RO/DI Help

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Opus123

Chloramines will not hurt the membrane, at least not as quickly as chlorine. From what I read on the manufacturers website, it would take a lot of chloramines to damage a membrane.

@Opus123 Yep..(kind of)
RO membranes typically tolerate 300 times the amount of Chloramines vs Chlorine but as Chloramines are basically just adding ammonia free Chlorine may still be present and still oxidize the membrane quickly..

Chloramines from my understanding also require more contact time/carbon,etc... so proper prefiltration is still quite important..

[wrxreefer823]

A bit off topic, but just for kicks and giggles I tested the water out of the tap and it’s hovering right around 115 TDS, so I’m hoping it won’t need too much filtration!


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[Opus123]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

@Opus123 Yep..(kind of)
RO membranes typically tolerate 300 times the amount of Chloramines vs Chlorine but as Chloramines are basically just adding ammonia free Chlorine may still be present and still oxidize the membrane quickly..

Chloramines from my understanding also require more contact time/carbon,etc... so proper prefiltration is still quite important..

Can chloramines make it past the DI filter?

[Opus123]

Originally Posted by wrxreefer823

A bit off topic, but just for kicks and giggles I tested the water out of the tap and it’s hovering right around 115 TDS, so I’m hoping it won’t need too much filtration!


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Take care of the chloramines/chlorine and it should using the spectrapure. My tds is over 400 at the tap and runs between 3 and 4 tds after my spectrapure membrane.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Opus123

Can chloramines make it past the DI filter?

DI resin will remove Chloramines and yes they "could" make it past and they will rapidly deplete the resins too..
You want to remove as much of the Chloramines in the prefilters (carbon) as you can..

[Opus123]

Originally Posted by mcgyvr

DI resin will remove Chloramines and yes they "could" make it past and they will rapidly deplete the resins too..
You want to remove as much of the Chloramines in the prefilters (carbon) as you can..

Interesting. We had a local guy claim his tank was destroyed by chloramines because the DI would not take the chloramines out.

[mcgyvr]

Originally Posted by Opus123

Interesting. We had a local guy claim his tank was destroyed by chloramines because the DI would not take the chloramines out.

If the resin was depleted/tunneled,etc...then its certainly possible..Of course there are tons of assumptions in this hobby that may or may not be correct...

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by Opus123

Interesting. We had a local guy claim his tank was destroyed by chloramines because the DI would not take the chloramines out.

I lost a tank to chloramines before I knew better. Everything exhausted way faster than I had expected. By the time I figured out what was going on, it was too late. If your prefilter isn't up to snuff your DI will burn rapidly.

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by Opus123

Chloramines will not hurt the membrane, at least not as quickly as chlorine. From what I read on the manufacturers website, it would take a lot of chloramines to damage a membrane.

Since Chloramines have a half life of around 20 days. Once the membrane is exposed to it, it remains exposed to it. Chlorine has a half life of several hours.

Also, when you are getting breakthrough, typically chlorine is much lower concentration since the carbon can remove so much more if it.

[Opus123]

From the Lenntech website:

"FILMTEC™ FT30 membrane has a 300,000 ppm-hour tolerance for chloramine, which implies that dechlorination is not required. However, since chloramines are formed by adding ammonia to chlorine, it is possible that free chlorine will be present. Since this free chlorine can be damaging to the membrane, dechlorination should still be considered. Residual chlorine can be reduced to harmless chlorides by chemical reducing agents."

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by Opus123

From the Lenntech website:

"FILMTEC™ FT30 membrane has a 300,000 ppm-hour tolerance for chloramine, which implies that dechlorination is not required. However, since chloramines are formed by adding ammonia to chlorine, it is possible that free chlorine will be present. Since this free chlorine can be damaging to the membrane, dechlorination should still be considered. Residual chlorine can be reduced to harmless chlorides by chemical reducing agents."

That’s interesting, my personal experience has not aligned with that. It must be due to free chlorine. I was burning membranes every year prior to significantly beefing up my carbon stages. Regardless, unless you enjoy buying DI by the cuft probably still a good idea to hit it hard at the carbon.

[wrxreefer823]

I’m honestly thinking of adding a prefilter just for sediment and going with three carbon blocks, then membrane, then 2 DI. Am I crazy?


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[Opus123]

Originally Posted by wrxreefer823

I’m honestly thinking of adding a prefilter just for sediment and going with three carbon blocks, then membrane, then 2 DI. Am I crazy?


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I think that is overkill. I would go with a regular carbon block and then a PENTEK CHLORPLUS CARBON BLOCK or 2 PENTEK CHLORPLUS CARBON BLOCKs. Then just buy a kit to test for chloramines. Unless you are making a lot of water you will be fine and that should last you many months. As long as you don't let any chloramines thru, your DI will last you a long long time. The spectrapure ro membrane should yield you water with tds of 1, which means your 1 DI cartridge will produce around 4400 gallons of 0 tds water.

[wrxreefer823]

Gotcha. Okay, my total tank volume is 165, probably around 150 after sand and rock, maybe less. After that initial fill it’s just top off and water changes.


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[tkeracer619]

Chlorplus goes BEFORE regular carbon.

The more the merrier.

I started using a chlorplus 20bb which is a size 4 big blue out in front of my system. (20x4.5” cart)

Then ended up just filtering the whole house with a 2.5cuft backwashing catalytic carbon tank and then a 48,000 grain softener. Tap water has no measurable chlorine or ammonia. Wife says it was the best aquarium purchase to date.

[tkeracer619]

When the carbon starts to wear out, if you used 2, you move the back one to the front and then use a new one after it. The old one the you moved to the front will act as a roughing cartridge and still do work to lessen the burden on the new cart. It all just lasts longer this way. Stick with a .5 micron sediment to protect the carbon.

[Opus123]

Originally Posted by tkeracer619

Chlorplus goes BEFORE regular carbon.

The more the merrier.

I started using a chlorplus 20bb which is a size 4 big blue out in front of my system. (20x4.5” cart)

Then ended up just filtering the whole house with a 2.5cuft backwashing catalytic carbon tank and then a 48,000 grain softener. Tap water has no measurable chlorine or ammonia. Wife says it was the best aquarium purchase to date.

I sure don't know which should go first but BRS says to do sediment, then carbon then chlorplus.

[tkeracer619]

Originally Posted by Opus123

I sure don't know which should go first but BRS says to do sediment, then carbon then chlorplus.

Sediment always goes first. The discussion is about carbon. If BRS says to put standard first then they are wrong. Catalytic carbon should be the first carbon stage. Standard carbon exhausts rapidly when exposed to chloramines, it would be rendered useless well before the catalytic carbon.

[wrxreefer823]

Almost there! Got my RO/DI all hooked up, order goes sediment, carbon, chlorplus, membrane then two DI. It’s running at about 60-65 psi, getting 2 tds out of membrane and 0 out of DI. It’s currently filling one of two 70 gallon barrels, I’ll finish the mixing station tomorrow after I grab a few more fittings from Lowe’s as I have a leaky joint that I just wasn’t planning for. Hopefully by Friday I can have the tank filled!



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