RO/DI system a must have???

[Master Kyle 297]

The guy at my LFS said that having a RO/DI system is a MUST for a reef tank. Another one said that he has been using tap water with water conditioner (which I use) for water changes. So do I need to spend $200 on an RO/DI system or not?

 

[Capt_Cully]

Personally I find it invaluable. In my opinion you're just paying for the housings. The filters inside that you replace make the difference. Primarily the membrane. You can get a used one and replacethe filters. I don't think $500 spectapure housings are any different than the no name $100 eBay specials from water general (which I use). I would go onto the vendor pages here on RC. Talk to Russ at Buckeye Field Supply. He hooked me up huge when I recently revamped mine.

Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[Master Kyle 297]

alright, thanks

 

[cbrfire]

2nd the ebay idea. GE makes just about all the filters for all brands. Also, be sure to run an extra line for your drinking water.... better than what you'll find in the bottles at the gas station

 

[cbrfire]

Also, keep in mind it's much better to take the junk out of the water (filters) than to just attempt to inactivate it (conditioners)

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Yes. I was paying for RO/DI from my LFS for months and had a cyano issue I couldnt get rid of. Well it turns out, after testing their TDS it came to 346ppm!!! I am so ****ed I cant even explain to you, especially at 50 cents a gallon, 15 gallons a pop, every sunday for the last 5 months. So essentially I paid 150$ for the last 5 months for garbage water and just recently purchased a BRS 4 stage RO/DI from a seller on here with tons of extras including a TDS meter and now I have 0-5TDS (5 sometimes probably from my storage container) and by golly no more issues! So I vote yes, even if you get a mighty mite 50gpd with DI added brand new for 125$ shipped SPEND THE MONEY. Put a post in the wanting to buy section and I guaruntee someone will have something good and affordable for you.

 

[Master Kyle 297]

But don't you lose 5 gallons of waster water per 1 gallon puried water in an RO/DI?

 

[t4zalews]

RODI water is crucial to a fantastic reef

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Man if not more then that lol. My tap TDS is 238 and I leave the valve at the membrane all the way open so I get a nice slow drip. I dont know what the waste line produces but it is farrrrr more then the amount of RO/DI I am getting.

 

[jimmy frag]

there is no substitute. pay now or pay later. your live stock will look 10x better

 

[Master Kyle 297]

Ok, I have a 90 gallon main tank so what kind of system do I need? One that makes 10 gallons a day? 50?

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Well, how much evap a day do you have? Also, How often do you do WC's and In what amount do you do them? I wouldnt suggest anything less then 50gpd with a float switch so you can use a trash can, or a rubbermaid tub and set it next to the tank and just turn it on and let it ride until the float switch cuts off the water flow and then shut the water off.

 

[Master Kyle 297]

I do 10 to 20 WC biweekly depending on water parameters.

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Matter of fact if I am thinking properly here, my waste line comes before my DI but after my filters so technically that is filtered RO water which is technically "waste" water but I could be drinking it and it would be better then my tap, but if I am wrong someone please correct me before I start drinking this lol. I have heard it is bad news drinking it after the DI so I wouldnt recommend it

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Yea, I would just get a 50gpd, and even if you dont need that much, like myself I do 15 gallon WC's every sunday so I use a smaller rubbermaid tub with a float switch next to my tank and I fill it up with RO/DI and then shut the water off, unplug everything and put the system away until I need to refill it. I use the container for my daily top offs as well since I dont have an ATO yet which I would also highly recommend so I have to refill it by friday or sat and then mix my salt a few hours before doing my WC, once that is done, plug it back in, let it fill, shut it off and put it away and start all over again. I have to do it this way because of my home setup, I cant just have my sink taken up by a damn RO/DI filter continuously.

 

[Master Kyle 297]

Lol I just gonna stay with bottled water

 

[Master Kyle 297]

alright

 

[jeffesaurusrex]

Would an RO/DI filter get even the nastiest water clean? I have a well, the water smelled like sulfer bad when I moved in and I chlorinated the well. Now it doesn't smell like sulfer anymore, but I still don't use it for drinking.... Would it be worth it to get the RO/DI or should I just keep buying water from the LFS?

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

Lol well I am going to test the ppm coming from my "waste" line and see what it is compared to my tap and if its better and isnt passing through DI, IM DRINKING IT LOL!

Anyways, thats what I would do, and I would begin with either Buckey Field Supply, The Filter Guys, Or Bulk Reef Supply for an RO/DI unit, also if you want to find some extras on a used unit you can try the WTB forum and see what people have to offer.

 

[Bedroomgangsta]

My water is well water, but It doesnt smell like sulfur and its in an area where the water is required to be treated so maybe that helps? Check the TDS of your water and make the call from there, I am sure it can purify it just fine, however the life of your filters and DI resin may be a bit shorter then average if perhaps it had to filter a very large amount of excess TDS...