Membrane Life
Moderator: snoopdog
- snoopdog
- Yellow Tang
- Posts: 4258
- Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2003 7:37 pm
- Are you a Bot ?: No
- Location: Mobile, Al
- Contact:
Membrane Life
I know the manufacturers of the membranes suggest 1 year for a change out time frame but how far can you stretch these things. From what I have heard before they still only put out zero tds at the end of there life, just slower right ? I have a resevoir so speed of water is not an issue for me, since I get about 5 gallons per batch without wait so when do I really have to change them ? I try to change the carbon and pre filters about 6-12 months so far.
"When they was no meat we ate fowl, when there was no fowl we ate crawdad. And when there was no crawdad to be found, we ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate what?"--H.I.
"We ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate sand?"--H.I.
"That's right."--Cellmate
"You ate what?"--H.I.
"We ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate sand?"--H.I.
"That's right."--Cellmate
Do you flush your membrane every week or so?
http://www.kentmarine.com/instructions/flushkit2.pdf
Mark
http://www.kentmarine.com/instructions/flushkit2.pdf
Mark
- Amphiprion
- Astrea snail
- Posts: 1472
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:41 pm
- Location: Mobile, AL
Unfortunately, the actual useful life can vary dramatically. It depends upon what all is in your water, if you take care of the membrane (i.e. don't let it dry, get exposed to chlorine) etc. Besides ridding the membrane of larger particles, flushing does nothing to extend membrane life.
Andrew
25g planted nature aquarium
25g planted nature aquarium
- snoopdog
- Yellow Tang
- Posts: 4258
- Joined: Mon Feb 17, 2003 7:37 pm
- Are you a Bot ?: No
- Location: Mobile, Al
- Contact:
I always thought the "flush the membrane" the most unrealistic thing I ever heard of. Ok once a week, that is 52 times a year. I am sorry I will buy a membrane once a year before I subject myself to that. I am lucky to get my water changed 4 times a year as it is.
From what I understand the people that make R.O. Water, like B&B squeeze every drop out of there membrane before they change it. This is the point when the outlet just drips and no longer has a steady stream. I am thinking of just relying on my TDS meter to tell me when the TDS starts getting high. I am due for a cartridge change now as it is, maybe this weekend. Compared to the old house I notice the cord filters are a nicer white and the old house they would get a nice orange, nice huh ?
From what I understand the people that make R.O. Water, like B&B squeeze every drop out of there membrane before they change it. This is the point when the outlet just drips and no longer has a steady stream. I am thinking of just relying on my TDS meter to tell me when the TDS starts getting high. I am due for a cartridge change now as it is, maybe this weekend. Compared to the old house I notice the cord filters are a nicer white and the old house they would get a nice orange, nice huh ?
"When they was no meat we ate fowl, when there was no fowl we ate crawdad. And when there was no crawdad to be found, we ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate what?"--H.I.
"We ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate sand?"--H.I.
"That's right."--Cellmate
"You ate what?"--H.I.
"We ate sand."--Cellmate
"You ate sand?"--H.I.
"That's right."--Cellmate
- Amphiprion
- Astrea snail
- Posts: 1472
- Joined: Sat Mar 05, 2005 10:41 pm
- Location: Mobile, AL
- Buckeye Field Supply
- Amoeba
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:46 am
Folks you should be getting much more than a year from an RO membrane, assuming you have adequate prefilters and change them on schedule. We have a customer that has had the same membrane for 7 years. 2-3 years is more typical.
The two signs of a membrane gone bad are reduced rejection (higher tds output) and reduced production (fewer gpd).
Russ @ BFS
The two signs of a membrane gone bad are reduced rejection (higher tds output) and reduced production (fewer gpd).
Russ @ BFS
- Buckeye Field Supply
- Amoeba
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:46 am
- Buckeye Field Supply
- Amoeba
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:46 am
Wondering
I was wondering, I know that optimally you want a tds reading of 0.0 ppm but I have a reading of 0.10 ppm.
I also have a problem with a high ammonia reading from the output water. I am going to change the chamber filters out but should I change the membrane out as well?
I also have a problem with a high ammonia reading from the output water. I am going to change the chamber filters out but should I change the membrane out as well?
Water travels the path of least resistance, be more then water.
Membrane life
I recently spoke to a corallife tech about my ammonia problem and he told me that usually membranes are good for 2-3 years if properly maintained and flushed.
Water travels the path of least resistance, be more then water.
- Buckeye Field Supply
- Amoeba
- Posts: 7
- Joined: Mon Dec 11, 2006 3:46 am