Home/Sink use RO/DI water system (*Updated w/ Pics*)

[5-O Reefer]

Well it seems the more reading and research I do on here and the entire net, I seem to come up with more and more to buy. This is getting as bad as my diesel truck.

 

Anyway I have been using zephryhills distilled water from the store but really want my water to be pure. So not knowing the exacts parameters of the distilled I thought I could go for a home RO/DI system.

 

I have heard several people talk about systems that hook right up to a bathroom or kitchen sink. That would be perfect for me, seeing as I dont have much room for anything else in my house. So what do you guys recommend for that type of system? Or maybe something totally different. I was thinking of doing the grocery store thing but that seems it would get old fast. Thanks!

[kthehun89]

i just got my mighty mite from airwaterice, and I already love it. I hooked it up to my sink and I've made already 8gal.

 

http://www.airwaterice.com/product/1MMDI/M...h-DI-Added.html

 

perfect for small systems.

[5-O Reefer]

Ive seen that name before. Looks like thats what I was looking for. How often do you have to replace those filters?

 

I have a BC14 and am going to be setting up a NC24, so I think that system should be sufficient.

[kthehun89]

Ive seen that name before. Looks like thats what I was looking for. How often do you have to replace those filters?

 

I have a BC14 and am going to be setting up a NC24, so I think that system should be sufficient.

 

 

Ohh yeah should be perfect. As for replacement, I think they need to be replaced yearly, depending on use frequency...

[AZDesertRat]

Any RO/DI can be used portable with a sink adapter. The disadvantages of the small units outweigh the benefits in my book, no matter which unit or vendor. For one they use smaller inline type throwaway replacement filters which have lower capacity to filter so need replacing more often, the small carbon can possibly be exhausted in as little as 300 total gallons, thats 60 good gallons and 240 water gallons since all water goes through the prefilter and carbon. 60 gallons is not much water per filter when you consider a full size 10" Chlorine Guzzler carbon block can do 20,000 total gallons or 4,000 good and 16,000 waste gallons for about the same filter cost. Which one would you rather have?

The DI is also iusually a smaller 8-16 oz throw away horizontal that may have been sitting on a shelf for months or years versus a full size 20 oz vertical refillable type with fresh resiinstalled or in the case of some better vendors the resin is delivered in a vacuum sealed foil bag for freshness. Again which one would you rather have?

The small units don't have pressure gauges or TDS meters to troubleshoot the system and water quality, without a TDS meter you are in the dark.

 

I think the extra $40-$60 is well spent on a unit that is 4-5" taller, thats all the difference is, with full size filters and the tools you will need to do the job correctly.

[Supersizeme]

Well I am kinda in the same boat, I have a 29g Biocube and I will be doing weekly water changes, this will get expensive going to the lfs and buy the water they sell so I am looking for a ro/di unit, which unit would you suggest ?

[Grad]

I found a used Coralife pureflo II 3 stage RO/Di system that does 50gpd, picked it up for $75. The hookup was for a garden hose thread so i went to the store and grabbed a threaded adapter which screws into my sink then into the hose threads on the water line on the system. I cleaned it out, replaced the prefilter as it had been used for about 6 months, back-flushed the system for several hours and was pulling 0 TDS water after that.

The sink hookup systems are excellent if your renting an appt like me where your not going to tap into plumbing since you dont own the building.

 

i fill afew 5 gal buckets a weeks for my 30 gal, works out MUCH easier considering i was carrying water containers full of RO/Di water from my lab to my home a mile and a half away 3x a week to do my water change lol

[AZDesertRat]

http://www.spectrapure.com/email/customer-...eciation.html#1

 

 

ProPlus at $149 complete. That includes a hose thread adapter, pressure gauge, dual inline TDS meter, batch tested and treated 90 GPD RO membrane, 1 micron full size prefilter and carbon block, full size 20 oz vertical DI filled with custom blended SilicaBuster DI resin, clear housings and a capillary tube flow restrictor.

 

If you want to hook it to a kitchen faucet all you need is a faucet adapter that will run you $4-$16 depending on what you get and where you get it, most hardwares have them in stock.

[Supersizeme]

Thanks,

If I decide to get that one, how often would i need to change the filters? I would assume it depends on how often I use it and how dirty my water coming into the house.

And I dont make water for a bit, lets say a week or two what would happen to the filters and should I drain it?

I'm sorry for asking so many questions but i've never had one of these before and just want to make sure I'm doing the right thing.

[AZDesertRat]

The prefilter and carbon in any full size unit should be changed every 6 months and the system disinfected at that time. This is for several reasons, one is plugged filters cause a pressure reductionn to the membrane which reduces both GPD output and water quality as higher pressures make better water. Another is carbon has a useful lifespan and once its exhausted it allows chlorine to get to the RO membrane which melts its plastic film element.

