Which RO/DI unit should I choose? Please help!

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kenzo

kenzo

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My cheapo eBay 4 stage is wonderful. Replacement membranes and cartridges cost 1/4 as much and can be purchased in bulk! The unit itself was only like 115 bucks shipped maybe less.

I had an aquatic life before that and it was okay, but definitely not high end either.

Seriously for about 100 bucks I got 3 of each chamber replacement cartridges and two membranes shipped. It's 150GPD (I have 700 gallons of salt water or more in this house at any given time my needs are high lol)

For my old units 150 bucks would be lucky to buy me all three stages and a membrane shipped... Just one set.
 
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My ebay unit is awesome as they are all built pretty much the same.
I did add a maxcap to mine though from spectrapure

I will be using the filter guys for resin replacement
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
It really depends if n your needs and your source water. If city water you'll need to find out if it has chlorimine in it (Chloramines are derivatives of ammonia by substitution of one, two or three hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms: monochloramine, dichloramine, and nitrogen trichloride.)Wikipedia

If you have chloramine a standard carbon block will exhaust rapidly so your unit will need catalytic carbon chamber. I also recommend running a chlor plus 10 block after the catalytic carbon for chlorine.
Many people don't realize that most people municipal water has chlorimine in it and it's not good for your reef. You can go to your local government website and find a water analysis report.

If you have well water then it just depends on what's in the water.

So all in all a simple unit to a more complex unit may be needed.
Let us know what your source water is as well as psi and I'll try to help you.
 
joekool said:
It really depends if n your needs and your source water. If city water you'll need to find out if it has chlorimine in it (Chloramines are derivatives of ammonia by substitution of one, two or three hydrogen atoms with chlorine atoms: monochloramine, dichloramine, and nitrogen trichloride.)Wikipedia

If you have chloramine a standard carbon block will exhaust rapidly so your unit will need catalytic carbon chamber. I also recommend running a chlor plus 10 block after the catalytic carbon for chlorine.
Many people don't realize that most people municipal water has chlorimine in it and it's not good for your reef. You can go to your local government website and find a water analysis report.

If you have well water then it just depends on what's in the water.

So all in all a simple unit to a more complex unit may be needed.
Let us know what your source water is as well as psi and I'll try to help you.
Click to expand...

I live in Staten island, NY. We get tap water. :)
 
Ecoscape Reef Rock
didn't see chlorimine but a bunch of other stuff. Definitely wouldn't hurt to use catalytic carbon. I read your water quality report. It starts on page 16 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate14.pdf

I recommend a BRS 6stage for chlorimines and a booster kit from Aqua fx. Booster pump will increase rejection rate and production. I Run mine at 120psi at membrane and run booster before whole unit. Also recommend getting a couple.5 micron sediment filters.

You will have great water after that. Just don't drink much of it if you do because it will strip your body of nutrients. It's not lab grade H2O but it is pretty pure at that point.
 
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joekool said:
Here is your quality report.

page12image22360
Click to expand...
I can't see the image. Can you please re-upload it or do you have a link to that report?
 
www.dinkinsaquaticgardens.com
joekool said:
didn't see chlorimine but a bunch of other stuff. Definitely wouldn't hurt to use catalytic carbon. I read your water quality report. It starts on page 16 http://www.nyc.gov/html/dep/pdf/wsstate14.pdf

I recommend a BRS 6stage for chlorimines and a booster kit from Aqua fx. Booster pump will increase rejection rate and production. I Run mine at 120psi at membrane and run booster before whole unit. Also recommend getting a couple.5 micron sediment filters.

You will have great water after that. Just don't drink much of it if you do because it will strip your body of nutrients. It's not lab grade H2O but it is pretty pure at that point.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much. :D
 
Deltec
No problem. Water is the most important part of your aquarium. Glad I could help. Let me know if you have any more questions.
 
To me, I think (like someone already mentioned) what you need depends on your water quality to begin with. Also I will add that it depends on your budget as well. If you're on a tight budget, then get a cheapy one and replace the membranes later with good ones. If you have the cash, might as well buy the good ones like spectrapure, or that new one from ice cap. I own the spectrapure unit myself, and there's not much on the market that is better than this unit.
 
Deltec
kenzo said:
After my tank crashed lot of you gave advise to buy a ro/di unit. I'm thinking about buying one next week. The 50gpd one.

Please tell me which unit should I use,

AquaticLife RO Buddie 3-Stage Reverse Osmosis System

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+26888&pcatid=26888

or

AquaFX Barracuda RO/DI Units

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_display.cfm?c=3578+4395+24110&pcatid=24110

or

let me know if you suggest something else
Click to expand...

I have them both. The Aquagfx blows away the ro buddie. The reef buddie is great to start with but in the long run the barracuda is more cost effective with filter changes and time. If you have the funds Get this one
The Barracuda 100 GPD Glacial
 
I can't comment on which brand but I've had rodi's for close to thirty years and one thing becomes quickly evident. Unless you have pretty high water pressure, over 50 psi, or plan on getting a booster pump, you will probably get a lot less water than the units rating. Little is more frustrating than having to wait days to get enough water to fill a large tank. The 150gpd models work well for most of us who only have a large tank or multiple small tanks. I'm guessing but I would think a lightly used large unit will be able to go longer between filter changes than a heavily used small unit.
 
AI Hydra

IF YOU HAD TO TAKE A REEFING EXAM, WOULD YOU PASS?

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