Can You Recommend a Good RO/DI Unit?

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ianeberle

Aquarium Advice Freak
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Aug 11, 2012
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Crestview, FL
I didn't know whether to post this in saltwater or freshwater... My tanks are freshwater, but it's my understanding that RO water is the same no matter which. I figured more salt guys use RO machines, so this forum will do.

I'm looking to buy a RO/DI water unit for my house. Here's what I'm looking for the unit to do:

- I don't want to permanently plumb it in my laundry room or under my sink. I would like to keep the unit free-standing and just hook it up to the sink faucet or outside where the garden hose hooks up when I need it.

- I have a 36 gallon and a 10 gallon that I do 30-40% water changes on weekly. Since I want to hook the machine up whenever I want to use it, I want a unit that can make the amount of water I need each week in no more than 4 hours.

- Something with inexpensive filter replacements.

I'm not looking for anything special... Just something that I can use once a week to produce RO water for my aquariums. I'm looking to spend around $100 and I don't want to spend any more than $130, but the cheaper, the better.

Once again, I want a unit that I can use when I want to! Not something that is permanently attached to my plumbing. I want to be able to wake up on Sunday (when I do water changes), take the RO unit outside, unhook the garden hose, attach the RO unit, and start making water.
 
I have yet to get my unit but if you are looking fot something to produce RO in 4 hrs you will probably be looking at $175.00 depending on how many gallons you are wanting to produce in that time frame.
 
I've actually been doing some research... Scratch the 4 hours thing. I think that I can easily set up my unit in my garage or laundry room to be a permanent thing. After watching some YouTube videos, it looks like everyone is getting the one from Bulk Reef Supply... It says specially made for reef tanks. Is that a marketing gimmick to get salt people to buy it or will it work okay with my freshwater too?
 
It'll work for fresh as well. Rodi is rodi regardless of its application. I'd suggest the 5 stage plus model from BRS. Gl!
 
The main thing I'm concerned about is hooking it up in my garage or laundry room incorrectly, then coming home one day to find that I destroyed my hot water heater or something... I've been watching some YouTube videos and it looks like it's fairly popular to put it in the laundry room with a Y splitter. However, it would be more convenient to put it in my garage because a storage container in the laundry room would make it cramped (it's a small room).

Do most of these filters come with detailed instructions on how to set them up?

The most I am willing to spend is $120, so will this one work okay? BRS 4 Stage Value RO/DI System - 75GPD - Bulk Reef Supply

Also, I'm probably going to get a 30 gallon container to store excess water in. Where would be the best place to buy something like that? If I get some standard container from Lowes, do I risk any contaminants from the plastic getting into the water?

If I get a container and have the unit running 24/7, I'll probably get this too. Will it work with the unit linked above?
Reverse Osmosis Float Valve - Bulk Reef Supply
 
Filter Direct Online Store (C)

I have this exact system, except mine was an RD-106 (With out the booster pump), I added a booster pump years later, best thing I ever did for my RO system.

The RD-106 provides you with an ouput that is RO+DI for aquarium water, and an output for drinking water (Sink Faucet/Ice Maker).

If you don't want a drinking water system and only plan to use it for Aquarium use only, then i suggest this system:

Filter Direct Online Store (C) (100 GPD)
Filter Direct Online Store (C) (150GPD)

The BRS isn't a bad deal, comes with a built in TDS meter, many people say the 75GPD membrane actually creates more pure water than a 100GPD membrane.

At the end of the day remember that most of these systems all use the same components, its just how they package them and market them. So find the best bang for the buck. Just make sure it uses STANDARD filters & membrane, you will always be able to find filters/parts for them.

What ever you do I would not even think about an RO system with out a booster pump (Unless your house pressure is 75-80PSI), the booster pump makes a night and day difference boosting your house pressure to 80PSI making your RO system run at 100% capacity and waste less water.

My 75GPD membrane (Use to be 100GPD, but changed to 75GPD), probably made MAYBE 20-30GPD before the booster pump @ 54PSI house water pressure. Now with the booster pump running I get 78GPD production out of my 75GPD membrane @ 80PSI input pressure.

-TheChad
 
i just bought a ro/di unit for my 20 long and my friend who has a 20 as well. I bought the 75 gpd 4 stage plus from bulkreefsupply and i love it! the built in tds meter and pressure gauge is perfect, sturdy product but i dont know anything about the set up so if it were to mess up I would be screwed. Every 2 weeks or so ill hook it up to my backyard garden hose and fill up 10 gallons, takes all morning. It cost 180 but was worth it, if you buy your own tds meter it will be confusing to install if you dont know anything about ro units like me.
 
