I am using a Coralife 3-canister 50 GPD filter, and currently is making water faster than I can us it up. I'm wondering, does this filter require a certain amount of water pressure from the source in order to perform correctly?
Water pressure and RO units
- Thread starter Cavalier2123
- Start date
Most RO membranes recommend a minimum water pressure near 50 psi. I'm not certain what the maximum is off the top of my head, but I generally remember it being in the 100 - 125 psi range.
Are you letting it run 24/7?
Did it come with an auto shut-off valve?
Are you letting it run 24/7?
Did it come with an auto shut-off valve?
It did not come with an auto shut-off, but I have purchased several from Coralife only to be disappointed with them. So I am not using one right now. Ideally I'd like to have my filter run 24/7, but 50 g/day is far more than I need for my 120 gallon tank. So I fill up jugs and 44 gallon trash cans. But once those fill I have to turn the filter off, which I don't want to do because I feel like if I let it sit wet like that with no water flowing through it then the filters are going to rot.
The filters are made for this type of application, so they won't rot from being constantly wet over their stated lifetime. If you turn off the unit, it is important for it to continue to hold water, as the RO membrane can become damaged if it is allowed to dry out.
The only places I know that run a RO unit (or similar water filtration unit) almost constantly are LFSs. Unless someone has multiple large tanks or does very large and frequent water changes, you'd be hard pressed to use up the water as fast as the RO unit can produce it.
The only places I know that run a RO unit (or similar water filtration unit) almost constantly are LFSs. Unless someone has multiple large tanks or does very large and frequent water changes, you'd be hard pressed to use up the water as fast as the RO unit can produce it.
Really? Just about every halfway serious reefkeeper I know has an RO unit with a solenoid shut off. The problem the op is having with the units is one of 2 things:
1.Air in the system. To get rid of it crack open the fittings one by one until water flows smoothly with no spitting.
2. A leak which doesn't allow enough pressure to build up in the product water line to engage the solenoid. Find the leak.
I agree, but I also know of several people that are not able to leave their RO unit connected to the water supply. Because of this, they do not use an auto shut-off valve and instead use manual valves to make sure the unit retains water in it until its next use.
I just screw my 7 stage RO/DI into my kitchen sink faucet when I need to make water.. and unscrew it and put it in the closet when I don't need to.. done this weekly for years now and never seen any problem with filters that I replace at their recommended times. There is water left in each canister as well.
If I have to leave my unit off for any considerable amount of time, I empty all the containers except the membrane and DI canisters, since bacterial films will clog prefilters and carbon incredibly fast. That's one reason it's usually recommended to run the unit at least once every week.