need advice about ro systems

shades251

Reefing newb
i am thinking really really hard about getting an ro but i dont know anything about them at all :frustrat: can you guys please about them, what they really do, how they work, what it takes to make them work....all that kind of fun stuff.....help me please.....
 
An RODI unit is one of the most important things you can get for your tank -- using tap water can lead to all sorts of problems.

You can find a decent RODI unit online for $150 to $200. Most of them get plumbed into the cold water line underneath your kitchen sink, but if you don't want to do that, you can buy a faucet adapter for most units.

A good RODI unit will have at least 4 stages, 5 or 6 stages being preferable. The stages indicate how many steps of filtration the water goes through. RO stands for reverse osmosis, a method of filtration. DI stands for de-ionization, another method of filtration. Once tap water goes through the RODI filters, it should be 99.9% pure.

If you buy an RODI unit, you will also need to buy a TDS meter, which measures the total dissolved solids in the water. The readings from the TDS meter will tell you if your RODI unit is working, and if your filter cartridges need changing (usually once a year). TDS meters cost $15 to $20 online.
 
well i have been buying my water but it seems much cheaper to buy a RODI then pay a dollar a gallon for premixed ro/salt water. and right now i rent so i cant tap into the plumbing, but anyway where is a good place to look for one? ebay is loaded with them, my LFS has one too but im not sure how much they want....
 
I got mine for $50 off craigslist. Granted it's only a 3 stage but I won't be getting any highly sensitive stuff like linckias or anything. The guy told me he changed the membrane about 50 gallons ago but I really have to invest and get a water tester. Until you do get one you could use Culligan's dispensed water at Walmart. Good luck :)
 
+1 Biff. It's a matter of turning off the cold water valve, (ro/di always use cold water, never hot), getting two wrenches and putting one of these in. When you move out just take it off! I got the one with the on/off lever. Don't forget to use teflon tape or plumbers putty on the threaded part of the pipes.
 
That would be 4 stages total, so that's pretty good. You also want to look at how many gallons per day (GPD) it produces. My RODI unit produces 100 GPD. For a larger tank, you will want more production.
 
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