RO/DI vs seachem safe

[dhnguyen]

What about this

$105 for THAT? Jesus... BRS is making a killing.

 

[dhnguyen]

I was thinking that because I like to have backups and always be prepared just in case

it would be easier and cheaper to buy refillable cartridges and then refill the resin yourself. It's not hard to do.

 

[demonbarber09]

it would be easier and cheaper to buy refillable cartridges and then refill the resin yourself. It's not hard to do.

The kit I posted is refillable

 

[demonbarber09]

$105 for THAT? Jesus... BRS is making a killing.

It comes with a tds meter and refillable cartridge

 

[Woodyman]

The kit I posted is refillable

He's talking about the DI cartridges themselves. You can buy already filled versions or buy the empty canisters and fill them yourself.

 

[dhnguyen]

The kit I posted is refillable

True but it's kind of a ripoff IMO @ $105

Just to give you some perspective.

A canister is about $16 X 2 = $32

SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration 611056265017 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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A refillable cartridge is about $10 X 2 = $20

Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing 45399078186 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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DI resin $15 for 1lb. Enough to fill 2 cartridges

ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) 45399090324 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

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Who cares that the BRS unit has the inline TDS meter anyway? Those things are not accurate and kinda useless IMO when compared to a handheld TDS meters.

 

[Woodyman]

While I have the refillable ones and I've used and refilled in the past. I would rather buy the already filled cartridges.

The time and effort saved is worth the expense to me. It equals less time maintaining another aspect of the tanks and more time enjoying with the family.

 

[demonbarber09]

True but it's kind of a ripoff IMO @ $105

Just to give you some perspective.

A canister is about $16 X 2 = $32

SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration 611056265017 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

A refillable cartridge is about $10 X 2 = $20

Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing 45399078186 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

DI resin $15 for 1lb. Enough to fill 2 cartridges

ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) 45399090324 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

What about with a tds meter because they have one without the meter for $64

 

[Woodyman]

True but it's kind of a ripoff IMO @ $105

Just to give you some perspective.

A canister is about $16 X 2 = $32

SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration 611056265017 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SR Aquaristik 10" Aquarium RO & Reactor Canister Ideal For Adding Pre-Filtration at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

A refillable cartridge is about $10 X 2 = $20

Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing 45399078186 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Empty refillable cartridge water filter, DI, carbon, other media 10" housing at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

DI resin $15 for 1lb. Enough to fill 2 cartridges

ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) 45399090324 | eBay

Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for ResinTech MBD-30 DI COLOR CHANGING RESIN Deionizing Mixed Bed DI Resin (1 lb) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products!

www.ebay.com

This equates to ~$65 plus tax. Your forgetting the included TDS meter which I think BRS sells for $30 bucks. So altogether ~95 plus tax. Plus then your time to assemble and plumb.

While definitely an easy task to accomplish it's a wash as far as money and time spent. If you want the learning experience buy it and build yourself. It's definitely not a bad option and will help you grow in the hobby.

 

[Sean Clark]

Hey y’all so I just got into the hobby and recently bought a reverse osmosis. My question is do I also need DI system because my buddy who has tanks told me not to get the DI and just use seachem safe. I’m not sure if should just get DI anyway.

I see this as a need/want/best practice discussion.

Warning! Assumptions are made below...

Do you need DI resin? No
Do you want the best water possible? Yes
Will you achieve a higher success rate consistently using higher quality water? Yes

So I suggest that you get the DI.

If there is nothing in your water, then you won't consume any DI resin and it will be a nice validation that you did not need it.

If you do consume DI resin, then you have validation that you did indeed make better water for your tank.

Municipal water supply systems vary all of the time. So even if you don't need it today, you may need it tomorrow. DI is a nice insurance policy in that regard.

 

[dhnguyen]

It comes with a tds meter and refillable cartridge

the inline TDS meters are not accurate

This equates to ~$65 plus tax. Your forgetting the included TDS meter which I think BRS sells for $30 bucks. So altogether ~95 plus tax. Plus then your time to assemble and plumb.

While definitely an easy task to accomplish it's a wash as far as money and time spent. If you want the learning experience buy it and build yourself. It's definitely not a bad option and will help you grow in the hobby.

I prefer to DIY wherever possible because like you stated it teaches me how things work that way I know what to do when things break.

 

[demonbarber09]

the inline TDS meters are not accurate



I prefer to DIY wherever possible because like you stated it teaches me how things work that way I know what to do when things break.

the inline TDS meters are not accurate



I prefer to DIY wherever possible because like you stated it teaches me how things work that way I know what to do when things break.

This is basically what you recommend but I do it’s good to know how to troubleshoot

 

[Woodyman]

the inline TDS meters are not accurate



I prefer to DIY wherever possible because like you stated it teaches me how things work that way I know what to do when things break.

The HM TDS meters are accurate enough for our uses, however, the HM DM-2 is more accurate and an overall nicer unit in my opinion.

DIY is a great tool for learning and growing both in and out of this hobby. I've done enough RO and general plumbing that me personally would just pay for the already assembled unit. @demonbarber09 will have to decide for himself if he wants to pay for it already assembled or go the DIY route, DIY is a learning experience, but cost will essentially be a wash so not a good DIY to try saving money. Especially once you factor in fittings, and a bracket which weren't priced above.

 

[Woodyman]

This is basically what you recommend but I do it’s good to know how to troubleshoot

Also if you DIY don't forget the tubing and if you want to save yourself a minor headache spend the 5 or bucks on the RO tube cutter. It beats using a razor blade. But then again you are a demon barbor so I'm sure your great with a razor!!

 

[demonbarber09]

Also if you DIY don't forget the tubing and if you want to save yourself a minor headache spend the 5 or bucks on the RO tube cutter. It beats using a razor blade. But then again you are a demon barbor so I'm sure your great with a razor!!

lol yes I am good with a blade but also have a tube cutter. I will have a busy weekend cleaning the tank setting up an ro/di

 

[Woodyman]

lol yes I am good with a blade but also have a tube cutter. I will have a busy weekend cleaning the tank setting up an ro/di

Been there! ROs look and sound more complicated then they actually are!

Looking forward to the tank/build as you progress through the setup stages!

 

[dhnguyen]

Yeah RO/DI is actually very simple. Think of it as just pushing water from one end through to the other and you're just adding the filters between the stages.

 

[dhnguyen]

Also depending on the resulting RO water (I would suggest testing your product water for TDS) you may only need 1 DI canister.

I only use 1 for mine since my product RO water reads very low at 5-10 TDS