ebay water filtration?

I have the same setup as Carlso has--got it from ebay for $113 with shipping, plus $25 or so for the TDS meter. I've had it almost a year and have changed out the filters (other than the RO membrane) once. My tap water reads 126 TDS and my product water is 0 TDS. No leaks, and works well for me. The RO membrane is not a cheap knock-off Chinese product--it's a Filmtec TFC membrane (made in US) that is sold with many higher end units.
 
Can y'all explain the vertical vs horizontial configuration of the di to me. My model looks to be the same as carlso and abulgin's so I was wondering if I should change mine.
 
When horizontal the water is only going thru the resin in the lower third, the rest is not being utilized, when vertical it must pass thru all the resin to exit.
 
i think what he was trying to say is that its better to run the di up and down instead of side to side so the water has no choice but to go through the resin insead of flowing over the top it.

i too have a ebay special(not water general but still cheap) my tds going into it is any where from 450 to 525. tds after was at 4. that was on di resen that was ONE YEAR OLD! i got new filters and only 1 di resen this time and turned it vertical and now i get it to 0 or 1.
i go through 25 gal of evap per week and do a 40 gal water change every 3 weeks. im setting up a 46 and that top off will run off the same container of ro as my 125.
 
I have configured my 2 DI canisters so that the water enters from the bottom of each and exits from the top of each. Does it matter (i.e., does it make a difference if the water enters from the top and exits from the bottom)?
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12493846#post12493846 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 7808
anyone else? i thought people had good luck the water gerneral systems
Click to expand...

I have a Water General unit I got from FilterDirect off Ebay. This was back when I was starting up my reef, and I was already piling up my reef bills. :-) My tap TDS is 280, and with the Water General, my post RO TDS is 6-8, and post DI is 0. I've been very happy with it. Mine also came with a 5 gallon RO reservoir which I have connected to my fridge water dispenser and ice maker, and to a spigot at the sink.

Since I wanted to minimize my upfront cost, my plan was to start cheap, then upgrade the filters as they need to be replaced. Today, about 5 months after I installed it, my post RO and post DI TDS readings are still holding, but next month I plan to replace all three sediment filters. I bought a 3-filter set (10, 5, and 1 micron) from airwaterice.com for $19.95. They should fit right into the 10" housings that came with the WaterGeneral.

Also, when my DI output starts to slip, I will replace the small horizontal DI filter that comes on the WaterGeneral with a vertical filter from Buckeye for $36. The vertical filters are more efficient and last longer than the horizontal ones.

If you go this route, make sure and get a TDS meter so you can monitor the performance of your filter. Then you can replace and upgrade the components as necessary.

Good luck!
 
That all makes sense custom and gfrisco. I agree with Rat's basic premise that you get what you pay for and cutting corners is generally not good but 0 tds is 0 tds, unless there is something else we're supposed to be measuring. Also, Rat's point of longevity is well taken but I think that issue has been addressed with the replacement/upgrade of filters approach.

Rat obviously knows a lot more than I ever will about water but I think the question of this thread was can you accomplish the goal of 0 tds with the cheaper ebay units (with the assumption that 0 tds is the main measure of a good unit). I believe the answer is yes. However, does that make the ebay units the best choice for all, as carlso stated no. I like my Water General unit but will be monitoring it over time for performance/degradation. I am also going to modify it for vertical di processing.
 
The true test of an RO or RO/DI system is the RO only TDS not the DI TDS, any DI should be able to polish it off for 0 TDS. Cheap membranes are not as efficient and will cost you more in DI replacements than good membranes, its a simple fact.
 
I just checked my RO only output, and it shows a TDS of 5, so my DI canisters are taking 5 to 0. Is RO TDS of 5 acceptable?

The DI canisters from www.purewaterclub.com, from whom I bought my unit, sell for $11 each. If I had to choose between replacing those once every 8 months or paying $100 more on a "name brand" unit and getting a few more months out of my DI canister, I'll choose the former.
 
