Pro Resin vs Mixed Bed and Dual vs Single Cation

[H2OPlayar]

Anyone running the pro resin instead of the mixed bed resin after their RO?

Pro has separate anion and cation resins so you burn through each at the appropriate rate for your own water chemistry, followed by its own mixed bed resin. Since cation burns faster than anion from what I've read, do people use dual canisters for cation resin? Or just accept the final 1" of resin is trash and toss it at that point like BRS recommends?

I am making my last bit of water using my mixed bed resin before switching my resins our for the pro. I'm debating on finding another resin canister so I can exhaust one completely, then swap the old 2nd for the 1st position and put new resin in the 2nd.

(Edit: cation goes faster than anion)

 

[Invictus]

Following along.

I just use one canister and discard when I get to about 10% unused. I’ve considered a 2nd canister for redundancy, but hadn’t heard of pro resin.

Edit: after minimal research it does seem to make sense to run Cation and Anion seperately, but it seems like they are suggesting a 3rd DI canister afterwards with Mixed resin. 3 canisters for DI is a lot.

 

[Srt4eric]

Whats your tds out of the tap look like in Vegas?

 

[Coral reefer]

I use the pro 3 cannister style. I use way more cation resin, like 2-3 times faster than the anion. Mixed bed lasts a long time.
I dont see the need to get the whole cannister changed color or double up. It’s cheap enough. Just do one of each and a mixed bed and change when it gets close

 

[Patio]

house - cloth micron filter - chloromine monster - 2 carbon canisters - booster pump - membrane - cation - anion - mixed bed - ATO & water changes.

Livermore tds 350-450

Separating cation & anion might save me 50-75 bucks a year. I have a lot of CO2 in the water so anion gets exhausted at least at a 4/1 ratio. I realized the high CO2 after purchasing the chloromine monster. Knowing what I know now, I might not purchase the Chlor monster.

 

[Darkxerox]

I just had @Srt4eric add on a triple DI saver kit ($100 at BRS) for me with a booster pump ($135) so I now have 0.5 um sediment, chloramine rated carbon block x2, ROx2 (water saver setup), cation, anion, mixed bed, with waste into the pond. TDS coming in is like 240, output is zero. Can fill a 5g jug in about 40 min (pretty close to the 200gpd rating). Previously blew through a new mixed bed column in probably less than 300 gallons. Hopefully this lasts longer, but we'll see.

I basically made my own mixed bed with the leftover cation and anion beads since they give a little extra each pouch.

 

[Patio]

I basically made my own mixed bed with the leftover cation and anion beads since they give a little extra each pouch.

Smart! Will start doing this.

I save extra in a tight mylar bag. Is mylar overkill or necessary or in between?

 

[H2OPlayar]

Whats your tds out of the tap look like in Vegas?

550ish, super high. I have a water softener on the house at least.

I use the pro 3 cannister style. I use way more cation resin, like 2-3 times faster than the anion. Mixed bed lasts a long time.
I dont see the need to get the whole cannister changed color or double up. It’s cheap enough. Just do one of each and a mixed bed and change when it gets close

Perfect, exactly what I was looking for. But then again, you run a 3rd membrane too, haha. Always been tempted, but the tds here is so high.

I've maybe asked this before too, but the instructions say booster pump before first canister filter, but what @Patio does with the pump right before the membranes makes sense. @Coral reefer , got an opinion on this one?

 

[Darkxerox]

Smart! Will start doing this.

I save extra in a tight mylar bag. Is mylar overkill or necessary or in between?

Mylar is good, you want to keep the CO2 out and sealed up tight per @ReyDeFarts

 

[H2OPlayar]

Mylar is good, you want to keep the CO2 out and sealed up tight per @ReyDeFarts

I bet the bags they sell the resin in are mylar or similar. My bag that the bulk resin came in feels like mylar.

 

[Patio]

I bet the bags they sell the resin in are mylar or similar. My bag that the bulk resin came in feels like mylar.

Mine come in mylar but then I cut the top off. So I considered getting some resealable empties from amazon to store the extra.

 

[Coral reefer]

550ish, super high. I have a water softener on the house at least.


Perfect, exactly what I was looking for. But then again, you run a 3rd membrane too, haha. Always been tempted, but the tds here is so high.

I've maybe asked this before too, but the instructions say booster pump before first canister filter, but what @Patio does with the pump right before the membranes makes sense. @Coral reefer , got an opinion on this one?

Never tried it that way. I think you run the risk of the pump not getting fed well if the pre filters clog. Could be fine

 

[H2OPlayar]

Never tried it that way. I think you run the risk of the pump not getting fed well if the pre filters clog. Could be fine

Yeah, my thought was pumps push better than they pull, so I have it up front with a 100 micron wire mesh filter in front of the pump.

 

[dangalang]

I run cation>anion>mixed bed cause San Jose water sucks. Anion gets used up the fastest for me.

By the time my anion is 90% used up the cation has maybe a 1/4" of resin that has changed color and the mixed bed has no color change.

 

[Patio]

Yeah, my thought was pumps push better than they pull, so I have it up front with a 100 micron wire mesh filter in front of the pump.

I should consider this as well- push better than pull.

Earlier I mentioned "booster pump" when I should have said I have an AquaticLife RO Buddie Booster. I am not sure how different an RO Buddie is than a booster pump but I just went with their install instructions. I may deviate now though.

 

[H2OPlayar]

I should consider this as well- push better than pull.

Earlier I mentioned "booster pump" when I should have said I have an AquaticLife RO Buddie Booster. I am not sure how different an RO Buddie is than a booster pump but I just went with their install instructions. I may deviate now though.

The manufacturer instructions are good to go by.

 

[PjFish]

I just had @Srt4eric add on a triple DI saver kit ($100 at BRS) for me with a booster pump ($135) so I now have 0.5 um sediment, chloramine rated carbon block x2, ROx2 (water saver setup), cation, anion, mixed bed, with waste into the pond. TDS coming in is like 240, output is zero. Can fill a 5g jug in about 40 min (pretty close to the 200gpd rating). Previously blew through a new mixed bed column in probably less than 300 gallons. Hopefully this lasts longer, but we'll see.

I basically made my own mixed bed with the leftover cation and anion beads since they give a little extra each pouch.

Whats your water waste ratio now any improvement?

 

[PjFish]

Ive had two 10 inch unused cartridges of color changing mixed bed Di in the garage for 2 years I just found. There unopened and sealed anyway to tell if their still good?
Also need to order more mixed bed DI cartridges and thinking about getting the loose bags stuff to refill my cartridges wondering if it all the same since a tone of brands on amazon??Or just stick with the pre filled ones the but loose bags seem better deals.. Any source links would be appreciated
Thanks
Paul

 

[ReyDeFarts]

Mylar is good, you want to keep the CO2 out and sealed up tight per @ReyDeFarts

Ideally, vacuum sealed. I have a food saver which makes quick work of it.

 

[divewsharks]

I run 2 membranes > Anion > Cation > Mixed Bed. Never thought about making my own mixed bed out of the leftovers from each pack of Anion+Cation.
Using the DI Packing Kit from Printed Reef has made changing all the resins very easy compared to the PVC kit i first had from BRS.