RO/DI question

THB · 10/18/2006, 04:06 PM

I am running a new coralife ro/di unit and am getting about 1 1/2 gallons waste water for each gallon of product water. I understand I should be getting about 4 to 1. The TDS is 114. I have very good pressure as the hose exploded. Is 114 low enough TDS to create my product to waste ratio, or is something wrong?

RonD · 10/18/2006, 04:34 PM

My TDS is close to zero... it flutters between Zero and one so yes I would say you have either really thick water or something is out of whack... what is the reading prior to going thru the RODI?

THB · 10/18/2006, 07:08 PM

Actually I meant the tds prior to going thru is 114. I learned this from my water authority analysis. I have ordered a tds meter.

Shawnts106 · 10/18/2006, 07:34 PM

HEY! Glad to see you here!

Is it possible that 114 is low enough to cause this ratio? ( I wouldnt think so, this is well water BTW... isnt it?)

At first I thought her problem was possibly the membrane was not secure in the houseing, I have checked it myself (her unit) and it is secured...

what else could possibly cause this?

I wouldn't think a HUGE amount of pressure would make this possible would it?

THB · 10/18/2006, 07:53 PM

It is county water, which I am told comes from a well.

AZDesertRat · 10/18/2006, 08:29 PM

If it uses a capilary type flow restrictor you need to trim it to fit your waste needs or if it has an adjustable flow restrictor you need to adjust it. Do you see a white tube on the waste line, does it have a valve arrangement or does it look like a straight piece of tube?

Shawnts106 · 10/18/2006, 08:37 PM

wow....

Quote:

If it uses a capilary type flow restrictor you need to trim it to fit your waste needs or if it has an adjustable flow restrictor you need to adjust it. Do you see a white tube on the waste line, does it have a valve arrangement or does it look like a straight piece of tube?

I do not believe these Coralife Pureflow Units have a Flow Restrictor or and Adjustable flow restrictor...

There isnt a white tube on the red waste line that I know of, After the Carbon Block filter, Prefilter etc... there is the ROmembrane seated on the top of the unit, comming out there are two lines, one blue for product water, just a blue peice of tubing, and one red for waste...the product line then directly goes to the last stage, the DI stage, then exits... which, in the DI stage the water has only filled 1/3rd the cartridge (? right Tina?) which I don't believe this has anything to do with the off balance ratio, ... no white tubing on the red tubbing that I know if is there Tina?...

As far as I know the Coralife units dont have restrictors but Im not 100% sure...

hey, AZ, In the RO membrane Houseing there is a black O-Ring... If it is not properly seated in the houseing (O-Ring) could that cause this ratio of product/waste???

THB · 10/18/2006, 09:04 PM

Shawn There is no flow restrictor or adjustable flow restrictor that I know of. Everything you stated is correct. Just two tubes, blue for product and red for waste. No white tubing on the red tubing. And it is also correct that the DI stage has only filled to 1/3rd with water.

RonD · 10/18/2006, 09:06 PM

Yes an o-ring that's out of place could make your readings go off. you will need a TDS meter to really determine what you are getting out the other end.

here is web page that talks about tds at length http://www.tdsmeter.com/abouttds.html#what

AZDesertRat · 10/18/2006, 09:16 PM

They have to have a flow restrictor or it will not work at all period. If you do not see anything its a capillary type. Pull the red waste line out of the quick fitting and look up inside the tubing for a long plastic insert, thats the flow restrictor. Your unit should have come with directions on how to trim the length to fine tune it to your water temperature and pressure to get a 4:1 waste ratio.
Basically you trim an inch or so off at a time, reinsert it and make water continuing to do this until its right and you have 4:1.

THB · 10/18/2006, 09:23 PM

Great. Thanks.

Shawnts106 · 10/19/2006, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Yes an o-ring that's out of place could make your readings go off.

Im thinking this is the reason..

Quote:

They have to have a flow restrictor or it will not work at all period. If you do not see anything its a capillary type. Pull the red waste line out of the quick fitting and look up inside the tubing for a long plastic insert, thats the flow restrictor.

Now that You say that, yes they do have those... sorry for the confusion earlier.

Quote:

Your unit should have come with directions on how to trim the length to fine tune it to your water temperature and pressure to get a 4:1 waste ratio.

Just to clarify things, She isnt nessessarily TRYING to get the 4 to 1... but rather, Isn't this what the unit is naturaly suppose to "spit out"...

According to the instructions I do believe it states the correct ratio is 4:1.

Tina, Im thinking its possibly the O-Ring has fallen out of place somehow...

Did you say you have a TDS meter on order? which kind Inline or Hand Held, from what I understand the Hand Held are much more accurate? AZ>>>???

jdieck · 10/19/2006, 02:19 PM

By the way you mention a lot of pressure, how much pressure are you talking about in psi?

Shawnts106 · 10/19/2006, 02:24 PM

Im not sure that is known.

AZDesertRat · 10/19/2006, 02:39 PM

A capillary type flow restrictor needs to be trimed to fit the particular application. There is nothing inherent or natural about it. The factory does not know your individual temperature and pressure to know where to trim it. It comes long normally and you fine tune it for your conditions.

Shawnts106 · 10/19/2006, 03:24 PM

Wow, I didnt even know this AZ... thanks!

