Best RO/DI System... Need Help!!

[Xler8n]

Ok guys i have another which is the better system question as i am going to buy an RO/DI system in the very near future. I was looking at 3 systems and the first two being almost the same and the third being a "better" system that is cheaper but im kinda skepitcle cuz ive heard these systems leak.

1. Filterguys.biz
Ocean Reef + 1 five stage 75GPD RO/DI - $199.99
(comes with dual TDS and other things)
http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm

2. BulkReefSupply.com
75GPD RO/DI 5 Stage *PLUS* System -$199.99
(comes with dual TDS meter and other things)
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI-...duct_info.html

3. Purewaterclub.com
150 GPD 6 stage RO/DI system - $102.00
(does not come with dual TDS meter but comes with other stuff)
http://www.purewaterclub.com/catalog...roducts_id=167
* This is the system a friend of mine has and he says his is great but ive heard they leak. Its way cheaper than the others...... Hmm

Im going to buy a dual TDS meter and float valve so i can hook it up to a trash can on wheels for easier water changes anyways. The first two come with a bunch of accesories so i would only have to buy a float valve. Im not sure which one i should buy. Any input??

Also wat is the best way to connect these systems as ive heard the warmer the water the more pure water you will produce. But obviously u cannot connect it to ur HOT water supply pipe. But wont the COLD water supply pipe be too cold?? Is it better to just use a faucet adapter and adjust the hot and cold water comming out??

 

[Sikryd]

airwaterice.com

 

[Xler8n]

Im looking at these three... Not the ones at aire water and ice.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Of the three you are considering the first tow are very similar and the last is a very low quality bottom end system.
If I may make a suggestion here. Check out the 75 GPD premium from www.buckeyefieldsupply.com . Its less expensive than the first two and a much better value at $169. It includes a 1 micron prefilter which is better than a 5 micron when it comes to protecting your more expensive carbon block and RO membrane. It also includes a 0.6 micron Chlorine Guzzler carbon block, the others include two carbons which is not necessary and is a throwback to old days when carbon was not as efficient as it is today. The others use the carbon as a second prefilter which is a waste of carbon. And best of all in my mind it includes a HM Digital TDS 3 handheld TDs meter which is more accurate than the inline plus includes temperature which is an important part of troubleshooting an RO system. It also gives you the portability to test more than two dedicated points like the inline which is a serious limitation. With the handheld you can test tap water, the LFS, purchased water, your storage container, your buddies water etc. With the inline you test only the RO effluent andthe final DI thats it. It also includes things like a RO bypass valve, flush kit and a metal bracket I think it comes with a better capillary tube type flow restrictor too.
Just a suggestion but I think you will like it better.

 

[Xler8n]

It looks very simple though and is only four stages and you have to pay for the other accessories like saddle valve and other connections.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Do not look at "stages". Its a trick the ebay vendors use to make their systems sound like the best thing since sliced bread. Its what the stages contain that is important.
A little background here: When RO systems first started hitting the homeowner market we did not have the carbon blocks or development in carbon technology we have today. Vendors found granular activated carbon, all they had at the time, lasted as little as 300 total gallons of water before it was exhausted and did not adsorb the residual chlorine disinfectant in the water thus ruining the TFC membrane. Their solution was to add two carbon canisters.
Today, carbon has come leaps and bounds from where it was even 10 years ago. A single carbon block in the 0.6 micron range can treat as much as 20,000 gallons by itself and an added benefit is it can act as a secondary prefilter too. Two carbons are not necessary and in my book not wanted in most situations.

For RO you want and need 3 stages, no more no less. For RO/DI you need 4 stages again no more and no less unless you are wanting dual DI.
You want a good prefilter capable of 1 micron or less, I lean towards the lower microns so use 0.5 or even better a 0.2 micron pleated prefilter. It has 10x the surface area so lasts much longer plus filters much beter and surprisingly has less pressure drop through the filter. For carbon a single 0.5 or 0.6 micron Chlorine Guzzler type carbon block such as the Matrikx +1 . This is effective even with chloramines, you do not need any other carbon. People get worked up over chloriamines but its the ammonia part that is the problem not the chlorine portion which the Matrikx adsorbs. Good DI takes care of the ammonia so don't skimp on the DI.

