Fishie February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 In my current setup I have my ro water going direct to the sump for top off. Here is how I have it setup. Solenoid electric switch goes on which allows the ro to get to the sump...a mechanical float switch which is just below the solenoid does the actual water control... So it has mechanical and electric control for top off. As a precaution and to prevent the ro membrane from going on off too often by the float switch I have connected the electric part to my apex for the solenoid allowing it to come on for only 15 minutes every 3 hours... I also added 2 more float switches one below the float valve and one above the solenoid float switch control to alert me for low and high water sump conditions which later on I can use to control maybe my return pump etc... Anyways does this seem adequate...
Ryan S February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 very similar to mine fishie. an ato container is ideal. people are always scared of ro/di units connected directly to reefs, but if you cant have an ato container... mine is: solenoid on a timer from walmart; and a float valve in my sump as well. so very similar.
Fishie February 25, 2012 Author February 25, 2012 Yea I understand the fear factor whcih is why 15 minutes every 3 hrs ...even if both switches fail...they can hardly pump enough water...and if it gets to my sump high float...I get an email...
hypertech February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Youll burn DI resin faster that way too. A container is a better and safer way.
Ryan S February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Youll burn DI resin faster that way too. A container is a better and safer way. i agree the container is safer, if you have the room for one. but i dont know if you'll burn resin faster our way. i have run systems both ways and needed to change my resin every 2-3 months in either system, so i think that's an urban legend.
Fishie February 25, 2012 Author February 25, 2012 I haven't changed my resin in a long time ( at least a year)...my tds meter measures under 3... is the di resin the one that needs to go in the far left which says pur water out... I have the typhoon 3. I def have the space for a container...I can't agree on safer ATM...just with the design...plus it's convenience cannot be beat ...the only thing I am concerned about is if the di resin and membrane life can be shortened noticeably... I'll just have to test it and see.
Origami February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 It's not an urban legend. If you watch the TDS on your system at startup, it'll be higher as the membrane flushes clean and then will settle to a low number. That burst of higher TDS will bind to your resin, depleting it faster (it has fixed capacity). Some municipal water systems and RO units run very clean and may be helping you with long resin life. Many people don't enjoy that sort of performance. My system went from having to replace the resin every 3 months to lasting 12 months by simply changing how often I turned the unit on and increasing the length of time that it ran.
hypertech February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Its significant enough at my place that I installed a bypass and I dump the product water until the TDS spike comes down. Then I pass it to the DI cartridge. I used to have to replace about every 2 months and now its more than a year before it needs to be changed.
Ryan S February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Okay well, maybe it's not an urban legend then But unfortunately for some, this is how they have to run their system. I look forward to the day I can have a 55g drum in my basement full of ro/di water. (And resin that lasts 1 year instead of 3 months!)
Origami February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Its significant enough at my place that I installed a bypass and I dump the product water until the TDS spike comes down. Then I pass it to the DI cartridge. I used to have to replace about every 2 months and now its more than a year before it needs to be changed. That's an interesting way to do it. I like that approach. It can be automated easily enough, too, with a controller.
hypertech February 25, 2012 February 25, 2012 Nah. I generally start it, go do something like clean skimmer. By then the spike is done and I switch it over. I have the ro plumbed to a storage bin. The storage bin has a pump in it and I pump the water over to a top off container in the stand.
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