Normal TDS & When To Change RO Filters

[Tathamet]

Oh gotcha, that simple eh!? I guess getting a flush valve just makes it easier so you just flip a switch instead of disconnecting the tube, removing the restrictor, reconnecting the tube, running it, disconnecting the tube, adding the restrictor, reconnecting the tube...ugh yeah, think I'll get a valve LOL

Exactly lol. I can say I definitely don’t do it as often as I should. A flush valve would definitely be a good investment.

Oh man, why are DI so pricey!? That said, I have the little RO Buddie and am not sure it can even have a DI on it. I also had recommended to me to add a Pre Filter instead, and another place saying to add the Carbon Plus by Aquatic Life since it might be a chloramine issue with my City water (they use chloramine). Another reputable Coral store suggested not to worry about 4ppm and that they know someone who runs it at 10-12 because their like 6 stage only gets it that low or something. So not even sure what's what haha

Yeah things are about double the cost here haha.

But I feel like the high price is because you’re buying a new canister every time just to replace the resin. This is why I just buy bulk resin and refill the canister. the resin on its own doesn’t seem overly expensive.

Your unit can have di on it. I’m using the same unit but 50gpd. The only difference with the di kit is the di cartridge and some mounting brackets/clips maybe an extra hose connection. I cant really remember but the mounting clips might come with the di cartridge if you buy it separately. All you do is pop it onto the front of the ro membrane housing and move the output line over to it.

If you don't use a pressure valve, how do you personally know when to change the sediment and carbon?

Honestly I don’t know when. I Just kinda wing it lol. So definitely don’t follow what I’m doing in that department lol. I only make about 5 gallons a week so I don’t to change them too often.

 

[JSkeleton]

no, unfortunately you can't. those are full size 10" industry standard filters. your RO buddie unit uses smaller proprietary cartridges. The initial lower price is attractive, but the filters often don't last as long and are more expensive to replace. I'd go with the larger full size system if it's still possible. will be cheaper overall to maintain.

I was looking at returning the RO Buddie and getting a larger unit, but should I get the AquaticLife RO 4 Stage Classic 100GPD or something else? I'm in Canada.

Also, I'm reading that the larger units would last longer than the RO Buddie? So if Carbon/Sediment for RO Buddie would last 6 months, larger unit should in theory last a year right? haha

Edit: ALSO with the full 10" units, where do you get filters? I was trying to look up sediment and carbon filters for the 10" AquaticLife one and not sure how those work?

 

[JSkeleton]

Okay, so to clarify. If I get the "AquaticLife Classic 100 GPD 4-Stage RO Unit" (pictured below). Would these also use proprietary filters or with this kind of unit can you literally get any 10" carbon and sediment replacement filters, which in theory might save me money if I can find them cheaper? Would only the Membrane be proprietary?

ALSO, with a larger unit like this, would that in theory mean I have to replace my filters less frequently than the current RO BUDDIE I have which is a smaller unit?

Additionally, this unit has a built in flush valve and pressure valve which I think are bonuses to be included.

 

[dschuffert]

Oh, that's a great setup! How do you get the pressure to 90psi? It takes me a few hours to create like 15-20 gallons haha

That said, I have the RO Buddie from Aquatic Life which is a smaller unit, not sure the difference between my smaller unit and a bigger one like you have? Maybe I should have opted for the bigger system??

I hear you. I added a booster pump. Before i got the pump I got 30 to 38 psi, which fluctuated greatly. After the pump, it is a solid 90 psi. The pump kit came with a shut-off switch for the output that is triggered at 40 psi (adjustable to whatever you want it to be). I put a manual valve after the switch and on the output side. All I have to do is shut the output valve off and everything shuts off. I open the valve and everything starts pumping and flowing again. I do unplug the pump and close all the valves when we are away for a few days.

 

[JSkeleton]

I hear you. I added a booster pump. Before i got the pump I got 30 to 38 psi, which fluctuated greatly. After the pump, it is a solid 90 psi. The pump kit came with a shut-off switch for the output that is triggered at 40 psi (adjustable to whatever you want it to be). I put a manual valve after the switch and on the output side. All I have to do is shut the output valve off and everything shuts off. I open the valve and everything starts pumping and flowing again. I do unplug the pump and close all the valves when we are away for a few days.

Interesting! How much is all that to setup? And is it difficult to get it setup?

 

[dschuffert]

Interesting! How much is all that to setup? And is it difficult to get it setup?

I purchased everything from BRS. The RO/DI unit can be purchased during one of their many sales events for around $380, and the pump kit was around $125.

 

[Koh23]

Quality water, salt, activated carbon are essential and bare minimum for running reef tank.

You dont need expensive lights, powerheads, few thousand $$ controllers and gizmos, but, you need good hobby grade ro unit.

40-60$ for something so important, and, another 40-60$ yearly for maintaing it....

If that is expensive, i get it, hard times, but, then this hobby maybe isnt for someone....

I can live and have great tank without apex, dosing, monitoring, expensive lights, roller mats, fancy sumps, all sort of wonders that people throw they money into, but, without quality water source....hardly...

 

[JSkeleton]

Quality water, salt, activated carbon are essential and bare minimum for running reef tank.

You dont need expensive lights, powerheads, few thousand $$ controllers and gizmos, but, you need good hobby grade ro unit.

40-60$ for something so important, and, another 40-60$ yearly for maintaing it....

