RO Unit questions again

hawks · 02-02-2007, 10:34 AM

I'm looking at buying my own RO unit instead of lugging water jugs back and forth from my lfs. I would like to put it under one my bathroom sinks. I think that is the only place my wife will let me put it. I do have plenty of space for it and at least a 10 gallon container.

I've done a little bit of research on here but I'm looking for what everyone thinks is the best all around unit. I would like it to be easy to find replacement parts and find them locally if possible. How difficult is it to put one under a sink plumbing wise? Do all the units out there get 0 tds reading results?

One search I found Geoff recommended the typhoon 5. Does everyone like that brand/model? If possible would someone tell me all the additional add-ons I should purchase? Obviously only really want to do this once. I can provide a picture of the plumbing of the sink later today if necessary.

Again, Thanks for everyone's help. This place is the best.

Brian

JY13131 · 02-02-2007, 10:37 AM

In addition to this, I need some back up support because my husband does not want to buy one! Could you please talk DIRK (my husband) into buying one for me!!!! (I will show him the thread!) Thanks

jerseyguy1996 · 02-02-2007, 01:19 PM

I got this a few weeks ago when I first started setting up my aquarium.

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Produc...&N=2004+113775

I got the 50 gpd 4 stage without the pump.

It seems to work but I have not tested it to determine TDS of the product water.

Installation worked out well for me in my utility closet in my apartment because there was a cold water lead to the hot water heater that I was able to tap into and a drain in the floor. There was also room for me to stick a 30 gallon rubbermaid trash can for RO water storage and 2 16 quart coolers that I store salt water in.

Brent Cone · 02-02-2007, 01:22 PM

http://www.spectrapure.com/
Brent.

Fly Guy · 02-02-2007, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JY13131

In addition to this, I need some back up support because my husband does not want to buy one! Could you please talk DIRK (my husband) into buying one for me!!!! (I will show him the thread!) Thanks

Gladly.

Hi Dirk.

Using quality water is one of the most important things we do to our tanks. As well as something that we DO have complete control of. Take advantage of it.

Think about all the time and money we spend on these things. Why risk investing all of that time and effort in vain by not doing the best you can for it when it comes to the water?

Compromising your water may not show its ugly head immediately, but it will build up over time and simply isnt worth it.

Sure you can buy the water, but having the unit will pay for itself shortly vs buying the water, and just becasue you are paying for sopmeone else to make it doesnt guarantee you that the people you are buying it from keep up on their filters and that it is actually pure in the first place.

I have my own well with VERY clean water and i used it for a long time without filtering it......then one day my phosphate level in my well water jumped through the roof and i paid the price.

An quality ro/di unit is a key piece of necessary equipment for reefkeepers. period

I use the same one Brent just posted above me.

JY13131 · 02-02-2007, 01:29 PM

Thank you!

afbengochea · 02-02-2007, 01:30 PM

there are a couple reputable companies out there. Spectrapure, Air water ice, filter guys. I think they are all pretty much the same since they use filmtech membranes. I think theyre very important so u can always have water on hand if needed. Plus its nice to just fill a resevoir and not have to lug around jugs of water

superjohnny · 02-02-2007, 01:32 PM

If I had to do it over I think I'd get the typhoon 5 instead of the one I got off ebay, but it works OK.

Fly Guy · 02-02-2007, 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by afbengochea

there are a couple reputable companies out there. Spectrapure, Air water ice, filter guys. I think they are all pretty much the same since they use filmtech membranes.

Agreed. I wil just ad that you can find units for cheaper, but more often than not they are using inferior filters and membranes, that after upgrading to the quality parts, will have cost you just as much by the time you are done.

All 3 of the companies mentioned so far are reputable for both quality and service. I recommend going with one of them or doing your homework on the specific parts used before buying from someone else.......

fishinchick · 02-02-2007, 01:36 PM

For the husband:

Dear Husband,

Do you like spending time with your other half? Do you like spending time with your other half and not hear her complain about the algae problems in her tank, her sore back and how much she hates lugging water jugs around and risking dumping them? Do you hate her begging you to go with you to the LFS to lug water when you could be sitting at home scratching yourself on the couch while watching the game?

If you'd like to spend quality time with her or would appreciate her not wandering back and forth griping while you try to watch football or want her to at least leave you the heck alone - get her an RO Unit or she's going to stop shaving her legs.

Signed,
Fellow hobbyist reef chick trying to help you make your life less of a living hell.
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Will that work?

I really really love my 4 stage RODI Captive Purity from Marine Depot. It's a good model for relatively inexpensive and it's pretty much plug and play. My model has a TDS meter so I can easily monitor how ugly my drinking water is and how good my filters are working. YOu can't go wrong with that model!!
This is the one I have:
http://www.marinedepot.com/md_viewIt...product=CP1343

JY13131 · 02-02-2007, 01:41 PM

hawks · 02-02-2007, 01:42 PM

Thanks for the information so far. Do you have to order the membranes from the company directly or can you find them locally? It seems like the typhoon is a whole lot cheaper then the spectrapure. Am I missing something? Any ideas on what else I would need to buy?

fishinchick · 02-02-2007, 01:45 PM

If you order your RO unit from Marine Depot they give you a decent discount on your return purchases of filters.

kwjones · 02-02-2007, 02:15 PM

Go for the biggest one you can afford....even if you have a small tank. I have a 110 gpd unit and a water pressure booster pump, it takes me around 8 hours to get 20 gallons+ of RO/DI water. Without the pump it used to take 2 days to get 20 gallons...the joys of having a well and only 40 psi. I'd tell someone with a 10 gallon nano to get at least a 75gpd RO/DI filter...you never know when you'll need lots of water in a hurry.

You may have to get a pressure booster pump anyway depending on the water pressure in your home plumbing. My house's water pressure is 40 psi, which is the minimum operating pressure for most RO/DI units. IIRC, the GPD rating on most filters is for optimum operating conditions...water pressure, water temp, input water quality, etc. The lower the pressure, the higher the initial TDS and colder the water, the slower the filter is going to work. The only one of those variables that you can control is the water pressure.

Fly Guy · 02-02-2007, 02:36 PM

Good point kwjones.
I wish my 60 gpd unit would actually give me 60 gpd. I have a large storage tank so its ok........but there have been mopre than a few times when i have had to wait days to do something i wanted to do becasue i didnt have the water.

My pressure is 50-55, my well water tds is about 50...but its also about 38-42 degrees. That temp thing kills the production rate. I get 30 GPD out of it.