What RO/DI System to get?

[T.W.]

I am looking to get an RO/DI system that can provide enough water in a reasonable amount of time to do top offs and WC's on my 20 gallon reef + supply us with filtered drinking water. We are not looking to plumb the whole house just the kitchen supply. Is this something I should be looking for outside the Aquarium industry?

 

[fragmatic]

NO!... wink... go to one of our vendor friends on here and get the less gallons per hour unit. One reason is they will have EVERYTHING you need to make the hook up and install. Let it fill a five, six, or ten gallon bucket with a shut off float valve. Many of us use a Brute trash can. Then mix that bucket with salt and get the salinity and temp correct a day before you do a change. Then let the RODI refill the bucket and wait until a day or two before you do the next change to add the salt. Dip a jug into the bucket and get pure RODI to replace the evaporation water in your tank before you add salt mix. The out put from the RODI will trickle into the bucket and take a day or so to fill it. It is a good idea to put the smallest pump you can find in the bucket for circulation and put in a heater so you can match the temp. Test the water in the bucket just like you test your tank so you can know if you are causing problems at first until you have it down to a science. Always test for salinity and check the temp before you add the water at a water change.

If you don't have one, later you can add a automatic top off (ATO) system using your RODI to automate your evaporation water replacement. Another wise add is a TDS meter on your RODI so you can know if it is performing correctly and when the DI and membrane need replaced. With a 20 gallon they will take a long long time to need replacing.

However, many reefers with a small tank like yours just buy water from their LFS by the 5 gallon jug and top off with distilled water. RODI is better, but you have to weigh in the practicality.

Anyone think if anything else?

 

[T.W.]

I will definitely buy from a vendor here if my needs can be met with one of their systems. I also want this for purified drinking water as I never have trusted a gov't water supply. Currently we use one of those pitchers with a filter but if I can get an RO/DI system that would work for my aquarium needs AND our drinking water needs that would be a huge bonus!

I am thinking that maybe my best bet is to purchase a unit for my aquarium needs and another for drinking needs.

 

[AZDesertRat]

You don't want a low production or low GPD system, that is completely backwards and will have you standing around twiddling your thumbs waiting on it to drip, drip drip and fill a bucket. 75-90 GPD is by far the choice the majority of us make.


SpectraPure Water Purification Products
The unit at the top of the page for $125 is the best reef quality RO/DI value on the market bar none. SpectraPure - Great Deals on All your Water Management needs!
You can add a drinking water kit to it so you have pressurized RO fro drinking and a separate DI source for the tank. I would suggest the add on drinking water kit from www.purelyh20o.com though as it is much less expensive than Spectrapures.
http://www.purelyh2o.com/index.php?...ategory_id=19&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=64

The only other thing it needs is a 1 psi check valve to isolate the drinking water tank from the DI filter so your DI does not wear out prematurely from the TDS creep in the pressure tank.
http://www.purelyh2o.com/index.php?...ategory_id=26&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=64

You would install the drinking water kit on the RO/DI following this diagram:
http://www.spectrapure.com/huds/4-STAGE-DWK-RODI-NAG.pdf

Note the placement of the check valve so the pressure tank/drinking water is isolated from the DI.

Very simple upgrade and you will have the best of both worlds, RO/DI for the reef and great RO only for drinking. I have done this in the past for myself and its an easy way to justify the cost of a RO/DI system. I also hooked the RO only to my refrigerator and ice maker plus have a RO only faucet at the garage laundry sink for other uses too.

I wish I had your water in Chino Valley! I lived there myself in 1975 and early 1976.

Spectrapure is a local AZ vendor supporting the reef and aquarium hobby for over 25 years. When I was Pres. of the Desert Marine Society club in Phx they used to sponsor and donate things for our raffles and prizes. Great people and best in the business if you check around.