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Thread: Looking to Get A RO/DI system

  1. #1
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    Looking to Get A RO/DI system

    http://cgi.ebay.com/REVERSE-OSMOSIS-...30191243634478

    http://www.fosterandsmithaquatics.co...fm?pcatid=4453

    These are the two I am looking at. I am trying to keep it as cheap as possible. But I also do not want to get something that isn't going to give me the desired results I want.

    So should I buy the one on ebay, or should I keep saving for the one from Dr Fosters?

    The reason I am up in arms over the two, is because Dr. Fosters at leasts tells me how much of the minerals, n pollutants it is removing, but then again the one on ebay has one more stage to it. I am looking into removing as much phosphate as possible. And the Dr. Fosters one removes 99 - 99.5% of it. And the one on ebay, I have no clue.

    Thank you for your feedback.

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    Crispy Reef Monkey **MOD** Phurst's Avatar
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    Well, I see problems with both units. The one at Foster and Smith is only RO, there's no DI. You can get an add-on DI stage, and I wouldn't use that unit without one. The one on ebay lacks a pressure gauge and TDS meter. Without those, you'll have no way of knowing how well the system is performing, when it's time to change filters, etc. I wouldn't use a unit without a dual inline TDS meter. Without one, there's no way to know that it's working. You can also get add-on pressure gauges and TDS meters. So, unless you find a complete RO/DI system somewhere else, it's going to depend on whether you'd rather track down and buy a DI stage, or a pressure gauge and TDS meter.
    **KEEP ME AWAY FROM SUPER GLUE ... i tend to glue my lips shut !!**

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    Insightful Reefer AZDesertRat's Avatar
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    With RO/DI you really do get what you pay for. Don't go the ebay route, you will kick yourself from then on and spend a fortune getting it in working order.
    The Foster & Smith system is extremely overpriced.
    Take a look at the CSP-DI found on sale here for $145 including the TDS meter, pressure gauge and DI filter Phurst mentions. At $100 off you cannot beat it anywhere and Spectrapure has been in the RO/DI business and specifically in the reef hobby for over 25 years with a huge following.
    http://www.spectrapure.com/email/cus...ciation.html#1

    I have used the more expensive MaxCap systems myself for the last 7 years and having owned 6 different systems and 4 different brands over the years I can tell you from experience, there really is no equal.

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    JoshLongton (09-02-2010)

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    Insightful Reefer Rostr02's Avatar
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    I got mine from www.buckeyefieldsupply.com Russ is a great guy there. I got a 1:1 RO/DI with inline TDS.

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    JoshLongton (09-02-2010)

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    Insightful Reefer AZDesertRat's Avatar
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    Russ is a great guy and is easily my second choice of vendors. They start to drop off from there. The Buckeye system would not work for me in Phoenix as it would soon foul or plug and fail, you cannot flush a system with tap water here and expet it to last at 1:1, so I went with the MaxCap UHE 1:1 which flushes with stored DI water. Russ and I have discussed this issue before, his unit is not for everyone.

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    Thansk guys. Glad I posted.

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    AZDesertRat .... Would the 145 be enough, or should I save and go with the more expensive one?
    The only problem I have is phosphate. Other then that, my water is perfect. It is well water, and that is where all the phosphate is coming from.

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    Insightful Reefer Rostr02's Avatar
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    Yes the triton 1:1 is not for everyone. I should have elaborated a little more, I was going to be placing a water softener unit into my home anyway, the tds on my incoming water from the municipality was low, the softener helped to clean this water up a bit more. It really depends on the TDS of the water you will be using. Josh if you are wondering what unit to order, just give Russ at buckeye field supply a call he will help you make the best choice. And no I do not work for them I am just a very satisfied customer.

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    Insightful Reefer AZDesertRat's Avatar
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    The MaxCap is the better choice as it will give you a much lower long term cost of ownership over time due to the hand tested and guaranteed 98+% rejection rate RO membrane and the MaxCap DI resin which will outperform any other DI resin on the market by at least 3.5x . I have owned two MaxCaps, a 90 GPD and a dual membrane 180+ GPD in the past and loved both of them. Something to note too, when I bought my first 90 GPD MaxCap 7 years ago the retail price was about $389 at that time so the $249 is a steal. The MaxCap will also handle CO2 in the water better and CO2 is common with many domestic well systems. Phosphates are handled by the SilicaBuster DI resins as it is similar in makeup to silicates which the resin is designed to remove efficiently. Both are very weakly ionized substances so not easy to remove and often hard to detect since they may not register on a hobbyist grade TDS meter at low levels.
    I now own the MaxCap UHE 1:1 system and love it but my tap water TDS is over 800 too so it pays for itself quickly.
    Buckeyes 75 GPD premium is a good system too and like I said they are easily my second choice.

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