Good inexpensive RO/DI system?

[Vagabond]

Hey fellow reefers,
For the last year I’ve been running without a RODI for water. I think it’s time to voted the bullet and look into one . My only requirement is that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Maybe just an arm. I’ve got an SR60 at this time. Just used distilled water for my 30 that I had. I’ve been doing ok mostly but I want to start to try acros more seriously and think that I’ll need to step up my water quality game. Thanks in advance for any help in making a decision.

I'm thinking about adding acros also, was getting along with ro from vending machines for almost a yr till I got the money for a 5 stage spetrapure 75gpd.Has a pressure gage,tds meter.

 

[steveschuerger]

I'm thinking about adding acros also, was getting along with ro from vending machines for almost a yr till I got the money for a 5 stage spetrapure 75gpd.Has a pressure gage,tds meter.

Where the heck were you getting ro from vending machines?

 

[Rennurdoar]

FWIW I use

Amazon product ASIN B083P4HZPD
I replace my filters every 3 months, just out of preference. I'm on well water, my TDS says we have around 140 going in and 0 coming out. I haven't noticed any adverse effects yet, but that could still be because I've only had the tank going about 6 months. I do weekly WC at 5-10 gallons each week. I'm happy with it so far.

 

[stoney7713]

How will you be running the system? Countertop or hard plumbed to the water line?
How much GPD do you want?

I pieced mine together with parts off Amazon and BRS, built a 6 stage 200gpd and saved over $100. It was still almost $300 and plumbing it myself though.

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/200-gpd-rodi-aquarium-water-filtration-system-icecap/

 

[Vagabond]

Where the heck were you getting ro from vending machines?

 

[steveschuerger]

How will you be running the system? Countertop or hard plumbed to the water line?
How much GPD do you want?

I pieced mine together with parts off Amazon and BRS, built a 6 stage 200gpd and saved over $100. It was still almost $300 and plumbing it myself though.

https://www.saltwateraquarium.com/200-gpd-rodi-aquarium-water-filtration-system-icecap/

Don’t need too much. I replace about 1 gallon every 24 or so. And I’ve been running weekly water changes of about 6-8 gallons recently. By the way I recently switched from Reef Crystals to AquaForest and have seen a marked improvement in coral . Fish seem to like it too.

 

[stoney7713]

Don’t need too much. I replace about 1 gallon every 24 or so. And I’ve been running weekly water changes of about 6-8 gallons recently. By the way I recently switched from Reef Crystals to AquaForest and have seen a marked improvement in coral . Fish seem to like it too.

I'd check out the saltwateraqurium.com they have some pretty inexpensive units. You can easily add to them also, another DI or throw a sediment filter before the main unit and swap the existing sediment for carbon if the need every arise. Add inline TDS, even a pre sediment filter.

My friend was burning through 5 micron sediment filters, we only have 130 TDS, not bad, but a lot of sandstone in the area, so a lot of sediments. So I installed a whole house filter too, 20 micron woven, 5 micron, 2 carbon filters. Here's 2 months on the sediment filters and 3 on carbon.

My 5 micron on RODI is still pure white.

I've got about 200# of reef crystal to use. LOL

 

[ptrusk]

What ever you decide, do get an inline TDO meter. Tells you when to change DI resin. Lots of good recommendations here. Don't go cheap. This is really one of the most important things for a successful reef. $20 will save you lots of grief as mentioned.

 

[death-by-reef]

i personally like the aquafx systems

 

[workhz]

If you think about, between filters, di resin replacement and probably running the system for 5+ years the extra $50 to cheap out on something doesn’t make sense. Get one that is built well and can find cheap filters and resin for.

 

[PeterEde]

Hey fellow reefers,
For the last year I’ve been running without a RODI for water. I think it’s time to voted the bullet and look into one . My only requirement is that it doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. Maybe just an arm. I’ve got an SR60 at this time. Just used distilled water for my 30 that I had. I’ve been doing ok mostly but I want to start to try acros more seriously and think that I’ll need to step up my water quality game. Thanks in advance for any help in making a decision.

Your local hardware possibly sells the hardware at a cheaper price than any brand name RODI "aquarium system"

I bought a name brand RO and added the DI later from an online water filtration company.
I think they saw what I was doing and now sell a system they produce cheaper than any LFS bought system

 

[Rams]

if your in newton nj, i have a brand new itb brs 7 stage pro plus 75 gpd water saver

How much u r asking? I am looking for one and I am in NJ

 

[ptrusk]

BTW using air water ice typhoon for 12 years. Change filters ever 2 years just because. But I am on well water so no chlorine to deal with. City water shouldn't have sediment which is my main issue. Clogs whole house filter and lowers water pressure but that has nothing to do with Ro unit

 

[spawn79]

When it comes down to it these are all the same basic setup using standard cartridge sizes, housings, fittings, etc. Yes, there are "name brand" things like John Guest fittings and whatnot but I've personally never had a problem with other fixtures with no name as long as you don't connect/disconnect the lines all the time which the fittings aren't made to do anyway.

What you are looking for is the filter and membrane quality. You can get a cheap used setup for $50 and put $100 filters in it or $5 ones and change how it works. You can change the flow restrictor and put a bigger/smaller membrane or change the waste/product ratios. It's all the same housings.

I can't find the order now but I went with an amazon special 5 stage RO for around $150 that came with spare filters and a drinking water reservoir and tap. No sense in just your fish getting good water. You'll have to replace the filters a bit more often of course.
After the RO unit but before the reservoir I plumbed in an Icecap Dual DI Filter for $40 for the ATO and water changes. Also added a 3 probe inline TDS meter.

You can easily get a very nice setup for both you and the tank for under $250 all in including an inline TDS meter addon. I have over 400 TDS source water with added chloramines. TDS after the RO is under 10. 0 after the DI. When the existing spare filters run out I will replace with 1 micron instead of the 5's that I have now but other than that I'm more than happy.

Another word of advice is to never fully trust the inline TDS meters. The probes can get twisted and skew the reading. They're also not temperature corrected. So ALWAYS do spot checks.