right forum for RO questions?

Opinions on this set up? SpectraPure CHP 60 GPD RO System (Saltwater Aquarium Supplies > Reverse Osmosis > RO > 35-60 GPD Units )

or if someone has a better idea or product. I like 'cheap', but one that'll provide a decent flow rate and can connect to a garden house

 

i bought the mitey mite from air water ice and I love it. It is 50 gpd, but also has a DI canister. Their customer service is great and I got the garden hose adapter for free, just ask for it. It was only $99

 

Pretty much all RO systems have the capability to hook up to a garden hose. There are two hookup options; the above, and to your cold water line under your sink.

I think you'd be better served with an RO/DI combination. Deionization removes so much more than just the RO component. An RO/DI isn't much more expensive than the $119 item you're eyeballing.

I bought the Typhoon 5 Stage RO/DI unit from airwaterice.com, or you can get it on H2OGuru's store on ebay. It was $169. The customer service is great, follow up is solid, and the unit rocks. I've had it for nearly 7 months and it's churning out water that my reef tank really appreciates.

Don't get too much in the habit of taking "cheap" over quality in this hobby. You'll wish you didn't, and if you continue on and succeed in keeping a reef, you'll eventually buy the best anyways. Save yourself some money and buy the best up front.

My first girlfriend was born with a silver spoon in her mouth and always said, "Buy the best and you'll never be sorry."

She was wrong about a lot of things, but not the afformentioned comment.

 

rofl! I just read my post from earlier today...garden "house"...derrr. Glad ya'll knew what I meant lol The mighty mite's looking like the best option

 

Some things to look for in a good system:

Standard-sized prefilters, membrane, and DI cartridge
Brand name, high-rejection membrane
Specifications provided for each stage
Pressure gauge after the prefilters and before the membrane
Thermometer
DI bypass
Vertical DI stage
Refillable DI cartridge
Aluminum bracket
Quick connect fittings
Flush valve
Clear housings
High-quality instructions
Customer support after your purchase

If I remember correctly, the system you are leaning towards has a prefilter with only a 1500 gallon capacity. That is very low. It does not have a DI stage - its RO only. No pressure gauge, no thermometer, no flush valve, no carbon block.

Unless you have a very small demand for RO water, and don't have corals, this would not be a system we'd recommend for you.

Russ

 

Hey Bogie this is the Guy Russ I told you to contact for your elements at Buckeye I know he has done well by everyone I have sent his way . Great guy to deal with . For what ever its worth I would tell anyone you'd be hard pressed to find any better people or products anywhere to deal with. I'd never look anywhere else I have dealt with him for 10 yrs or more now and never had a problem..

 

Thank you for replying Russ. Does this http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=167&Sub=166 system compare better to the Mighty Mite? Or are you steering me towards http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/showproducts.asp?Category=171&Sub=166 ??

How would the product in the first link work? Is the resin canister horizontal or what is the part on top? I'm not and don't plan to run a full reef system. The tank is fish, inverts (various crabs/shrimp, starfish, urchin) and soft corals (Zoas and Kenya tree).

 

I like the mitey might verse the other options I looked because it comes on a 'sled' or bracket and is not very big. I just leave it on the floor in the basement when I want to make RO/DI water and then disconnect and store it, very easy and fast

 

You should only store your "used" ro membranes in the fridge. Once a membrane has been used and you disconnect it, you create an anaerobic condition which allows bacteria and other microbes to accumulate and reproduce. Once the unit is "plugged" back in, all of that junk (as well as accumulated nitrates) gets blown into your water. When r.o. units are permenantly installed, there is no opportunity for the bacteria and microbes to accumulate because you constantly have oxygenated water flowing through the membranes preventing the anaerobic condition.