[Stanck]

Good evening,
I am looking to purchase a reverse osmosis filter unit as I am tired of buying and carrying water from the LFS. My tanks evaporate approx. 4-5 gallons a day depending on how much the air conditioning runs. I will also need to change water on two tanks 220g & 180g, which would suggest I would need to make an additional 80-100g every few weeks. What does everyone suggest as a good unit. I don't want to have a large storage tank, but would like a unit that can produce good clean water at a decent pace.

I was looking at the "Merlin" made by GE or now owned by Pentair, but it looks like it does not remove all of the water impurities, or atleast as much as some of the others claim.

Please help any and everyone. Thanks in advance!

[map95003]

If like me you don't cares too much about fancy brand names for everything, I would check out The Filter Guys ...good guy, call and explain what your needs are and he'll build you something that would work...and their prices aren't too bad either.

[Stanck]

Thanks map95003! Prices do look good. Do you have experience with their filters and how well they work?

I currently have a filter that looks the exact same as theirs less the cartridge DI unit, as mine is a smaller pass through. (made by "purewaterclub" 5 stage 100 gpd--I have replaced all filters 75-100 output gallons ago) I have had the water tested and it comes back with amonia and higher than normal TDS than what should have come from a RO unit, which is why I am stuck with lugging 50 gallons from the LFS every week.

I just want to make sure I don't end up with the same problem.

I may have the waste valve open/shut incorrectly. It is partially open at the current time. If completly shut the water simply drips from the output (maybe a gallon a day), but I have anywhere from 40 -50 lbs of pressure on the feed line.

Agains thanks for the help. I learn the best from those who have done it before!

[Lightsluvr]

If you plan on keeping SPS coral, you might look into a RO/DI filter, rather than just an RO unit. The Deionization takes the water down to zero TDS, which means you won't be accumulating ANY dissolved solides except what is put in the water by your salt mix...

I purchased mine on eBay, but another great supplier is Air, Water & Ice. You can find them by googling their website.

JMHO.

Good luck.

LL

[Buckeye Field Supply]

The Merlin is just an RO system, rather than an RODI. It is a high capacity system and will produce lots of water quickly. It is relatively expensive, and if like most reefers you want DI water, you'd need to buy an additional DI filter.

If you have some storage capacity (like a 45 gallon brute trash can with lid), you could use a lower capacity system (e.g., 75 gpd) reasonably.

If you have adequate pressure, you could go with a 150 gpd line pressure system, or add a booster pump on the a 75 gpd system and get nearly double the rated capacity. There are a lot of options...

Russ @
Buckeye Field SUpply