Time to buy an RO/DI unit....

Sorry I'm at work and can't check Ebay pages, but I will look into it when I get home tonight! I'm sure someone else will help in the meantime.
 
Picasso, If I my offer you my :twocents: on this topic.

That unit is junk. Well it comes with stuff you don't really need. Here's a link to a top of the line unit with everything you need and is cheap in cost.

http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm

The third one down for $160 is a by far better buy. I could explain myself if you want, it will be a long post and I'm more than happy to.
I've been there done that, and wished I had done it right the first time & saved the money.

RO/DI unit's over 100 GPD don't really work much better.

The in-line DI units tend to channel which doesn't use all the DI resin. And are harder to replace it than the up-right 10 housing units, and they don't channel.

Clear housing units are best, you can see the filters and DI resin, given you a better Idea of when to change them.

And if you call the phone number on there site, A real human will answer it and speak with you. And you don't need that goofy pressure tank, it's useless. And for a few more $$ you could buy the last one on that page, & and the top-of-the-line with ALL the bells-and whistles!! They've never try'd to sell me something I didn't want or need, and answered every question I ask them. Every time I order something from them they say the shipping is this $$ much. Then a day later I get and e-mail, they always find a way to ship it cheaper and credit my paypal account back with the remaining amount. They just use a standar shipp rate quote.
 
I bought mine from the same place as stag.It makes 100gpd,has zero tds reading even after six months of making 25g. weekly water changes and 20g. weekly for evaporation and even comes with replacement cartridges for five stages.Best investment I've made all year.With a tds meter,unit,replacement cartridges and shipping....$130.
 
I'm gonna encourage you to spend a bit more. Although the ones mentioned will get the job done, I like this one..

http://www.melevsreef.com/rodi.html

It has clear filter housings, which allows you to use colour changing DI media, quick connect fiittings instead of threaded, and can be run without the di cartridge when you want drinking water. 169 bucks....
 
and it also has a vertical DI cartridge instead of horizontal, which apparantly works better.

Now I do also agree that your goal is to get zero TDS in your water, and however you choose to get there, zero is zero. I ended up buying a used spectrapure and so far all is well
 
As long as the filter cartridges are interchangeable anyone should work. If the filters from the one you buy don't last that long then you can replace with a different kind.
 
Melonbob said:
anything bigger than 4 stage is a gimmick IMHO. You should only need the sediment filter, carbon block, a finer carbon block and your DI. The only advantage to a second DI is if you are lazy and let the first get exhausted. Heres another great product...

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI...-75GDP-RO/DI-5-Stage-System/product_info.html
Click to expand...


I agree with you here. I use to deliever a product once a week to the Ofallon Mo. water department. I was able to talk to the guy's who worked there and the chemist there. I showed them print out's of different unit's and was informed that anything over 75 GPD was a gimmick. They explained that the membrane would have to be larger in width and in length to make more. Our sized membranes are only so many wraps of the product there for they will only clean so much. From what I learned from them, you needed these things:

1.A sediment filter of .05 or less
2.A good carbon block filter
3.A chrolrine filter
4.And a vertical DI unit.
5.A quality Membrane

They said to change out the sediment filter every 6 months rather than every year. When I showed them the print out to thefilterguys.com of the DI resin and filter's that I choose asking for there help, they said the quality of the stuff was good, but picked out a different carbon filter ( I had a coconut filter, they choose one that wasn't) and then explained not to use the color changing DI resin, to use the nuclar NON color changing. They also explained that a vertical DI chamber would work by not letting the resin channle like the horizontal does.

I agree that bulkreefsupple.com is a good site too. For me it all depends if I'm buying GFO or Madflake, if so I always toss in a few RO/Di filters too from them, if not I'll get them from thefilterguys.

And on the dual membrane unit's, They explained it to me like this:
If one only does 75 GPD what makes you think that adding another one, that it will then make more?? I just looked at them all stupid like. So if you want more than 75 GPD with these unit's, you'd have to run two different unit's, cause it only makes 75 GPD. That's just a gimmick too. The quality of our city water here is of one of the worst around, so I choose to strive for the best with the RO/DI units, But a friend of mine who lives over in MO. has better water and doesn't need the top-noch filter's. He get's zero TDS out of the cheapest junk unit I've ever seen. And his filter's later longer than mine due.

This is just my :twocents: on what research I've done on the topic.
 
anything bigger than 4 stage is a gimmick IMHO. You should only need the sediment filter, carbon block, a finer carbon block and your DI
Click to expand...
If you count your RO membrane, that's 5 stages. If the unit is also used for drinking water, it's nice to have another carbon filter going to the tap. That would make 6 stages.
 
The bulk reef unit, and my spectrapure has the sediment, carbon block, stage three and the membrane going to the tap, the DI does not go to tap, nor does it have to.
 
Honestly if a new-bi asked me where to buy from and what to get, I would tell them either:

1.thefilterguys.com
or
2.Bulkreefsupply.com

Both company's sell the same brand filter's and both sell unit's with the quick-set John guest fittings. And they are both the same price for the unit's of the same quality. I haven't researched other place's tho, so they could be the same. I can only refer to what I know of.
And as for as the drinking water part of it, that last filter is called a "GAC" filter and doesn't do anything for the hobby. It's only if you entend using the water for drinking. Same as the pressure tank. That's where can get you with the whole "6 stage" gimmick.

For a new-bi or anyone really If I was asked I'd offer one of these:

http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm
OCEANWAVEb.jpg
$160.00 - OCEAN WAVE+ FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI


Or this one
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI...-75GDP-RO/DI-5-Stage-System/product_info.html

 Click to enlarge
​
 
i agree with ccapt.i know iam new to reef tanks but i bred discus for five years.thats said the unit he is talking about is great.but you really dont need the tank unless you are using it for drinking.you can get that unit about 20-30 $ cheaper on ebay without the tank and buy a float put it in a 7$lowes trash can and you will be able to produce more water.hope that helps
 
Thanks guys! I watched a youtube video where this guy walked all the way through his water system for his tank. He used a filter guys unit so I'm leaning that way. We were hoping to use this mostly as a drinking system and second for my tank. I only have a 26 gallon tank so I won't need that much h2o for that. Your feedback has been incredible! Thanks to everyone that wrote in on this issue!

Catherine
 
Sounds good, but make sure you get a 75 gpd unit, cause you only have a 26g now, but you'll be starting a 180+ within a year!
 

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