[gonzalez0324]

hey guys i just have a question about rodi units. i would like to purchase an rodi unit to filter water for my 75 gal tank. the problem is that i don't own a house and don't really have access to the pipes, or have space to store those huge tanks to store the water,

is there another way that i can get the rodi unit to work?

is it true that rodi units just filter 1 out every 5 gallons and the rest is just waste water ?

how many stages should i get? i know that there is 3, 5 and 7 ?

anything would help, thanks!

 

[skimjim]

go to Home Depot or Lowes or any hardware store and buy an adapter that screws onto your kitchen faucet (you have to unscrew the faucet cap to see if the faucet threads are male or female).

with an adapter like shown below, you are converting your faucet head down to a 1/4 inch water line.

Go to the hardware store and explain what you trying to do and they'll show you the adapters they have. Pay close attention to female versus male connections.

 

[Phillrodrigo30]

I would go buy the 90gpd spectrapure refurb unit for 130$. Get a trash can on wheels for water storage. Make it right next to the sink and run the drain into the sink. Being in a apartment I would get a float valve so you dont overflow your storage container

 

[AZDesertRat]

Any RO/DI vendor such as www.spectrapure.com ,www.buckeyehydro.com or www.purelyh2o.com will sell a faucet adapter which atttaches to a kitchen, laundry sink or bathroon faucet, they cost between $10 and $20.

You don't have to store large quantities of treated water, I use 5G drinking water jugs and the blue cube type water storage containers found at WalMart which are nice since they can stack in an out of the way corner or closet.

The photo above is a good option if you have access to the cold water supply to a washing machine, you insert the wye so one side still goes to the washer and the other feeds a RO/DI system with individual shutofff valves. I prefer the brass version though and they cost around $8 at Lowes or HD.

The Spectrapure is easily the best value on a high quality reef type system. Like most any other RO or RO/DI system it has a 4:1 waste ratio meaning for every 1 gallon it makes it uses 4 gallons to flush the membrane clean of the built up TDS or dissolved solids. This is needed to keep the membrane functioning but really isn't a huge issue since you are not making thousands of gallons and it only wastes when in use, you make 10 gallons it wastes 40. On average the cost is around 5 cents a gallon including water and sewer rates and replacement filters and DI resin so it is very economical and beats going to the grocery or LFS every time you need water, wasting both your time and your gas.

 

[mjwiseman07]

Bulk reef supply has one that is setup for permenent under the sink use or take it out as you need it. Go on there website 4 stage for 150 is an awesome deal. The setup for under the sink is designed to work with your sinks water supply and does not require any crazy plumpling to have it installed. You will unscrew the cold faucet line under the sink thread the adaptor on screw your faucet line on and the it has a push connect for the line that feeds the unit. The waste water they have an attahcment to your existing drain pipe underneath your sink to drain the waste water. Try to get a membrane flush kit, TDS meter, and a pressure gauge. The one in the link below has all of that.

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-4-stage-value-plus-ro-di-system-75gpd.html

I installed theirs for my friends in less than 30 mins under their sink and it was easy and is out of the way. Check out there website they have multiple videos that will help you install your unit. One is brand new for 132 I highly recommend there RODI unit. Most brands come with a shut off valve so when you are not using it you just shut off the valve. My friends have two five gallon jugs they will fill up at a time to store. I have multiple friends who have this unit and they love it. I have a 90 GPD Spectrpure that I am not to impressed with. Bulk Reef supply has filters that are interchangeable and if you have cloramines you can buy there filters to help remove them. The units also come with a lifetime warranty. Just some info but really like theirs and I may sell my Spectrapure for their 5 stage unit.

To answer your question about how many stages really depends on your TDS(total dissovled solids) going to your home. The 4 stage is probably sufficent and also you should contact your local water company to see if they use cloramines as they are not so easily removed as clorine. I can send you a link about removal of the chloramines if you have it. If you have well water then it is of no concern. The ratio is usually for every one gallon of pure water there is 4 gallons of waste water. Now you can get another membrane added which would purify that waste water reducing the amount of waste water your system would produce. I know alot of people that collect their waste water to water flowers around there house. The number of GPD(gallons per day) includes the waste water so at 75 GDP 15 a day would be pure and the other would be 60. But that owuld depend on how much water you need. Also by adding another membrane that makes your unit a 150 GPD. That membrane is like 40 or 50 dollars. One of my friends did that because hehad a big tank the others have 75 and 55s and they are fine with the 75 gpd. Anyways hopes this helps.

 

[AZDesertRat]

You do not need to waste money on a flush kit or special chloramine filters, they add no value and really do nothing other than give you a warm fuzzy feeling.

All vendors sell feed water adapters to fit whatever plumbing you have, its nothing special and the advantage is it does not tie up a faucet for hours while making water and it can be removed when you move with no permanent damage to the plumbing.

I would pass on the BRS system, the 5 micron filters are very coarse compared to others 0.5 or 1.0 micron varieties and you are much better off with a more versatile and accurate handheld TDS meter which is not dedicated to two spots when you need three readings to troubleshoot a RO/DI. Don't let someone sell you things you will not use or do not need.

