RO/DI alternative???

**Amphibious** · 01-25-2010, 02:30 PM

I’ve heard and read much over the years about a the water filter Kold Ster-il being an alternative to an RO/DI unit.

I’m wondering if anyone has experience other than anecdotal. It has no waste water and produces about 3 gals per hour.

Dick

**AZDesertRat** · 01-25-2010, 03:15 PM

You might want to contact Randy Holmes Farley over on RC.
Its not really a fair comparison as it does not filter out the total dissolved solids like a RO/DI does. It does capture some of the metals and a few other things but I would not consider one myself as my tap TDS exceeds 500 and gets over 800 at times.

**Amphibious** · 01-26-2010, 01:01 AM

I did a search on RC for the Kold Ster-il and found RHF’s postings and links to further information. Sounds to me like this is best suited for drinking water and RO/DI is still the optimum for our reef tanks. May get one for our drinking water and move the RO/DI unit out to the aquaculture building for convenience. We can’t drink our well water even going through a $5,000 Kenetico water softener and odor/color eliminator. To drink it straight out of the well would be sure peril. FL well water seriously sucks. Our TDS is 589 ppm after it goes through the Kenetico unit. I’ve never tested TDS straight from the well. I should do that just for kicks.

V · 01-26-2010, 02:13 PM

That was random ampage. besides that are they generally thought to be a decent unit?

Besides well water,( which it is from a stinking pit or cravat under the ground correct) why do both you guys have such high sources from the tap?

**AZDesertRat** · 01-26-2010, 11:58 PM

My water comes from the Colorado and Salt Rivers. Imagine where all the dirt and minerals from the Grand Canyon went..... and the Salt is called that for a reason!
RO/DI is the way to go for sure.

**rayme07** · 01-27-2010, 12:46 AM

Originally Posted by Amphibious

My dad has one of these hooked up to our well and it cleans out the iron dust we have. By the time the water gets to our cabin its clear as a mountain lake but man it sure does taste like iron. I have never tested it before but I wouldn't use it for saltwater tanks. But if I had no choice then maybe I would if I hooked it up to another type of filter at the same time that takes out the minerals as much as possible.

**Amphibious** · 01-27-2010, 10:08 AM

Originally Posted by V

That was random ampage. besides that are they generally thought to be a decent unit?

Besides well water,( which it is from a stinking pit or cravat under the ground correct) why do both you guys have such high sources from the tap?

FL’s water is really bad coming out of the well. Cities in FL filter and treat the devil out of it and in considered good. We are not on city water out here. Our well is 75’ deep and the water stinks like rotten eggs, is the color of pee, and may contain trace elements of pesticides since this was an old orange grove. SO, we bought the expensive Kenetico unit to rid ourselves of the problem. The treated water still has trace amounts of color and odor. We decided NOT to drink it just out of caution. We drink our RO water which is crystal clear, odorless and delicious. It just takes too long to fill gallon jugs. The Kold Steril unit claims a flow rate of 3 gallons per minute. Much faster and more convenient. I called the manufacturer Monday. They have not responded. I would have expected a better response time.

Dick

**THEJRC** · 01-27-2010, 11:14 AM

tagging along here on this one, makes me feel happy to live where I live!! Colorado springs is pretty much the mecca of fresh awesome tap water, even the areas with "bad water" have rockin water. Obvious benefit of being just downhill from the source I guess. Even with the crappy pipes in our area the last time I checked our tap hit only around 190 -230. Nice to have it that low as my filters and membranes last a lot longer!

**AZDesertRat** · 01-27-2010, 11:28 AM

Florida water has long been known to need a little help. That's probably why some of the oldest RO systems vendors around are in Florida, Air Water & Ice and PurelyH20( and its predecessor Aquatic Reef Systems). Walter at AWI and Charles Mitsis at Spectrapure were basically the pioneers of home or point of use type RO and RO/DI systems especially when it comes to the aquatic hobby. John who owned ARS was also in it for many years before family health problems necessitated a sale of the business.

V · 01-27-2010, 07:21 PM

what gets me, is that 800 -1500 in some reports is still deemed safe for human consumption down here. Dont you just love the freedom of information act. never would have found out that shocking truth without it. what a bunch of pr^cks - covering their @ss if something goes wrong in the process.

thats starting at 800mg/lt of organic, or even inorganic solids...wow, thats nuts.

Cant levels be effected by electrical condutivity as well ? Different pressures running through different elements & ground solids, would that all contribute to the vaule readings?

**AZDesertRat** · 01-28-2010, 09:31 AM

In the US, TDS is considered an asthetic and not a health concern since it is not a measure of anything in particular. My TDs averages 800 and can get as low as 500 and as high as 1200 here in Phoenix. The Kold Ster-Il would do little to help that and wouldn't even be a consideration.