# RO Unit Reccomendations...



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Possibly going to throw @ $300.00 behind a decent RO system in a few days and need the info....

I'll hit a few Aquarium forums soon but if anyone here can reccomend an RO unit product or have any features ect to advise..

Mucho appreciando!


----------



## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

Why drop that much when you can get a top of the line high output system with deionization for $130? I got one from this guy that was delivered last Friday, and I'm all too pleased. He assembles them himself with all of the industry leading, lab quality parts. 
4 stage RO/DI Reverse Osmosis System Deionization Reef - eBay (item 360140662860 end time Mar-27-09 04:27:36 PDT)


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Nice product...interesting. I always equate an expensive item with a good quality item though....I know....I'm an idiot.


----------



## boogsawaste (Jun 28, 2008)

That's a very nice unit. I'm going to consider that one when I'm in the market. Thanks!


----------



## cobaltsinoh (Mar 13, 2006)

We use this one and it works very well, not to mention its not super expensive.

Josh's Frogs - Flowmatic 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis (RO) System w/ Metal Tank - Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems


----------



## zBrinks (Jul 16, 2006)

I've used the one Tony recommended for several months now, and am very happy with it.


----------



## NathanB (Jan 21, 2008)

I always thought they were all pretty much them same, as long as they had good filters and membrains. I always heard you needed to spend alot to get a good one but never why they were so much better than the cheapies


----------



## Hopkins (Jun 3, 2007)

I use a unit from Air Water Ice for my frogs and reef tank.

Aquarium Water | Reverse Osmosis | RODI Water | ReefKeeper Water | Reefkeepers


----------



## divingne1 (Mar 21, 2008)

I use this one MAXCAP RO/DI SYSTEM but that would probably be a bit excessive if you are only using it for frogs. I bought mine for a saltwater fish tank before I started keeping frogs. I run a large container of water when doing water changes. I just fill up a few old milk jugs to keep on hand for the frogs. If I am only running water for the frogs, I usually have Cheumpfner bring her empty milk jugs over too.


----------



## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

In the "good old days" when I was hot & heavy into keeping discus, and a very good RO sysyem was prety much manadtory, the Spectra Pure RO units were always the most recommended - SpectraPure Water Purification Products They were also very good people to deal with and always very helpful with any questions.


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

I think that there are as many as 6 companies and multiple similar products that are all pretty much equally good....

I would appreciate the following features, I guess..

1. Easy replacable filters / membranes that either drop in or could be put in without having to drain or wrench the unitl apart.

2. Some sort of computer sensor to monitor the output and show all signs of needing to replace or make adjustments.

3. A large fill up reseviour and an automatic shut of so as to not have to babysit the operation and worry about overflow and spillage....


----------



## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

gary1218 said:


> In the "good old days" when I was hot & heavy into keeping discus, and a very good RO sysyem was prety much manadtory, the Spectra Pure RO units were always the most recommended - SpectraPure Water Purification Products They were also very good people to deal with and always very helpful with any questions.


This is what I have - a relic from my pre-dart frog reef tank days. Very nice units with lots of features etc. The money should really be spent on the cartridges, membranes, and other consumables though. 

You can buy hand held TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meters for $20-$30 or you can go with an in-line model which is what it sounds like you want here

Reverse Osmosis Inline TDS Meter to Monitor Total Dissolved Solids in RO System Water

Auto topoff and storage tanks are fairly standard accessories that all manufacturers should carry.

For what it's worth Gary at Get Tank Aquariums in Carlisle is a spectra pure dealer. You could avoid shipping costs etc by going through him. He carries all of the accessories as well and could help you get it set up.


----------



## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Oh yeah - if you are just using this for your darts you can save a lot of money and go with a low GPD (gallon per day) membrane. There's no sense in producing 300GPD if you're only going to be using 1 or 2 gallons. That's a HUGE money saver. I have a 4 stage unit that allows me to have either two carbon blocks and a sediment filter or a sed, carbon, and a DI resin. Probably not necessary for frogs but I do it anyway. I use RODI for all my animals.


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Low GPD...

Gary from Carlisle...

Cool.....didn't think of him....thanks Matt


----------



## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Indeed!!!!


----------



## Julio (Oct 8, 2007)

Phil, i dont' think you need anything bigger than 35 GPD as is just to restack a water supply for hte frogs, mine is 60 but i also use that for my reef tank.


----------



## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

Yeah I'd go with the smallest they sell. With an auto topoff it'll only ever need to do a few gallons in a single day anyhow. Plus if you ever have an issue with that auto topoff that's just that much more water NOT on your floor


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

Yeah...you guys are right. No need for a massive GPD.

I have an motorized 8 gallon backpack / stand up sprayer that I want to keep filled with RO water just to mist the tanks.

I too have a smaller 2 stage RO unit circa 1998 back when I had my 80 gallon reef tank, but I am not satisfied with it.

I really want something high tech with all the bells and whistles. I did see a unit with a computer sensor for the water compostion somewhere....

maybe _that fish place_ catalog....


