Maintenance of RO unit

[BlueBolts]

We tend to determine the cleanliness of the water via our TDS/Ec pens (i.e. If the TDS starts rising up, it'll triggers us to chnage the resin/filter etc...), but an alternative is to also replace them periodically, i.e. on a schedule, so to avoid issues with pens giving false readings due to calibration etc... Although this may appear to be a wasteful/expensive excercise, it's a more stringent way to ensure our tanks have the cleanest water possible.

All this will depend on the quality of your tap water, and the level of exhaustion of the filters...etc. In my experience and with my tap water TDS at 350-400ppm, I scheduled a change of my filters every 9 months, and will change the resin once it reads over 50ppm......

A good trick I've learnt is to actually shake the casing holding the resin (or manually stirring it) when the TDS starts rising, as this will change the original/fix "water track" in the casing, and allow the exhausted resin to "move aside".... This will allow your RO unit to produce near 0 TDS again...... Depending on the unit/size, this can be done several times, and saves us some $.

[Aquathumb]

Great Tip BB. I'm off to shake my RO unit... lol :)

[ineke]

Thanks BB I am at the stage of thinking I need to change my first stage filter although my TDS reading is only 9 but I have an unexplained rise in my GH readings up from 6 to 8. I unfortunately never did a base line water test of my unit when I first got it to be able to compare it. Would a dirty filter cause a rise in GH. Adelaide water has always been referred to as having very hard water although I don't know if that's still strictly true.

[BlueBolts]

Depending on how compacted the resin is packed, it maybe easier to undo the cannister, and manually stir the resin.

Ineke, theoritically the GH out of your unit should be zero, so should be a easy enough process to determine where the rise is from...

[ineke]

thanks BB I will do a full water test on it.

[Squiggle]

Very cool thread dude, as always, looking out for everybody else. :victorious: