RO Water questions and filtering

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MsBeanCtr

Aquarium Advice FINatic
Joined
Sep 27, 2006
Messages
934
Location
Washington State
I've decided that I need to invest in an RO filtering system. I thought I'd run a few ideas by you folks and get your input.

My first and most major problem is that I am very limited in space and would need to get a filtering system that is mobile. I'd like to be able to use the filter system in a bathroom, run it for a day to get my 15 gallons of water and then be able to pack it away.

The other question I have is.....is there a filtering system for purifying natural seawater? I am on the water and have access to sea water. Would it be better to go that route instead?

I know that it sounds like I want an easy fix for this... but since I am limited on space, I don't really feel like I have a lot of options at this point. I could continue to purchase my ro water but that is a hassle too.

Any suggestions or comments??
 
I have read you can buy a sink adaptor that will fit those. I would shoot for RO/DI. To purify seawater, you might be able to get away with a UV, but I doubt that would get out the pollution. It will kill some of the bad bacteria/algae and parasites, but I wouldn't put that at 100% kill rate.
 
When I was still using my RO unit I bought the sink adapter. That way I hauled it out from under the sink when I was going to use it, hooked it up to the sink, then just unhooked it and stored it back under the sink when I was done.
 
When I was still using my RO unit I bought the sink adapter. That way I hauled it out from under the sink when I was going to use it, hooked it up to the sink, then just unhooked it and stored it back under the sink when I was done.

Hey! That's exactly what I had in mind. Would you mind telling me what brand/model of ro unit you had?

Thanks!
 
My RO/DI unit has a hose adapter where I can just hook it up to a garden hose in my tool shed. I make it out there.
 
MsBeanCtr said:
The other question I have is.....is there a filtering system for purifying natural seawater? I am on the water and have access to sea water. Would it be better to go that route instead?

If I remember correctly, you're in my neck of the woods - probably pretty darn close to where I grew up! I wouldn't even think of putting water from Puget Sound or Hood Canal in my tank... sterilized or not! I remember fishing with my Dad for bottom fish, and pulling up the ling cods and flounders with three eyes and funky fins. Thought it was funny then. Looking back on it now, and understanding how much junk the local industry (aka the Navy) dumped into the waters over the years, I'll be amazed if I don't end up with some type of stomach cancer from the bottom fish we all ate in our younger years. I think I'd put unfiltered tap water in my tank before I put in water from Puget Sound!
 
I think I'd put unfiltered tap water in my tank before I put in water from Puget Sound!

Yup, we're almost within yelling distance from each other.

I know what you mean about the water here......looks like something from Mr. Burns' power plant....I expect "blinky" to jump up out of the water.

I didn't realize that there was such an assortment of "portable" ro units on the market. I think I was looking at the wrong web sites. Heck, the garden hose idea from melosu sounds perfect!

Excellent info folks! Thanks a million!

:D
 
other than the additional gallons it can produce.....is there any real difference between the 35 and the 60 unit? I'm thinking of just going with the smaller one unless someone can point out something I'm missing here.
 
The units from the doctors are quite expensive compared to the eBay units. I got mine from airwaterice.com 3 years ago. I got the Typhoon III for my 125 gallon tank.

I only hook it up when needed. I use a metal garden hose adapter from home depot to convert the kitchen faucet to a garden hose size. Then I use the garden hose to water line adapter. Take less than a minute to connect it.
 
cmor1701d said:
The units from the doctors are quite expensive compared to the eBay units.

I totally agree. I was not trying to save money. I just wanted to have a reliable place to get parts and replacement parts . If you can get that on ebay with the reliable parts and replacements then go for it. Sometimes I`ve heard people say that once the got the unit they could not find the parts and replacement filters later on.
 
I bought a 100 gpd RO/DI unit off Ebay a few years ago. It has been a great unit. What I have learned since then is that the 100 gpd is not that great of a membrane. I believe it normally has a 92% rejection rate so you will be working the DI a lot harder. It will cause your DI to run out quicker. A 75 gpd membrane has a 98% rejection and the water output difference is marginal.

My unit also came with a small non refillable DI cartridge. The full size color changing cartridges and vertical positioned DI would be better.

I have since upgraded mine and still saved money from what some of the name brand units were. There are a lot more choices now than what was around a few years ago.
 
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