----------



## gary1218 (Dec 31, 2005)

Couple things to consider because these units can waste A LOT of water - 1 gallon of RO to 4-5 gallons of waste water is very typical.

The higher the water pressure going to the RO unit the better. And turning on your water faucet as high as it will go is not what I'm talking about. You need one of those pumps like the ones used on misting system - a small amount of water being pump at a high pressure, usually 100psi.

The other thing that will increase the output is the water temp. Hooking it up to your cold water faucet is the least efficient. I think when they rate these RO units it's at a wtaer temp of 74F or there abouts.

I used to have a really good system that recirculated the waste water back to the RO unit and I greatly increased my RO to waste water ratio.


----------



## melas (Oct 24, 2007)

melas said:


> Reverse Osmosis Inline TDS Meter to Monitor Total Dissolved Solids in RO System Water


Did you check out this link? You could put this on any unit. It gives you tds on the source and effluent water. Kinda cool!


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

Look at the Whirlpool RO that Lowes sells, or the Kenmore. The faucet for the sink has a light telling you when to change the filters, which are quarter turn twist out and replace. The faucet is of a much higher quality than the standard RO faucet most systems use. You should be able to buy one for under $200, maybe $150ish on sale. These RO's are certified by the Water Quality Association, so they have been tested to meet health related standards. 

Many of the units suggested so far are assembled from generic parts, and depending how they are constructed, may or may not be lacking essential parts like an automatic shut-off valve for instance.


----------



## Pescador (Oct 10, 2008)

I buy a lot of my reef supplies from these guys and they have a 5 stage on sale for $159.00 it includes the shutoff to connect to a float valve in your container.
They sell the inline TDS meters as well.


----------



## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

Problem is those pet hobby systems are marked up for convenience. If you buy one with parts that aren't controlled by that one brand you get more quality and better prices. By the way, that guy I linked you to has a whole line of systems too, some even nicer than that.

Not trying to control your situation, I'm just really happy with mine and I almost ended up spending that much money on a brand name system with no DI, a third of the output, and brand name cartridges.


----------



## Jason (Oct 14, 2004)

Here is what I want and will get someday. I like all the options it has and can set up with a bypass for drinking water.

5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization System Bulk Reef Supply


----------



## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

There we go!


----------



## Pescador (Oct 10, 2008)

Jason said:


> Here is what I want and will get someday. I like all the options it has and can set up with a bypass for drinking water.
> 
> 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization System Bulk Reef Supply


Nice unit, you get the TDS meter, flush kit, and pressure gauge.
Check out the bulk D/I resin save some cash refilling them yourself.


----------



## Bcs TX (Sep 13, 2008)

I have the R/O system from Josh's Frogs and it works great! A SUPER value.

-Beth


----------



## herper99 (Mar 21, 2008)

All of you are using RO systems????

Wow. I'm in the dark ages. I'm still filling my gallon jugs and using aged tap water.


----------



## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

I went years without an RO, it's a bit of an expense but there's SO many uses it's really worth it, especially for an aquarist like me.


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

Jason said:


> Here is what I want and will get someday. I like all the options it has and can set up with a bypass for drinking water.
> 
> 5 Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization System Bulk Reef Supply


The membrane and filters on this unit are very good. The only problem I see is if permanently installing this unit and connecting the drain directly using the included 1/4" quick connect drain clamp, that would be a cross connection and plumbing code violation. You could contaminate your water supply.


----------



## bobberly1 (Jul 16, 2008)

I just use the faucet adapter, and there's one for hoses too.


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

herper99 said:


> All of you are using RO systems????
> 
> Wow. I'm in the dark ages. I'm still filling my gallon jugs and using aged tap water.


Only for viv misting Chris.....not for tads or starting water features or standing water...


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

Philsuma said:


> Only for viv misting Chris.....not for tads or starting water features or standing water...


Why not for tads or water features? Aging the RO water with an almond or oak leaf for a day works well.


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

FrogOly said:


> Why not for tads or water features? Aging the RO water with an almond or oak leaf for a day works well.


I only use RO to keep from getting all those horrendous mineral deposits on the viv glass. I have really hard water here.

I feel that the RO water, even with some addititves, is still too harsh to use with tads as it still seeks to pull to achieve it's equilibrium plus there's really no need. I know of way too many large scale breeders who use nothing but tap or spring water. Minerals are ok, if not good for tads.


----------



## GBIII (Mar 20, 2008)

Hey Phil,

I would make sure the ro has a couple of things to deal with the well water(liquid rock) here in PA.
A flush kit will be important to maintain the membrane. Used regularly it will extend the life of the membrane.
On a well system with hard water a booster pump is a necessity. Membrane GPD ratings are set using water at about 70+ degrees and at about 80psi. A well system won't approach these "ideal" figures (more like 55deg and 45psi on a good day) so figure on about half of the gpd out of the system that it is rated for.
A tds monitor is a very good idea as the life of the membrane varies with water quality.
GPD rating should not be the end all be all of any ro system. Most membranes especially here will need to be replaced every couple of years and if your system has trouble keeping up with demand you can replace the flow restrictor in the wastewater line and upgrade the gpd. As far as I'm aware, every membrane up to and including 100gpd is a standard size.

