Picking an RODI. HELP!

[keith p]

Too many choices.

I have seen 5 stage, 6 stage, double DI, triple DI, UV, Extra carbon, w/ flush, etc... HELP

What do I need?!? There are a lot of affordable choices on eBay.

Keep in mind I have a nano (for now) & live in a TINY cottage (read: no space).

[Phurst]

LOL, yes, there are a lot of choices out there. Fortunately, there's no need to go overboard here. A basic 5 stage, single DI filter will do you just fine. Unless your water is particularly crappy, then you may want to consider a dual DI unit. Of course you can always add a second DI stage if you find that you need it. Look for something in the 100GPD catergory. A flush is a nice option, but not necessary strictly speaking. The other thing to look for is a system tat advertises 0 PPM output water. I know most are, but there are some on ebay in particular that give examples like "250 PPM in, 10 PPM out". If you find a couple that you like, feel free to post links and we'll give our opinions on them.

[Amphibious]

My recommendation is to go to E-bay and buy the 100 gpd unit from Aqua-Safe Systems. I use it and so do many others on TR. At $99 plus shipping I rate it a "Best Buy" in RO/DI units.

It doesn't matter that you only have a Nano. the price difference from 100 gpd to 50 gpd is minimal. You are going to be making water intermittently, why wait longer than necessary.

Here's the link - AQUA-SAFE MAXIMUS II REVERSE OSMOSIS WATER FILTER - eBay (item 160249471211 end time Jun-14-08 19:00:00 PDT)

Check it out.

Dick

[poppin_fresh]

I would also recommend the Aquasafe unit. I have both the FiltersDirect and Aquasafe and I have always found the latter better for numerous reasons. The largest reason is that it has made near pure water longer, but it also came with better fittings and a much larger DI canister for the same $$.

[poppin_fresh]

P.S. forgot to mention that if you need help, just ask. I have researched a lot and I currently run a boosted twin 100gpd membrane system with a permeate pump and 6g storage tank, so I have "experienced" many issues and can probably help out.

They are not hard systems to install for even the moderately handy, but the directions usually suck so dont be afraid to ask Q's!

[Dragonwolf]

For all you reefers concerning RODI---Go to "www.thefilterguys.biz" These guys are the BEST! They will do just about anything you want them to do and they do it well, and CHEAP. Give 'em a call. Ya can't go wrong. No, I'm not part of their biz, they're just that good.

[rroselavy]

I also have the 100gpd Aquasafe unit. Works well. With my (260ppm) TDS and water pressure, I get about 40g of RODI water per day. Make sure to get a (handheld or in-line) TDS meter so you know when to switch out your cartridges. An auto-shutoff valve for the waste water line is also important if you have the RODI output connected to a float valve. When the float valve closes, the waste water will soon stop flowing.

Like Poppin mentioned, the Aquasafe instructions are not great. They are very verbose but not very clear. The assembly of the unit is actually easy. The piercing of the feed and drain lines is the intimidating part. Fortunately, I set mine up in an unused washer/dryer closet, so I used the existing hose bib and hose drain instead.

The Aquasafe has a DI canister that is oriented horizontally. I noticed after months of use the DI resin will settle. The incoming water can then bypass the resin by flowing over it. I have read that a vertically oriented DI canister is better since water will not be able to bypass settled resin. The Aquasafe instructions recommend that the owner shakes the unit to prevent settling, but I would recommend that you find a way to mount the canister vertically instead.

Lastly, you may want to buy or borrow a pressure gauge to determine your house pressure to see if you need a booster pump.

[rroselavy]

Apart from the The Filter Guys, other interesting vendors include AWI, Buckeye Field Supply, and Purely H20. Spectrapure is also a dealer with premium systems (some with waster water savers), but their price tags reflect that.

Aquasafe is less expensive than all of these I believe.

[bbl_nk]

I was able to get a unit free from an ad in my local paper, have to say I lucked out. I did replace all the filters and membranes and found WaterAnywhere to be the BEST prices for membranes. I picked up a 75gpd name brand membrane for about 1/3 of the cost I saw elsewhere (under $30).

WaterAnywhere

[tdanks]

I am currently using a air,water,and ice system so far it seems to work really good