Reverse Osmosis / DI advice

[PuckDaddy]

I am looking for advice on a R/O - DI system
my LFS sells the Coralife PUR-FLO system (which I don't really care for) for an inflated price of $219 for the 50gpd unit with DI chamber

an example of what I think (could be) a good system for a decent cost I found on eBay :

SmartReef 75 Gallon Per Day PRO Reverse Osmosis RO DI Filter System with Dual TDS & Auto shutoff and float valve

this unit is manufactured by TB Aquatics is backed by a Lifetime Warranty

4 Stages
1 Micron Polypropylene Sediment Filter
1 Micron CTO Carbon Block for chlorine and VOC removal
75 Gallon Per Day Filmtec RO Membrane
Refillable DI Cartridge with nuclear grade mixed bed DI resin
Includes dual TDS meter to monitor water quality
Includes auto shutoff and float valve to keep your storage container full
Includes your choice of a faucet adapter or saddle valve
Includes ball valve to shutoff unit
Includes drain saddle valve
All fittings are John Guest and include locking clips

simplicity gets me one today from a trusted local source with good customer service
economic quality gets me a better (on paper) unit with extras and a Lifetime Warranty (but who knows if they'll be in business when the time may come)

OPTION # 2 from Bulk Reef Supply http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/RO/DI-...duct_info.html which includes 5 free sediment filters

OPTION # 3 from The Filter Guys http://www.thefilterguys.biz/ro_di_systems.htm - would look at the Ocean Wave + here for $160

i would really appreciate the input
I don't feel like paying my LFS an extra $60 for the same equipment


and please feel free to add OPTION "X" to the list


Thanks,
Newbie

[kzickovich]

I would go with option three. Alot of people post on here how well they customer service and how good there units are

[sfboarders]

I just ordered option 2 from BRS. This is a pretty common question. The most popular places to buy RO/DI units are from BRS, AWI, and The Filter Guys.

[PuckDaddy]

haven't seen AWI .... gotta link ?

[kzickovich]

air water and ice

http://reefcentral.com/ads/adclick.p...aterice.com%2F

[Shawno]

i got the coral life one you were talkin about through my LFS and it works fine..

[PuckDaddy]

any advice on the TB Aquatics unit on eBay ?

[patsfan1130]

Both the BRS & Filtersguys unit do a fine job. great customer service and very fairly priced. Take the guesswork out of the equation and get one from either of them. you will not regret it.

[PuckDaddy]

that's sound advice
and you'd think by all the research I put into purchasing decisions, that I would take wider fanbase vs. better theoretical deal

ex: a few weeks ago I wanted a new recliner
the one I wanted was $500, had some nice features and met my needs or exceeded them
while shopping, I ran across a very similar chair that was on clearance for $199, and this thing is really nice, and actually a larger chair- which is what I was going for .
i bought the clearance chair, saved myself $300 and got a nice chair (actually a little nicer than the first one)
the drawback was that I got no warranty and the chair does not have a "massage" function
which, I didn't really require anyway

what I like about the TB unit is the warranty ...... but this a pressure system and (as far as I know) there's no mechanical or electrical liability. a few hoses, couplings, hoses. couldn't be much more than a few seals that would require warranties .... right ?

[PuckDaddy]

btw, i went to TB Aquatics website and had a chat with the guy
he was helpful and express interest in my interest
i mentioned Bulk Reef / AWI / Filter Guys / Buckeye
he expressed the quality is similar, free shipping , lifetime warranty
i guess it just comes down to personal shopping experience ?
i mean, there's really not much to distinguish these products from one another is there ?

[patsfan1130]

Just a few key factors are canister size, micron size, amount of resin, whether it is verital or horizontal, type of membrane used, quality of plastic used for housing, asov. often times cheap units will boast many,many,MANY stage filters. giving the impression that it is a high quality unit. this is not the case. It truly is quality over quantity. I'm not saying this is a cheap unit. But these are a few things that definately play a factor.

[PuckDaddy]

OPTION 4 - AWI Typhoon EXTREME
I like this one , a little pricey, but looks like it has just about everything you'd need

[Zestay]

id buy a basic unit from any of those sources. than upgrade it with an extra prefilter or 2 and an extra di canister from BRS cheaper than buying a 7 stage filter.

[jenglish]

purewaterclub, I love mine. It is 6 stage, 150 gpd and was like 100 bucks shipped. The DI are mounted horizontally and need to be made vertical to prevent channeling but besides that I have had no problems with it.