The only thing the Buckeye Premium does not copme with is the adaption for the tap water inlet. There are so many options they choose to have the customer tell them how they intend to use the unit then they can provide exactly what you need, heck its probably $3-$10 at most. You can also add a autoshutoff valve if you want to use it with a autotopoff system but again thats like $8 so you are still money ahead. The others on the market don't provide the RO bypass valve which is a good item to have, they don't provide the superior handheld TDS-3 meter, some don't have inline pressure gauges etc. Its all about what you want and need but its still a better option than any of the others you listed.

 

[Xler8n]

Thanks for the advice but i narrowed it down to either the Filterguys.biz one or the Bulk reef supply one. I dont really like the handheld cuz i wont be testing anywhere else but on the intake and outtake line in my unit... I like the dual TDS and its about $20 extra from buckeye. I figure that with everything i want in the way of accessories the buckeye will be about the same cost. So what is so bad about the first two in my forum? Also im not sure weather i want to hook it up directly to my water line or just a faucet. With the one from filter guys i would get the ocean reef + 1 for $199.00 and in the way of accessories i would also need the garden hose/ laundry sink adaptor($6.00), self piercing C saddle valve 3/8" to 5/8" ($4.00) and the PVC adjustable float valve ($15.00) everything including shipping would cost me $249.00. If i were to get the one from Bulk Reef Supply (75GPD RO/DI "Plus" System - $199.99) i would only need in the way of accessories a float valve ($11.99) cuz it comes with everything else i would need totaling $225.65. So im not sure what to get. What would be a better unit to buy between the two considering the $25 difference?

 

[Gimili the Great]

i personally would go with the bulkreefsupply unit those guys stand behind their products 100% and you wont find better customer service anywhere, a huge plus in my book is these guys are in the hobby as well and know what they are doing and offer a great service to the rest of us in the hobby.

just my 2¢ though

 

[AZDesertRat]

The inline meter is not as accurate as the handheld and can be significantly off unless your aire temperature and water temperature are exactly the same. You also need to be able to test your tap water in order to calculate your RO efficiency and to be able to troubleshoot the system. I have two inlines and don't use either one anymore, its that bad.

The Buckeye is still the better deal, add a autoshutoff valve, faucet adapter, hose adapter and float valve and you are still only $214. You get the RO bypass valve the others don't include, a better prefilter and the better TDS meter for less money. Its up to you but why spend more for less system?

 

[Gimili the Great]

I disagree that the buckeye is a better deal. but what ever that is just me.

if you are running a dual tds meter (which is in the the plus deal from BRS) you test your inlet water (the tap water) and your exit water with the handheld you must do the same.

but i guess the bottom line is the OP will buy what they think is best for them.

but it is funny that BRS includes most of those extras that buckeye charges you for.

not to mention all the extras that are included with the BRS plus unit like the following

4 stage RO unit with a 75 GPD Dow Filmtec membrane (Click for Specs)
Single stage DI unit
Deluxe quick connect MUR-LOK fittings featuring dual O-rings for complete safety (Click for Specs)
5 micron depth sediment filter (Click for Specs)
5 micron MATRIKX CTO/2 carbon block (Click for Specs)
0.6 micron MATRIKX+1 carbon block (Click for Specs)
Refillable DI cartridge filled with color changing DI resin
Auto shut-off valve
1/4" quick connect drain clamp
Chrome faucet adapter
One MUR-LOK Ball Valve (Click for Specs)
Filter wrench
Self piercing saddle valve
One garden hose and laundry tub adaptor .
Dual TDS Meter
Pressure Gauge
Membrane Flush Kit

azdesertrat if you notice it does come better stuff then the buckeye unit, but it seems to me that you are very biased toward buckeye and no amount of reasoning will change your mind

 

[AZDesertRat]

With the dual inline you are not testing tap water and final RO/DI water. You are testing RO water and RO/DI water, only two points of the necessary three. You do not have a probe for tap water nor do you have the ability to test the water in your autotopoff reservoir. The probes are dedicated and cannot be used portable so you are stuck with those two points unless you get a second meter.