 

If an RO or RO/Di is going to be sitting static for more than 10-14 days the membrane and DI should be removed and stored in a zip loc bag containing a little moisture and placed in the back of the refrigerator to keep them fresh. Its best to run the unit at least every 7-10 days and run it long enough to flush itself out. Short frequent starts and stops making just a small amount of water are hard on a RO/DI and shorten its life. Make several gallons at a time if possible so you reduce the effects of TDS creep and keep things fresh inside. I often fill several 5G drinking water type jugs and store them for topoffs and water changes so I don't have to make a lot of small batches.

[DaJMasta]

Not to dissuade you from getting an RO/DI, in the long run it will save you money.... but the distilled you're using is probably quite good. An easy test would be buying a TDS meter, there are models on ebay for under $20 which will tell you, pretty accurately, the TDS of your water, which is a good general indicator of water quality.

 

You could also switch to a brand that advertises deionized water, as that's typically the cleanest available in jugs.

 

 

They typically say how long filters last, generally 6-12 months, but if your RO system is not running very often it would potentially last longer. Some DI resins actually change color to tell you when they're used up, which is a handy visible indicator of when you need to change it.

[AZDesertRat]

The replacement frequency should still be 6 months regardless of usage, in fact less frequent usage can potentially be worse since things have a habit of growing in warm still waters with no chlorine present, like filter housings.

 

Color changing resins are usually not a very good indicator of resin condition. It can stratify giving false readings or turn all at once, half way up or even never. You are usually passing weakly ionized contaminants like phosphates and silicates well before resin turns colors. Stick with non color changing, it will also give you greater resistivity (lower TDS) as it does not contain dyes.

[DulcyDoll]

Hate to bring up a dead post, but didn't want to make a new one..

 

The SpectraPure that was linked to in above posts, it comes with everything needed to hook it up, correct? (by everything I mean filter media, connectors, etc)

 

I'm a newb at the RO/DI stuff, and figured I'd look into them before I switch my 55 gallon fresh over to salt.

 

Thanks in advance!

[AZDesertRat]

Its complete and includes a hose bib adapter to hook it to a cold water supply. Spectrapure does not include a bag full of fittings since they do not know how you intend to hook it up and most extra stuff gets tossed in the landfill. They prefer you contact them with thoughts on how you intend to use it ahd hook it up and they make suggestions on what fitting or adapters you may need. Its less expensive and more environmentally friendly that way, they are doing their best to be a green company and reducing waste. When I talked to them recently they had some novel ideas as far as the landfill space they save with their long life DI resins and filters, very interesting to say the least.

[5-O Reefer]

Just got my SpectraPure System delivered today!!

 

Looks very difficult to install though . LOL Just kidding, two screws into the wall where I'll be installing and screw the adapter onto my faucet. Thats it! Cant wait to use it but just gotta wait till I install a sink in my garage, should be this weekend.

 

Thanks for the help AZDesertRat.

[AZDesertRat]

Don't forget to take the couple of minutes to trim the flow retrictor according to the included directions, this is very important and something most vendors neglect.

[5-O Reefer]

Don't forget to take the couple of minutes to trim the flow retrictor according to the included directions, this is very important and something most vendors neglect.

 

Ok no problem. Haven't had a chance to go through the instructions yet, it was just a quick once over. But I will make note of that. Thanks. And obviously I'll let you know if I need assiatnce or have problems.

[5-O Reefer]

Ok well got the system installed and all seems to be well.

 

AZ, one question though, I did the ratio test and I think I'm ok not to modify, please just confirm for me. The product was 150ml at 60secs and the waste was 600ml at 60secs. Per their formula that's 600/150=4. Spectrapure stated the operating range was 4x to 6x. Mine is right at 4, I'm good to just leave it as is right?

 

Here are few quick pics of the system. Thanks again AZ for the recommendation. Seems like a very good quality product.

 

[AZDesertRat]

Looks like you are good as is. I would measure it a time or two as the seasons and water temps change but you should be good. You have your mounted very similar to mine except I feed my cold water from the washing machine cold water supply with a brass wye so I don't tie the faucet up. I had to install the laundy sink in the garage after my wifes kitche floor somehow got flooded

[5-O Reefer]

Ok thanks. Yeah I've got the brass y fitting from the washer too, but that's how the garage sink is fed. So that's why I hooked up the filter connection to the sink. I just disconnect it when I need the sink. I'll keep an eye on the flow rate to make sure all stays within specs. Thanks

[AZDesertRat]

I had the same sink faucet and it seemed like the gasket or o ring where it swivels wasn't the best and leaked under pressure so the brass wye worked best for me. You are going to love having your own RO/DI. Before I built a top off storage container with float switches I learned to set my bucket or jug in the laundry sink and a cheap $6 electronic kitchen timer worked great for reminding me when jugs or buckets were about full. I would wear the timer on my belt like a pager and set it for a few minutes before the jugs got full so I didn't waste too much water. Again, not that I ever flooded the kitchen floor or anything..........