[PuckDaddy]

^ boy, stopping by PWC after looking at others puts economics into perspective
I liked the price for sure, but most owners claim that seals need to be re-taped
also, a scan of the instructions suggests replacing the unit instead of replacing the filters / membrane as the cost is almost the same

what does it take to mount the DI vertical ? I've seen that mentioned in 75% of the posts from people that have bought units from them

[jenglish]

Originally posted by PuckDaddy
^ boy, stopping by PWC after looking at others puts economics into perspective
I liked the price for sure, but most owners claim that seals need to be re-taped
also, a scan of the instructions suggests replacing the unit instead of replacing the filters / membrane as the cost is almost the same

what does it take to mount the DI vertical ? I've seen that mentioned in 75% of the posts from people that have bought units from them

I know about a dozen folks on another board that have bought one and only a few (1/3 tops) have had to fiddle with it through tape or silicone. Mine has worked trouble free.... well, it blew a hose once when it was ran with hot water That can hardly be blamed on the unit (thankfully the membrane was unharmed). THe DI units are small and since mine is under the kitchen sink... they are just taped on vertically. I recall raising an eyebrow at the "it's easier to replace it" line as well. This was discussed among several owners and we sort of thing in the timeframe they were talking it may make sense. THere is a limit to how many times you can unscrew and replace things on anything made out of plastic and at this price, I don't mind looking at maybe replacing the whole unit at some point. HOnestly though nothing on it seems any different than any other RO unit I have looked at.

[Playa-1]

This is the unit that I went with.
There are a few things that set them apart. Choose carefully.
Auto Shut off Valves
some have inlet and outlet tds meters or include a hand held tds meter with the package
some have pressure guages
GPD capacity
see thru canisters
Quality contruction and parts
reputation
vertical vs horizontal DI canisters
booster pumps
Dow filmtec membranes
instructions
clearly labeled lines
support after the sale
parts
filter options for different situations
efficiency of the unit as far as waste water to RO/DI water ratio
Some of the filter companies like to use different sized filter so you have to buy all your replacements from them. Then many of the others use standardized filters so that you can get them anywhere.

[PuckDaddy]

I'm fond of this one ..... TDS alarm and all

[sam11909]

how does this one compare?

http://www.melevsreef.com/rodi.html

Thinking about getting this one for my tank.

[Playa-1]

Originally posted by sam11909
how does this one compare?

http://www.melevsreef.com/rodi.html

Thinking about getting this one for my tank.

That one will work just fine Sam but make sure you're comparing apples to apples as far as features and benefits go.

[sam11909]

Here's what I'm considering

http://reefcentral.com/forums/showth...readid=1705081

[PuckDaddy]

went with the SpectraPure MaxCap 90
I've received nothing but praise for the product and it's currently $100 off
discussions with SpectraPure,a very knowledgeable guy at marine/reef and a guy who's profession is water treatment convinced me that I really wasn't going to get better filtration , better membrane performance or DI lifespans with other similar units
I was leaning heavily towards the Typhoon III Extreme from AWI. I really like the value of the package, but in reality all I really need is the R/O only valve for filling drinking jugs which I can add later on, the alarm seems gimmick. the extra item on the MaxCap missing from the Typhoon X is the second inline tds meter (although they include a handheld), which serve more of a purpose so I can tell what's going on throughout the process

I could have saved some money and/or gotten more "features", but water quality issues are what have crippled my reefkeeping success in the past and I was determined to get a unit that was going to last long-term. not a ebay unit that suggests disposal of the entire system at filter change time

I spent a good solid week researching this
from ebay - Bulk Reef - FilterGuys - Buckeye - AWI - SpectraPure

from what I understand, they are almost giving these things away at their current pricing. from what they put into testing and research, their margins have got to be slim

I feel like I made an informed decision instead of a gut decision on a product I have yet to have someone recommend something else over for the same money

I appreciate the help

[Buckeye Hydro]

We recommend folks not be too concerned re the number of stages. Go with 4 stages unless there is something specific you are trying to accomplish or some specific feedwater issue (e.g., heavy sediment loads, or chloramines).

Russ @
Buckeye Field Supply

[Playa-1]

I think you made a wise and well informed decision. I'm sure that filtration unit will serve you well

[pblogic]

I've just gotten one from air water ice and I have to say the unit is nice and their customer service is really great