RO/DI unit worth it?

[dh50]

I have Kent 60gpd HiS that has not been used for approx 6yrs. I assume all filters would need replacing along with the HiS membrane this will cost approx $180.00. Just wondering if it's worth it or is there a unit out there now thatcan be bought for about the same money or less thats just as good? Been out of the hobby for awhile but starting back. Thanks

[jim.crunk]

NO! I bought my BRS 5 stage plus for less than 200 and always produces 0 tds water. The refill cartridges are quite inexpensive. I have upgraded mine now with a booster pump and extra dual tds meter. I seem to have gone overboard though because I still only get 0 tds water.
I make a lot of water for my 220 & 27 reef, I have bought 2 extra sediment filters (@ $5 each, the expensive ones), but still havent needed them.
Go BRS you wont be sorry.

[dh50]

Thank you

[Mmiller40gt]

200$ at BRS. I did 100 on a build your on. I had my old DI canister though. 150$ tops unless you need a booster pump

[Preston7]

AquaFx for the win. High quality everything and comes with the pressure gauge.

[shifty51008]

I wanna know how you figure replacing all the filters will cost you 180.00?

filters - 21.99
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...ilter-kit.html

membrane - 40.00
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-membrane.html

Flow Restrictor - 6.00
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-fittings.html

total cost is 68.00 for a good 75gpd system. as long as your canisters arn't broke this is all you need.

[dh50]

I priced them at drs f &s. The HiS membrane alone was 109. Are all filters interchangeable regardless of the brand?

[KCombs]

Originally Posted by shifty51008

I wanna know how you figure replacing all the filters will cost you 180.00?

filters - 21.99
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...ilter-kit.html

membrane - 40.00
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-membrane.html

Flow Restrictor - 6.00
http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/store/...-fittings.html

total cost is 68.00 for a good 75gpd system. as long as your canisters arn't broke this is all you need.

BRS has pretty good prices, but I found even better ones on Amazon:
A 75 Gal filmtec membrane cost me about $35
a 7pc 5 stage replacement kit was less than $30 (thats TWO refills for all three stages)
...prices may be a lil different than from 6mo ago, I didn't bother to look for current ones

[DHyslop]

The BRS unit is top-notch. Overall quality is better than Kent, it has better components and connections. It also comes with several features the Kent unit doesn't, like a pressure gauge, dual TDS meter, and flush valve. IMO most RODI systems without these are worthless.

You quoted out new parts for the Kent at nearly $200. Shopping around you can probably get them cheaper as pointed out, but honestly, my advice to you would be to buy the BRS unit at that price since you've already come to expect spending that amount of money. You will NOT regret it and you'll probably start looking at other Kent and LFS products suspiciously now that you've got something really nice!

Also, FYI I've heard of counterfeit Filmtec membranes being sold, so I'd be willing to pay a $5 premium to get one from BRS instead of eBay or an Amazon affiliate vendor.

[shifty51008]

Originally Posted by dh50

I priced them at drs f &s. The HiS membrane alone was 109. Are all filters interchangeable regardless of the brand?

yes they should all work with your filter most RODI's are interchangeable but the one you have I know will work.

I would also add in getting a TDS meter and pressure guage though along with the filters that way you know when the filters need changed and you know your water is still good.

I also agree with buying the membrane from a respected dealer as there are fake ones out there that look just like the real ones even if it costs a lil more.

also make sure if you get any other size than your 60gpd membrane you have to get a flow Restrictor to match the new size. 75gpd membrain's have a much better rejection rate than the 60 gpd ones.

[Mmiller40gt]

Originally Posted by DHyslop

The BRS unit is top-notch. Overall quality is better than Kent, it has better components and connections. It also comes with several features the Kent unit doesn't, like a pressure gauge, dual TDS meter, and flush valve. IMO most RODI systems without these are worthless.

You quoted out new parts for the Kent at nearly $200. Shopping around you can probably get them cheaper as pointed out, but honestly, my advice to you would be to buy the BRS unit at that price since you've already come to expect spending that amount of money. You will NOT regret it and you'll probably start looking at other Kent and LFS products suspiciously now that you've got something really nice!

Also, FYI I've heard of counterfeit Filmtec membranes being sold, so I'd be willing to pay a $5 premium to get one from BRS instead of eBay or an Amazon affiliate vendor.

What makes them garbage? I have a BRS unit and I elected not to buy any of these features. I have great water pressure, the inspector measured it when I bought the house, I have my on tds meter, and paying for a bypass flush kit is silly when you can just unhook the flow restrictor in 2 seconds.

[dh50]

Great info. Thanks to all

[DHyslop]

Originally Posted by Mmiller40gt

What makes them garbage? I have a BRS unit and I elected not to buy any of these features. I have great water pressure, the inspector measured it when I bought the house, I have my on tds meter, and paying for a bypass flush kit is silly when you can just unhook the flow restrictor in 2 seconds.

If you're knowledgable about your system and can make it work I have no criticism for you.

But I've seen dozens of the low-cost units and know the problems people end up having. Without a TDS meter there is no way to tell the performance of the system: not only can you not troubleshoot problems, but you have no way to know there is a problem. There is no reliable way to know when to replace a filter, so many people out there are either making bad water for months out of the year or alternatively spending too much on filters they don't need (sometimes both if you're constantly changing out the wrong filter...).

Likewise with the pressure gauge. It's a good way to tell when to change your prefilters and is extremely helpful to troubleshoot issues, especially with a shutoff solenoid.

Also remember that a lot of the discount units like Kent don't have external flow restrictors with push-connect fittings like BRS, so there is no way to to regularly flush the membrane. I've seen LFS that sell these recommend their customers replace the membrane every six months! They can go years with a flush kit and TDS meter to monitor performance.

The flush kit makes my life easier. Even if you're religious about removing the restrictor and reconnecting the waste line every week, most people will not be and the $10 flush kit might triple the life of the membrane.

What I really don't like about the discount units is that it's a pain to actually upgrade them with this stuff. There won't be a hole or bracket for a pressure gauge, the lines won't be run in a way to make a solenoid valve or flush kit easily accessible (The push-connect fittings on the AquaFX units are cheaper and only have a single gasket so they're more likely to leak if whatever you add or change alters the angle of the line at all). There might not be room to put the TDS probes inline without them being in the way during filter changes, where they might get rotated over time which drops their accuracy, and the Velcro doesn't stick to the black metal Kent bracket. Kent also uses compression fittings instead of push-connect so changing a membrane is a pain (and the manufacturer says you're supposed to replace the ferrule every time you open one up).

I have about a dozen of the cheap units on clients' tanks that I've had to upgrade so I have a laundry list of pet peaves about them. New installs get BRS 5 Stage Plus. I'm sure the BFS unit is just as good, too, but I haven't used it to evaluate.