Top off water poll

[The ReefBox]

So her in lies a question to reefers who do some form of auto top off. It is well know that when you run you RO/DI System to make water or are testing TDS you have to run off the water for about 5 minutes tipo get a clear TDS reading providing membranes are good, filters are good and DI resin is good. So my question is how do you top off?

 

1. Direct to tank with a float valve

2. Into a reservoir and use ATO like JBJ or other type of switches

3. Manually top off when you see water is low.

 

I bring up this question because I top off direct from RO/DI to sumo using a float valve and got to thinking that if I have to run off RO/DI for 5 minutes or so to get 0 TDS when preparing water to for water change or just testing TDS through built in TDS meter,; am I adding higher TDS back to tank as the RO/DI Unit sits dormant and not constantly producing zero TDS WHEN NOT IN USE/ or topping off?

 

I hope this makes sense and look forward to hearing people's methods and thoughts on the matter. My thinking is the only way to get true zero TDS back into the tank is through clearing lines till TDS reads zero then topping off a container and using a float switch and pump to get water into sump.

[Higher Thinking]

I honestly think you may be over thinking things. I have never heard of this "well known" issue of having to run the unit for a while before collecting water. Not to say it isn't widely discussed, just that I've never experienced it. I start the unit and immediately start filling up, always have, and water is at 0.

 

Even so, I hardly think a couple minutes of "stale" RO will have any sort of impact.

[matty]

I have always held my water in a reservoir and used an ATO. I also run my water for a few minutes when starting up my RO/DI to get rid of the TDS creep in the unit, after that just fill the reservoir and draw from there. Your situation may be different as I have smaller tanks but you would just need a larger container. 

 

As far as hooking my RO/DI straight to the tank on a float, that scares me. If that float gets stuck it will pump water until you find it and shut it off, my ATO will only run for a few minutes and than shuts itself off. 

[Blue Z Reef]

I am in the same boat as Matty, 5 gal top of reservoir to avoid the potential disaster. I have a manual flush that I use before starting to fill my large reservoir, I know they make auto flush valves that may help out in your situation.

[The ReefBox]

I honestly think you may be over thinking things. I have never heard of this "well known" issue of having to run the unit for a while before collecting water. Not to say it isn't widely discussed, just that I've never experienced it. I start the unit and immediately start filling up, always have, and water is at 0.

Even so, I hardly think a couple minutes of "stale" RO will have any sort of impact.

Test your TDS after rodi sits and see how long it takes to reach zero. I just did started at 8 TDS SND TOOK 4 min to reach 0

[TheClark]

This looks interesting!

 

http://www.buckeyehydro.com/auto-flush-valves/

[The ReefBox]

This looks interesting!

 

http://www.buckeyehydro.com/auto-flush-valves/

 

Very interesting in deed I may look into this

[The ReefBox]

I am in the same boat as Matty, 5 gal top of reservoir to avoid the potential disaster. I have a manual flush that I use before starting to fill my large reservoir, I know they make auto flush valves that may help out in your situation.

How do you manually flush? Just run into sink or something prior to using?

[LC Scott]

How do you manually flush? Just run into sink or something prior to using?

I believe he's using this.

[pledosophy]

I fill a bunch of 5 g jugs every so often and then use the jug under my stand for a resivoir, that is controlled by a dual float switch.

 

I too would be very Leary of running straight from the unit to the tank. I know a couple of people who have lost their systems this way.

 

I've never heard of having to run your unit for a few minutes to avoid TDS creep. I will test that. Thanks for the tip

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Mandinga]

Plumbing direct to the RO units does add risk, but it also is nice not to have to rely on pumps to get the job done:) Truly most ATO methods have their drawbacks and good points.

 

My TDS right now...when I just turn the unit on is reading 0 on the way out. Maybe it's because my initial TDI is only about 100 give or take 20

[Blue Z Reef]

How do you manually flush? Just run into sink or something prior to using?

I have a valve before my DI resin that I open and the water goes into the waste line, thus not exhausting my resin unnecessarily. When I first turn on my unit the membrane output TDS starts out at like 8 or 10, then after 5-10 minutes of flushing we are down to 1-2. I understand what you mean about flushing the line, that's why as many have said I'd just skip the hassle and fill a reservoir to top off from.

[Bicyclebill]

I run direct to my sump, but through a solenoid on a timer and a manual float valve. Solenoid comes on four times a day for 15 minutes. So I still get the initial water every time, but it continues running (assumed)for the rest of the time as needed.

[matty]

I would also say that water volume is a factor when talking about TDS creep. For nano tanks with small reservoirs it can be an issue but if you are making 100g at a time, 5 minutes of TDS under 10 is probably not going to hurt anything. 

[The ReefBox]

I would also say that water volume is a factor when talking about TDS creep. For nano tanks with small reservoirs it can be an issue but if you are making 100g at a time, 5 minutes of TDS under 10 is probably not going to hurt anything.

 

You got a point on the smaller stuff. But what my point is if you run direct to a sump on a 250 gallon system it will come on as the float tells it to. So my question is is the water that's in my line which is 40!ft from the unit to sump hi TDS since I'm not filling a 55 gallon barrel at a time?

[matty]

I don't believe it's the water sitting in the line or the canisters but the water sitting around the membrane, it leaches stuff back into that water. If you could get an auto flush system that would perform automatically each time it would cure that. Realistically though, the high TDS water shouldn't be going into your tank anyway since it should be passing through the DI resin as the last stage. Flush valves extend the life of the DI resin. 

[The ReefBox]

I don't believe it's the water sitting in the line or the canisters but the water sitting around the membrane, it leaches stuff back into that water. If you could get an auto flush system that would perform automatically each time it would cure that. Realistically though, the high TDS water shouldn't be going into your tank anyway since it should be passing through the DI resin as the last stage. Flush valves extend the life of the DI resin.

 

Hey Matty I get what your saying but when I first start to fill 55 gallon drum for water change and turn on TDS meter it takes bout 5 minutes to reach 0 usually begins at about 8 or so. So in theory it's passing through the DI resin before going into drum granted 8 TDS over 55 gallons going into a 300 total gallon system prob no much concern but but when it's goin through the line to sump and only uses 3-4 gallons a day would that have an impact? I'm just questioning the theory to determine which method is ultimately the best for the tank not necessarily ease of use.

[Guest Bevo5]

I just use an ATO connected to a 5g bucket that I manually refill...but I'm only using about 5-8g of top-off a week. I'll probably switch to a 20g reservoir soon. Then I will only have to fill it once a month or so.