ALTAPONICS RO 400 User manual

Alta RO 400
User Manual

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Table of contents
1. Introduction / Features p.4
2. Reverse Osmosis principle p.5
3. Precautions p.7
4. What’s included ? P.8
5. How to use push-in / quick connect fittings p.9
6. Installation & operation instructions p.10
7. Maintenance / Filters replacement p.17
8. Parts specifications p.19
9. Troubleshooting & Technical support p.21
10. Warranty terms p.23
11. Return policy p.25

Figure B : Reverse osmosis principle
Figure A : Natural osmosis phenomenon
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1. Introduction / Features
Our mission at Altaponics is to build water treatment systems using state-of-the-art
technology to offer you the most advanced and innovative products, providing the best
performance for hydroponics and horticulture applications. Compact, simple, efcient
and reliable are the design principles behind our unique Alta RO 400. We succeeded
in creating the most user-friendly experience without compromising on the results.
This way you can focus on growing while our lter reduces your water consumption
and improves the quality and yields of your crops.
Features
•400GPD(at 77°F, 70 psi and 500 ppm TDS)
•User-friendlyandcompactdesign(W14.5”xD5”xH16.75”)
•Pressuregaugewithoptimumoperationrange
•2-in-1Sediment&Carbonlter
•LatestlowpressuredroplterandROtechnologyforhigheroutput
•Highchlorinecapacityupto20,000gal@1gpm
•HighperformanceROmembrane,98%ofsaltrejection(TDS)
•Safetystopvalveintegratedineachlterhead
•Blindcapaccessoryforeasystart-upandindividuallterdiagnostic
•BlendingfeaturetoadjustproductTDS
•Standaloneorwallmountinstallation
•Uniquecartridgedesignforeasyreplacement,notoolsrequired
•Reducedwaterconsumption,2:1or1:1*wastetoproductratio
(*depending on feed water TDS)
•Sediment&carbon2-in-1ltermeetsNSF/ANSI/CAN42standards
•ROmembranemeetsNSF/ANSI/CAN58,61standards
•AssembledintheUSA
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Pure water
Pure water Salt solution
P>π
P:applied pressure
Π:osmotic pressure
P
π
Figure B : Reverse osmosis principle
Pure waterSalt solution Salt solution
π
Figure A : Natural osmosis phenomenon
When a pressure (P) greater than the osmotic pressure (π) is applied to the salt solu‐
tion, it is possible to reverse the ow direction through the membrane, as illustrated in
gure B. This is the origin of the term “reverse osmosis” (RO). Water ows from the
salt solution to the pure water compartment inducing a pure water ow through the
membrane. As the membrane is not permeable to salt, the concentration increases in
the salt solution.
Reverse osmosis principle
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2. Reverse Osmosis principle
Natural osmosis phenomenon
To understand reverse osmosis, we rst need to take a look at the natural osmosis
phenomenon, as illustrated in gure A. The setup is made of two compartments sep‐
arated by a “semi-permeable” membrane. The membrane is permeable to water but
not to salt. If one compartment is lled with pure water and the other with a salt solu‐
tion, pure water starts to ow through the membrane in direction of the salt solution to
lower its concentration. The system tends towards an equilibrium to balance the salt
concentration in each compartment.
The water level of the salt solution rises up to a level where the force resulting from
the water column height stops the ow. The water column height obtained at the equi‐
librium is converted to a pressure, called the osmotic pressure (π). It is directly propor‐
tional to the initial concentration of salt present in the salt solution. This is the phe‐
nomenon of osmosis as designed by Mother Nature.
Semi-permeable membrane

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The Alta RO 400 was designed to operate at a standard waste to product ratio of 2:1
( ), to provide the optimum combination between performance, lifetime and
water consumption for most conditions.
In case your feed water has a low TDS
(Total Dissolved Solid < 275 ppm), the waste to product ratio can be increased up
to 1:1 using the other supplied ow restrictor
().Itwillsavewastewaterand
improve the product ow rate.
