R/o

Hey i need some advice. My dad won't buy a R/O filter because of to much wasted water. So i was wondering what would be the best alternative to one. Please less than $200. My dad sugested a Brita filter but i dont think that will help. the new tank will be a 130 gallon fish only with inverts. thanks for any advice.

 

Tangster recommends something that wastes a lot less water than conventional RO systems do but it's been over a year since I looked at it and can't remember its exact name. I'm pretty sure one of the mods can direct his attention to this though.

 

Kold Sterile, it is WELL over $200 though.

 

the waste is that much less compared to regular ro's?

 

That's what I was trying to remember. You're right Pack... it looks like over $300 for this here Kold Ster-il Hi-Flow Three Stage Water Filter That's more than my 7-stage RO/DI but I guess it depends on how much water costs where you're at. I get mine for (almost) free.;D Tangster did mention to me a cheap place to get Kold Sterile units but still I don't think that it would come in under $200. rwill92, you could always try to sell your Dad on ways to capture and use the RO rejection water.

 

thanks for the advice. but i have tryed that already he just freaks when he thinks that for 150 gallons we will be wasting 450 even though i told him we could use it to fill/topoff our pool. thanks for the advice and any more ideas and any on what to tell my dad we could use the water for would be greatly appreciated. thanks!

 

Dont use those brita Ro units, waste of money for its purpose in the tank... Honestly, there are other ways to use the waste water, like gardening and such...

 

There really is no substitute for a RO/DI unit. The Kold Steril unit works OK but does little for TDS. It is kind of like a Poly pad filter that you run some water through, it takes some things out but leaves others.

DI by itself doesn't waste anything but it has an extremely short lifespan since its the RO that does 98% of the prefiltering in a RO/DI and DI by itself will not get everything like a RO/DI does. The API tap water filter is a perfect example of this, it eats you up in replacement costs.

There is a low waste system the Spectrapure MaxCap UHE which is what I use but its expensive and not for everyone. If waste is the issue thats the way to go but it takes a long time to pay for itself.

Other than that find a reliable Water & ice type store that is staffed and not just a vending machine. They normally have RO only but the ones by me make very good quality RO and are more than happy to test it with a conductivity or TDS meter when I tell them its for my reef tanks.
Vending machines are hit and miss according to the maintanance or lack thereof. Without a TDS meter you never know.

 

I only pay $3.50 for every 1000 gallons of cold water I use. You should find out how much your water actually costs you.

 

I have done calculations on water and sewer charges both at summer and at winter rates here in Phoenix and my RO/DI costs me less than a penny a gallon including the water, sewer and environmental charges they tack on. Add in the cost of replacement filters and DI resin and its still less than 5 cents a gallon.