inexpensive RO/DI units on eBay... thoughts?

[SpiderWhistle]

When I was last in the game I had a Kent Maxxima RO/DI, that I picked up from a LFS for around $250. I vowed to spend much less this time, so I started looking on eBay and have found comparable setups for $100. Considering that the filters are pretty much universal, can anyone think of of a reason why I wouldn't want go with one of these?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/140613964766
http://www.ebay.com/itm/110619193307

I see that the second one doesn't have all clear filter housing, so that's a little negative, but for you what get, the price is right. Or at least it appears to be...
I'm only going to be running around 55gal (thus far hehe), so the GPD rating is of little importance. Maybe I'm being blind and missing something obvious, that's why I thought I'd get some input.

 

[Cake_Boss]

I don't see a reason not to use them, you can buy different filters and housings to suit your needs.

Check out our sponsor Air, Water, and Ice

 

[stacy_vennes]

the first link looks good. It shouldnt matter name brand or where you get it. as long as it comes with the connections and hoses.

 

[deboy69]

Re: inexpensive RO/DI units on eBay... thoughts?

Make sure your Di canister is vertical not horizontal

Sent from Earth

 

[SpiderWhistle]

Sounds like we might have a winner with the Oceanic, all the fittings are included (good thing cause they do get pricey), and the DI is vertical. Plus assuming it's the same Oceanic as the tank manufacturer, that's a name I trust!

 

[Badgervet]

i think the main difference would be the customer service and support if you have any problems/troubles. I know from friends that BRS (though a little more expensive ~$50-70 more depending on shipping though you could check out a group buy option), their customer service is top notch. Harder to say about e-bay service, I read through some of the negative buyer reviews for both companies and it's gotta make you pause a bit.

 

[SpiderWhistle]

Good point. Never heard of BRS, checking them out now.

 

[Badgervet]

brs-http://www.bulkreefsupply.com
usually a group buy every month or two on the forum

 

[DyM]

I have that unit (second link) with the Horizontal DI that deboy says to avoid. Worked flawlessly for 6+ years... of course you'll have to change out filters and such with them all. Melev's has great instructions on how to set up a RO/DI, it's under my post for online resources in the newbee section.

 

[deboy69]

I have the BRS 6 stage with dual di and love it. Here is a link that explains the verticle DI canister reasoning a little better
[video=youtube;DPz3ap6sQjg]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=DPz3ap6sQjg[/video]

 

[SLewis]

FWIW i bought one a few months ago its a "[h=1]Mikro Omega Portable 3 Stage RO/DI Reef Aquarium Filter System with 75 GPD Membrane"[/h]The highest tds reading i have had so far is 4ppm while 99%come out with a 0 or a 1. It was 115 packaged and shipped. it came with the "garden hose" attachment, but you could order different attachments that are relativly inexpensive. I will see if i can find the listing and post it here later.

 

[asn-naso]

I bought one off of ebay from filterdirect many years ago, and it was great. After I moved, I bought another one from them, and that is what I am using today. I don't think they are still on ebay, but they do have their own website setup.

 

[DyM]

I disagree with the video, water passing the di resin doesn’t "get exhausted" faster or slower. If there are nutrients, it gets exhausted. If what he says is true, then there would be a pattern in the di resin where it changes from blue to cream color. There isn't, it gets spent horizontally, the same as the vertical mounted canister gets spent vertically. I have exactly what he has in his hands as what not to use. It's filled up every 6-8months, and water coming in is at about 10ppm. Leaves it at 0ppm.

But what do I know, he's Mr Saltwater... but then again my reef look way better than his. There are areas in this hobby where you can save $. The RO/DI unit HOUSING is one of them. The filters and DI resin are a good deal at BRS. The ebay units lined are all good units.

 

[SpiderWhistle]

Thanks for the good info everyone! I had never considered the vertical vs horizontal aspect. I can see both points, so now I'm kinda torn... lol

 

[MartinsReef]

Its all about the filters not the housing.

 

[Tran_Hung]

I bought my 5 stage system on eBay 5year ago. It work flawless . My TDS meter .00 to 3

 

[SpiderWhistle]

Thanks for all the responses! I was all set to grab one of the eBay units, when I came across an auction for a used Kent Maxxima. I was a little leery about getting one used, but since I had the same one previously and am familiar with it, I placed a low bid on a whim. I won it for $60 shipped, so unless everything has to be replaced, I should be good!

 

[Cake_Boss]

As long as the membrane doesn't need replaced, it should be fairly cheap to replace the filters

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Here are some things to look for in a good system for thishobby:

No more than 4 stages (sediment, carbon, RO, DI) unless youhave specific water quality issues you want to address
Standard-sized prefilters, membrane, and DI cartridge
Brand name, high-rejection membrane
Specifications provided for each stage
Pressure gauge after the prefilters and before the membrane
Thermometer
TDS meter (handheld or in-line)
Vertical DI stage
Refillable DI cartridge
Rust-proof bracket
Quick connect fittings
No water from pressurized storage container delivered to DI
Flush valve
Clear housings
High-quality instructions written in clear English
Customer support before, during, and after your purchase
A vendor involved in your hobby

Russ

 

[Buckeye Field Supply]

Horizontal DI housings are adesign intended to minimize the original cost of the system - you should beprepared for the tradeoffs. Horizontal DI units typically contain 8 oz. to 16oz. of resin. Typical vertical DI cartridges contain 20 oz of resin. Obviouslythe more resin contained in the housing the longer it will last and the bettertreatment it will provide.

Some horizontal DI housingsare not refillable - you'll therefore have to pay for a new housing every timeyou need to replace the DI resin. The cost of repeatedly replacing thehorizontal housing will far outweigh any money saved up-front in purchasing theunit.

Perhaps most importantly,horizontal DI housings are a less than ideal arrangement for water treatment.DI resin beds setlle through normal use over their life span. You'll note thata cartridge that was full when new can sometimes have a ¼ inch of empty spacein it when fully expended. When DI resin settles in a horizontal housing, itleaves a pathway (of least resistance) along the top of the housing where watercan flow while coming into minimal contact with the DI resin.

You’ll note that the outputfrom the DI housing is at the center of the end of the housing. Depending uponhow your system is configured, RO water may enter the DI housing in port, fillup the housing until the water level reaches the out port (i.e., fill up thebottom half of housing), and then exit the DI housing. Your RO water has been in contact only withhalf the resin in the housing.

Russ