ALBERTA REEF 7 Stage 300gpd RO/DI

[ALBERTA REEF]

I started with a Coralife 4 stage 50gpd RO/DI system. Ran it for all most a year. I was having problems from the start, from missing membrane, then fittings leaking, poor pure water out put. The big kick missing the flow restictor. I am stuck with it!

Not worth the money.
http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/...50gpd3canister

So I played bit with this on. Change the fittings, bought a booster pump and guage. still not right. The I put a valve on the waste water side and dialed it in. I got close to 45gpd. The best I was goning to get.


Then I bought a used 3 stage 24gpd RO system for $20.
http://www.bigalsonline.ca/BigAlsCA/...24gpd2canister

So I had parts for a 6 stage system. But Being a Guy wasn't big enought. I was looking on Bulk Reef Supplies and Got an Idea! An awful idea!, Got A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA! 7 STAGE 300GPD RO/DI SYSTEM. So I made my order. I just finish it last night. Now Just alittle ajustments and testing.

Not pretty


I will get into more details as I fine tune. Like the rats nest under the sink

[KrazyKuch]

That looks confusing

[StirCrazy]

you might find that little tiny booster pump isn't good enough to push two 160gpd membrains. that rating is at 90 PSI, I beleive at 60 PSI they are only 90gpd each, unless you went with 3 membrains at any rate, I moved into my last house and found my water psi was only 40 so I had to buy a 400 buck 3/4hp pump (I got it for 250 used) then I dialed the output of the pump to 100 PSI. but it has the capability to push the volume of water required at that pressure by the larger membrains where the small booster pumps can do the pressure but not the volume. so depending on what you house water pressure is you might need a new pump also.

Steve

[rynoe]

Perhaps you would have the answer to a question I have been trying to figure out. On RO canisters which fitting is waste water and which one is filtered water.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by rynoe

Perhaps you would have the answer to a question I have been trying to figure out. On RO canisters which fitting is waste water and which one is filtered water.

are you talking about the membrane cartrage or the filter housings? on a filter housing ytou want to put the water in so it hits the outside of the filter first, and leaves through the inside. if you do it the other way around you will burn through filters quickly.

Steve

[hillegom]

Originally Posted by rynoe

Perhaps you would have the answer to a question I have been trying to figure out. On RO canisters which fitting is waste water and which one is filtered water.

Does this picture help?
You will notice on the membrane holder, 4th stage on this pic, the drain and the filtered water are offset. Just like on your unit.
http://www.watergeneral.com/support/...struction2.pdf

[ALBERTA REEF]

Originally Posted by KrazyKuch

That looks confusing

It is at first. It is all hooked up this to see if this thing really works. I does. Now when I have more time I will make it pretty.

[ALBERTA REEF]

Originally Posted by StirCrazy

you might find that little tiny booster pump isn't good enough to push two 160gpd membrains. that rating is at 90 PSI, I beleive at 60 PSI they are only 90gpd each, unless you went with 3 membrains at any rate, I moved into my last house and found my water psi was only 40 so I had to buy a 400 buck 3/4hp pump (I got it for 250 used) then I dialed the output of the pump to 100 PSI. but it has the capability to push the volume of water required at that pressure by the larger membrains where the small booster pumps can do the pressure but not the volume. so depending on what you house water pressure is you might need a new pump also.

Steve

The way I have build this unit is in the water saver way. The waste water from the first membrane is feeding the second. Both menbrane I am running the 150 gpd flow resrictors. The booster pump is ratted for 100psi. I have a pressure guage on the first menbrane it is at 98-100psi and the second membrane has a guage to it is at 45psi. I have tested it it produces 12.5gph of pure water and my tds meter reads 0. I am really happy way it preforms. Better then that POS Coralife pure flow 2 50gpd when it wants too.

[StirCrazy]

Originally Posted by ALBERTA REEF

The way I have build this unit is in the water saver way. The waste water from the first membrane is feeding the second. Both menbrane I am running the 150 gpd flow resrictors. The booster pump is ratted for 100psi. I have a pressure guage on the first menbrane it is at 98-100psi and the second membrane has a guage to it is at 45psi. I have tested it it produces 12.5gph of pure water and my tds meter reads 0. I am really happy way it preforms. Better then that POS Coralife pure flow 2 50gpd when it wants too.

concidering you are in Cow town and you have a high amount of tds in your wagter, I would recomend not doing it that way. what will happen is the second membrain will fail quicker. with only 45psi on the second membrain it should be putting out way under the recomended rating, do you know what kind of membrain it is (brand and modle number) lets say it is a true 150 at 60psi then at 45 you would be lucky if you got 50gpd out of it and under 35 to 38psi you won't get anything. now this is for a tft style membrain which from the housings is what I am gussing you have.

also if you have a 150@ 60psi then by sending 100 PSI to your first you are probably putting out upweards of 250gpd. try disconceting your second membrain and run the one just off 100psi and measure your output. you might be waisting money using a second membrain

the ideal setup is in parralel as then you can feed full psi to both membrains and they will deterorate evenly.

also with flow rates this high you want to run more carbon block filters, especialy if your city uses chlorimene (which most are now) as one filter won't remove it all and Cl is what kills out membrains fast. I upgraded my sediment filter to a 6X10 25 to 1micron absolute graduated filter, then ran 3, 2.5x10 carbon block cartrages, my two membrains then my mixed bed DI, I only had 17ppm water going in and 0 comming out befor the DI, I just did the DI cuz I had it what I also did was instead of running a restrictor I put a needle valve after the two wast water lines joind and I dialed it into a 2.5 to 1 rejection rate. I only went this low as my TDS was so low to start with. for your set up I could see you cutting back to 3 to 1 but I wouldn't go any lower than that as you need the good flow to flush the crap off the face of the membrain so the lower your rejection rate is the faster your membrain will plug and the more important bypass flushing becomes.

Steve

[ALBERTA REEF]

I hooked up the membranes like the water saver on Bulk Reef Supply has it. For filters I am running 5 Micron Sediment Filter, 1 Micron Sediment Filter, 5um Matrix + CTO/2 Carbon Block, 0.6 um Matrix +1 Carbon block and Dual Colour Change Nulcear Grade DI Cartaridge Refills with Cartaridges After the membranes. Plan is to make two membrane flush kits to keep them clean. The way it is running it produces 12.5gallons per hour times it by 24 hours equals 300 gallons per day. The TDS reads 0. Double checked second and third TDS. We can debate this one way or the other. Both sides have good points. There is more then one way of doing things I have found that in this hobby. Just to say I am just experimenting. We will see when the years go on.