Depleting DI Resin extremely quickly with city water - BRS 4 Stage Value Plus 75GPD RO/DI System

JoeAquarium39

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Hi All,

I ordered and started using BRS 4 Stage Value Plus 75GPD RO/DI System about a month ago. I don't know why my DI resin is depleting so quickly, even though the water out of RO is reading at 2TDS into DI, the meter is reading that it's getting 1TDS out from DI... I thought DI will strip everything down...DI resins was channeling too. I have not opened the filter housing and started using the filter since 04/21/2022. Where I live, we use city water so I'm not concerned about the level of CO2 in tap water. I did not use it much in the beginning but now I use about 30 gallon a day. In order to calculate how many gallons I have used so far in total from the beginning, I'll make it easier by assuming that I have used 30 gallons every single day since day1. So, calculating by 30 gallon times 35 days (since 04.21.2022 - 05.26.2022) equals to 1,050 gallons total as of yesterday.

I thought DI resin can last a lot longer than 1,050 gallons, especially when I'm getting 65PSI of pressure and TDS out from RO is only 2.

Attached picture comparison, you can see the DI resin is depleted by almost 30% as of 05/23/2022.

Yesterday, I noticed the resin is not channeling anymore. And I tested with the TDS meter and I'm getting 2 from RO and started getting 0 again from DI! I'm so happy about this!


The only problem is that I think the DI resin is depleted by almost 40% now as shown in the image. I don't think it's normal. I have not changed source water since I started using this unit. This is my first unit and I did not open the unit since I purchased the system. I can't help but wonder if this was a faulty DI resin from the factory.

If I'm wrong, please educate me and teach me what I'm doing incorrectly. I know the DI resin is not a very expensive product but I surely do not want to waste my money on something that could've been better from the factory. I plan to ask for a replacement prepacked DI resin from BRS and see if the issue is caused by a faulty DI resin. I do not want them to think I'm trying to rip them off so please tell me anything I can do to prove to that it's happening and I'm not lying about the whole incident.

If you have any idea, please share! Thank you!
 
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JoeAquarium39

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rtparty

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Color changing resin uses pH as an indicator. It isn't a perfect system and should not be relied upon. If you have really made over 1000 gallons of RO and only "used 30%" of the resin, I would be happy with that personally. Means you can easily make 2000 gallons on one cartridge. I have 120g and 250g systems and don't use nearly that much water so I don't track how much use my resin gets. I evaporate 2.5 to 3g a day right now so barely 100g a month. I just barely replaced my resin and it's been at least a year on that resin. So I could assume 1000 gallons went through it in that year. Maybe more.

I run the triple stage Pro resin from BRS and it is fantastic IMO.
 
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JoeAquarium39

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Thank you for the info! I thought resin will last lot longer than 1,000 gallon with 2TDS going in. I did not know the resin life indicator relies on PH! Thank you for educating me here. So instead of looking at the color, I should only worry if TDS doesn't change between before and after DI or TDS after DI becomes higher than TDS before DI?
 
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JoeAquarium39

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I get ~200 gallons per cartridge. 7 tds out of the membrane (sediment, 2x carbon blocks, 2x100 gpd membranes from BRS, 65 psi)
Thank you for the info! Is there a way to check on the actual life of the resin rather than the color changing indicator? I didn't know the color changes from reacting to changes in PH! and Is your resins channeling around while filtering the water or? Mine was moving around so i could see a orange bits flowing around...
 

Dustye

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I’d be happy getting 1000 gallons on one cartridge. I bet I get less than 500 gallons with 80 psi.
 
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JoeAquarium39

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City water can also be sourced from a well and have high CO2.
Thank you! I just searched and where I live sources water from 12 wells located in the river valley and buried aquifer and to minimize the risk of contamination, the city has a Wellhead Protection Area that encompasses all lands within a 5-year time of travel to the well field... So this means exactly what you said about sourcing from wells???
 

Jon's Reef

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Thank you for the info! Is there a way to check on the actual life of the resin rather than the color changing indicator? I didn't know the color changes from reacting to changes in PH! and Is your resins channeling around while filtering the water or? Mine was moving around so i could see a orange bits flowing around...
The DI resin should be packed as tight as possible. It should not move. If you squeeze the packed cartridge it should not squish.

A TDS meter can be used to check the water quality. There are handheld units where you put the water in a cup and then stick it in or in-line versions which have probes that fit into 1/4” tees.
 
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JoeAquarium39

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The DI resin should be packed as tight as possible. It should not move. If you squeeze the packed cartridge it should not squish.

A TDS meter can be used to check the water quality. There are handheld units where you put the water in a cup and then stick it in or in-line versions which have probes that fit into 1/4” tees.
Thanks! Now I know why I kept getting 1TDS out from DI and saw the bits of resin flowing around inside... I don't know if that caused my resin to deplete 10% within a couple of days but Is it worth asking BRS to get me a replacement since the unit hasn't been opened since it arrived to my door? Based on y'all's data, I feel like I got a lot longer resin life because the water wasn't going through resin correctly due to loose resin. LOL I hope my fish are ok...
 
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