Lets review the stuff they come with:

4 stage RO unit with a 75 GPD Dow Filmtec membrane - You only need 3 stages at this point. prefilter, carbon block and RO membrane. Plus for Buckeye they provide a better prefilter, the same carbon block and same RO membrane.
Single stage DI unit- Identical on both
Deluxe quick connect MUR-LOK fittings featuring dual O-rings for complete safety. Basically the same for both, John Guest is the industry standard.
5 micron depth sediment filter.- Plus for Buckeye it uses a 1 micron prefilter for more protection.
5 micron MATRIKX CTO/2 carbon block- Not necessary, money could be better spent, plus for Buckeye.
0.6 micron MATRIKX+1 carbon block. Identical on both
Refillable DI cartridge filled with color changing DI resin.- Identical on both
Auto shut-off valve.- Plus for BRS, add $9.79 to the Buckeye
1/4" quick connect drain clamp- Identical on both
Chrome faucet adapter- Plus for BRS, add $12.99 to the Buckeye
One MUR-LOK Ball Valve -Plus for BRS add $4.75 to the Buckeye
Filter wrench.- Identical on both
Self piercing saddle valve. Plus for BRS but is it needed? If you have the faucet adapter above you only need one or the other, money could be better spent on a single correct adapter.
One garden hose and laundry tub adaptor. Plus for BRS but see above. Already included in the $12..99 with the sink adapter
Dual TDS Meter. - Big plus for Buckeye, the handheld TDS-3 is a much better meter.
Pressure Gauge- Identical on both
Membrane Flush Kit- Identical on both

To sum it up the only detraction I see with the Buckeye is it does not come with the fittings to hook up to the tap water. In the Buckeyes defense though it does not include unnecessary things like fittings you will not use, a second carbon which is a waste and will cost you additional money every time it needs replacing at 6 month interval and it does include a better TDS meter, a thermometer (water temperature has a huge effect on RO output and quality), a RO bypass valve (add $8.25 to the BRS) which you will find very useful and it clearly specifies a metal bracket. Check the BRS and make sure it has a metal bracket, the plastic ones start to flex and bend with the weight. Also make sure you get a capillary tube type flow restrictor which can be trimmed for an exact 4:1 waste ratio, fixed types are just ballpark and cannot be adjusted.

The better prefilter allows the carbon to last longer and work better since it is trapping things down to and including 1 micron which will foul or plug the pores in the carbon block. The RO bypass valve allows you to flush TDS creep out before it gets to the membrane. The handheld meter allows you to test your units efficiency. The thermometer along with the pressure gauge allows you to determine if your GPD is where it should be.
The Buckeye is just simply a better unit at a lower price. Tell me where my reasoning is off? I do water treatment for a profession and have been doing it for over 34 years now, its all I do. If you want the best system out there then look at the Spectrapure MaxCap, its pricey at first but saves from day one. Thats all I use but the OP stated they had a limited budget and I stayed within the budget, actually helped them save a little in the process.

 

[hansmtt]

AZdesertRat is more than a reliable source...this is his living...I'd trust his judgement from real world experience in addition to his reef expertise...
I vote for the spectrapure Maxcap as well. I know it's not on the list, but the quality is impressive, the service is excellent, and the filter quality is second to no one. The water quality from RO is one place to not skimp, for along with a good skimmer they create the whole reef.

 

[kfennell]

Learned some useful things in this thread!