RODI - first timer looking for suggestions

[yourmom]

I’m new and have been buying water from my LFS. I’ve noticed sediment in both the salt and fresh water I have purchased from them, and it’s becoming more of an inconvenience to pick up water regularly. I’m in the market for an RODI system but I’m not sure what I need. I have a 40 gallon AIO and a 20 gallon with a 10 gallon quarantine tank. Ideally I would prefer to find something I can keep under the sink and use a spout so it would serve as drinking and aquarium water. How many stages and what kind of set up do I need? Will an under-the-sink set up be sufficient for my needs? What accessories are necessary outside of the box? Thanks!

 

[Alchameth]

I bought a home RO system with storage tank and then added BRS DI system. I tapped the line right after the RO filter with a T and then added a shutoff valve. When I make tank water I hook up the DI to the tap and open it up after flushing the RO system (open the drink spigot) for 1-2 mins. I bought this kit off Amazon

Plastic Adjustable Float Valve for Aquarium Water purifiers Reverse Osmosis System​

, it has everything needed to tap into the RO system and I use a brute trash can as a container to fill and mix. This way I could use it at night to fill the bucket and still have drinking water during the day. BRS has RO systems, RODI packages, and drinking water addons that have a storage tank and sink spigot.

Reverse Osmosis & RODI Systems

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Size based on what you want for daily, with your tank size 75 GPD system should be fine. On the DI, at least 2 stages. So that'd be a 6 stage system on BRS

 

[mann1139]

Are you on a well or city water?

I would buy a TDS meter and test your tap water. The results will tell you how complex a system you need.

If you can, I would go full saltwater mixing station. Reduces the not-fun time that process takes.

 

[yourmom]

Are you on a well or city water?

I would buy a TDS meter and test your tap water. The results will tell you how complex a system you need.

If you can, I would go full saltwater mixing station. Reduces the not-fun time that process takes.

I’m on city water. I will check online for a meter and look into setting up a station in the garage. I just hoped to keep it clean and simple but it sounds like clean and simple is probably the garage method!

 

[mann1139]

I’m on city water. I will check online for a meter and look into setting up a station in the garage. I just hoped to keep it clean and simple but it sounds like clean and simple is probably the garage method!

Do you have a spigot and drain there? If you don't, you'll have to run tubing from a water source and to a drain.

 

[yourmom]

Do you have a spigot and drain there? If you don't, you'll have to run tubing from a water source and to a drain.

I don’t see a drain in the garage but I could probably set up next to the tankless water heater and run a line to the outside of the garage. We don’t plan to stay in this home forever so with all of these steps adding up (or the peace of mind of just having a pro install it) I might want to keep buying water and wait until the next house.

 

[Skynyrd Fish]

All you need is a 75 gpd ro/di unit, and a brute trash can. You can set this up easily under a sink and remove the brute when not needed. you can get a small brute. I believe they have a ten gallon and a 19 gallon available.

Whatever you buy, make sure it has a shutoff and a float Switch to install on your water container. I have good luck with my BRS ro unit, and it came with the shutoff.

 

[Ippyroy]

You need to know the TDS and if your city uses chlorine or chloramines to treat your water. You can add stages later if needed if you buy a good one. Spectrapure, BRS, they are all basically the same and the filters are interchangeable.
If you have low TDS and the city uses chlorines, you can get away with a 4 stage. Low TDS and chloramines and you need a 5 or 6 stage. The higher the TDS the more stages you need. Is your water hard or soft. One neat trick is that you can't buy too many stages and you can also add more later. Buy the biggest and best you can easily afford and just go from there. making your own drinking water will help pay for the unit in no time.
BRS has some great videos about them and so does Devin from Reefdudes. Watch those videos and you will have a better understanding of what you need and how to set it up.

 

[yourmom]

Thank you all so much. I was picturing these 55 gallon monstrosities and didn’t know how I could manage the mixing, let alone the set-up. I appreciate the effort to simplify all of this so I’m not totally overwhelmed. I mean, I’m still totally overwhelmed but at least now I am optimistic!

 

[yourmom]

Thank you all so much. I was picturing these 55 gallon monstrosities and didn’t know how I could manage the mixing, let alone the set-up. I appreciate the effort to simplify all of this so I’m not totally overwhelmed. I mean, I’m still totally overwhelmed but at least now I am optimistic!