RO/DI questions!

[Gluestick]

Okay, I am new to the saltwater hobby, and the water where I live is YUCKY! I read the other thread in this forum about RO/DIs, and I get the idea what they do, but how do you hook it up and where? Someone on the other thread mentioned to get a cheaper one is okay because they all work the same (which is great for me!), so could someone please take a looksie at this one on ebay which I am thinking about buying something similar due to price: http://cgi.ebay.com/Reef-100GPD-Rev...436880793QQcategoryZ20684QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem
This says that it pumps 100 gal per day - the aquariuum that I am setting up is 55gal. Will this be sufficient?
I hope I'm not being annoying by asking all these questions!!! You guys are great!!! Or, if there is a thread or site explaining all this would someone please direct me to it? I have searched buy i must be missing it....

 

[Paintbug]

this is the unit i use. http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUA-AQUARIUM-1...437245614QQcategoryZ20684QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

i would recommend use them or Filter Direct. if you get one from ebay. the one you listed doesnt have a refillable DI canister. that to me is important in the long run it will save you some money. i have been using mine for about 9 months and i have not had any problems, and im still getting 0 TDS. i would recommend getting a TDS meter as well. they are about $25 on ebay. im thrilled with my RO/DI unit from ebay!

hooking them up is more a case by case situation. some people put them under the sink, some have them in the basement, even out side. you will need to find out where you want it. then see what you will need to hook it into a water supply. i have mine in the laundry room. i use a Y adaptor for a garden hose. i split one side to the washer, the other to the garden hose adaptor i bought with the RO unit. then i run the waste line from the RO to the washers drain using the supplied fittings.

 

[bertoni]

I would avoid the 100 gpd membranes, since they tend to miss more contaminants than the 75 gpd membranes. That will increase the number of DI cartridges consumed. airwaterice.com has gotten some good reviews.

 

[Gluestick]

This may sound like a dumb question, but i always read books saying that you need to age salt water before adding to tank. so lemme get this straight. I should turn on the ro/di unit, have it drain water into a bucket or something, then add salt and probably a heater, and then how long does it age? also, the gallons per day thing with the ro/di- does the water drip out slowly or does it come out like a faucet? if someone could explain their process, it would be AWESOME

 

[bertoni]

It's best to let the water aerate for a while before use, except maybe in emergencies. I juse use a small powerhead or pump. That can take a few hours. There's some thought that heating it and letting it sit for a few days can let bacteria do some cleanup, but I'm not convinced that it makes a difference anymore.

The RO-DI system I use produces a drip. I think most of them are going to be along that line.

 

[JimR]

From what I understand ( havent bought my ro/di yet ):

The GPD ratings for most the cheaper units are assuming your house water pressure is 65 lbs PSI and at 77 degree's F. I called Filter Direct ( one of the cheaper ones on ebay ), and they told me with my 40 lbs PSI I currently have, I should get 40-50 GPD, using thier 100 GPD unit. Colder water also slows down the GPD rate.

Your supposed to buy a holding tank of some kind. Many here buy a heavy duty 50gal plastic trash can. Once full, you add salt, heater and a power head. After a couple days, your all set to add to your tank ( assuming the salinity/temp is the same as your tank ).

Hope that helps you some.

 

[JimR]

Oh yea....forgot to add, once your tanks are full, you should only need 10 gals a week, for water changes. So the GPD isnt really all that important, once your first fill up is done.

Also, remember that the GPD is if your filtering water 24 hours straight. So, if your like me and only expecting 40GPD, thats only 10 gals per 6 hours. I wont be running mine at night while I'm sleeping or away.

 

[Gluestick]

Great-thanks for all the advice. i'm looking at buying a used Aqua Safe Systems 6 stage ro/di unit, 100gph from ebay. anyone have experience with these systems?

 

[Paintbug]

me love it! but how used?

 

[Gluestick]

great - i feel much better about purchasing one that someone has experience with. It says it was used for only 3 months.

 

[nursefry]

This is the model i use and have been very happy with it. http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1TYPHOONIII Walter, the guy who runs the place is great with all the help he provided me. The unit puts out 100 gallons a day and also comes with a TDS meter....so it saves another 25 bucks and shipping from ebay. The filters are color changing so you know when you need to change them and has all the connections you need for the water supply and the drain lines. There customer service was great and that means alot to me. Maybe not the cheapest but definatly worth it IMHO.

 

[Paintbug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6682977#post6682977 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Gluestick
great - i feel much better about purchasing one that someone has experience with. It says it was used for only 3 months.

unless your getting it real cheap, like $25 i would just get a new one. for starters if the person didnt store it wet, then you are going to have to replace the filters right off the bat. second if they had really dirty tap water your filters could be half used up. as far as the Typhoon IIIs i got my setup with the TDS meter, and pressure gauge for about $150 shipped! thats still $50 cheaper and i still get 0 TDS.

 

[JimR]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6685282#post6685282 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by Paintbug
unless your getting it real cheap, like $25 i would just get a new one. for starters if the person didnt store it wet, then you are going to have to replace the filters right off the bat. second if they had really dirty tap water your filters could be half used up. as far as the Typhoon IIIs i got my setup with the TDS meter, and pressure gauge for about $150 shipped! thats still $50 cheaper and i still get 0 TDS.

Tell me where to get the Typhoon3 for $150 shipped.

 

[MadSkillzMan]

how much of a difference does that last DI stage make?

 

[Paintbug]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=6692022#post6692022 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by JimR
Tell me where to get the Typhoon3 for $150 shipped.

i dont have a Typhoon III. read my first post here.