question about DI

[under the sea]

i just bought a 5 stage from bulk reef supply, which has the full size canister di. if i want to make drinking water should i bypass the di, and why? and what type of water (quality) is the waste water? should i buy their flush kit and how ofter should i flush to ensure good life of membrane? thanks.

[neanderthalman]

Drinking water should bypass the DI, as it's of no benefit to you over RO. Drinking DI is just wasting money.

 

The water quality of the waste water is better than what you'd collect off of your roof. Use it to water your plants/lawn.

 

get the flush kit. Flush every couple months. Only takes a couple minutes and a couple gallons of water. No biggie.

[AZDesertRat]

DI water has a very blah, bland taste and is not refreshing.

 

The waste stream will be 20 to 25% higher TDS than your tap water since it is the concentrated TDS from the membrane added to the original tap water. I would not drink it but its fine for water plants and the lawn.

 

Flush kits have no proven value whatsoever. Not one documented study has shown they provide any benefit. In order to provide any benefit they would have to be used each and every time you makewater, from day one on and never ever miss a flush. You would have to flush the membrane for several minutes right at the shutdown point and no one does this. Once you have missed a flush, TDS solids begin to solidify on the membranes surface and no amount of flushing in the world will ever break this up without chemical treatment which is not common on household units. Its the continous 4:1 waste ratio that flushes your membrane so keep it there always, don't try to reduce it.

 

Save your money and but the DI bypass valve and tee which is useful.