RO/DI System

[MudFrog]

I am wondering if anyone could help me pick out a RO/DI system?

I get the gist of using one but haven't used one in the past so I physically have no experience handling one. I want to make sure what ever I am purchasing has all the required things....

these are on ebay:

1. http://cgi.ebay.com/Reef-RO-DI-Free...ryZ20756QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

2. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7720986295&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT&rd=1

I would be using this for weekly water changes. Possible filling new smaller tanks.

Any help would be appreciated. If you have anyother suggestion those would be welcome also. I want my new cichlids to have a good environment to live and breed in.

Lisa

 

[tjudy]

Go look at www.spectrapure.com. You will find a wealth of information. I suggest buying a system from them also. Spectrapure has been around for a LONG time, and they will be around when you need help.

 

[MudFrog]

Thanks Ted!!

 

[farm41]

I'll second Ted's suggestion, good equipment at Spectrapure. I bought one of their filters from Ted a few years ago. It is still making clean and pure water without any problems, and still on the filters and membrane it came with.

 

[tjnelson44]

I have had good luck with AquaFX, Their site is www.aquariumwaterfilters.com They also have outstanding customer service. I have a 100 gallon per day stingray unit. I am very happy with it.
Trevor

 

[JG]

Go look at www.spectrapure.com. You will find a wealth of information. I suggest buying a system from them also. Spectrapure has been around for a LONG time, and they will be around when you need help.

Hi Ted,

Thanks for posting this website as I'm also looking to buying an R/O system in the near future. I've not used one of these "contraptions" before and don't know what I should be looking for. I'm currently in an apartment and will use the water for changes in a number of smaller tanks. Could you recommend a unit from their site? I'm also looking for something relatively easy to setup.

Thanks,

J

 

[MudFrog]

JG

I ended up purchasing one on ebay... I did not want to spend a lot and I can use this for the house too. Have had no problems with it and is easy to install and operate. I did purchase a faucet to go with it.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=7720986295&rd=1&sspagename=STRK:MEWN:IT&rd=1

Hope this helps.

 

[tjudy]

The spectrapure systems are average in size. They can stand next to the sink if you need them to, but at a bit bulky to stay there forever. Buy as big as you need. I use about 200 gallons a week, so I have a 100 gpd RO/DI. If your water is naturally soft you probably do not need the DI (deionization resins). When I purchased my first unit (a 25 gpd unit), I based the decision upon needing about 30 gallons a week.

I set my system up to auto fill a 30 gallon barrel that is only for RO water. That barrel sits over a 150 gallon vat that I use to mix RO and tap. I used a T connector to run a tube from the RO water tube going to the RO barrel, and placed a valve on the end of it. I can manually open the valve and let the RO/DI machine fill the vat (it takes a day and a half to fill it completely, so I have no overflow fear starting one day and letting it go over night).

When I am going to do water changes, I start with the very soft water fish tanks. The water in the vat is never abosulute 0 mS like the barrel is, because I never empty the vat entirely. I test the conductivity in the vat. If it is too high, I siphon water from the barrel down to the vat, run a circulation pump for a while and test again. When I have the mix right (I am getting pretty good at it now), I refill the tanks that need the softest water. Now all I have to do is add tap and dechlorinator to bring the conductivity up to the next mS level I need. When the water changes are finished I turn on the RO/DI to refill the barrel and the vat. The next day I have soft water in the vat again to repeat the process if I need to. I currently have 22 aquariums in my fish room ranging from 15 to 40 gallons. I never change all of them in one session, so I never run out of water when I need it.