Questions for new water makers

[Falreef]

Just started using a BRS 150gpd water saver unit. Pressure seems to run about 40-50. I ran it for 1 hour as they recommend when first starting it up. Discarded all water.
Then ran the system and it produced 40 gallons in about 7 hours. Fills up a 5 gallon bucket (I'm using a plastic water storage container, made to look like a water barrel, which has a flattened one side, meant to hold 40 gallons, with a float valve installed in it) within 45-50 minutes. Within 1 hour can have a 6 gallon bucket heated to tank temp 78F and saltwater and 5 gallons ready within 1 hour after that. So fairly quick. TDS going into the final membrane was about 3-4 initially.
With TDS out reading 0. However I noted that the water in the collections is running TDS 2-3-4, I don't know if this is good or bad. I assume this is fine and it is usable.
Now seems to run 12-14 coming into the last canister and 1 coming out of the last canister (final product) according to the in-line TDS meter.
Question # 1: Do you have to produce "O" TDS for it to be used?
Question # 2: Can RODI water of 1-5 be used?
Question # 3: What would be the upper limit usable?

The pH however has me stumped. The pH seems to run about 8.32-8.4 for the final product. Would of thought it would have to be lower at 7.0 or just under with RODI. My tap water is well water with a TDS around 125-135. Waste water is about 200 TDS.
I'm planning to use the waste for my freshwater tanks.
Question # 4: Can you actually have a high pH for RODI water? What causes that and how to reduce it. I understand you can buffer up, but if it stays where it is 8.32-8.40 on the RODI, I don't have to do anything. But what do I do if it is over pH > 8.4?

The BRS 150gpd water saver unit is fairly easy to set up and works well with the auto shut off as well as the float valve. The price for this 5 chamber (really it is 6 chambers) unit is better than others that I have seen. The unit is supposed to reduce the waste from about a 1 : 4 ratio of final product : waste water to about 1 : 2.
I still have to time that out and see what happens with volumes wasted and volumes produced, how fast, how much and measure and time it all out.

Too bad there is not an optional floor rack it can be mounted on. Also flow diverter doesn't come with a garden hose to faucet connector, which is what is in most slop and laundry room sinks. Took me a week to locate connectors that were needed - I have two. The connectors the unit comes with are not labeled regarding the thread size and numbers.

I have a 30 Gallon JBJ rimless, now up and running 104 days, with fish, cleanup crew and a lot of coral in this tank.
I am running high Nitrates, but Phosphates fine at 0.25 and all other parameters are fine and stable.
Now with an RODI and preparing saltwater so quickly, I can do weekly or more often water changes if needed.
I also recently just purchased a Fluval 5 gallon EVO tank, to use as a holding, quarantine tank and for some corals and growing of frags.

Can anyone help me on these questions and provide any additional advice?

Question # 5: Where do you go to start a new thread?
I'm doing this in Conversations and I am not sure that is correct. I don't see a place to "start a new thread".

 

[sbash]

Okay, here goes:

#1) Proper RO/DI water should be pure water in an ideal world; but that is not usually the case (at least for me). What is the TDS of the source water?
#2) Quite simply; yes. My RO/DI gives me about 10-12 on my TDS meter, which is acceptable to me. It SHOULD lower when I change my filters out.
#3) This is a difficult question to answer. I will change my filters when my TDS gets to 15. However, to generically answer the question, it really depends what the dissolved solids are. If you are really concerned, go buy every test kit you can and see if anything registers. So, I guess, answer the question I posed in #1 and we can take it from there...
#4) A high PH is very odd, especially with such a low TDS measurement. I would question the efficacy of the test kit; what are you testing with?
#5) This is a new thread... This is not a 'conversation', 'conversations' are the sites internal email system... You posted in: Forums>General Aquarium Discussion>New to Saltwater & Reef Aquariums? Post Here

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Ph of rodi water should be quite low.
But as it sits and gains equalibrium with room air, it rises and settles at a neutral.
Don't worry about ph in rodi water. It effects nothing. It also changes as salt is added. It changes again when you put it in the tank.

Rodi article.
http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2005-05/rhf/index.htm

Parameters
(Yours are a bit high)
http://www.reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-05/rhf/index.htm

And lots of chemistry articles. A bit advanced but scroll down to the how to guide for beginners.

https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/randys-reef-chemistry-articles.174821/

 

[Falreef]

Thank you Salty. These are quite helpful.
I guess really getting TDS of "0" is the absolute goal, but is probably rarely accomplishable.
TDS up to ?5 is acceptable? Seems I'm running 2, 3 or 4. Though on the exit on the meter from the BRS 5 stage the meter reads zero.

 

[Falreef]

TDS from the well water from the tap source is 124. Waste after the RODI system comes out at concentrated to 195-210.
I guess usable for fresh water. My TDS from final product is as noted above 2, 3 or 4. Though on exit on the meter from the BRS 5 stage
water saver system is zero, occasionally shows as 1.
Testing pH with a digital ATS meter. I also ran a API pH test and get somewhat variable results. Though my LFS did a test for me also
with and API and ended up with my RODI at 6.8-7.0 pH.
I apologize, I am having a hard time figuring out where to post and start a new thread.
All new to me. Like everything else, will take some time. Thanks for your patience.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

I have zero on my tds meter consistently on both my hand held and the built in meter.

I would question your hand held test meter.

What I do is run rodi from the unit directly into a cup or jar and rise it. Then fill again and test it.

If your getting 2 4 5 tds from the bucket or jug you may need to clean it.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

TDS from the well water from the tap source is 124. Waste after the RODI system comes out at concentrated to 195-210.
I guess usable for fresh water. My TDS from final product is as noted above 2, 3 or 4. Though on exit on the meter from the BRS 5 stage
water saver system is zero, occasionally shows as 1.
Testing pH with a digital ATS meter. I also ran a API pH test and get somewhat variable results. Though my LFS did a test for me also
with and API and ended up with my RODI at 6.8-7.0 pH.
I apologize, I am having a hard time figuring out where to post and start a new thread.
All new to me. Like everything else, will take some time. Thanks for your patience.

No worries.

Don't worry about the ph of the rodi. It will be low when it's fresh. It will rise after sitting.

IMO don't worry about waste water at all. It pretty much only good for your garden.

The tds of my tap water is over 600 and I have a six stage brs rodi and get zero at the end.

I would advise to not chase numbers too hard in the hobby. It's kind of do you want to know what time it is or how the watch works?
It's good to know how it works but do you need to know how many mm thickness each of the jewels needs to be.

Also your lfs kind of failed a test.
Anyone who tests ph of water should know that waters PH will change as it sits over time. This is due to the equealization of the gasses Esp co2

 

[Falreef]

RODI seems to be pretty good running at 4 ppm TDS coming out at the final.
Then it seems I am getting 1 ppm TDS from the 40 gallon barrel I am storing in.
I'm using Instant Ocean Reef Crystals to make my salt water and all this is seeming to be going well.

I did however set up a 5 gallon Fluval Evo 5 2 weeks before reefapalooza and went Saturday and Sunday.
I think I got too much as now both tanks full. But plenty of nice stuff and all doing well, though I have battled
pH problems (low), very high dKH, and a sudden secondary ammonia and nitrite spike.
All seems settling down.
My 30 gallon has been pretty stable. The tank is over 4 months old.
The 5 Gallon is now about 4 weeks old. Having a growth of apitasia, not in the 30 gallon.

 

[saltyfilmfolks]

Nice! Those tanks are packed!