Filter water with di and carbon only?

ravenmore · 07/04/2007, 02:25 PM

My RO membrane is shot and I REALLY need to do a water change today. Can I run my water through the sediment filter, 3 carbon filters, and a DI filter and get ok water? I'd just go buy ro/di but all the stores are closed. If I don't do it today I won't have another chance until next week and I don't want to wait that long.

dc_909 · 07/04/2007, 03:26 PM

It's better than tap, but I would wait.

virginiadiver69 · 07/04/2007, 03:34 PM

I don't see any problem doing that. Worst case scenario is that you will shorten the life of your di media but with a one time water change on a 75 gal it would not be noticeable.

csb · 07/04/2007, 03:52 PM

It should work fine. AP has a "tap water filter" on the market which is just a cartridge of carbon and DI resin. The resin becomes exhausted relatively quickly, but the output water is clean. Shouldn't be a problem in your scenario.

If you want, you could probably bypass the RO membrane just to make the process more efficient. You will be filtering all of the input water, so there would be no waste. Good luck!

attack11 · 07/04/2007, 04:07 PM

i use the AP filter, it works excellently with my tap water.

Buckeye Hydro · 07/05/2007, 04:06 AM

If you do the "di only" approach, keep the water flow through the resin slow - you should shoot for something even slower than what you'd produce with a 100 gpd membrane (4 gallons per hour) - so try 2 gallons an hour to assure you have sufficient residence time. And yes - you'll burn through the resin quickly.

Russ

attack11 · 07/05/2007, 05:28 AM

5gl / 30mins is the fastest you should go with the filter. i usually shoot for 40mins. on avg it lasts me 3 months, or about 60gl. much cheaper than buying distilled and easier than talking my gf into letting me hook up an ro/di under the kitchen sink

ravenmore · 07/06/2007, 07:14 AM

thanks for the replies - I went ahead and did the water change and everything is fine. Yes, I trickled the water through it to maximize contact time. I'm hoping that it going through so much carbon (3 cartridges) before getting to the resin will protect the resin somewhat. I think its the chlorine that burns through the resin quickly? Its supposed to be color change resin but its still the same color it was when I got it, so I wonder about that. Oh well, its time to change everything else anyway.

Buckeye Hydro · 07/06/2007, 07:27 AM

Prefilters (sediment filters and carbon filters) don't remove dissolved solids (TDS). That's done by the membrane and the DI resin. W/o the membrane, that entire job is left to the resin.

If you are not sure if you have color shanging resin, check the DI output frequently with your tds meter.

Russ

07/04/2007, 02:25 PM	#1
ravenmore Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Austin TX Posts: 1,590	Filter water with di and carbon only? My RO membrane is shot and I REALLY need to do a water change today. Can I run my water through the sediment filter, 3 carbon filters, and a DI filter and get ok water? I'd just go buy ro/di but all the stores are closed. If I don't do it today I won't have another chance until next week and I don't want to wait that long. __________________ Mean people are like slinkys. They're really not worth much but still are entertaining to watch tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef tank in progress

07/04/2007, 03:34 PM	#3
virginiadiver69 Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Va. Posts: 4,400	I don't see any problem doing that. Worst case scenario is that you will shorten the life of your di media but with a one time water change on a 75 gal it would not be noticeable. __________________ Semi-aggressive mixed reef w/ shallow sand bed 96x30x27 310gal custom acrylic w/ ext. "fail safe" overflow 125gal sump/cryptic fuge w/ 6" DSB 3 400w Plus Rite 20k MH in Lumembrights 2 250w Plus Rite 20k MH in spider reflectors VHO actinic supplementation 2 Tunze wave boxes 2 Tunze 6060 in Tunze Rocks 2 Tunze 6125 Reeflo 250 skimmer Hammerhead return on OM 4 way Aqua controller lll Leviton power panel Deltec Eco-Cooler Randy's Two part 6.5 kw generator

07/04/2007, 03:52 PM	#4
csb Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: New Hampshire Posts: 541	It should work fine. AP has a "tap water filter" on the market which is just a cartridge of carbon and DI resin. The resin becomes exhausted relatively quickly, but the output water is clean. Shouldn't be a problem in your scenario. If you want, you could probably bypass the RO membrane just to make the process more efficient. You will be filtering all of the input water, so there would be no waste. Good luck! __________________ Winter ski bum, summer reef bum. Tank pics at http://picasaweb.google.com/snojrnl Current Tank Info: 30g mixed reef

07/06/2007, 07:14 AM	#8
ravenmore Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Austin TX Posts: 1,590	thanks for the replies - I went ahead and did the water change and everything is fine. Yes, I trickled the water through it to maximize contact time. I'm hoping that it going through so much carbon (3 cartridges) before getting to the resin will protect the resin somewhat. I think its the chlorine that burns through the resin quickly? Its supposed to be color change resin but its still the same color it was when I got it, so I wonder about that. Oh well, its time to change everything else anyway. __________________ Mean people are like slinkys. They're really not worth much but still are entertaining to watch tumble down the stairs. Current Tank Info: 75 gallon reef tank in progress

07/04/2007, 03:26 PM	#2
dc_909 Moved On Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Murrieta, CA Posts: 3,260	It's better than tap, but I would wait.

07/04/2007, 04:07 PM	#5
attack11 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 66	i use the AP filter, it works excellently with my tap water.

07/05/2007, 04:06 AM	#6
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	If you do the "di only" approach, keep the water flow through the resin slow - you should shoot for something even slower than what you'd produce with a 100 gpd membrane (4 gallons per hour) - so try 2 gallons an hour to assure you have sufficient residence time. And yes - you'll burn through the resin quickly. Russ

07/05/2007, 05:28 AM	#7
attack11 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 66	5gl / 30mins is the fastest you should go with the filter. i usually shoot for 40mins. on avg it lasts me 3 months, or about 60gl. much cheaper than buying distilled and easier than talking my gf into letting me hook up an ro/di under the kitchen sink

07/06/2007, 07:27 AM	#9
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	Prefilters (sediment filters and carbon filters) don't remove dissolved solids (TDS). That's done by the membrane and the DI resin. W/o the membrane, that entire job is left to the resin. If you are not sure if you have color shanging resin, check the DI output frequently with your tds meter. Russ