Source Water Testing Question

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Actually I have a follow up question…do you know if the sample freezes due to weather does this affect anything?

It does nit impact any results Oceamo would provide if you fill the tubes as directed and not to the very top.

It may impact pH/CO2 measurements.

 

[motoking_1990]

Actually I have a follow up question…do you know if the sample freezes due to weather does this affect anything?

It does nit impact any results Oceamo would provide if you fill the tubes as directed and not to the very top.

It may impact pH/CO2 measurements.

Thank you sir!

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You’re welcome

Happy Reefing!

 

[motoking_1990]

That is not necessarily true. Hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium in the water. The tds can still be very high without lots of calcium or magnesium. In practice, high tds also often means high calcium and magnesium, but it need not be so.

I think you are correct in my case. I call it soft because it feels like soap and water doesn't come off your skin that well. It has a slick feel to it. From what I have gathered it could be soft or hard water that would cause this. I have a cheap handheld TDS meter. I tested my water from the faucet, and it read 864 TDS. I compared it to bottled spring water which was 206. I did order the Reef Moonshiners freshwater test kit and a BRS 75GPD with DI resin with the 150 GPD water saver kit. They showed up yesterday. My plan is to plumb just the TDS sensor in my well water to confirm I have that high of solids so I can follow up on that tonight.

 

[motoking_1990]

Just seen this. Does this supply the whole house or just the aquarium portion? Interested how you have it setup.

 

[motoking_1990]

You’re welcome

Happy Reefing!

My TDS is 555-580 depending on the pump kicking on. I also adjusted the pressure switch to kick on at 65 off at 75. House is holding at the 10 psi increase as well. What can I do from your experience to lower the TDS before the RO unit? Would a whole house softener suffice or should I do a whole house filter? Should I just hook up the rodi unit see what I get and send the sample off? Sorry for all the questions.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Softeners do not have any useful effect on tds, though they may reduce deposits on the ro membrane that may make it last longer.

There’s nothing one can usefully do to lower tds before an ro, though well water with a lot of CO2 can be degassed to make the di last longer.

 

[OnePiece Corals]

Softeners do not have any useful effect on tds, though they may reduce deposits on the ro membrane that may make it last longer.

There’s nothing one can usefully do to lower tds before an ro, though well water with a lot of CO2 can be degassed to make the di last longer.

A whole house robust ro water filter will work.
I have 800 tds coming in from my city water and the house ro water lower tds to 75 tds which is good.

Then I use a dedicated 7 stage rodi unit for my tank to get it to 0tds.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

A whole house robust ro water filter will work.
I have 800 tds coming in from my city water and the house ro water lower tds to 75 tds which is good.

Then I use a dedicated 7 stage rodi unit for my tank to get it to 0tds.

Ok, sure, putting another ro in front of the ro would work but would need a booster pump in between.

 

[OnePiece Corals]

Ok, sure, putting another ro in front of the ro would work but would need a booster pump in between.

 

[motoking_1990]

A whole house robust ro water filter will work.
I have 800 tds coming in from my city water and the house ro water lower tds to 75 tds which is good.

Then I use a dedicated 7 stage rodi unit for my tank to get it to 0tds.

Ok, sure, putting another ro in front of the ro would work but would need a booster pump in between.

So something like this wouldn’t help?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If that

So something like this wouldn’t help?

I’m not sure what exactly that is inside, but I’m assuming it is activated carbon and if so, it likely won’t reduce tds.

I’d also say that nothing is likely going to be more cost effective than the ro/di itself, so I’m not sure why you want another filter before the ro/di.

 

[motoking_1990]

If that

So something like this wouldn’t help?

I’m not sure what exactly that is inside, but I’m assuming it is activated carbon and if so, it likely won’t reduce tds.

I’d also say that nothing is likely going to be more cost effective than the ro/di itself, so I’m not sure why you want another filter before the ro/di.

Ok I was just thinking of ways that may help the tank ro system filters last longer. Seems like no matter what I will be doing filter changes.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Ok I was just thinking of ways that may help the tank ro system filters last longer. Seems like no matter what I will be doing filter changes.

Those filters will bind trace elements. In the ro/di, both the ro and the di remove problematic trace elements.

But the di is also depleted by major elements such as sodium and chloride, and that is the limiting factor in di replacement cost.

 

[TLO45]

Just seen this. Does this supply the whole house or just the aquarium portion? Interested how you have it setup.

Just the fish room. I also have a whole house unit

 

[KStatefan]

My TDS is 555-580 depending on the pump kicking on. I also adjusted the pressure switch to kick on at 65 off at 75. House is holding at the 10 psi increase as well. What can I do from your experience to lower the TDS before the RO unit? Would a whole house softener suffice or should I do a whole house filter? Should I just hook up the rodi unit see what I get and send the sample off? Sorry for all the questions.

I would contact @Buckeye Hydro with your water test results and get his recommendations.
I do not have that high of TDS mine averages 382. I do use a water softener. If you have high CO2 a degassing chamber is not hard to set up. I just degass the RO water in a vertical piece of 4" pvc that overflows into a 5 gallon container with a Tunze ato pump to push thru the resins

 

[motoking_1990]

My TDS is 555-580 depending on the pump kicking on. I also adjusted the pressure switch to kick on at 65 off at 75. House is holding at the 10 psi increase as well. What can I do from your experience to lower the TDS before the RO unit? Would a whole house softener suffice or should I do a whole house filter? Should I just hook up the rodi unit see what I get and send the sample off? Sorry for all the questions.

I still need to check my co2. I have been putting off doing and sending off the icp test. The weather here in indiana has been brutal. -1 this morning. And also half my basement is a fish room and the other half I am in the process of building a bar room and that has been taking up my time. I will get around to the test one day this week.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Water softeners do NOT reduce TDS. They may extend the life of an RO membrane, but do not do anything to extend the DI lifetime. In fact, they may reduce the DI life slightly since sodium is harder for the RO to remove, and adding sodium in place of calcium and magnesium sends more ions to the DI.

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

This is what we use for common whole house water testing:

Drinking Water Test

At Buckeye Hydro we specialize in providing the highest quality water filtration systems and accessories for every potential need.

www.buckeyehydro.com

With well water, ideally you'd test at least annually for the presence of troublesome bacteria. You can check that option if you get our test, or you may be able to get the bacterial testing done for free through a local health department.

You'd also want to get a broader test for contaminants at least once. I'd not spin my wheel thinking about any needed/desired whole-house equipment before you get the results of a water test. We can treat just about any contaminant, but we have to know what it is, and its concentration.

Are you in a part of the country with granite bedrock?

 

[Buckeye Hydro Verified Sponsor]

They may extend the life of an RO membrane, but do not do anything to extend the DI lifetime.

The two most common issues with short membrane life are scale (from hardness) and bacterial fouling.

Before a user should think about reducing concentrate flow, knowledge of the feedwater hardness is a must.

So something like this wouldn’t help?

Wouldn't help with... what? Get those lab results and then we can have a meaningful discussion.