Use 1:1 ow restrictor only if the feed water TDS is lower than 275 ppm, with
higher TDS there is a risk to damage the RO membrane.
Figure C : RO membrane operation
Filter cartridge
Feed water
Semi-permeable
membrane
Flow restrictor
Waste water
(RO concentrate)
Product water
(RO permeate)
RO membrane operation
In practice, the reverse osmosis principle applies as illustrated in gure C. Feed water
is supplied to the system at a higher pressure than the osmotic pressure. It allows for
pure water to ow through the semi-permeable membrane. The RO operates in
“cross-ow ltration” with continuous product and waste water ow. The inlet ow is
divided in two parts, the product, or RO permeate, and the waste, or RO concentrate.
The RO permeate to concentrate ow ratio is crucial, it governs the salt concentration
reached in the RO concentrate. It inuences the membrane performance, lifetime and
the water consumption. If the concentration factor is too high there is a risk of salt
precipitation in the RO concentrate. It can lead to a gradual decline in RO permeate
ow and quality. The waste to product ratio is controlled by the ow restrictor installed
on the waste water line.

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3. Precautions
• Do not connect unit where inlet water pressure might exceed 80 psi or if there are
signicant sudden water pressure uctuations such as water hammers. If the maximal
inlet pressure is higher than 80 psi you must install a 3/8” pressure reducer upstream
of the lter system. Pressure reducers are available at www.altaponics.com.
•Theminimumrequiredpressuretooperatetheunitis40psi.Ifyourinletpressureis
lower than 40 psi it is highly recommended to install a booster pump. Booster pumps
are available at www.altaponics.com.
•Ashut-offvalvemustbeinstalledupstreamoftheunitonthefeedwatersupply.
• If the product has been stored below freezing point (32°F), leave the unpacked
product at the ambient temperature of the installation location for a minimum of 24
hours prior to operation.
•Keepunitawayfromelectricaloutletsandelectricaldevices.
•Donotinstallunitinalocationwherealeakorfailuremaycausedamage.
•Donotinstalltheunitnearheatsources,openreornakedames.
•Chemicals,solventsandvaporsmustnotcomeintocontactwiththeltersystem.
•Unauthorizedalterationstotheunitandtechnicalmodicationsarenotpermitted.
•Theinstallationlocationmustbeprotectedagainstfreezinganddirectsunlight.
• In the event of an extended break (> 5 days), close the valve in the inlet of the lter
system.
• The unit performance was rated at 77°F, 70 psi and 500 ppm TDS. Depending on
your local conditions, you may experience different performance. For example, colder
water temperature, lower inlet pressure or higher feed TDS will result in a slower ow
rate.
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4. What’s included?
1. Wall mount plate
2. Filter head brackets
3. Feed water push-in connector 3/8”
4. Inlet pressure gauge with recommended operating range
5. Filter Head with integrated stop valve*
6. Sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter
7. RO Head with integrated stop valve*
8. RO membrane 400 gpd (rated at 77°F, 70 psi and 500 ppm TDS)
9. RO product water push-in connector 1/4”
10. Drain water push-in connector 1/4”
11. Automatic shut-off valve, push-in connectors 1/4”
12. RO product valve, push-in connectors 1/4”
13. Combined rinsing valve & ow restrictor:
a. Standard 2:1 waste:product ratio =
b. Low feed TDS (< 275 ppm) 1:1 waste:product ratio =
14. Inlet tubing 3/8” (white, 5 ft) + RO product tubing 1/4” (blue, 8 ft) + Waste water
tubing 1/4” (white, 8 ft)
15. Inlet connector, garden hose adapter female 3/4” to push-in connector 3/8”
16. Blind cap for lter head
17. Tube cutter
18. Drain saddle clamp with push-in connector 1/4”
*Stop valve: The integrated lter head stop valve prevents water to ow when there is no lter
connected.
