Best R/O unit to buy

[reefsrus]

I am starting back into the hobby, and I want to start off on the right foot.

So to start, I want to get a good RO/DI unit. Last time around a bought one of those 80 units on ebay. GPD does not really matter to me unless there is a big advantage to larger units, other than the amount of water they produce each day.

What are suggestions, and what do you use?

 

[hahnmeister]

The 'best' although with some expense... KENT maxxima Hi-S deluxe, but remove the dual RO/DI and add on an extra chamber on the output and run seperate, refillable RO/DI chambers so you can recharge/refill your own RO/DI.

Really, all ROs are the same, its just features and the filters you put in them that matter. The features that I consider important are: TDS meter, pressure guage, and back-flush kit. A float valve is the most convenient, but some dont use this.

Otherwise, the main reason the Hi-S stands out for me is the Hi-S membrane... its the best I have used. It lasts years (Im on year 3 and no sign of it quitting), and filters out way more than anything else I have seen.

 

[Nuuze]

I'm using the OCEAN REEF + 1 FIVE STAGE 75 GPD RO/DI from The Filter Guys, also a forum sponsor and couldn't be happier! Jim has always been very helpful with all my questions and concerns. HTH!

 

[nick18tjetta]

I have the Filter direct from ebay. The filter direct with the add on vertical DI is perfectly fine for your reef tank. Some people confuse over priced with best.

 

[HecticDialectic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=9973957#post9973957 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by nick18tjetta
I have the Filter direct from ebay. The filter direct with the add on vertical DI is perfectly fine for your reef tank. Some people confuse over priced with best.

Yes, higher priced does not always equal best, but it's a FAR cry to suggest that filterdirect units are even close to the -best- units. They may work for strict budgets, but when someone asks for the -best- RO/DI unit, don't kid yourself.

 

[reefsrus]

I personally tried one of those 100 dollar units on ebay, over a year ago. I personally think that they may be good for the money, but are not a quality RO/DI in anyway. I had bought a aquasafe 6 stage RO/DI that did 100gpd. What it actually did was 15gpd, and wasted the 100gpd equivilant. Also, when I finally got around to getting a TDS meter, the reading of the unit were reading between 40-50, and the unit was not even 6 months old.

I would not mind forking out the money for a Kent Marine HI-S unit, if I know I will be getting quality water for my money. But, if I am just paying an extra 50 bucks for a name, let me know the skimmer that gives that same quality.

Btw, I see that the membrane on those units run 85 dollars.:eek2: How many gallons do you usually get out of their membrane?

 

[hahnmeister]

Like I said: My Hi-S is on its 3rd year, and no sign of quitting. I think they suggest 3 years... so we'll see how far it goes. So far, my intake is still 200ppm, and my output is 0. I do about 10gpd...

 

[Spuds725]

3 years our of an RO membrane is nothing out of the ordinary, I have a drinking unit (RO only) that has been in service for 5 1/2 years--

Best home unit is Spectrapure IMO...

Good quality at a decent price---

http://www.purelyh2o.com/product.php?productid=16134&cat=249&page=1

the typhoon III at Air water ice dot com

I would hardly call the kent marine ones the best... they use TFC (thin film composite) membranes-- the above units use dow filmtec membranes-- better rejection at lower pressures then the TFC and at a lower price... Kent Marine units are pretty pricey... not that they are bad units, just more expensive and nothing special about them.

I've read the filter guys units are decent but haven't really checked theirs out yet so don't have an opinion--

 

[smatter]

Hahn's talking about the membrane, not the resin. I run a Kent Deion 200 and refill with bulk DI resin, no RO membrane or wasted water. Costs me about .10 a gallon.

 

[smatter]

I see you edited your post, belay my last.

 

[d4a2n0k]

The best is the SpectraPure MaxCap. Not because of its high price but because of the 0.5 micron prefilter and carbon blocks plus the over 98% rejection rate membrane and double DI, one being the silica buster.

http://www.spectrapure.com/St_MaxCap-RO-DI.htm

 

[carman9941]

I 3rd spectrapure