Here's a question for you... The reason I need RODI water is because I spent $100 on some orange eye blue tiger shrimp with the sole intent on breeding them and selling the offspring to fellow hobbyists. They produce about 20 offspring a month and each shrimp is worth about $7. This could easily pay for all of my aquarium expenses without me having to break the bank buying fish, supplies, etc.

My shrimp aren't breeding, though. Pretty much everyone tells me I need RODI water which is perfect. The shrimp tank is only 10 gallons and I change about 3 gallons every week. I COULD use RODI water in my 36 gallon, but all my fish in there do fine with regular tap. So I only NEED the water in my 10 gallon which results in only 3 gallons a week.

Would it just save me the headache and the expense of my own RODI unit if I just went to the grocery store and paid the $0.30 a gallon to fill up jugs there? My LFS also sells water, but it's 30 minutes away and the grocery store is only like 5 minutes away. Plus the LFS sells it for $0.70 which is more than twice as much.

Since I only need 3 gallons a week, would I just be smart to get the water from the grocery store?
 
youll have to buy a tds meter and somehow test their water because there is no knowing how often they change their filters, you can try asking them
 
I already have a TDS meter. My tap water is 120 ppm, so anything would be better than that.

I mainly need the RODI water for the low pH qualities and the pureness of it. So even if its like 10 ppm at the grocery store, it would probably do.
 
I have the 5 stage ro/di from brs. I have well water and awful tds. It takes my reading from up in the hundreds to .04 at the most. My parents are on the same well and have a massive system plumbed into their house with uv filters and a ton else. I accomplished more than them for a fraction of the price with the 5 stage. The nice thing about it is that you can order a drinking faucet and pressure tank along with it. I did and it is very easy to set up, I just never got around to it. It comes with an adapter for your faucet or there are others to choose from. Hope this helps.
 
I think I'm just going to buy RO water from the grocery store or LFS... Since I only need 3 gallons a week, it makes the most sense.
 
I'm still not sure, guys... Here's two more products I've been looking at.

At less than $100, this one is fairly inexpensive.
Aquarium II Ro Di Reverse Osmosis Water Filter Aquasafe | eBay

This isn't an RO/DI unit, but it's much cheaper. Would I get similar results?
Aquarium Water Quality: Tap Water Filter

No the tap water filter is a waste. It will not do even close to what an ro/di unit does. Also the unit you listed looks cheaply made. Look at bulk reef supply 75gph economy unit. $120 for a great unit that produces 0 TDS water. Also the fittings and adapters are all supplied and they are top notch push connect fittings.

I bought this unit and it paid for itself in the forat 6 months. 120 bucks equals about 10 trips to the fish store for water for me, easily worth it to save money and your tank will love you for it.
 
how much does water cost in util bill
people say it pays itself off but im dumping out like 40 gallons of water per 10 gallons every 2 weeks, feels like im paying way more :/
 
I have the 7stage aqua safe Canada rodi unit that is on eBay it is a pretty solid unit. I would reccomend it. Mine came with 5 sets of prefilters and 2 membranes and di resin
 
No the tap water filter is a waste. It will not do even close to what an ro/di unit does. Also the unit you listed looks cheaply made. Look at bulk reef supply 75gph economy unit. $120 for a great unit that produces 0 TDS water. Also the fittings and adapters are all supplied and they are top notch push connect fittings.

I bought this unit and it paid for itself in the forat 6 months. 120 bucks equals about 10 trips to the fish store for water for me, easily worth it to save money and your tank will love you for it.

I just ordered this one. Thanks for everyone's help :)
 
Can You Recommend a Good RO / DI Unit?

I hate sharing links here on Aquarium Advice, but I feel this one is pretty necessary. I bought the Bulk Reef Supply unit about a month ago and I wrote an extensive review about it...

Review: Bulk Reef Supply 5 Stage RO/DI Unit

Thanks for everyone's help with me picking it out.

That was an awesome review.... Just one quick question here how much of an increase dollar amount on your water bill from before installing the unit to after installing the unit???
That is what has been holding me back from ordering my own unit not knowing how much of an increase it would be?????
 
Think about it... I use 15 gallons a week and I believe it's 1:3 waste water of something. So at most, that's 50 gallons a week or so. The average bathtub holds about 40 gallons.

So really they don't affect your water bill at all. That's like filling up the bathtub once every week.
 
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