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Our water lters use push-in / quick connect ttings for easy assembly and mainten‐
ance. To connect the tube simply push it in by hand, no tools required.
a) Make a proper tube cut
c) Check the connection
b) Connect the tube
b) Disconnect the tubing
Use the tube cutter supplied with your
Alta RO lter. Cut the tube square and
make sure the outside diameter is free
from any score marks or sharp edges.
Pull on the tube to check that the con‐
nection is secure. If the tube comes out,
push it again all the way in until the tube
stop. Pressurize the system and inspect
to ensure there is no leak.
Push the tube into the tting until the
tube stop. The collet (gripper) has stain‐
less steel teeth that hold the tube rmly
in place while the o-ring prevents from
any leakage.
Prior to disconnect the tubing, the tubing
and tting must be depressurized. Push
the collet evenly against the tting body
and pull the tubing in the opposite direc‐
tion to disconnect it.
Collet (gripper)
O-ring
Tube stop
5. How to use push-in /quick connect fittings
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1110
6. Installation & operation instructions
Please read carefully the following installation and operation instructions prior to in‐
stalling and operating the lter unit.
Installation
Feed pressure recommendations:
•The system is designed to operate from 40 to 80 psi.
•If the maximal inlet pressure is higher than 80 psi you must install a 3/8” pressure
reducer upstream of the lter system. Pressure reducers are available at
www.altaponics.com.
•If your inlet pressure is lower than 40 psi it is recommended to install a booster
pump. Booster pumps are available at www.altaponics.com.
Filter cartridge:
Prior to installing a new lter, always write the installation date at the back of the
lter in the designated area. It will allow you to keep track of your lter replacement
schedule.
A B
Push the lter cartridge straight into the head and screw counter clockwise. After 1.5
rotation the lter should be locked in its nal position. To remove the lter simply un‐
screw the lter clockwise. Make sure you install the sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter in
the A lter head and the RO membrane in the B lter head.

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Wall-mount
The lter unit can be used as a stand-alone unit or directly mounted on a wall.
Use the 3 designated holes to x the
unit on a wall. The hardware used to se‐
cure the wall mount plate depends on
your wall material and is not included.
The recommended weight capacity is
minimum 15 lbs per attachment point.
Center arrow should be in upward
position to ensure lter head brack‐
ets are correctly positioned.
min 2.75"
Make sure to leave a sufcient space of
at least 2.75” below the lter cartridge to
allow for easy replacement.
If needed, the lter head assembly can
be reverted to connect the unit inlet /
outlet ports in the opposite direction, to
best t your installation conditions.
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The product and drain assembly is delivered with the standard 2:1 waste to product
ratio ow restrictor ( ). It provides the optimum combination between perform‐
ance, lifetime and water consumption for most conditions. In case your feed water
TDS is low (< 275 ppm), the waste to product ratio can be increased up to 1:1 using
the other supplied ow restrictor ( ). It will save waste water and improve the
product ow rate.
Use 1:1 ow restrictor only if the feed water TDS is lower than 275 ppm, with a
higher TDS there is a risk to damage the RO membrane.
Product and drain assembly
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Connect the 1/4” blue tubing to the RO product port
and the 1/4” white tubing to the waste port, on top of
the RO membrane lter head.
Tubing connection
Connect 3/8” white tubing to the lter system inlet, 1/4” blue tubing to the RO product and
1/4” white tubing to the RO waste. The included garden hose adapter can be connected
to your source water. Other tting options are available at
www.altaponics.com.
Drain saddle kit
Drill a 1/4” hole in a compatible 1 1⁄2” standard drain
pipe such as under your sink. Mount the drain clamp
with the included gasket, 1/4” tube connector facing
the hole. Connect the other end of the 1/4” RO waste
tubing to the saddle clamp.
