RO/DI?

[Leila]

Okay, So then I was wondering if someone could steer me in the right direction for an RO/DI Filter. I'm hoping to find something $150-200 if at all possible. I'd like to get one as soon as possible and that's what's in my budget for it right now. I truly have no idea about RO/DI systems and wouldn't know a good one from a tube of rocks.

 

*Edit* I do NOT want to buy a $200 Tube of rocks!!

[AZDesertRat]

You will not find any better than the CSP-DI found on sale here for $199:

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

 

Others you might consider are the BFS-161 75 GPD Premium found here:

http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showprod...168&Sub=166

 

or the Optima Professional found here:

http://www.purelyh2o.com/index.php?page=sh...&Itemid=118

[doppelganger]

I use a BRS one. It's simple and works well. Lots of other good options out there. I only have experience with this particular one tho so... I'm sure other will chime in about some other good systems.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/produc...ization-systems

 

I have the *PLUS* system

 

You will not find any better than the CSP-DI found on sale here for $199:

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

 

I hear this one is great too

[frahny]

I use a BRS one. It's simple and works well. Lots of other good options out there. I only have experience with this particular one tho so... I'm sure other will chime in about some other good systems.

 

http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/produc...ization-systems

 

I have the *PLUS* system

 

 

 

I hear this one is great too

 

Mighty Might! all day long

[AZDesertRat]

Mighty mite filters cost too much, do not come in 0.5 micron sizes, are harder to find and do not last as long due to their smaller size.

The cost of ownership is much higher.

Any RO/DI can be portable, why sacrifice anything?

[ajmckay]

I originally wanted the spectrapure unit, and they have had it on sale before for $149. I found the 5 stage at bulk reef supply and it came in the mail yesterday. It's a good deal because you get free shipping on orders over $175 and there's a $20 coupon code running right now as well.

 

IMO the quality seems great and it was well packaged.

[AZDesertRat]

The difference is the quality and micron range of the prefilter which makes the carbon block work better and last longer, then makes the treated and tested RO membrane perform better and last longer which in turn makes the custom blended ree fspecific DI resin last longer and work better. It all adds up to a significantly lower cost of ownership over time. The fewer membrane and DI replacements you do the lower to overall cost.

 

You did OK though, the BRS units are noting to sneeze at but not in the same league.

[ajmckay]

Of course when the time comes for the first filter replacement you could swap out the sediment filter for whichever one of compatible size, correct? Is this even true of carbon blocks, RO membranes, and DI containers?

[AZDesertRat]

Yes you can upgrade when the time comes for normal replacements at 6 months.

One thing that is often overlooked though is the difference in DI resin life between brand x and brand y or whatever. In that 6 month timespan you may change out 2 or 3 or more DI cartridges with one and none or maybe 1 with the other. There is the difference in the capital cost in the first 6 months alone.

 

I experienced just that myself personally. I used to own a Typhoon III, a very respected and popular RO/DI.

No matter what I did I could not get more than 150 gallons of treated water per 20 oz refill. I tried resin from about every vendor on the market including Resin Depot, AWI, ARS, PurelyH2o, Buckeye and others. I was careful to buy fresh resin and in the recommended blends and to store it properly before use. It made little difference.

I sold the Typhoon III and bought my first MaxCap RO/DI system. On my very first DI replacement I had 830 measured gallons! My second replacement went just over 1000 gallons and it been there ever since.

I am now on my third MaxCap system, the original 90 GPD, the second was a dual membrane system and my current one is a MaCap UHE and its still averaging 99.35% rejection after 2.5 years of heavy use.

If I still had the Typhoon III from 7 years ago I would have gone through 70 DI refills or cartridges based on 1500 gallons a year and 150 gallons per cartridge. With the MaxCaps I am currently on my 11th DI cartridge in 7 years of usage. Thats a difference of 59 refills or cartridges! Even if I bought in bulk at discounted prices thats a lot of money and a lot of landfill space I have saved.

 

Then there is the issue of membrane performance and life. The normal membrane lasts 18 months to 3 years. Randy Holmes Farley reported a year or two ago that he finally replaced his Spectrapure select series RO membrane after 10 full years of service. how many membranes would a normal system have gone through at 18 to 36 months life? It all adds up.

 

Yes you can upgrade but I look at the whole equation when I buy, the capital cost plus the operating cost so I get a true cost of ownership. Yes you may pay less for a particular unit but if you want the same level of service and quality the cost of the upgrades/replacements added to the capital cost soon exceeds the cost of the better unit.

 

You really do get what you pay for.

[Leila]

I ordered the SpectraPure. Thank you so much AZDesertRat for all the good information. You were a huge help!

Having my own RO/DI will make Brown Algae wars 2011 much easier. Carrying like half my weight in water up 3 flights of steps every night is not good times!! And thanks everyone else for all the the suggestions.

[lucky_r]

I ordered the SpectraPure. Thank you so much AZDesertRat for all the good information. You were a huge help!

Having my own RO/DI will make Brown Algae wars 2011 much easier. Carrying like half my weight in water up 3 flights of steps every night is not good times!! And thanks everyone else for all the the suggestions.

 

AZDesertRat, do you know if there is any problem with running RO/DI water through a faucet included with my RO-only system? I was thinking of buying add-on DI for my Watts Premier WP-5 RO-only system, teeing it off with a 3-way ball valve after the membrane so I could choose RO for drinking or DI for reef, and then running both out the same faucet. But I've read recently that DI might leech metal from the faucet - any truth in this? My tap is about 220 ppm, and my RO output 7 ppm. Thanks for your help!

(This is my first post, so please all forgive if it comes out wrong!)

[AZDesertRat]

That is correct. DI is very agressive and will leach metals.