So I got it all installed. I hooked up my TDS meter and AFTER the filter it show 340ppm!!! huh? I tested my tap water and its 580ish. so its not doing much. Dang it. http://s28.photobucket.com/user/sproskier101/media/1015151718_zpsqrqicc7q.jpg.html" rel="nofollow">
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Posted By: DMower
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 5:31pm
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How old is the filter? The output should be much better than that. That's only about 42% efficient. ------------- 150 gal reef with 50 gal sump. Reef Octopus DCS-200 Skimmer. AI Sol Blues. |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 5:38pm
| Brand new! its only filled a 45 gallon trash can! |
Posted By: DMower
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 5:46pm
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It should be at least a 90% reduction. The RO filter is bad or something is wrong causing untreated water to get around the filter. IDK something is definately wrong. I would check all the connections to make sure it is connected up properly. If it is, then you have a defective filter. ------------- 150 gal reef with 50 gal sump. Reef Octopus DCS-200 Skimmer. AI Sol Blues. |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 5:50pm
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Did you replace the membrane add well or just the three other cartridges? It sounds like your membrane is bad. Our maybe you have the waste water line going into your bucket instead of the clean water line. ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: Fatman
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 9:58pm
| You should have less than 10 out of the RO side of it. After the sediment filter, carbon block and RO membrane. Something is wrong with the membrane or the setup. |
Posted By: Marcoss
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 10:09pm
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Are you sure the TDS meter is right? I have a meter and calibration fluid you can use, but all the way down south. I check my water with a handheld meter even though my RODI unit shows zero. With numbers so high something is off like people are saying. ------------- RedSea Max S400 - 90G Rimless Frag Tanks x2 - 185 Lookdown Bin |
Posted By: A Reef Oasis
Date Posted: October 15 2015 at 11:55pm
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Is the membrane and the water flow restrictor rated the same GPD? ------------- "oh crap where am I going to put that!" bstuver |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 9:09am
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Did someone put the RO Membrane in backwards? The end of the Membrane with the two O rings goes into the end of the sleeve/cylinder where the two lines come out. As was mentioned previously and which may be the entire cause of this problem, is the correct placement of the Flow Restrictor, the critical item placed inline (or is a tiny tube placed inside the waste water exit port) on the waste water line. This is what makes the whole unit work. The waste water line is one of the two ports at the 2-port side of the RO Cylinder - The port that is furthest to the end of the cylinder is the purified water. The port next to that is the waste water. I would follow the water flow from item to item. By the looks of it, there are three hanging prefilters. From right to left there is a sediment filter, then in the center a carbon filter but the last one, the one on the left appears to be a DI cartridge prior to the RO Membrane? Is that a DI cartridge or just another Carbon? If it's DI then the water lines will need to be re-routed. *After that, it does not appear to be there in your setup, but the water would normally go to an auto-shut-off valve which is also hooked up to the final purified water line(this saves waste water from being sent down the drain when the reservoir has filled and the float valve that Fatman was describing has shut off.* The pump is supposed to take water directly off the RO Membrane waste water port and push it back through the RO Membrane. The purpose of this is to conserve water and to help in areas of low water pressure. It's not that critical and the unit will work just fine without it running. I would unplug the pump and not mess with it until later, after the unit has begun working properly on city pressure. I just put together an RO unit to sell. It's still sitting on my work bench. You are welcome to come look at it to see how they are supposed to be set up. Give me a call at 808-345-1049.  Aloha, Mark
 ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member 
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Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 1:43pm
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the whole unit is new. All filters and everything. The waste water is routed to the drain. It comes right out of the auto flush switch. |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 1:44pm
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That is a ways, thank you though. Ill see if I can find one locally. or buy one. |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 1:45pm
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I will double check this when I get home tonight. |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 1:50pm
Maybe about the filter...I double check tonight, I don't think I did. Shouldn't the TDS be much lower even before the membrane though? |
Posted By: Krazie4Acans
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 2:09pm
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No. The TDS only drops slightly after the first three cartridges. The large drop us after the membrane. The first cartridges are really just to remove things that will damage the membrane. Are you measuring before the membrane or after? ------------- My ocean. 90g (yup, won it!), 40g, 28g, & 10g Systems PADI Advanced Open Water http://utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=63568&title=krazies-nano-paradise" rel="nofollow - Tank Thread: |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 4:20pm
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ok, that may narrow it to the membrane. Ill pull that when I get home tonight. Thank you everyone for your help |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 8:09pm
Did ya'll Know if you don't push your membrane in all the way...it doesn't get a good seal and causes water to bypass it?  TDS has dropped a ton. Its at 8 now. will check shortly once its flushed. Next, I am getting a "slime" in my holding container. much like you would find in a dog dish if the water has sat in there. Would a small circulation pump remedy this? I noticed it when i grabbed my fill hose in the container. |
Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 8:13pm
| from my readings. It may be from the nutrients and stuff that was not being filtered out before. . . . |
Posted By: Mark Peterson
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 8:26pm
Sweet success  I was thinking that the RO cylinder cap should screw all the way on, seating the membrane. Was that not the case? A bacterial slime on the sides of the holding vessel was nourished by the "dirty" un-purified water. The vessel needs to be drained, washed with a tiny bit of mild soap or chlorine bleach, then rinsed well and wiped dry before re-use. Aloha, Mark ------------- Reefkeeping Tips, & quick, easy setup tricks: www.utahreefs.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=9244 Pay it forward - become a paid WMAS member
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Posted By: proskier101
Date Posted: October 16 2015 at 8:30pm
I would think so but apparently there is just enough of a gap that it prevented it from seating. I will be draining soon and refilling it.
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