George


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

GBIII said:


> Hey Phil,
> 
> I would make sure the ro has a couple of things to deal with the well water(liquid rock) here in PA.
> A flush kit will be important to maintain the membrane. Used regularly it will extend the life of the membrane.
> ...


A water softener would do a much better job keeping the membrane clean, and working at a high capacity for a long time. Dow Filmtec's performance data is based on 250 ppm softened water at 77*, and 50 psig. Water with hardness over 10 grains needs to be softened for sustainable results. I have tested RO membranes that are 7-8 years old on soft water that are still getting 90%+ rejection. 

Replacing the flow restrictor with a less restrictive one will increase production, but you will sacrifice water quality as a result.


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

Philsuma said:


> I only use RO to keep from getting all those horrendous mineral deposits on the viv glass. I have really hard water here.
> 
> I feel that the RO water, even with some addititves, is still too harsh to use with tads as it still seeks to pull to achieve it's equilibrium plus there's really no need. I know of way too many large scale breeders who use nothing but tap or spring water. Minerals are ok, if not good for tads.



My thoughts have been that rain in the rain forest would be of a low tds, and by nature would mainly get what ever else is in it from the plant, or leaf litter it is contained in. It always seemed more natural to me. My limited vision of the water in the dart frogs environment consists mainly of dark water high in tannic acids. I'm sure some of the field researchers that frequent here know much better what the water is really like in different ranges of the dart frog.


----------



## GBIII (Mar 20, 2008)

The flow restrictor must match the membrane. You can turn a 25gpd unit to 100gpd unit by replacing the membrane and the flow restrictor. I was unaware that a higher volume membrane produced a lower quality water but I could be wrong. Most of the vendors I deal with say there is no difference in water quality just quantity. 
Most people in this area (at least that I know) do not have water softening systems installed in their homes and for the small amount of ro/di water that is typically used might be cost prohibitive ( I haven't priced a system in ten years).
The problem with well systems is the water pressure fluctuates a great deal as the well pump cycles on. The booster pump keeps a more constant pressure on the membrane. With my system it seems to decrease the rejection rate with out affecting the quality of the water produced. I waste much less water with the booster pump on than with it off.

George


----------



## Philsuma (Jul 18, 2006)

FrogOly said:


> My thoughts have been that rain in the rain forest would be of a low tds, and by nature would mainly get what ever else is in it from the plant, or leaf litter it is contained in. It always seemed more natural to me. My limited vision of the water in the dart frogs environment consists mainly of dark water high in tannic acids. I'm sure some of the field researchers that frequent here know much better what the water is really like in different ranges of the dart frog.


I too think there's plenty of Tanins and organic detritus and runoff ect, but I think not all dart frogs use brom axils or other plant areas exclusively...there are plenty of rock compartment bowers ect.


----------



## FrogOly (Oct 5, 2007)

GBIII said:


> The flow restrictor must match the membrane. You can turn a 25gpd unit to 100gpd unit by replacing the membrane and the flow restrictor. I was unaware that a higher volume membrane produced a lower quality water but I could be wrong. Most of the vendors I deal with say there is no difference in water quality just quantity.
> Most people in this area (at least that I know) do not have water softening systems installed in their homes and for the small amount of ro/di water that is typically used might be cost prohibitive ( I haven't priced a system in ten years).
> The problem with well systems is the water pressure fluctuates a great deal as the well pump cycles on. The booster pump keeps a more constant pressure on the membrane. With my system it seems to decrease the rejection rate with out affecting the quality of the water produced. I waste much less water with the booster pump on than with it off.
> 
> George


I

thought you were talking of replacing only the flow restrictor, not the membrane. Installing higher output membranes AND new flow controls is a different thing all together.

It was always said that softeners were the only appliance that can save you money. With the ability to reduce soap consumption by 50%, and to extend the life of fixtures, faucet parts, etc. That and the time and cost savings from not having to scrub off lime deposits with harsh chemicals.

Do you have an Aquatec permeate pump (ERP 1000)? It is non-electric, and basically sucks the water through the membrane. It is highly effective, and reduces waste water compared to even the standard booster pump.


----------



## GBIII (Mar 20, 2008)

FrogOly said:


> Do you have an Aquatec permeate pump (ERP 1000)? It is non-electric, and basically sucks the water through the membrane. It is highly effective, and reduces waste water compared to even the standard booster pump.


The ro system I have came with an electric booster pump. I think it's an aquatec. CDP8800 seems to come to mind, though I could be wrong. If/when this one fails I'll have to look into that.

You are right about the faucets here... they take a beating. I tend to keep after them pretty well with white vinegar and a little elbow grease. Works well as long as you don't let them get too bad.


----------

