RO water source

reeftanktime · 03-27-2003, 04:05 PM

ok, I have figured out that RO water is better than my tap water. I also have figured out that it is a pain to drag buckets in and out of the lfs. What are the best options for getting RO water?

Minnreefer · 03-27-2003, 04:22 PM

The best is to buy a RO unit, other then that I have bought RO from the grocery store (Rainbow) but I don't fully trust that water.
HTH

Jon

scuba · 03-27-2003, 04:33 PM

How much do you spend on pumps, lights, tank, filters, food, fish, etc....... on & on....... Here are great prices on RO units that willl pay for themselves in 6 months. You can also hook them up to your drinking and ice maker for great water and cubes...

http://www.aquaticreefsystems.com/;)

seano · 03-27-2003, 08:09 PM

Speaking of this (not to hijack your thread), should the source water for the RO unit come before or after the water softener? Does it make a big difference?

Thanks,
Sean

Gary S · 03-27-2003, 10:28 PM

I have had mine after the water softener for about 4 years and it has been fine.

Graham · 03-27-2003, 11:16 PM

If I may...scuba,

Are you drinking pure RO?
Is it also deionized?

scuba · 03-28-2003, 07:39 AM

we have our unit hooked up to our icemaker. not DI just RO. excellent water.. pure clean...

Also, I would think the RO unit would work harder post softener vs before. I have ours before softener so it doesn't have to deal with the salt from the softener.

tg · 03-28-2003, 08:18 AM

The owner of Spectrapure told me to hook the RO up after the softener, which allows the softener to act as a pre-filter for the RO. It may also have something to do with the membranes ability to deal with sodium vs calcium & magnesium

tg

David Grigor · 03-28-2003, 08:27 AM

That question has come up before where manufacturers responded and do recommend running it after the water softener.

If I were in the market for an RO unit, best price would be the ultimate. Most all actual membranes are made from 1 or 2 manufacturers, all filters etc. are interchangable so makes little difference.

I have a Kenti Hi-S and while I have no complaints I really think the Hi-S part is mostly marketing. I don't think there is anything special about the membrane.

One of the key features that is worth the extra money if the auto shut off that uses the back pressure to turn the unit off. This is especially important it unit it not hard plumbed. When I lived in an apartment for a couple of years, I think I forgot to turn the unit off before going to bed more times than I remembered and would wake up to a sloppy kitchen. Definately worth the extra $40.

IMO: You can't beat the price of the units from this guy. The membrane in it is a filmtech which is a very popular membrane

http://www.airwaterice.com

I have not purchased from this place as I already had a unit but on other boards seems to have a pretty good track record.

Ben Nicholls · 03-28-2003, 09:17 AM

I bought a 100 GPD RO/DI from a guy on eBay last fall. It has been working great for me. He still has several listed. One tip, don't do the buy now. He has so many of them listed they ususally go for the initial bid price.

http://cgi6.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...&since=-1&rd=1

Graham · 03-28-2003, 10:45 AM

scuba,

I see.
The reason I asked is because it's not healthy to drink pure DI H2O. It can dehydrate you due to the absence of ions and cause serious health problems in the long term if you drink alot of it for rehydration purposes. Like distilled water...not good. Ever put a fish like a betta in pure RO or distilled and wonder why it died? It pulls the ions right out of them. Deionized water in labs is always marked "non-potable" (as if anyone knows what potable means). If anyone drink RO and has a water softener, I would strongly recommend putting the softener after the RO as scuba does.

FWIW...

otolith · 03-28-2003, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Graham
(as if anyone knows what potable means).

It means that it can't be put in a pot! I think.

otolith · 03-28-2003, 11:04 AM

I should also add that I'm very happy with owning an RO unit. It has easily paid for itself, since I no longer had to go to the petstore for RO water, the temptation to buy some new goodies was eliminated.
Derek

mnreefgeek · 03-28-2003, 11:48 AM

potable = safe for human consumption
non potable = you get the idea

reeftanktime · 03-31-2003, 08:03 AM

I called Commers and they have a unit for $299 installed. Anyone out there use this? I am going to stop in there today after work to ask some more questions?

http://www.commers.com/drinking_products.html