emergency maybe? new ro unit

[skimmy]

ok so i bought a ro unit and it said to let it run for ten minutes before i use it, wich i did, i got my first 5 gallons and i added it to the tank, the water is kinda cloudy, what could be the problem, my fish are freaking out but the corals dont seem to mind

[bad ed]

ive been told to throw away the first 5 gallons whenever you switch out the filters, so i guess that would apply to a new unit.

[skimmy]

ok so how bad is the stuff that i just put into my tank, when i wake up in the am is everything going to be dead

[dflash]

I think that the cloudiness comes from the carbon dust in the cartridges. Same thing would happen is you don't rinse a new filter cartridge for a HOB (hand on back) filter. There may be higher concentrations of certain chemicals or partiles that where left in the filters and canisters during fabrication. Appart from that I think you should be fine. If someone else knows better, correct me if I'm wrong.

[skimmy]

ok and i have another question, once i fill the bucket and unhook the ro unit theres still water inside it, will it be ok to leave that water in there for a week and just let it run for a little while before i use it again or should i take the thing apart and get all the water out before i store it for a week

[dflash]

Labs use this kind of filters and they sometimes dont need purified water in a daily basis. Also, at home, people place them under the kitchen sink. When they go on vacation for 1 or 2 weeks, they don't have to flush the filtration system. Remember that out of every gallon of good water produced, your RO discards 2-3gal depending on the number of stages. So, do the math on really how much of the water that was sitting in the RO system for a week will actually make it to your tank.

[disaster999]

get a TDS meter and make sure your water is 0tds before adding to tank

[r20crazy]

leave the water in the unit, if you drain out all the water the ro membrane will dryout and become useless.(read as you'll be replacing the membrane every week)

 

 

ok and i have another question, once i fill the bucket and unhook the ro unit theres still water inside it, will it be ok to leave that water in there for a week and just let it run for a little while before i use it again or should i take the thing apart and get all the water out before i store it for a week

[The Propagator]

Actually, you can remove the membrane , wrap it air tight in a plastic bag ( keeping it wet mind you ) and store them in the fridge for a good long while out of service.

Its not drying out I would be worried about its mold and mildew.

[AZDesertRat]

Always leave the water in the RO/DI unit when it is disconnected. It should be used every 10 to 14 days to keep it fresh, if it goes much past that do as already suggested and store the membrane in the refrigerator in a sealed ziploc bag with a little water in it.

Your RO vendor should have supplied you with directions on how to start up a new system or flush cartridges when they require changing, shame on them!

Always when starting a new RO/DI system:

1. Install the prefilter, carbon block and membrane if they have not already done so.

2. Disconnect the line which leads from the carbon block up to the membrane housing at the membrane end. Stick this tube in a bucket or sink and run a few gallons through the prefilter and carbon only to eliminate any carbon fines.

3. Hook back up to the membrane and now disconnect the DI filter or remove the DI cartridge from the housing. Flush the prefilter, carbon and RO membrane to waste for 3-5 gallons and monitor with your TDS meter. Install the DI cartridge once the membrane has flushed and you have reached a low RO only TDS compared to your tap water (96-98% reduction normally). Flush the entire system for another 1/2 to 1 gallon to rinse up the DI resin and you are ready to go!

 

Every 6 months when changing the prefilter and carbon block do a system disinfection with household bleach and do the rinse procedure for the new carbon again. Every time you replace the DI do the DI rinse procedure. When replacing a membrane, usually every 24 months to 3-5 years do the membrane rinse.