 

[mjwiseman07]

They sell those filters as well which if you request the .5 and 1 they will give those to you at no extra cost and my Spectrapure did not come with that for no charge. You need to talk to a certified water professional before you say the removal of cholormines is not important. Look it up. Please contact a certified water professional and they will advise you on this before you buy a regular unit. Again if you do not have it then it does not matter. Spectrpure is great but they are expensive. Contact a water specialist and ask them, that is what I did and it will help you make a better decision. Everyone has information they want to give just talk to a specialist. I got alot of different information and that was why I contacted them the cost of one of those systems like Spectraure makes no sense unless it is refurbished. Oh and calling them it was free to get that information.

 

[gonzalez0324]

thanks so much everyone for the information! it really helped

 

[gonzalez0324]

the spectra pure seems to be very popular, taking a look right now, thanks for the website. i was looking at a 5 stage extreme typhoon at amazon but didn't really know if it was good or not.

 

[gonzalez0324]

??

 

[gonzalez0324]

has anyone used this system ? http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003JTSGBY/ref=ox_sc_sfl_title_2?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A18WGTVPHTGWYH

is not as much as the sprectrapure.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Actually I am a Certified Water Professional with 39 years experience and employed by one of the largest Water/Wastewater Enviornmental engineering firms in the country training other wate rtreatment professional and starting up water treatment plants.

Spectrapure makes perfect sense since they have done their research and do not sell you things you don't need.

Unless you have softened water and lower than normal TDS and want to try reducing the waste ratio, then don't worry about flush kits. They do nothing as long as you keep your waste ratio at the manufacturers recommended rate which is where the membrane flushing is accomplished.

Chloramines are not what some will try to tell you. Its not the carbon that is the critical piece, a 0.5 or 1 micron carbon block is more than capable of removing the chlorein portion. Its the DI that is critical and another place Spectrapure makes perfect sense since they research and develop all their own resin blends for specific purposes, not just prepackaged like others.

I owned a Typhoon III for several years before switching to a MaxCap. My DI life went from 150 measured gallons to 830 measured gallons on th efirst cartridge, no comparison.

 

[gonzalez0324]

Actually I am a Certified Water Professional with 39 years experience and employed by one of the largest Water/Wastewater Enviornmental engineering firms in the country training other wate rtreatment professional and starting up water treatment plants.

Spectrapure makes perfect sense since they have done their research and do not sell you things you don't need.

Unless you have softened water and lower than normal TDS and want to try reducing the waste ratio, then don't worry about flush kits. They do nothing as long as you keep your waste ratio at the manufacturers recommended rate which is where the membrane flushing is accomplished.

Chloramines are not what some will try to tell you. Its not the carbon that is the critical piece, a 0.5 or 1 micron carbon block is more than capable of removing the chlorein portion. Its the DI that is critical and another place Spectrapure makes perfect sense since they research and develop all their own resin blends for specific purposes, not just prepackaged like others.

I owned a Typhoon III for several years before switching to a MaxCap. My DI life went from 150 measured gallons to 830 measured gallons on th efirst cartridge, no comparison.

so basically just go for the maxcap ?

 

[AZDesertRat]

I have owned 3 different versions of the MaxCap over the last 10+ years, the regular 90 GPD, the dual membrane 180 GPD and the MaxCap UHE 100 for the last 6 years. They are the undisputed Cadillac of RO/DI systems with hand tested and guaranteed RO membranes, custom blended DI resins and near absolute 0.5 micron sediment and carbon block filters. Unless you have soft wate rand lower than normal TDS then go with the standard version. If you have soft water and low TDS you can opt for the reduced waste 3:1 or 2:1 but only if you have those.

 

[mjwiseman07]

Again spectrapure is expensive but great, you can spend it go for it. Contact a specialist! No offsense but we have no way of knowing if you are or not. Spend on what you want but why buy a cadilliac when a another will do the job and get you to 0 TDS. Spectrpure again is great not arguing that I am saying you can spend less and be fine. My friends have had their systems 3 + years with no problems. Their tanks show that! If a "good brand" is going to give the "warm and fuzzys" as you like to say go for it. I will say this again if you are a certified specialist then I will listen to everything you have to say but right now I do not know that and neither does he or she. That is why I am saying contact a specialist in your area to learn about the water in your area. You have the money then I would say go for spectrapure it is a great brand. I did not buy the unit from specialist he gave me that advice. If you are a specialist then you have my apologies. It is not going to hurt to make that call.

 

[gonzalez0324]

well thanks everyone, now i can make a more informed decision !

 

[AZDesertRat]

You may not know who I am but thousands of others do. Read some of the 30,000+ posts I have done on the subject over the last 15 years on any of the reef forums, 4 of which I am the Water Quality Moderator on. look up my name on any of the sites and you will find I know my subject quite well.

 

[mjwiseman07]

WOW! again I do not care what you write about or what forum you are on. Credentials is all that matters! I am a CPA do you really think anyone cares otherrwise whether I have a masters PHD or not, NO! They want to see the CPA. First get over yourself, you intiated the bad tone in your second reply. 30,000post, and thousands of people where is your facts for that. LOL, you could be on a thousand different forums, I ask for credentials and you give me forums. WOW two totally different things. HAHA.....

 

[AZDesertRat]

Do your research. This is going nowhere and is non productive.

 

[mjwiseman07]

Research that you are on a bunch of forums, and that proves what?(Now that could be considered non-productive) Still no credentials! I do not call forums(although there can be good information on them) authoritative. I need facts not the info on a bunch of forums. So again contact a specialist not a "so-called" one.