TDS wont go below 3

[tranksTV]

I have an RO Buddie ive gotten about 100 gallons of water out of it so far but TDS after DI is 3 down from 300 out of tap...is this common? if not could it be my water pressure is too high? or my TDS meter reading bad?

 

[fishywishy]

One of your cartridges has probably gone bad.

 

[tranksTV]

One of your cartridges has probably gone bad.

Dang already that's disappointing lol

 

[fishywishy]

Dang already that's disappointing lol

what are you testing your water in? Sometimes there can be residual salt or something in whatever your testing the water in.

 

[tranksTV]

what are you testing your water in? Sometimes there can be residual salt or something in whatever your testing the water in.

I have a brute trashcan that is just for RO

 

[fishywishy]

I have a brute trashcan that is just for RO

One of the cartridges has probably just gone bad or there’s something in your bin.

 

[Reefering1]

Not uncommon for silicate or co2(in well water) to deplete di resin quickly. Especially if connected to a float switch(tds creep).. as is mine- which consumes about a inch a day, in a standard 10" cartridge, topping off multiple systems (500g total). If running continously(filling containers), I think I'll get about 600g out of 2 mixed bed cartridges. I believe the ro buddy uses smaller than standard cartridges, but you can always add on to it. Have you tried filling a clean glass and testing tds to compare? Are you using a handheld or in line tds meter? Even dropping a previously used pump in there will raise tds.if it's coming out the unit at 0 and is 3 in brute, I wouldn't worry about it

 

[Garf]

I have an RO Buddie ive gotten about 100 gallons of water out of it so far but TDS after DI is 3 down from 300 out of tap...is this common? if not could it be my water pressure is too high? or my TDS meter reading bad?

Can you measure the TDS after the membrane but before the DI cartridge(s)?

 

[tranksTV]

Not uncommon for silicate or co2(in well water) to deplete di resin quickly. Especially if connected to a float switch(tds creep).. as is mine- which consumes about a inch a day, in a standard 10" cartridge, topping off multiple systems (500g total). If running continously(filling containers), I think I'll get about 600g out of 2 mixed bed cartridges. I believe the ro buddy uses smaller than standard cartridges, but you can always add on to it. Have you tried filling a clean glass and testing tds to compare? Are you using a handheld or in line tds meter? Even dropping a previously used pump in there will raise tds.if it's coming out the unit at 0 and is 3 in brute, I wouldn't worry about it

So, I just went back and tested in clean glass got 2 and then tested the brute again and got 2 and then tested straight out of the line and got 1, Then I remembered I have used my pump in my salt mixing bucket and i can't remember if I cleaned it first or not. Lol I love this forum because it helps me remember the little things when my minds racing and can't focus

 

[Reefering1]

And as @Garf requested; what is the tds coming out of membrane, before di cartridge???

 

[tranksTV]

Can you measure the TDS after the membrane but before the DI cartridge(s)?

Can you measure the TDS after the membrane but before the DI cartridge(s)?

ill have to check when im free.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Also remember that CO2 from the air can slightly raise 0 ppm tds water. If you aren’t using an inline meter, true 0 ppm tds may be hard to maintain.

 

[tranksTV]

And as @Garf requested; what is the tds coming out of membrane, before di cartridge???

TDS before DI is 11

 

[tranksTV]

Also remember that CO2 from the air can slightly raise 0 ppm tds water. If you aren’t using an inline meter, true 0 ppm tds may be hard to maintain.

If the CO2 Is affecting it, will I just get a TDS reading higher than zero or will the CO2 in the air actually raise the TDS in the water?

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

If the CO2 Is affecting it, will I just get a TDS reading higher than zero or will the CO2 in the air actually raise the TDS in the water?

From one of my articles:

Monitor the DI resins by measuring the effluent’s conductivity, either with an inline meter (set to its most sensitive level), or by measuring the effluent manually. If you are using a TDS or conductivity meter, then the measured value should drop to near zero, or maybe 0-1 ppm TDS or 0-1 mS/cm. Higher values indicate that something is not functioning properly, or that the DI resin is becoming saturated and needs replacement. That does not necessarily mean, however, that 2 ppm TDS water is not OK to use. But beware that the flow of impurities and the conductivity may begin to rise fairly sharply when the resin becomes saturated. Do not agonize over 1 ppm versus zero ppm. While pure water has a TDS well below 1 ppm, uncertainties from carbon dioxide in the air (which gets into the water and ionizes to provide some conductivity; about 0.7 mS/cm for saturation with normal levels of CO2, possibly higher indoors) and the conductivity/TDS meter itself may yield results of 1 or 2 ppm even from totally pure water by not being exactly zeroed properly. Also note that the first impurities to leave the DI resin as it becomes saturated may be things that you are particularly concerned with (such as ammonia if your water supply uses chloramine or silica if there is a lot in the source water).

 

[tranksTV]

From one of my articles:

Monitor the DI resins by measuring the effluent’s conductivity, either with an inline meter (set to its most sensitive level), or by measuring the effluent manually. If you are using a TDS or conductivity meter, then the measured value should drop to near zero, or maybe 0-1 ppm TDS or 0-1 mS/cm. Higher values indicate that something is not functioning properly, or that the DI resin is becoming saturated and needs replacement. That does not necessarily mean, however, that 2 ppm TDS water is not OK to use. But beware that the flow of impurities and the conductivity may begin to rise fairly sharply when the resin becomes saturated. Do not agonize over 1 ppm versus zero ppm. While pure water has a TDS well below 1 ppm, uncertainties from carbon dioxide in the air (which gets into the water and ionizes to provide some conductivity; about 0.7 mS/cm for saturation with normal levels of CO2, possibly higher indoors) and the conductivity/TDS meter itself may yield results of 1 or 2 ppm even from totally pure water by not being exactly zeroed properly. Also note that the first impurities to leave the DI resin as it becomes saturated may be things that you are particularly concerned with (such as ammonia if your water supply uses chloramine or silica if there is a lot in the source water).

You are a wealth of knowledge, thank you so much for all your help not only to me but everyone else. This really put me at ease, I will invest in an inline meter as well as double check my calibration on my current meter.

Thank you and everyone else for helping me with this issue.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

You are a wealth of knowledge, thank you so much for all your help not only to me but everyone else. This really put me at ease, I will invest in an inline meter as well as double check my calibration on my current meter.

Thank you and everyone else for helping me with this issue.

You’re welcome and thanks.

Happy Reefing!

 

[Garf]

TDS before DI is 11

I've no idea how many folks use the RO Buddies, I've always had a standard 10inch. Sometimes, size matters.