Review on Aquatic Life RO Buddie?

Cheezefrog · 02/01/2014, 11:45 AM

Honestly I havent been able to find much on this unit, is this a somewhat new marketed item? The only video review on it was on marinedepot and its pretty shawty.

Been looking for a while now for a ro/di unit for my biocube that wasn't over kill and this looks perfect.

Opinions, critiques', bashes?

http://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-R.../dp/B00DOG64FM

atreis · 02/01/2014, 11:50 AM

I think it's new. I've had one of their older RO Deluxe units with the built-in booster pump for two years now and love it.

Cheezefrog · 02/01/2014, 08:43 PM

is the DI cell "addon" worth it for this unit?

atreis · 02/02/2014, 06:57 AM

It's as worth it as for any other RO unit. I am not familiar with what water is like in AZ (aside from there not being enough of it).

It really depends on the nature of your source water. Generally, water will come out of the RO unit with 5%(ish) of the TDS it went in with. If you have water going in at 400, it'll come out around 10-20 and you'll likely want the DI. If your water goes in with 50, then you likely don't need it.

If your source water has a high level of dissolved CO2, that will go through the RO in tact and exhaust your DI quickly. My well water is like this - I gave up on using DI.

Cheezefrog · 02/03/2014, 05:36 PM

Good information appreciate it.

thanks.

3S1K · 02/03/2014, 07:19 PM

How do I go about testing our tap water? I live in Alaska and we're "supposed" to have clean water compared to other states.

Sorry to thread jack. I was looking at this same unit as well. I did run a 120g reef tank without and ro/di for 4 years.

Shellies215 · 02/03/2014, 10:57 PM

I just bought one of these(the 50gpd) I haven't hooked it up yet, but the quality of the unit appears pretty solid, with the possible exception of the plastic adapter they supply to tap into your water supply with, I might try to come up with something less prone to leaks.

Cheezefrog · 02/04/2014, 11:10 AM

I wanted to report back.

I actually did end up ordering one of these.

Followed the directions yesterday, flushed the carbon filter first, then ran and dumped the water an hour later.

I filled up nearly 30 gal of water yesterday, except I've got a strong chorine odor coming from a couple of my water jugs. Which is suprisnging because the waste side smells nothing like it. I don't think its a cross contamination from were I got my water before.

So I called Aquatic Life today and told them this, they said it could possibly be the chloramine instead of clorine so they recommended the GAC filter in replacement to the Carbon filter......
http://www.maximumyield.com/features...bon-cartridges

Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I think i'll end up returning it because I can't even smell chlorine in my tap water let alone taste it, yet this RO unit made no difference. Even $100 bucks later + the GAC cartidrige...no thanks. Will get test strips today then I think I'm done with er.

atreis · 02/04/2014, 06:01 PM

If you're on city water, you almost certainly have either Chlorine or Chloramine in your tap water.

02/01/2014, 11:45 AM	#1
Cheezefrog Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tempe, AZ/ID Posts: 124	Review on Aquatic Life RO Buddie? Honestly I havent been able to find much on this unit, is this a somewhat new marketed item? The only video review on it was on marinedepot and its pretty shawty. Been looking for a while now for a ro/di unit for my biocube that wasn't over kill and this looks perfect. Opinions, critiques', bashes? http://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-R.../dp/B00DOG64FM

02/01/2014, 11:50 AM	#2
atreis Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Yellow Springs, OH Posts: 942	I think it's new. I've had one of their older RO Deluxe units with the built-in booster pump for two years now and love it. __________________ reef tank up since 8/2009. Previous tank up since 4/2004, taken down in 2007. Current Tank Info: custom 100g reef, custom sump

02/02/2014, 06:57 AM	#4
atreis Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Yellow Springs, OH Posts: 942	It's as worth it as for any other RO unit. I am not familiar with what water is like in AZ (aside from there not being enough of it). It really depends on the nature of your source water. Generally, water will come out of the RO unit with 5%(ish) of the TDS it went in with. If you have water going in at 400, it'll come out around 10-20 and you'll likely want the DI. If your water goes in with 50, then you likely don't need it. If your source water has a high level of dissolved CO2, that will go through the RO in tact and exhaust your DI quickly. My well water is like this - I gave up on using DI. __________________ reef tank up since 8/2009. Previous tank up since 4/2004, taken down in 2007. Current Tank Info: custom 100g reef, custom sump

02/04/2014, 06:01 PM	#9
atreis Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Yellow Springs, OH Posts: 942	If you're on city water, you almost certainly have either Chlorine or Chloramine in your tap water. __________________ reef tank up since 8/2009. Previous tank up since 4/2004, taken down in 2007. Current Tank Info: custom 100g reef, custom sump

02/01/2014, 08:43 PM	#3
Cheezefrog Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tempe, AZ/ID Posts: 124	is the DI cell "addon" worth it for this unit?

02/03/2014, 05:36 PM	#5
Cheezefrog Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tempe, AZ/ID Posts: 124	Good information appreciate it. thanks.

02/03/2014, 07:19 PM	#6
3S1K Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 391	How do I go about testing our tap water? I live in Alaska and we're "supposed" to have clean water compared to other states. Sorry to thread jack. I was looking at this same unit as well. I did run a 120g reef tank without and ro/di for 4 years.

02/03/2014, 10:57 PM	#7
Shellies215 Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: Warminster PA Posts: 29	I just bought one of these(the 50gpd) I haven't hooked it up yet, but the quality of the unit appears pretty solid, with the possible exception of the plastic adapter they supply to tap into your water supply with, I might try to come up with something less prone to leaks.

02/04/2014, 11:10 AM	#8
Cheezefrog Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Tempe, AZ/ID Posts: 124	I wanted to report back. I actually did end up ordering one of these. Followed the directions yesterday, flushed the carbon filter first, then ran and dumped the water an hour later. I filled up nearly 30 gal of water yesterday, except I've got a strong chorine odor coming from a couple of my water jugs. Which is suprisnging because the waste side smells nothing like it. I don't think its a cross contamination from were I got my water before. So I called Aquatic Life today and told them this, they said it could possibly be the chloramine instead of clorine so they recommended the GAC filter in replacement to the Carbon filter...... http://www.maximumyield.com/features...bon-cartridges Not sure what I'm going to do yet, but I think i'll end up returning it because I can't even smell chlorine in my tap water let alone taste it, yet this RO unit made no difference. Even $100 bucks later + the GAC cartidrige...no thanks. Will get test strips today then I think I'm done with er.