RO/DI Input

J

jeepboy_90

New member
Well after having to make the trips to get water I am going to purchase a RO/DI. I have read most of the threads on the pro/cons of certain brands, but it still seems there is no clear cut one to purchase.

So i figured if I asked the group they would tell me what to get.
Setup will be for a 60g, will have a float fill system in the sump.
Looking to spend around $200.

Also when you guys/gals have your float system, does the water used to top off the sump have anything mixed into it.?Just straight RO/DI water, then when you do your water change you make up for the diffrence.
 
Don't put the float in the sump for topoff. They can stick open and while a flood is bad, making your tank freshwater in the process is way worse...

As for RO/DI the sponsors here on RC sell good units with customer service. IMO stay away from anything on ebay.
 
I second Buckeyefieldsupply. Good unit, great service. Make sure to check your water report to see if you have chloramine in your water before you purchase. I got the Chloramine unit on Buckeye.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13278097#post13278097 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by jeepboy_90
What is should be done to have an automatic top off system?

If a float should not be used.
Click to expand...

Use a reservoir, like a 5 gallon container. That way if it sticks on you’ll only have 5 gallons not 500.

There are ways to use a float valve on the sump, such as using a timer so it will only stay on for so long or using redundant float valves. It can be done, but there has been more than one person here lose a tank over a simple float valve sticking open.
 
If $200 or so is your limit the 75 GPD Premium from www.buckeyefieldsupply.com can't be beat. I would save up a little more myself and buy the 90GPD MaxCap system from www.spectrapure.com if you are looking at a long term hobby. You will soon save the difference in cost with greatly extended DI life and superior quality water over any other unit on the market guaranteed. The MaxCap can be had at places like www.azseabottom.com , www.premiumaquatics.com and others as well as directly from Spectrapure. They also manufacture and sell autotopoff systems and liquid level systems.
 
Keep the input coming. I am going to purchase on in the AM. Looks like buckeye is the right way to go.

Does it have an auto shut-off?
 
I don't believe so but they are only like $8-$10 and they can add it to your order and plumb it for you. Unlike most other units in its price range it does have an RO bypass valve, adjustable flow restrictor upon request, an inline pressure gauge and a good quality handheld TDS meter. It also comes with a very good low micron prefilter and carbon block and refillable vertical full sized 20 oz DI canister and cartridge.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13286882#post13286882 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
I don't believe so but they are only like $8-$10 and they can add it to your order and plumb it for you. Unlike most other units in its price range it does have an RO bypass valve, adjustable flow restrictor upon request, an inline pressure gauge and a good quality handheld TDS meter. It also comes with a very good low micron prefilter and carbon block and refillable vertical full sized 20 oz DI canister and cartridge.
Click to expand...

AZDesertRat....YOUR starting to frost my...... JUST KIDDING...hehehehehe.

So I have been using the Filter Guys Ocean Reef +1 for a few years now & I love it. Please ( this is no joke ) Please tell me why is the one your using better ???.......0.0 TDS IS 0.0 TDS. BUT are there other features...as in filter life that can save me money...I'M always open to saving money

Thanks
Flipper
 
I've been very pleased with this unit.

158898OCEANREEF2.jpg
 
The smaller the micron rating of the prefilter the better job it does of protecting the more expensive carbon block from plugging or fouling. Two carbon blocks are totally unnecessary and are a hold out to the days when carbon was not nearly as efficient as it is today. A single 0.5 or 0.6 micron carbon is more than sufficient for our needs and will very probably still not be exhausted when we change it at 6 months or even 1 year.
Do not overlook the usefulness of an adjustable flow restrictor, I'll bet 75% or more of the units sold with a non adjustable or fixed orfcie type restrictor have the wrong waste ratio. By setting youself you can get it exact so you either don't waste excessive water or don't have enough to properly flush the membrane.

The unit I use personally is the Spectrapure MaxCap UHE 1:1 waste ultra high efficiency system and there is nothing else like it on the market. Yes its expensive but it will last forever and only wastes 1/2 gallon for every 1 gallon of RO/DI I produce. Its microprocessor controlled and uses a booster pump and solenoids and is the best thing since sliced bread. A couple of nice things are sincce there is much much less water passing through the system (1.5 gallons per gallon of DI vs 5 gallons per gallon of DI with others [4 gallons of waste and 1 gallon of good 4:1 @ waste ratio]) the prefilter and carbon block could concievable last for years and years. With the 0.2 micron prefiltrer I am not as concerned with bacteria and virus contamination like with larger micron filters. Another is I am much "Greener" by not wasting as much water, spent filters and most of all spent DI resin and cartridges since they last about 4 or 5 x longer than normal units.
It does not seem like a fair comparison but as with all RO/DI units its pay me now or pay me later, I paid more up front but save from then on.

And 0 TDS is not really 0 TDS, read Spectrapures write up in their Sposnsors Forum.
 
<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=13288436#post13288436 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by AZDesertRat
...The unit I use personally is the Spectrapure MaxCap UHE 1:1 waste ultra high efficiency system and there is nothing else like it on the market. Yes its expensive but it will last forever and only wastes 1/2 gallon for every 1 gallon of RO/DI I produce. Its microprocessor controlled and uses a booster pump and solenoids and is the best thing since sliced bread. A couple of nice things are sincce there is much much less water passing through the system (1.5 gallons per gallon of DI vs 5 gallons per gallon of DI with others [4 gallons of waste and 1 gallon of good 4:1 @ waste ratio]) the prefilter and carbon block could concievable last for years and years. With the 0.2 micron prefiltrer I am not as concerned with bacteria and virus contamination like with larger micron filters. Another is I am much "Greener" by not wasting as much water, spent filters and most of all spent DI resin and cartridges since they last about 4 or 5 x longer than normal units.
It does not seem like a fair comparison but as with all RO/DI units its pay me now or pay me later, I paid more up front but save from then on.

And 0 TDS is not really 0 TDS, read Spectrapures write up in their Sposnsors Forum.
Click to expand...

This really sounds like a nice unit, so much so that I considered replacing my old unit, which I use for both drinking water (RO) and aquarium water (RO/DI), with it. However, I'm a bit disappointed because I looked it up on the Spectrapure site and it states that, at this time, there are no UHE units that will work to fill a drinking water pressurized tank. I'm awaiting an email reply to my query about an ETA on one that will.
 
Yes, that part was a bummer for me too. I had to go out and buy a small drinking water system since I was using my old dual membrane MaxCap system for drinking and ice maker too.
 
i just recieved the buckeye field supply premium 75 gpd ro/di and love the bang for the buck on the unit. i have seen AZdesertrat recommend this time after time and ordered it. i had someproblems when it got here but the customer service is great and they more then made up for it for my trouble
 
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