RO System Slime Build up

[Cobra1365]

My ECO Water RO system has been going thru pre filters at a rate of 1 per month!

Today, I cut into the filter I removed and found a thick coat of white slime that looked like silicone grease! This despite having a 5 micron spin down , 10 micron sediment and carbon block filter system BEFORE the RO system!

The rep that sold me the system recommends I shock my well (40 ft well 2 1/2 hrs old).

Thoughts?

 

[Valveman]

Sorry for the lack of responses. I will move this to the softener forum where you may get more help. I would at least have the stuff tested so you know what you are dealing with.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

My ECO Water RO system has been going thru pre filters at a rate of 1 per month!

Today, I cut into the filter I removed and found a thick coat of white slime that looked like silicone grease! This despite having a 5 micron spin down , 10 micron sediment and carbon block filter system BEFORE the RO system!

The rep that sold me the system recommends I shock my well (40 ft well 2 1/2 hrs old).

Thoughts?

1. I doubt that you have a 5 micron spin down filter. A spin down filter would normally be for courser stuff, and would typically precede the cartridge filter.
2. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my sanitizing write-up. I understand that it is more intense than typical sanitizing methods.
3. Be aware that carbon filters take out chlorine. You will need to bypass or empty the cartridges from the housings to pass chlorine to the downstream stuff to sanitize. I think RO units need special procedures for sanitizing.

 

[Taylorjm]

Yeah you don't have enough prefilters before the ro filter. You need at least a 5 micron sediment filter then maybe a 1 micron before the ro. You shouldn't have a carbon filter before your ro, the carbon goes after the ro if at all.

 

[Bannerman]

You shouldn't have a carbon filter before your ro,

Because an RO system's TFC membrane is intolerant to chlorine, when the supply is chlorinated, a GAC carbon cartridge is utilized before the membrane to remove chlorine prior to the membrane. A carbon block cartridge will be commonly utilized after the storage tank, to polish the purilfied water flowing to the RO faucet and any ice & water dispensor.

 

[Bannerman]

found a thick coat of white slime that looked like silicone grease!

To determine the water composition, obtain a comprehensive lab test for your raw well water.

A testing lab often recommended on this forum is National Labs Water-Check.

https://watercheck.com/collections/symptom-checker

 

[Cobra1365]

A bit of clarification:
I’m on a 40’ well, not municipal water. So, not chlorinated.
I mistyped the filter specs. It’s a 50 micron spin down followed by a 10 micron sediment then a carbon block. These are all post pressure tank and before the soda ash system.
The RO feed is post soda ash contact tank and has a pre-filter, membrane and post filter. They are sealed cartridges, so no servicing them.
The slime is only found on the pre filter…nowhere else.

I might be barking up the wrong tree. But, the waste water line from the system runs to a line I had for my old water softener. That line empties to a submerged drum in the yard. I’m not convinced that line is not partially blocked. So, I’m going to run the waste line to the sink drain via a saddle drain. (System is in the garage, not under sink).

BTW, water was tested previously by State lab and only found to be slightly acidic and with nitrates, hence the soda ash and RO. I’m having the water tested again after finding the slime.