Ro/ di unit

You can also add an inline TDS meter to any RO unit for around 30 bucks. It is as simple as cutting the lines at the appropriate positions and sliding the hose into the quick connects.

 

Thank you both for the quick responses and the detailed information.

 

Glad to help. Any unit in all seriousness will depend on the quality of the filters, and the starting TDS that is present from the source water. With most membranes averaging 98% rejection rates you could expect something along these lines;

Example: Source water is 500 TDS > RO Unit and sediment filters 10 TDS (98% rejection) > DI cartridge = 0-1 TDS

The spectra pure is great because of superior filters, great build quality, ease of set up, and built in extras (Pressure gauge, TDS meter, ect.) But if you don't need or want these things, price can come down with other manufactures. Just depends on what is important to you, and financially viable.

 

Awesome feedback. Thank you so much!

 

just got a BRS 4 stage about a month ago. works great. no issues, quality product and they give you a couple of options on how to connect( which i didn't use) but they offer them. Also they have a video on how to istall them and the differences between 3-5 stage units. check out their website.

 

You can get a reef quality Spectrapure unit for $120, thats by no means expensive!
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You will not find anything even close to it for less than $200 anywhere else.

Get the $25 handheld TDS meter too and you are up and running. Don't get the dual inline TDS meter, its not as accurate since its not temperature compensated(actually reads air temperature not water tempertaure and when are they the same?) and it is limited to two dedicated testing points and cannot be used portable since they rely on flow past the probe to work.

Forget the word "stages" exixts, for any RO unit you need 3 stages and for an RO/DI 4 stages, no more no less. If you want to add something make it a second full size vertical DI but not a unneeded second carbon block to reduce pressure to the membrane.

 

If there is any one on this site, desert rat ^^^^ is the one to trust. He is the RO/DI king

 

+10000000 on AZ's recommendation, he guided me to SpectraPure when I was new at the hobby & I have had my 90gpd unit for almost two years and absolutely love it. Those refurbished 90gpd models are a steal at $120 I may even buy another one!

Also bought an HM TDS-3 handheld per his recommendation as it's so much more accurate than the in-line TDS meters. Here's a link to one on Amazon but you can find them on eBay very cheap, they are very accurate & super easy to use: http://www.amazon.com/HM-Digital-Handheld-Tester-TDS-3/dp/B000VTQM70

 

Thank you all so much for the advice seems like the spectra wins hands down. Are the refurbished one the way to go?

 

Right now for the price yes. It comes with a new 0.5 micron absolute rated prefilter, 0.5 micron 20,000 gallon carbon block, treated and batch tested 90 GPD High Rejection rate RO membrane, 20oz vertical refillable DI, inline pressure gauge and a capillary tube flow restrictor. You will not find some of those anywhere else but even if you could it would cost you much more.
The TDS-3 handheld TDS meter is also in the sales flyer for $25, as cheap as you will find it anywhere too.