Best Affordable RODI

[thepeefer]

Hi all, could you guys help me find the best RODI that’s is under $140. I also want it to be effective at removing TDS and portable.

TIA

 

[fishywishy]

I use the 4 stage RODI buddy from amazon. Does just fine and is only like 60 bucks.

 

[thepeefer]

I use the 4 stage RODI buddy from amazon. Does just fine and is only like 60 bucks.

I looked into this, seems pretty good, is there a reason its only 60 bucks or is it actually good?

 

[hoffmeyerz]

I'm not sure if they offer portable options but I use www.filterdirect.com for all my rodi ordering. There is tons of options and really good prices. Never had an issue with my model.

 

[fishywishy]

I looked into this, seems pretty good, is there a reason it’s only 60 bucks or is it actually good?

Ive been using it since I started my reef tank so its just actually good in my opinion.

 

[Mr. Mojo Rising]

I also use the RO buddy, mine is 3 years old been working perfectly all this time.

 

[KStatefan]

The "best" will be determined by the quality of your source water.

 

[Don’t fear the reefer]

The brand that makes the Buddy, AquaticLife, has a variety of models that have more features and benefits than Buddy. The Classic, which is near your budget at about $150, is 4-stage, 100gpd, and uses standard cartridges (= fast and nonproprietary). Plus you could probably add more stages later if desired. Click their Store page when you’re on Amazon. I’m pretty sure they’re affiliated with R2R, too.

One of the toughest things in this hobby is knowing how balance the budget with the need — like, why do the BRS equivalent models cost $50-$100 more than AquaticLife?? Sometimes buying cheap is great; other times only the premium brands seem to meet the need. Usually the answer is somewhere in between.

 

[JZ199]

When I had my 150 gallon I had a really expensive unit and ended up giving it away when I took a break. For my 32.5 and 13.5 I bought the RODI buddie and have zero complaints. Does just as good in my opinion as my expensive unit for a fraction of the cost. If you want to be sure you could also pick up a cheap TDS meter.

 

[Doctorgori]

IME the actual housings are so similar, I haven't found much difference or issues…(my actual unit, housing & canisters are a hodge podge mix of whatever was cheapest at the time)

Its the cartridges that seem to matter; brand wise Ive found word of mouth to be reliable, so Id bet the above advice is solid.

Just for sample/survey..
For carbon and resin I use BRS just for price/quality balance, but I get my actual RO membranes from Amazon, Filmtec I think….

 

[leo12345]

I also recommend the RODI buddy.