Ro/Di Advice

[Allyson]

I know you guys are probably tired of all my equipment posts...this will probably be the last one.

I'm hunting RO/DIs on Ebay. I realize you get what you pay for, but couldn't I get a "workable" RO/DI and use the more expensive/better filters?

Is there any brand I should avoid?

How many gallons do you usually get out of 1 membrane? I live in the city and have tons of crap in my water.

[Melissa]

Allyson,

I just picked up a unit from AquaFX. It is a 5 stage 200gpd and it is really nice. I actually disconnected one of the membranes so now it's running at 100gpd which is still plenty of water for me. I'm not only using it for my tank, but also for drinking water. They have extras you can add to your order, like a big holding tank with a float valve and auto shut off. I added the chloramine unit to the unit I picked up mainly because I'm paranoid about the water here in metro Atlanta. AquaFX is the only company that currently offers the units that remove the chloramine from the water.

Here's a link to what I got: http://www.aquariumwaterfilters.com/...tage_Mako.html

The price is higher than what you'd find on ebay, but I like the clear canisters, and the chloramine unit, plus I wanted a 200gpd unit.

Hope this helps,
Melissa
Also, they are a sponsor here. I like to support the people that support us.

[Allyson]

Thanks! I just bought a slightly used Kent 50 gpd.

Whooo Hooo....new pump is also on it's way. I should have the tank set up by next weekend!

[reefer769]

did u buy the 50gpd kent filter off ebay?

[Allyson]

Originally Posted by reefer769

did u buy the 50gpd kent filter off ebay?

No...from a local reefer. I saw one on ebay, but it was pulled from auction.
Were you going to bid as well?

[Phishnoob]

Glad you found one and post all you want. If you can post nearly as much as some of these troublemakers (me included) then you will fit right in.

I spent the extra coin and bought a spectrapure to ensure replacement parts but it looks like a lot of these are the same thing with a different sticker.

[yardboy]

Melissa, why did you disconnect one of the membranes? Doesn't the second feed off the waste of the first? Using both gets what you want faster with less waste water.

[Melissa]

Initially I disconnected it because it was missing an o-ring. I received the replacement o-ring but just have not taken the time to reconnect the membrane. I know I need to. The second does not feed off waste from the first from what I can tell. The incoming water is split between the two membranes. I don't think this setup would produce less waste water, but I could be wrong. (it happened once before) I'm actually going to begin saving my waste water anyway to water my plants. They're tough. They can take it.

[dwall174]

Originally Posted by fussoverthis

The second does not feed off waste from the first from what I can tell. The incoming water is split between the two membranes.

I agree with Yardboy! I think it should be connected to the waste line of the first membrane. here's a digram of a dual set-up http://www.spectrapure.com/huds/DUAL.pdf
Of course I could be wrong also!

[yardboy]

Yea, spectra-pure's setup has one membrane feeding off the waste of the other. Big industrial systems are set up that way also. Not to say that fussoverthis's system is set up that way, but it'd be more complicated to hook them up parallel. (Two feeds, two wastes.)
I feed the waste from my system into a soaker hose that waters my azaleas and roses. They very much enjoy it! The water is really not that much different from the raw water anyway. Not enough that a plant would notice. It's actually better for them, since the chlorine has been removed.

[tabwyo]

Boy, if he's worried about city water he should come try mine. I have a well. I live 22 miles from my next door nieghbor. I have wonderfully hard water with a natural PH of 7.8. Easy to buffer, but.... I have 5 ppm H2S, OSHA PEL is 10 I believe, as well as an overload of copper. To top it off Uranium is mined/well produced less than twenty miles from my home from the same water formation that feeds my well. Now tell me if I don't have water worries. The Culligan man is my reef savior.

Just to add perspective