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Start-up
Following a new lter installation, always turn on feed water slowly to evacuate the air
present in the system. Full feed water pressure can be restored once all the air has
been properly ushed out.
Step 1: Flush sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter
Install blind cap instead of RO membrane lter cartridge. Slowly turn on feed water to
ush the air out of the sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter. Once air was ushed out,
restore feed water pressure and rinse sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter for a minimum
of 5 min. With the blind cap in place the complete ow is diverted through the RO
product line.
Step 2: Flush RO membrane
Turn feed water off and replace the blind cap with the RO membrane. Make sure the
RO bypass is in position 0. If necessary, press the button and turn the lter head cap
clockwise all the way to reach position 0.
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Closed
position
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Slowly turn on feed pressure to ush air out of the RO membrane, the product and the
rinsing valves must be in the open rinse position. Once air was ushed out, restore
feed water pressure and rinse for 2-3 min, than set the rinsing valve into ow restrictor
position and rinse for at least another 20 min. It may take up to 1 hour to rinse out the
food grade preservative used to condition the RO membrane.
It is not uncommon to observe a slight evolution of the performance for a new RO
membrane that has just been wet. Allow a few hours of operation after start-up for the
operation parameters to stabilize.
Open position Flow restrictor
position
Step 3: Pressure test
Close the blue RO product valve to stop the pure water production. The automatic
shut-off valve closes to stop the waste ow. The complete lter is now pressurized. It
is a good way to assess if ttings and tubing connections are secured properly and
that there are no leaks.
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Concentrate rinse
After each use, the unit should be rinsed for 2-3 min with the rinsing valve in
open rinse position. This will considerably extend the RO membrane lifetime by
lowering the salt concentration in the concentrate chamber and avoid scale build-up
during stand-by. It is also highly recommended to rinse the unit once a week when not
in use.
Open
position
Product rinse and operation
Operation
It is normal to observe higher product conductivity / TDS at start following a stand-by
time. We recommend to rinse the unit for 2-3 min with the product water diverted to
drain to obtain optimum water quality prior to use. During the initial rinse and standard
operation, the rinsing valve should be in ow restrictor position.
Flow restrictor
position
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Automatic shut-off valve operation
The automatic shut-off valve function is to fully stop the unit and avoid waste water
ow when the product valve is closed. By closing the product valve, the pressure on
the product side rises to a level where it triggers the piston inside the automatic shut-
off valve to close and stop the waste ow.
Bypass settings
The Alta RO lter is equipped with a unique blending feature. Depending on your ap‐
plication, a low TDS might not be ideal and you might want to increase the mineral
content of your water. With the blending feature you can set the TDS of the product
water by blending the RO product with dechlorinated ltered water, or even com‐
pletely bypass the RO membrane. The cap on top of the RO membrane lter head can
be set to 4 different positions:
•Position 0: no blending
•Position 1: 35 % bypass
•Position 2: 50 % bypass
•Position 3: 100 % bypass
Above values are rated at 70 psi & 77 °F. Results may slightly differ depending on
your local operating conditions.
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To adjust the blending setting, push the button and turn the lter head cap clockwise or
counter clockwise until the required bypass setting is reached and the cap snaps into place.

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7. Maintenance / Filters replacement
The sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter and the RO membrane are already integrated into
the cartridge. This makes replacement much easier with no need for tools compared
to standard lter elements and RO membranes. It saves you time and prevents the
risk of improper brine seal installation leading to potential leaks and poor RO product
water quality.
Replacement intervals
•Sediment & Carbon 2-in-1 lter: 6 - 12 months or 20,000 gal @ 1 gpm
•RO membrane: 6 - 24 months
It is important that you replace the sediment & carbon lter at least once a year, before
the 20,000 gal capacity is reached or when the ow rate is too low. If your incoming
water has a high sediment level you might have to replace the sediment & carbon 2-in-
1 lter more often. Sediments progressively accumulate in the lter element, the
pressure loss rises and the ow becomes slower. Do not exceed the lter capacity,
there is a risk of chlorine leakage that will damage the RO membrane.