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A RO only TDS number thats 96-98% less than the incoming TDS is what you are looking for. So if its 100 coming in you want no more then 2-4 coming out.

Thw $100 more is going to get you better prefilters and carbon blocks which greatly increase the expensive RO membranes life and make it perform better. What never reaches the membrane does not have to be trated and flushed out so it lasts longer and works better. It will also get you a TDS meter, inline pressure gauge, RO bypass valve, flush valve, better quality housings, etc. Its money well spent as you will end up needing all these things anyway.
 
just buy it...


then use the parts for somthing else later lol
i bought a GE ( granted for 10 bucks but it was still a bad system)

nded up with a spectrapure unit

never switching back
 
oh btw 2 or 3 years only about 20 bucks in replacment stuff

keep inmind i use this system for THREE 140 gallon systems
 
Re: ebay water filtration?

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=12479817#post12479817 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by 7808
im lookin for a low cost alternative to buying RO water in gallons at the store like i have been, ive seen a few (new) systems on ebay under $100 even under 50 (not including shipping) can anyone point me to a known good working cheap one? :)
Click to expand...


Stick with the reliable one...im using specta pure with no problem. dont try the filter from lowes or home depot...
 
Looks like the higher priced units really start showing their worth in the larger systems. The smaller systems probably don't need the higher end ro/di longevity. Just an observation based on only having a 54 gal tank myself and being very happy with my water general (at least in the short run and hopefully in the long run as well).
 
They really show their worth if you have very high TDS or other problems with your tap water. Well, that plus if you make very much water, the cost savings in DI and membrane replacements adds up quickly.
 
Yeah, my tap is only 170 so that plus the small tank has made the water general an ok choice for me. If I ever upgrade my tank, I may look at the spectrepure.
 
My dad can beat up your dad...

My dad can beat up your dad...

Cheesh. This topic is more derisive than "whose got the best skimmer..." :bum:

I am in qfrisco and Carlos63's corner - I use the same filter. It was a Christmas gift - cost $95 plus shipping. From eBay... :eek:

My system says made in USA... I don't think that's a small town in China. The manufacturer's website: www.watergeneral.com (I think California is still in the USA) :rolleyes:

My systems now total 330 gallons in volume. I do a minimum 10% water change religiously every week. Top off averages 5 gallons a day. Do the math... that's a busy RO/DI filter.

My city tap water water runs from a high around 350ppm to a "normal" around 290ppm TDS.

TDS had creeped up to 4-5ppm after I filled and cycled our new 180G reef tank with 20% weekly water changes. I decided to replace the Resin. I also bought resin refills on eBay. The same stuff I could get from the local supply houses...at half the price. My bad.

And what's the deal harping on the membrane replacements? Whether you pay $100 or $400, every filter will eventually need replacements - and every system I have seen uses standard filter housings...thus Brand X filter will fit Brand S housing of the same size.

By the way Carlos, I love the way you mounted your resin cartridges in a vertical position...I going to try that!

Just my experience...

LL
 
Lightsluvr, What is your RO only TDS? Where better units shine is in membrane performance and membrane life. Its very well known, for every 2% you increase the RO membrane efficiency you double the life of the DI resin. So at a tap water TDS of 290-350 there could be a significant savings in DI resin. It is also a well know fact that better quality prefilters and carbons extend the useful life of the RO membrane. So say you cut your DI usage in half and you double the life of your membrane from 2 or 3 years to 5 to 7 years or more which is the cheaper unit then? The better units come out on top.

Every system does not use standard housings or membranes. Watts Premier. Sears and Whirlpool are three examples that do not. Not all housings or fittings are the same quality either, cheap housings often fail and flood your home. Look for brand names which carry NSF and UL labels as they have been tested and meet US standards. Often e-bay quality systems use Chinese imports which are poor quality clones of copies of name brand components and made of inferior brittle plastics with poor castings.

Just because they look the same does not mean they are the same. With RO/DI you get what you pay for.
 
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