Buckeye Hydro · 10/21/2006, 03:44 AM

The pretrimmed capillary flow restrictors are prepared assuming typical spec consditions - water temperature in the upper 70's and pressue in the 60 psi range...

Russ @ BFS

10/18/2006, 04:06 PM	#1
THB Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 143	RO/DI question I am running a new coralife ro/di unit and am getting about 1 1/2 gallons waste water for each gallon of product water. I understand I should be getting about 4 to 1. The TDS is 114. I have very good pressure as the hose exploded. Is 114 low enough TDS to create my product to waste ratio, or is something wrong?

10/18/2006, 04:34 PM	#2
RonD Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 721	My TDS is close to zero... it flutters between Zero and one so yes I would say you have either really thick water or something is out of whack... what is the reading prior to going thru the RODI? __________________ If I had a clue... I'd be sitting on the floor playing with it. My vid's http://www.youtube.com/user/rondev Current Tank Info: 210 Gal Display, 220 Gal frag tank, 300 gal sump, Sequence Hammer head Pump, Reeflo Orca 250 Skimmer, 2x400w MH. Tit. Heaters, 200+ lbs Jakarta LR and an empty wallet :)

10/18/2006, 07:34 PM	#4
Shawnts106 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,436	HEY! Glad to see you here! Is it possible that 114 is low enough to cause this ratio? ( I wouldnt think so, this is well water BTW... isnt it?) At first I thought her problem was possibly the membrane was not secure in the houseing, I have checked it myself (her unit) and it is secured... what else could possibly cause this? I wouldn't think a HUGE amount of pressure would make this possible would it? __________________ Love yourself! NO MATTER WHAT! Current Tank Info: Currently out of the hobby

10/18/2006, 09:06 PM	#9
RonD Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Victoria BC Posts: 721	Yes an o-ring that's out of place could make your readings go off. you will need a TDS meter to really determine what you are getting out the other end. here is web page that talks about tds at length http://www.tdsmeter.com/abouttds.html#what __________________ If I had a clue... I'd be sitting on the floor playing with it. My vid's http://www.youtube.com/user/rondev Current Tank Info: 210 Gal Display, 220 Gal frag tank, 300 gal sump, Sequence Hammer head Pump, Reeflo Orca 250 Skimmer, 2x400w MH. Tit. Heaters, 200+ lbs Jakarta LR and an empty wallet :)

10/19/2006, 02:19 PM	#13
jdieck Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Maumee, OH Posts: 15,673	By the way you mention a lot of pressure, how much pressure are you talking about in psi? __________________ Did I write what I wrote? What the heck am I talking about! Well..... Nevermind. Current Tank Info: 225 gal reef, DSB, 40 g sump w/ LRT100 return, 37 g pre-sump, 3 MH 250 W 15K, 4 96 W PC dual actinic,ETS 1500 Skim.w/LRT70, 20 lb Ca R., 40 W UV, 1/3 HP chiller, two 350 W Htrs, Neptune II Cont., 330 P LR/ 330 P LS. 55 gal Refugium

10/18/2006, 07:08 PM	#3
THB Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 143	Actually I meant the tds prior to going thru is 114. I learned this from my water authority analysis. I have ordered a tds meter.

10/18/2006, 07:53 PM	#5
THB Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 143	It is county water, which I am told comes from a well.

10/18/2006, 08:29 PM	#6
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	If it uses a capilary type flow restrictor you need to trim it to fit your waste needs or if it has an adjustable flow restrictor you need to adjust it. Do you see a white tube on the waste line, does it have a valve arrangement or does it look like a straight piece of tube?

10/18/2006, 09:04 PM	#8
THB Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 143	Shawn There is no flow restrictor or adjustable flow restrictor that I know of. Everything you stated is correct. Just two tubes, blue for product and red for waste. No white tubing on the red tubing. And it is also correct that the DI stage has only filled to 1/3rd with water.

10/18/2006, 09:16 PM	#10
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	They have to have a flow restrictor or it will not work at all period. If you do not see anything its a capillary type. Pull the red waste line out of the quick fitting and look up inside the tubing for a long plastic insert, thats the flow restrictor. Your unit should have come with directions on how to trim the length to fine tune it to your water temperature and pressure to get a 4:1 waste ratio. Basically you trim an inch or so off at a time, reinsert it and make water continuing to do this until its right and you have 4:1.

10/18/2006, 09:23 PM	#11
THB Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Alabama Posts: 143	Great. Thanks.

10/19/2006, 02:24 PM	#14
Shawnts106 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,436	Im not sure that is known. __________________ Love yourself! NO MATTER WHAT! Current Tank Info: Currently out of the hobby

10/19/2006, 02:39 PM	#15
AZDesertRat Moved On Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: NW Phoenix Posts: 16,621	A capillary type flow restrictor needs to be trimed to fit the particular application. There is nothing inherent or natural about it. The factory does not know your individual temperature and pressure to know where to trim it. It comes long normally and you fine tune it for your conditions.

10/19/2006, 03:24 PM	#16
Shawnts106 Registered Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alabama Posts: 2,436	Wow, I didnt even know this AZ... thanks! __________________ Love yourself! NO MATTER WHAT! Current Tank Info: Currently out of the hobby

10/21/2006, 03:44 AM	#17
Buckeye Hydro .Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio Posts: 4,857	The pretrimmed capillary flow restrictors are prepared assuming typical spec consditions - water temperature in the upper 70's and pressue in the 60 psi range... Russ @ BFS