The RO membrane should last from 6 to 24 months. The lifetime depends on your
local feed water conditions (TDS, hardness, silica, iron ...), the usage frequency and
quantity of RO water produced. A proper sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter maintenance
will help improve the lifetime of your RO membrane as well as perform adequate con‐
centrate rinse after each use or at least once a week when the unit is in stand-by. The
RO membrane should be replaced when the product ow becomes too low or the
product TDS too high.
Filter replacement
Prior to installing a new lter, always write the installation date at the back of the lter
in the designated area. It will allow you to keep track of your lter replacement
schedule.
Always turn off the feed water and release the pressure in the system. If not done
properly the stop valve in each lter head will prevent water to ow when you remove
the lter for additional safety.
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To remove the cartridge simply unscrew clockwise until the cartridge disconnects from
the lter head. To install the new cartridge, push the lter cartridge straight into the
head and screw counter clockwise. After 1.5 rotation the lter should be locked in its
nal position. Make sure you install the sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter in the A lter
head and the RO membrane in the B lter head.
Refer to “start-up” on page 13 to properly commission a new sediment & carbon 2-in-
1 lter or RO membrane.
A B
B

•Lower nominal ltration rating
•Higher surface area
•Higher chlorine reduction capacity and efciency
•Lower pressure drop allows for more ow rate
•More resistant to clogging
•Longer lifetime
⁕MeetsNSF/ANSI/CAN42standards.
Note: Use 2-in-1 sediment & carbon lter with clean water, microbiology safe and properly
disinfected.
Features & Benets compared to GAC lters
8. Parts specifications
Sediment & carbon 2-in-1 filter
Our innovative sediment & carbon 2-in-1 lter is manufactured from cellulose bers as
small as 50 nanometers in diameter. Compared to a traditional carbon block or GAC
lter, it allows for an increased ltration surface area. The benets are a lower pres‐
sure loss, an increased lifetime and a lower degree of ltration down to 1 μm.
The activated carbon is immobilized directly on the bers to ensure the chlorine /
chloramines removal. There is no more need to install 2 separate lters. Our 2-in-1
lter can handle both sediments and chlorine with enhanced performance compared
to traditional lters, saving you costs and space.
•Material : Cellulose bers - activated carbon
•Nominal operation ow rate : 1 gpm
•Chlorine taste and odor reduction capacity : 20,000 gal @ 1 gpm
•Max. operating pressure : 120 psi
•Ambient temperature : 40 ... 105 °F
•Feed water temperature : 40 ... 85°F
•Initial pressure loss at nominal ow rate : 1 psi @ 1 gpm
•Size (OD x Length) : 4.25’’ x 15’’
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Reverse osmosis membrane
Our reverse osmosis membrane meets the highest quality standards established in
the industry. Its high performance and reliability will provide you consistent water qual‐
ity perfectly adapted for hydroponics and horticulture applications.
•Membrane type : Polyamide thin lm composite
•Nominal salt rejection : 98 %
•Ambient temperature : 40 ... 105 °F
•Feed water temperature : 40 ... 85°F
•Max. operating pressure : 80 psi
•Max. feed ow rate : 0.8 gpm
•pH range, continuous operation : 2 – 11
•Max. feed water turbidity : 1 NTU
•Max. feed silt density index (SDI15) : < 3 % / min
•Max. feed water TDS : 1000 ppm
•Max. feed water hardness : 350 ppm CaCO3
•Oxidizing substances tolerance : < 0.05 ppm
•Iron & manganese tolerance : < 0.05 ppm
•Silicate as SiO2 tolerance : < 15 ppm
•Size (OD x Length) : 4.25’’ x 15’’
⁕MeetsNSF/ANSI/CAN58,61standards
Note: Operation of the RO membrane outside of the above parameters will void the warranty.