What water used for initially cleaning perserv.out of ro

[Johnjenner]

So I'm wondering what everyone is using for their initial flush on there are R/O membranes prior to maple syrup season. Obviously I don't have R/O water and last year I just use tapwater. We have a well and the water is very good. I'm just wondering what everyone else is doing? I know you're not supposed to use tapwater but didn't have any choice.

Thanks

[to100]

House water is usually good. No chlorine and iron in water. If chlorinated fill some barrels and let it sit for a few days. Chlorine will evaporate. Some people buy truck load. A lot depends on your size.

[ennismaple]

We run the first sap of the season through the membrane for 15 minutes to flush them out.

[DrTimPerkins]

We've used three different approaches depending on the year. All seem to work.
1. Deionize/demineralize our well water (we have a lot of iron and manganese in our water).
2. Get RO water from a large producer nearby
3. Use sap

[JoeJ]

I was told by a maple membrane dealer that if you have 600 gallon membranes, you should use 600 gal. of water for each membrane. Also use water that is low in iron and manganese. I was also told not to use sap because you will immediately foul your clean membranes with the minerals in the sap.

[DrTimPerkins]

I was told by a maple membrane dealer that if you have 600 gallon membranes, you should use 600 gal. of water for each membrane. Also use water that is low in iron and manganese. I was also told not to use sap because you will immediately foul your clean membranes with the minerals in the sap.

All true. This is why we demineralize our well water if we use it.

Using sap is a last resort, sometimes the only way to rinse for those sugarhouses without a clean water source (or any water source). It is often better to use sap than to use well water, as the water taken up by trees will be lower in many minerals. This approach is used only once at the beginning of the season, after which you have permeate to wash/rinse.

[sapman]

I've always followed the directions to rinse/wash several times to start with. Is the general consensus that's unnecessary?