What’s a good level to have on TDS with RO water?

[Emma01]

Hi my TDS was 4-5 pre DI so and 0 after DI. Looks like the DI has to stay

What would cause a sudden increase in TDS levels? The filters/canisters are only a week old and not used much yet, and the DI pod installed 2 days ago.
Yesterday my levels were
Pre DI- 2 Post DI - 0
Today
Pre DI- 5 Post DI- 2
Is there a filter/membrane exhausted already? I have flushed the system, which didn’t make a difference.
Thanks
Emma.

 

[Emma01]

You'll want to orient that DI stage VERTICALLY, with water flow moving from the bottom towards the top. You might want to consider adding a pressure gauge that reads the pressure after the carbon block and before the RO membrane.
https://www.buckeyehydro.com/pressure-gauges-1/

Russ

What would cause a sudden increase in TDS levels? The filters/canisters are only a week old and not used much yet, and the DI pod installed 2 days ago.
Yesterday my levels were
Pre DI- 2 Post DI - 0
Today
Pre DI- 5 Post DI- 2
Is there a filter/membrane exhausted already? I have flushed the system, which didn’t make a difference.
Thanks

 

[Buckeye Hydro]

I suspect this is something going on with the TDS readings rather than with the filters. Did you let the system run for 2+ minutes before taking the readings?

Russ

 

[Emma01]

I suspect this is something going on with the TDS readings rather than with the filters. Did you let the system run for 2+ minutes before taking the readings?

Russ

Hiya, yes I let run for a good 10 minutes before reading.
I checked with the handheld TDS meter too and had the same reading. It’s bizarre

 

[Emma01]

Emma - Horizontal DI's are a fundamental design error. Has to do with the water channeling through horizontal DI stages.

Russ

Hi. Just a quick thanks in advising me to put the DI pod vertically, in which I have done.
Since putting it vertically my TDS has stayed at 0...... it crept up to 3 the day after installation when it was horizontal- and I couldn’t work out why. Like you said the water must’ve been ‘bypassing’ the media when it was horizontal and not giving me much clearance.
I’ve wondered though why the clips are supplied with the DI pod to enable me to clip it onto the membrane pod?-doesn’t make sense....... design error.
Thanks again to you and everyone on this thread
Emma.

 

[FishyDP]

IME I believe shooting for a 0 TDS reading falls into the " chasing" numbers category. I am personally comfortable with a TDS reading of anything below 10. I live in FL and have visited some major coral distributors who don't bother with DI, as the costs outweigh the benefits. My RO unit produces around 7 TDS without a DI chamber after about 8 months of use on a 125g system, and my tap water is around 200. This is just my opinion, and is mostly based on the results of those who have had success in the hobby/industry..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

IME I believe shooting for a 0 TDS reading falls into the " chasing" numbers category. I am personally comfortable with a TDS reading of anything below 10. I live in FL and have visited some major coral distributors who don't bother with DI, as the costs outweigh the benefits. My RO unit produces around 7 TDS without a DI chamber after about 8 months of use on a 125g system, and my tap water is around 200. This is just my opinion, and is mostly based on the results of those who have had success in the hobby/industry..

Couldn't disagree more strongly, but since it is an opinion you are expressing rather than an assertion of a fact, so be it.

IMO, it is just not sensible to say that since someone does it successfully, it is OK for others too who may have totally different water at their taps.

10 ppm TDs may be perfectly fine. Even 1000 ppm TDS may be perfectly fine. And 1 ppm TDS may not be acceptable.

 

[FishyDP]

Couldn't disagree more strongly, but since it is an opinion you are expressing rather than an assertion of a fact, so be it.

IMO, it is just not sensible to say that since someone does it successfully, it is OK for others too who may have totally different water at their taps.

10 ppm TDs may be perfectly fine. Even 1000 ppm TDS may be perfectly fine. And 1 ppm TDS may not be acceptable.

I would like to see a successful reef with 1000 tds..

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I would like to see a successful reef with 1000 tds..

Well, not many try it, but for those with 1000 ppm tds water, very, very little of that is from things I worry about, and I’m not sure that copper, ammonia, silicate, and other problems I am concerned with are necessarily any higher in drinking water at 1000 ppm tds than in drinking water at 10 ppm tds. The bulk of those ions boosting the tds are sodium, chloride, calcium, etc.

 

[lapin]

I would like to see a successful reef with 1000 tds..

subsea does it
https://www.reef2reef.com/threads/tiny-refugium-making-it-up-as-i-go.467275/page-2#post-5189970

 

[reefwiser]

I have found that O tds gives one a base to build up with the salt mix and 2 part one needs. One needs a base line to work from. I also use RO/DI in my freshwater planted tanks as TDS effects many fish in their internal biological functioning.
So I while my tap water is at 385 ppm I keep my freshwater tanks at 125 pmm by using RO/DI water as the soil in the aquarium raises the TDS up to that level which is great for most freshwater fish.

 

[Hanna Instruments]

http://blog.hannainst.com/does-your-tds-meter-measure-up

 

[FishyDP]

Well, not many try it, but for those with 1000 ppm tds water, very, very little of that is from things I worry about, and I’m not sure that copper, ammonia, silicate, and other problems I am concerned with are necessarily any higher in drinking water at 1000 ppm tds than in drinking water at 10 ppm tds. The bulk of those ions boosting the tds are sodium, chloride, calcium, etc.

So what you are saying is that a TDS reading of 10 or below has very little things you worry about..as does a 1000 TDS reading..guess your posts are somewhat confusing..based on what you are saying we do not need rodi at all because there are "very very" little things you worry about in any TDS level tap water? You are agreeing with my original post, with a TDS below 10 most tap water sources will not create an issue..confused with your posts

Of course 0 is best..but imo not necessary..as getting to a <10 TDS level, there are very very little things to worry about

 

[lapin]

I think what is being said is
10 TDS can be worse than 1000 TDS. Depending on what chemicals make up the TDS, is how harmful it can be. Starting with "0" assures you that nothing is in your water.

 

[reefwiser]

Where does one get a TDS from their tap water of 10 ppm.