Hot RO water

OK starting from the left, you have a 5 micron sediment filter, in the middle is a 5 micron carbon block, then the wate rtravels up to the 75 GPD Dow Filmtec RO membrane then back down to the vertical DI filter on the right.

If it were mine, I would get a handheld TDS meter for $20-$25 and test the TDS from the tap water, RO only water and RO/DI before spending any more money. From there if the TDS from the RO is still in the 95-98% removal range I would keep the current membrane. If the filters are 6 months old or older I would replace them with a 1.0 or better yet a 0.5 micron absolute rated sediment filter and a 0.5 micron carbon block. Before installing the new filters I would disinfect the system though which is prudent with any RO or RO/DI system every filter change. It takes 5-10 minutes and is very important part of the normal maintenance regardless or brand or model. I would also invest in better reef quality DI resin at the same time or when the RO/DI TDS is no longer 0 TDS.
You can get a 0.5 micron absolute rated sediment filter, a 0.5 micron 20,000 gallon carbon block and a full 20 oz refillable SilicaBuster DI cartridge at the bottom of the page here for $52 for the set.:
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BRS only offers a 5.0 micron sediment filter which is way too coarse, kind of like a screen door if you ask me since you can actually see 40 microns with the unaided human eye. Pretty big compared to 0.5 microns or 10x smaller.

 

I agree.. I saw a big difference using 1 micron sediment filter, the carbon filters last longer. Correction brother, BRS does sell 1 micron. I just bought 5 of them on my last order Nov 29th.

SKU: 200054
1 Micron Purtrex Depth Sediment Filter

IMO I would replace all the filters including the membrane. If it was very hot the the touch, it may be cooked or damaged the membrane thus running the risk of producing non pure water.

Get a TDS meter, we can not stress enough.. They are cheap enough, I use an inline meter. Also if you don't have one already, I would get a pressure gauge and install it after your last carbon filter, but before your membrane. When your pressure drops, it's a good way of knowing your sediment filter needs to be changed.

Best of luck!

 

They must be listening, they didn't use to sell 1 micron filters!

The TDS meter will tell if the membrane needs replaced.

One problem you face is a new membrane and flow restrictor are $40-$45, replacement filters and DI resin are $52 and an inline pressure gauge is around $12-$15. A new reef quality RO/DI system with the same filters, membrane, resin and pressure gauge is only $120 and guaranteed?

I recommend the handheld TDS meter over the dual inlines. The inline is dedicated to two places so usually only measures the RO only and RO/DI water. To troubleshoot a system you need at least three readings including tap water. The inline is not as accurate since it measures air temperature and not water temperature and the yare rarely the same and can throw the reading off significantly. The handheld is temperature compensated and reads the actual water temperature, some even have a built in digital thermometer like the HM Digital TDS-3 and TDS-4TM for around $20-$25. They are also very versatile since they can test tap water, water softener water, RO only, RO/DI, your ATO storage, bottled water, the LFS water, your buddies water etc. The inlines cannot be used portable since they require flow past the probe inside the tee. If you get only one meter get the handheld, if you want two get both but use the inline as a rough guide and the handheld for accuracy on the treated water.

 

just ordered them

with a TDS

What about the Filmtek membrane do I replace that as well ?

Rather be safe than sorry what do they cost , ill look on spectrapures site

 

A Spectrapure treated and batch tested 90 GPD High Rejection rate RO membrane and flow restrictor is $39. An individually hand tested and guaranteed better than 98% rejection rate 90 GPD RO membrane and matched flow restrictor are $44 in the same sales flyer I linked to before. I would buy the 0.5 micron filters not 1.0 micron, they do a much better job of protecting the membrane.

 

While you're at it, would be a good idea to add a pressure gauge add on kit to this order. W/o it you are pretty much flying blind.

Russ