mr.x-ray

^^^^ what he said.

Stick with the RO.

Calcium reactor control

Sounds like your refractormeter is calibrated and probe is not. Using a known solution to adjust your meter (calibration) and following directions on setup from apex are two different things. You can calibrate one as the master and adjust the other to that or use the same solutions on both. And like above, the probes are subject to added issues. Use the probe to keep an eye on the tank but use your refractormeter to check every so often.

Welcome to the addiction!!!

That's strange. The last 3 houses I've been in have had a TDS of 150-500 out of wells. 4 stage with no DI has brought down to 2-5 and 0 with single DI. Spectrapure 100gpd system at 40psi and my temps very widely. I do run a duel DI now to go longer between replacements. Can run for a year before post DI starts to show 1.

Yes you can. "T" off between your RO and DI. Keep an eye on ph and others. My well water comes out at >300tds.

Ahhh. Just re read the whole thing. Duh. Excellent system. Im planning a brine based WC system, so I had that stuck in my head.

How are you controlling the salt level if you are adding salt water to the system? Seems you would have your levels slowly creep up. Do you have a conductivity probe to monitor and shut down your addition of water if the levels get to high? I do love the overflow drain idea! I've been thinking about this for a while and pretty sure I'm putting one in when I move.

A lot of people use RO in fresh water now, especially planted tanks. I've started using it in the GF's tank also. Make sure you test though. You might have to add a buffer or Equilibrium (Seachem) for GH and minerals.

Mag-floats work better IMHO. If you want a pole type thing. There are several manufacturers out there that make them with blades and/or scrub pads. Swifter, lol. Had me going for a sec.

I run a RLSS 8 for the last 3 years.

My gyres died. Dead dead after a year each. They are awesome when perfect and clean and new. They are a major pain in the (censor) when it's time to clean or free a jam. Short term for the money kind of recommended, long term not. MP's for me.

One of my 250w heaters died last night. Noticed tank was .5 degrees lower then set point and charts showing them on non-stop. Figures with a storm blowing. Luckily I had a spare on hand.

Regular plant growing CFL from Lowes. I've used them for years. $5