RODI UNIT brands

[canadianeh]

Aqua FX vs Spectrapure? Is one better than the other?

 

[The Aquatic Arsenal]

I don't think it depends on the brand so much as the filters it uses and water pressure.

 

[JoshH]

Aqua FX vs Spectrapure? Is one better than the other?

Both are good options, Spectrapure is my favorite though. Plus Spectrapure is available in Canada at Reefsupplies.ca which makes it easy to order.

 

[Topreefer92]

I have never heard of Aquafx but spectrapure puts alot of thought into their systems, of course accompanied by a higher price tag than some like bulkreefsupply. Ultimately they are using similar designs, just really on which place has a better one stop shop for all the replacement items you will need.

 

[canadianeh]

Both are good options, Spectrapure is my favorite though. Plus Spectrapure is available in Canada at Reefsupplies.ca which makes it easy to order.

Aquafx is available in Canada through aquariumdepot

I am not sure which one is better though

 

[JoshH]

Aquafx is available in Canada through aquariumdepot

I am not sure which one is better though

It would really depend on what system you were looking at as to which is "Better" you really need to understand your water quality first before you go and purchase anything. Most importantly where does your water come from? Well or "Town/City"? If it's town water, what do they use chlorine or chloramines?

 

[canadianeh]

It would really depend on what system you were looking at as to which is "Better" you really need to understand your water quality first before you go and purchase anything. Most importantly where does your water come from? Well or "Town/City"? If it's town water, what do they use chlorine or chloramines?

so one brand is better for town/city water and the other is better for well. I am from Toronto and yes it is a city water.

 

[Anirban]

If you are comparing those two brands then get a spectrapure.. its pure quality you can not beat it.

 

[JoshH]

Not necessarily, what I mean is if you compare each ones base unit, they will be pretty much the same thing. Once you go up in pricing, the differences in filters that are provided with each change, Spectrapures Premium lines come with premium filters, something I don't think is an option with the Aqua FX's.

 

[AZMSGT]

FIRST, get a water report for your city. THEN find out what filters you need.
It's all about the filters inside the units. Find out what is used on the inside and then make the call. The outside is just a plain housing and doesn't mean much.

 

[Opus]

The Toronto website says they use chlorine but the water quality report shows chloramines. That means you should get a system with a special carbon pre filter to remove the chloramines. Chlorine will destroy your ro membrane if it makes it past the pre-filter but chloramines will not hurt it. They will eat thru your di very quickly though and if they make it past that are not good for your tank.

Here is a good write-up about RO units Reef-junky did a few weeks back:

The Basics of an RODI Filter

An RO membrane forces molecules through a semipermeable membrane (certain substances can pass through but not others) to form a less concentrated solution then you started with. The inside of the membrane looks like so: Some of the things an RO membrane can filter out are: Lead Copper...

www.reef2reef.com

 

[canadianeh]

The Toronto website says they use chlorine but the water quality report shows chloramines. That means you should get a system with a special carbon pre filter to remove the chloramines. Chlorine will destroy your ro membrane if it makes it past the pre-filter but chloramines will not hurt it. They will eat thru your di very quickly though and if they make it past that are not good for your tank.

Here is a good write-up about RO units Reef-junky did a few weeks back:

The Basics of an RODI Filter

An RO membrane forces molecules through a semipermeable membrane (certain substances can pass through but not others) to form a less concentrated solution then you started with. The inside of the membrane looks like so: Some of the things an RO membrane can filter out are: Lead Copper...

www.reef2reef.com

I am not exactly in Toronto, but in Whitby, ON. The water report shows they use Cholorine. In this case, which Spectrapure RODI I should get.

https://www.durham.ca/en/living-here/resources/Documents/WaterandSewer/2018-Water-Quality-Reports/2018-Oshawa-Whitby-Ajax-Report-Accessible-with-tables-R2.pdf

 

[Opus]

I am not exactly in Toronto, but in Whitby, ON. The water report shows they use Cholorine. In this case, which Spectrapure RODI I should get.

https://www.durham.ca/en/living-here/resources/Documents/WaterandSewer/2018-Water-Quality-Reports/2018-Oshawa-Whitby-Ajax-Report-Accessible-with-tables-R2.pdf

This one will work for you. If you are planning on hooking this up to a storage container with an auto shutoff valve then you will need to buy the one with the ASO kit. Also if your water pressure is low, you may need to invest in a booster pump.

SpectraPure - Innovators in Water Technology

SpectraPure, Inc. is an Industry Standard in the Water Purification world. From Drinking Water to Aquarium Systems, you don't just want pure water, you want the PUREST Water! Get it with SpectraPure!

www.spectrapure.com

 

[canadianeh]

This one will work for you. If you are planning on hooking this up to a storage container with an auto shutoff valve then you will need to buy the one with the ASO kit. Also if your water pressure is low, you may need to invest in a booster pump.

SpectraPure - Innovators in Water Technology

SpectraPure, Inc. is an Industry Standard in the Water Purification world. From Drinking Water to Aquarium Systems, you don't just want pure water, you want the PUREST Water! Get it with SpectraPure!

www.spectrapure.com

That is 4 stage. What is the differences between 4 stage and 5 stage?

 

[Opus]

That is 4 stage. What is the differences between 4 stage and 5 stage?

Depends on the system. Normally the units sold by places like spectrapure and BRS just add a second carbon filter or if you are getting a unit to remove chloramines, they add a special filter that breaks down chloramines. The second carbon filter is just added protection from chlorine and other chemicals. If chlorine makes it past the carbon filter it will destroy the ro membrane. If you are a very cautious person, then a 5 stage may be for you. Realize, all these systems have the same basic generic hardware, so you can add a filter to the system at any time. My RO unit is over 25 years old. It started out as a 3 stage 20gpd unit back in the early 90's. It is now a 5 stage with a spectrapure 99% rejection rate membrane and a booster pump. I added a second carbon filter to mine because I'm lazy and I'm very bad about waiting more than the recommended 6 months to change the sediment and carbon filters.