If that is expensive, i get it, hard times, but, then this hobby maybe isnt for someone....

I can live and have great tank without apex, dosing, monitoring, expensive lights, roller mats, fancy sumps, all sort of wonders that people throw they money into, but, without quality water source....hardly...

Wait where are the 2 different $40-60 coming from? Haha

also, I heard Activated Carbon was more preference? Why do you want that?

also also, if no Coral, can you live without turning a light on very frequently and just allow natural light to come through?

 

[Koh23]

Initial cost of buying ro unit, and cost of cartridges on yearly basis.

No one can tell you how long is gonna each or one cartridge last, it depends on so many things - input tds, and what is in that tds, temperature, pressure, the way u use unit.....

But, 1-2 times a year for changing prefilter cartridges is reasonable. That is another 40-60$ per year.....

Sure, fish dont nees light, any daylight that is in room is enough. That is not a question.

Queestion is should you run tank like that.....

 

[JSkeleton]

Initial cost of buying ro unit, and cost of cartridges on yearly basis.

No one can tell you how long is gonna each or one cartridge last, it depends on so many things - input tds, and what is in that tds, temperature, pressure, the way u use unit.....

But, 1-2 times a year for changing prefilter cartridges is reasonable. That is another 40-60$ per year.....

Sure, fish dont nees light, any daylight that is in room is enough. That is not a question.

Queestion is should you run tank like that.....

$40-60 for RO Unit? What unit are you getting?! Haha

Hmm…why should you NOT run a tank like that?

 

[Dbichler]

$40-60 for RO Unit? What unit are you getting?! Haha

Hmm…why should you NOT run a tank like that?

I wouldn’t want to live in a dimly lit room my entire life. Can’t see why a fish would either.

 

[Acros]

Do you need a bigger RODI system? Depends on how much water you make.

I use a 50gpd 4 stage RO Buddie with DI. Tank is 25 gallon and I make about 5 gallons of water per week. The last time I changes DI cartridge was in Aug 2020. It finally needs changing now after 2 years.

 

[Koh23]

$40-60 for RO Unit? What unit are you getting?! Haha

Not sure what is so funny....

Litteraly any hobby osmose unit like aquamedic, arka, europefilter, aquilli, jbl, dennerle.....

Of course, these may not exist in your country market, all are range priced below 100$.....

Its all similar to ro buddy, or other named units, just not as fancy as brs 400$ units

As long as it gives clean water i dont care who made it, and how it looks.....

 

[JSkeleton]

Do you need a bigger RODI system? Depends on how much water you make.

I use a 50gpd 4 stage RO Buddie with DI. Tank is 25 gallon and I make about 5 gallons of water per week. The last time I changes DI cartridge was in Aug 2020. It finally needs changing now after 2 years.

Hmm fair point, but in theory, would a bigger unit not last longer than the smaller units? Or am I thinking of it wrongly?

Wow, that's a while! What about your Sediment and Carbon?

 

[JSkeleton]

Not sure what is so funny....

Litteraly any hobby osmose unit like aquamedic, arka, europefilter, aquilli, jbl, dennerle.....

Of course, these may not exist in your country market, all are range priced below 100$.....

Its all similar to ro buddy, or other named units, just not as fancy as brs 400$ units

As long as it gives clean water i dont care who made it, and how it looks.....

Nothing is "so funny" I was just chuckling at how I phrased my question...sorry?

I never heard of RO systems being so cheap, just surprising, I was unaware. And yeah I don't really care the brand or how it looks either, I'm just looking for best bang for the buck. If a bigger unit will mean having to change filters less frequently and save me money in the long run, then an extra like $100 for a bigger unit now would be worth it. But I'm just not sure if my theory is correct or not (that the larger 10" filters would in fact last longer. That said, the 10" filters seem to cost the same if ironically not cheaper at times than the smaller RO Buddie proprietary ones which is interesting).

 

[KStatefan]

Yes the 10" filter will last longer and you have more options then having to purchase propriety filters.

 

[Koh23]

It all depends of water....

No guarantie that bigger unit will "last" longer.....

 

[JSkeleton]

Follow up question. A rep at Aquatic Life is saying their Carbon Plus (a different Carbon that eliminates chloramines which is probably why I'm getting 4ppm TDS I assume), should last me 750 Gallons of FILTERED water (3,000 gallons passed through) if Chloramines are 3.0 and above, but if under (and my water seems to be under from what I'm reading) then it would last double so 1,500 gallons of FILTERED water (6,000 gallons passed through).

At let's say 50 gallons of filtered water per month 1,500/50 should = 30 Months!? Does that sound right? Could a Carbon Plus cartridge last me over 2 years before needing to be replaced?

 

[JSkeleton]

It all depends of water....

No guarantie that bigger unit will "last" longer.....

Hmm, fair point. But if the smaller unit hypothetically lasts say 3 months for example with my current water, should not a larger filtration last longer even if it's 4 months? I'm just trying hard to understand. I do understand that how long filters last for one person VS the other can vastly be different, but in terms of the same water supply on different size filters...

 

[Acros]

Hmm fair point, but in theory, would a bigger unit not last longer than the smaller units? Or am I thinking of it wrongly?

Wow, that's a while! What about your Sediment and Carbon?

I am changing the sediment and carbon filters as well as it have been 2 years and they are only $7 each.

No indication that they need changed. Water is still 0 tds.