AquaSafeCanada RO/DI Unit

[mcleodm]

So, I have found a 7 stage RO/DI unit from this site called AquaSafeCanada for about $130.

Here are all the levels of the filter:

Aquarium II System Combo

• First stage: (SED; 5 Micron Sedimentary Filter)
• Second Stage: (GAC; 5 Micron Granular Activated Carbon for Chemicals)
• Third Stage: (CCB; 1 Micron Coconut Carbon Block For Chemicals)
• Fourth Stage: (100 GPD Reverse Osmosis Membrane)
• Fifth Stage: (Demineralization by Ionization DI Resin Bead Filtration)
• Sixth Stage: (Demineralization by Ionization DI Resin Bead Filtration)
• Seventh Stage: (Demineralization by Ionization DI Resin Bead Filtration)

I am worried about the quality of this product, is it a cheap knock-off or will it do the job?

Here are the links on their site and ebay.

Any ideas or experience with this filter?

Thanks!

[AZDesertRat]

They are a very low end drinking water quality system is all and in no way reef quality. You get what you pay for with RO/DI and a reef system is going to run you bwetween $170 and $250 for anything worth its weight.
Take a look at the BFS-161 75 GPD Premium found here for $169 www.buckeyefieldsupply.com . It includes a 1 micron prefilter, 0.5 micron 20,000 gallon carbon block, 75 GPD Dow Filmtec RO membrane, full size vertical 20 oz refilable DI, capillary tube flow restrictor, TDS meter, Pressure gauge, thermometer, DI bypas valve and more.

Reef quality systems always have a 1 micron or lower prefilter, should use a 1 micron or lower carbon block, use full size 10" vertical refillable DI filters and the better ones include TDS meters, pressure gauges and capillary tube flow restrictors. You NEVER want a granular carbon filter, it grinds to dust and fouls the membrane besides adding TDS back to the water. Horizontal DI's are next to useless so good vendors don't use them. They short circuit or channel so provide poor treatment even if you stack two or three together they stiil do not work nearly as well as a single full size 20 oz 10" vertical that fills from the bottom up so all water and resin come into contact with each other.

Other suggested vendors are SpectraPure Water Purification Products , FL Aquarium Water Filters Reverse Osmosis Booster Pump GFO Nitrate DI Carbon , Melevsreef.com - Welcome! and even Bulk Aquarium Supplies - Reef Aquarium Supplies | BulkReefSupply.com .

[mcleodm]

Originally Posted by AZDesertRat

They are a very low end drinking water quality system is all and in no way reef quality. You get what you pay for with RO/DI and a reef system is going to run you bwetween $170 and $250 for anything worth its weight.
Take a look at the BFS-161 75 GPD Premium found here for $169 www.buckeyefieldsupply.com . It includes a 1 micron prefilter, 0.5 micron 20,000 gallon carbon block, 75 GPD Dow Filmtec RO membrane, full size vertical 20 oz refilable DI, capillary tube flow restrictor, TDS meter, Pressure gauge, thermometer, DI bypas valve and more.

Reef quality systems always have a 1 micron or lower prefilter, should use a 1 micron or lower carbon block, use full size 10" vertical refillable DI filters and the better ones include TDS meters, pressure gauges and capillary tube flow restrictors. You NEVER want a granular carbon filter, it grinds to dust and fouls the membrane besides adding TDS back to the water. Horizontal DI's are next to useless so good vendors don't use them. They short circuit or channel so provide poor treatment even if you stack two or three together they stiil do not work nearly as well as a single full size 20 oz 10" vertical that fills from the bottom up so all water and resin come into contact with each other.

Other suggested vendors are SpectraPure Water Purification Products , FL Aquarium Water Filters Reverse Osmosis Booster Pump GFO Nitrate DI Carbon , Melevsreef.com - Welcome! and even Bulk Aquarium Supplies - Reef Aquarium Supplies | BulkReefSupply.com .

I actually was looking at the BFS, the 100 gpd model with dual inline tds monitor.

I ended up searching around a bit after posting this (should've done that first!) and finding that these rodi aren't so great. People made them work for reefs, but that involves replacing almost everything (but the membrane).

But i do appreciate the advice! Maybe someone else will look into these and see this post someday

[AZDesertRat]

DO NOT get the Buckeye 100 GPD model! Russ, the owner will talk you out of it too. The Dow Filmtec 100 GPD is the worst possible membrane you can buy period. Its not really a 96-98% rejection rate Reverse Osmosis membrane but is a 90% rejection rate Nano Filter which will eat DI resin like crazy. The 100 is not even approved by the ANSI/NSF for drinking water in the USA but is rated "Pool and Spa Use" instead.
Get the 75 GPD Dow Filmtec or the 100 GPD GE membrane which is actually almost identical in specs as the Dow 75. Both make 75 GPD at 50 psi, 90 GPD at 60 psi and 100 GPD at 65 psi at 96-98% rejection, they just advertise them differently.

Why this is important is for every 2% you increase the rejection rate (removal efficiency) you DOUBLE the life of your DI resin. A 6 to 8% increase in rejection rate will make DI seem like it lasts forever in comparison.
Personally I would take the handheld TDS meter Buckeye supplies over the inline any day. I have two of each style and rarely use the inlines as I want accuracy. The inlines are not temperature compensated so unless your water temp and air temp are exactly the same there will be an error factor of up to 2% for every degree C they vary. The inline reads air temp not water temp. The handhelds have a temp probe in the water so are more accurate. Plus you can use it to test other places besides two dedicated points which is rarely enough.

[mcleodm]

Good to know! I appreciate all the advice! I will certainly get the handheld meter, since my water in line is near 50 or 60 degrees.

My fish room is located right where the water main line is, so the RO/DI unit will get near 100psi, 90 at minimum when no other sinks/etc are open. Is this going to be a problem? Kinda bad place for a RO/DI, 100psi at 55 deg F!

Thanks again for your advice.

[AZDesertRat]

Not at all, membranes perform better at higher pressures up to 150 psi or higher. I run mine at 100 psi with a booster pump. Dow Filmtec membranes get their GPD rating at 50 psi and 77 degrees F but will operate at any pressure between 40 psi and 150 psi with more being better. As for temperature, colder water reduces the GPD but it is more dense so gives you lower TDS from the treated water compared to warmer water. The higher pressure will offset the colder temp so you should still expect about the rated GPD or even higher and with good rejection rate or removal efficiency. Actually 100 psi and 55 degrees F figures out to 105 GPD out of a 75 GPD membrane which is great. At 90 psi and 55 degrees its 94 GPD still very good. If the water temp was 60 degrees those same numbers jump to 117 and 104 GPD.