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View Full Version : Cheap RO/DI recomendations?

AndyL
08-11-2009, 06:47 PM
G'day All,

Ok, so I'm coming to the conclusion it's finally time to get off my arse and get an RO/DI unit...

Who's recommended / to be avoided these days? Looking around it's rather disturbing the old 'cheap' 3 stage units have dissapeared and now 6+ stage is pretty common... Help me out here, don't we just need a sediment, Carbon, RO and DI filter? Why do they need 3 extra carbon filters???

Yes I'm still of scottish heritage so cheaper is gooder :lol:

Thanks in advance,

Andy
Koresample
08-11-2009, 06:50 PM
i just bought a 4 stage Barracuda 4 stage RO/DI from J&L. Easy to use and the output tests O phosphates and silicates and TDS is 0. $230 complete. You might get something cheaper off e-bay, but i have no experience with them.
plutoniumJoe
08-11-2009, 06:54 PM
I bought the 5 stage from BulkReefSupply for 159US and I am very happy with the quality and the fast shipping.

Joe
ALBERTA REEF
08-11-2009, 07:27 PM
I say Bulk Reef supply is the best bet. I think J&L is having a sale on them, too. A nice 4 stage is good. I suggest stay away from the Coralife Pure Flo 2 from Big AL's over priced for such alittle units.
sphelps
08-11-2009, 07:41 PM
There are a few companies which sell nice units on ebay, like this one (http://cgi.ebay.ca/REVERSE-OSMOSIS-SYSTEM-5-STAGE-70-GPD-RO-UNIT-FILTER_W0QQitemZ330332282242QQcmdZViewItemQQptZSma ll_Kitchen_Appliances_US?hash=item4ce9569d82&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|293%3A1|294%3A30#ebayphotohosting)

$150 US for a 5 stage and it includes some installation supplies, a faucet and even some extra filters. Plus it ships from Ontario so shipping will be reasonable and no worries about duty and brokerage fees.

The first three stages are not all carbon, only one, the other two are sediment. Living in Calgary you don't need the 6th stage (DI). You should be able to get 0 TDS without it. It may depend on where about in the city you live but I setup a unit there and the TDS going in was at 54ppm and a normal five stage brought it down to zero and kept it there for over a year with regular use.
sitandwatch
08-11-2009, 07:43 PM
Red Coral has some that are 75gal model and 200 bucks. Mine has worked great since I picked it up.
albert_dao
08-11-2009, 10:48 PM
http://www.vertexaquaristik.com/products/waterPurifyingSytems/ro-diSystems/deluxePuratek100.php
AndyL
08-11-2009, 11:40 PM
Leave it to albert... Yeah 440$US - i'll pass...
Ron99
08-11-2009, 11:50 PM
The Vertex Puratek100 is actually only CDN $370 at J&L and is actually not a bad price for what you get. It has an inline TDS meter and built in booster pump. It is pretty efficient and is close to 1:1 in waste to RO water production. Cheaper units generally produce about 3 to 5 times as much waste water as RO water. That is the one I have and it is great.
ILIKECOUGARS
08-11-2009, 11:57 PM
+1 for Red Coral, 4 stage RO/DI 75 GPD. I pick this unit from them, very happy with it.
I was also thinking about ordering one from BRS, US dollars, + shipping, + a flat 15% tax to cover duties and and taxes.
sphelps
08-12-2009, 01:15 AM
The Vertex Puratek100 is actually only CDN $370 at J&L and is actually not a bad price for what you get. It has an inline TDS meter and built in booster pump. It is pretty efficient and is close to 1:1 in waste to RO water production. Cheaper units generally produce about 3 to 5 times as much waste water as RO water. That is the one I have and it is great.
Is the pump noisy?? I really thought about getting one because you're right, it is a good price for what you get and the 1:1 ratio seems too good to be true, but I saw one setup and it was sooo noisy I passed :neutral:
Ron99
08-12-2009, 06:02 AM
It's a little noisy but not really loud. I only run it for short periods to fill a couple of 5 gallon bottles as I need them so the noise isn't a problem. I suppose if you were running it non stop or very frequently it might get annoying. But it is a true 100 gpd so it fills my bottles quickly. Many RO units claim to be 50gpd or 100gpd but are actually alot less efficient. With the booster pump this one is fairly efficient so I don't actually run it alot.

One other nice feature is that it automatically back flushes every 15 minutes or so to keep the filters from clogging up.
albert_dao
08-12-2009, 10:03 AM
Leave it to albert... Yeah 440$US - i'll pass...

Hah, where'd you find that price?
wickedfrags
08-12-2009, 11:35 AM
Aqua-safe are cheap and they work. I wouldn't use one if they didn't work...don't get distracted by the pressure guages and the inline TDS meter, they are not accurate and don't work long IME.
AndyL
08-12-2009, 12:43 PM
Hah, where'd you find that price?
google, which popped up amazon which popped up that as the best price... still 400cdn - way outta the ballpark.
albert_dao
08-12-2009, 09:41 PM
google, which popped up amazon which popped up that as the best price... still 400cdn - way outta the ballpark.

http://www.jlaquatics.com/phpstore/store_pages/product-info.php?product_ID=vt-ro100di
AndyL
08-12-2009, 10:05 PM
Which after shipping will still be more than double what a CHEAP ebay unit will run... Heck straight RO no DI - 90$ at bulk reef - less than a 1/4 the price...

Albert you've got strange idears about cheap...
lastlight
08-12-2009, 10:09 PM
Is aquasafe no longer in business? How do you buy a unit these days? I had one and other than the auto-shutoff failing (cheap to replace) it worked great.
albert_dao
08-12-2009, 10:25 PM
Which after shipping will still be more than double what a CHEAP ebay unit will run... Heck straight RO no DI - 90$ at bulk reef - less than a 1/4 the price...

Albert you've got strange idears about cheap...

I eat off silver spoons and dab at my mouth with silk linens.
Veng68
08-12-2009, 10:30 PM
For the price I think the vertex is not bad considering your getting the TDS monitor, back flush feature and a pressure pump (most often are cost extra add-ons).

You can't really compare it to a $90 RO only unit because with the pressure pump your going to get more production from that unit.

I have an Aqua Safe unit and I like it but I think they have gone out of business.

Cheers,
Vic
Veng68
08-12-2009, 10:31 PM
Which after shipping will still be more than double what a CHEAP ebay unit will run... Heck straight RO no DI - 90$ at bulk reef - less than a 1/4 the price...

Albert you've got strange idears about cheap...

I thought J&L had free shipping on dry goods orders over $100. Check the shipping policies.

Cheers,
Vic
Veng68
08-12-2009, 10:37 PM
Another option is to make your own DI unit and learn to recharge the resins. Not hard to recharge but you should know that the chemicals used to do the recharge need to be handled with great care.

Cheers,
Vic
ElGuappo
08-12-2009, 10:46 PM
red coral has a pretty good one 75 GPD i believe for around 200. i have one and im pretty sure doug does aswell. RODI unit.