RODI question

Is there a minium amout of time I should run the RO weekly to extend to membrane life? Since I'm doing monthly water changes. I guess the other 3 weeks out of the month I could run some drinking water or something.

 

I use my filter mostly for making top off water ( 20 gallons a week) and I have a 3 way valve between the membrane and the 1st DI canister to make drinking water ( i make drinking water through the week as needed and 1-2 gallons before making tank water to clean out the residual water that may have TDS)

3 way valve I use
Bulk Reef Supply - Search Results for 3 way valve

 

Wow 20 gallons a week in top off, yikes I go through 4 gallons a week. I will also be teeing off before the DI for the drinking water but using two valves instead of one. Do you think 5 gallons a week is enough to extend the life of the membrane?

 

Just turn it on and let it run a gallon or so a day. You just need the membrane to stay wet.

 

You don't need to turn on the unit.The membrane stays wet as long as the system has water in it.The unit can sit for months like this.

 

I thought the same thing. Just thought it would be important to disregard the first gallon or to of water before collection.

 

My sediment filter lasts about 15-25 gallons (I make 5 gallons at a time). then I had a water softener put on my house (which is not a filter - TDS is unaffected) and my sediment filter lasts about 50 gallons now. Not really sure on how all that works. I base it on filter color so I may be being tricked by that

At my last home, I had city water and my sediment filter would last, I don't know, 100 gallons maybe. YMMV

I change my carbon filters every 8 months or so.

My membrane is from '08 or '09 never changed. I get a TDS of about 14 or so before it goes to the DI (though the first few minutes is always around 100). I think that is bc I have an old membrane.

Now that I don't use it for coral anymore, I don't care; it's good enough. If I were doing corals, I would get a new membrane at this point. But only after posting and asking a lot of questions here first.

like mentioned search some of desertrats posts - a local expert - to get better info.

there you go. I run mine now (5 gallons) about once a month on the RODI side. I use it for RO water about half that on top of it.
Mostly top off for my FW setup

 

Thanks for the great info, got my BRS unit in today going to assemble it and build my portable mixing station, I will post pictures when I'm done.

 

Try to use the system at least every 10-14 days and make at least 3-5 gallons or more at a time so it stays well flushed.

If you don't have sediment or particulate problems the sediment and carbon block filters should last 6 months or even longer if you spend a few minutes monitoring for headloss and chlorine breakthru. The membrane on average lasts 24-36 months with most brands and with better low micron sediment and carbon filters like Sectrapure uses and a little maintenence as long as 10 years, I'm on 6 years myself and my tap TDS is over 500.