The other "5" stage systems I've seen are usually not sold as a unit but put together after wards by buying the parts or as a separate kit. The 5th stage is a second di filter. In this setup, when you start seeing greater than 0 tds product water from the first di filter you remove it and move the second di filter into its spot. You then refill the di filter you removed and put it in the second spot. This way you are always getting 0 product water.

When buying your RO unit, you also need to get a tds meter. I personally like the handhelds but most prefer the convenience of the inline ones. Also, since you are in Canada, I'm assuming your tap water is fairly cold. Water temp plays a big part in the production rate. The gpd you see for these units is a rating at a temperature of I believe around 77. I've never tested the temp of my water but in the summer (north Texas) my 90 gpd unit fills my 5 gal jug in about 60 minutes. That same jug takes around 90 minutes right now to fill.

 

[canadianeh]

Depends on the system. Normally the units sold by places like spectrapure and BRS just add a second carbon filter or if you are getting a unit to remove chloramines, they add a special filter that breaks down chloramines. The second carbon filter is just added protection from chlorine and other chemicals. If chlorine makes it past the carbon filter it will destroy the ro membrane. If you are a very cautious person, then a 5 stage may be for you. Realize, all these systems have the same basic generic hardware, so you can add a filter to the system at any time. My RO unit is over 25 years old. It started out as a 3 stage 20gpd unit back in the early 90's. It is now a 5 stage with a spectrapure 99% rejection rate membrane and a booster pump. I added a second carbon filter to mine because I'm lazy and I'm very bad about waiting more than the recommended 6 months to change the sediment and carbon filters.

The other "5" stage systems I've seen are usually not sold as a unit but put together after wards by buying the parts or as a separate kit. The 5th stage is a second di filter. In this setup, when you start seeing greater than 0 tds product water from the first di filter you remove it and move the second di filter into its spot. You then refill the di filter you removed and put it in the second spot. This way you are always getting 0 product water.

When buying your RO unit, you also need to get a tds meter. I personally like the handhelds but most prefer the convenience of the inline ones. Also, since you are in Canada, I'm assuming your tap water is fairly cold. Water temp plays a big part in the production rate. The gpd you see for these units is a rating at a temperature of I believe around 77. I've never tested the temp of my water but in the summer (north Texas) my 90 gpd unit fills my 5 gal jug in about 60 minutes. That same jug takes around 90 minutes right now to fill.

What’s the difference between the maxcap 90gpd and 180gpd? Does the 180gpd has booster or something that allows to produce more water than the 90gpd?

Spectrapure MaxCap 90GPD-MF 5 stage RODI w/ dual tds, ASO and membrane flush

Spectrapure MaxCap 90GPD 5 stage RODI w/ dual tds, ASO and membrane flush

www.reefsupplies.ca

Spectrapure MaxCap Manual Flush 180-GPD RO/DI System w/ Dual TDS

Buy this Spectrapure MaxCap Manual Flush 180-GPD RO/DI System w/ Dual TDS online in Canada

www.reefsupplies.ca

 

[GreatSouth BayReefs]

My brs unit has worked wonders. Its the water saver 150 gpd model. Has two RO filters, one that uses waste water and filters that into usable rodi water. They have lots of youtube videos on exactly how it works, go check them out

 

[Terry Mattson]

I have spectrapure max 5 stage. Over a year old. Very well made. No issues.

 

[Terry Mattson]

I have spectrapure max 5 stage. Over a year old. Very well made. No issues.

 

[Opus]

What’s the difference between the maxcap 90gpd and 180gpd? Does the 180gpd has booster or something that allows to produce more water than the 90gpd?

Spectrapure MaxCap 90GPD-MF 5 stage RODI w/ dual tds, ASO and membrane flush

Spectrapure MaxCap 90GPD 5 stage RODI w/ dual tds, ASO and membrane flush

www.reefsupplies.ca

Spectrapure MaxCap Manual Flush 180-GPD RO/DI System w/ Dual TDS

Buy this Spectrapure MaxCap Manual Flush 180-GPD RO/DI System w/ Dual TDS online in Canada

www.reefsupplies.ca

The only difference is the 180gpd adds a second 90gpd membrane. The "waste" line from the first membrane feeds the second membrane. This means the second membrane is getting a much higher amount of "bad" water to filter, so it will not last as long as the first membrane. Also, since you are now pushing water thru 2 membranes, you will need a higher water pressure for it to work correctly. You may need to buy a booster pump if you don't have the ability to adjust it at your home.

What is your reef setup? What are your plans for the unit? Will you be running it to a large storage unit that you need it to auto shut-off? This will better help us recommend a unit.

 

[canadianeh]

The only difference is the 180gpd adds a second 90gpd membrane. The "waste" line from the first membrane feeds the second membrane. This means the second membrane is getting a much higher amount of "bad" water to filter, so it will not last as long as the first membrane. Also, since you are now pushing water thru 2 membranes, you will need a higher water pressure for it to work correctly. You may need to buy a booster pump if you don't have the ability to adjust it at your home.

What is your reef setup? What are your plans for the unit? Will you be running it to a large storage unit that you need it to auto shut-off? This will better help us recommend a unit.

Hmm it doesn’t sound better than 90gpd ones. Then why it is more expensive??

I plan to hook it up on laundry line and fill up two 5 gallon jugs at a time. I don’t know if I can install ASO inside each of the jugs though.