[bongobrian]

Hey guys check this out, when I recently moved there was a time period of about a month (let's just say two months for an extreme maximum) where I didn't use my R/O unit. I never opened the unit, but I wasn't getting any water run through it. I did end up replacing the sediment and carbon filter, but I did not replace the membrane. I've been running the R/O unit for the past couple of weeks and I've used probably about 20 gallons of water in my tank. The thing I'm concerned about is the condition of the membrane. What do you guys think? do you think it's still ok even after going about 2 months without getting any water run through it? is there a way that I can test the overall quality of water coming from the unit? I'm just wondering if this could be related to the stress that I've seen in my corals. Everything was doing excellent until about a month after I moved. This was about the same time that I started using the R/O water, but for some reason I think the corals started showing stress just before I began using the R/O again, because that is why I started doing a lot of water changes. My open brain coral is doing a little better, but my tree leather has been showing a little stress, and I have a colony of yellow polyps where only some of them are opening up, and certain ones stay closed. This is the sort of thing that really ticks me off because there are no obvious reasons that I can see. I'd like to get to the bottom of this before all my corals die. Thanks.

[scubadude]

Originally posted by bongobrian
What do you guys think? do you think it's still ok even after going about 2 months without getting any water run through it? is there a way that I can test the overall quality of water coming from the unit?

I think you would be ok..Usually most RO units have a restrictor flex hose (most units come with instructions on how many inches equal how many drops per min/sec...just unscrew the connector your wastewater comes out and see if you can pull something out of the hose (its the restrictor)...and you can change it by cutting off a little at the end of it...but be careful if you cut too much you need a new restrictor valve! alot of the RO units now have a flush valve, and you turn the valve and flush the RO unit out every once in a while...and Im sure you could do it with yours. I have been flushing mine out once a week atleast but I have been filtering alot of Gallons.

[scubadude]

Oh yeah...on testing the water...just break down and spend 40bux on a TDS meter. That will definately help!

http://www.aquaticreefsystems.com/TDS_Meters.htm

[organicreefer]

to my knowledge, the membrane must stay wet at all times ,and when you arent going to use it for an extended period(and i beleive the reccomedationn was a month or more)you should keep the membrane in a ziploc in the fridge.
imo,it could be causing youre problems.