kerant

Recipes 

Want to fine tune my process. What is the most cost efficient way to R.O my water?

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Hop Goblin

chumpsteak

Recipes 

Buy it from a store.

kwingert

Recipes 

Yep

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Beer is proof god loves us and wants us to be happy-Franklin

Skeeter7424

Recipes 

Or purchase an RO system for your home. Since I keep large saltwater aquariums, I already have one. The only difference is I skip the "d-ionization" step for beer water, since I do still want some light levels of metals in the water. Check out bulkreefsupply.com for a filter, they can be had for under $100

HTH
Jordan

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Primary 1: Fireside Ale Concept
Secondary: EMPTY (OH NO!)
Bottled: Irish Red Ale, Nut Brown Ale, Honey Hefe, Left Hand Milk Stout Clone(TWEAKED!), Pumpkin Pie Vanilla Ale
Bitten by the brewing bug again!
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Braufessor

Recipes 

Take your own jugs to a store (I go to Walmart) and refill them. Don't buy new ones each time off the shelf. Refills are .39 cents a gallon for me.

jpc

Recipes 

...so that's ten gallons for just under four pennies?

Seriously, though... Do you know that the water is RO? I have a number of places (independent storefronts) near me that sell different waters, and I've been buying the distilled (as opposed to the RO). I get it for about the same cost...

I still plan on sending it out to Ward Labs for testing, to ensure that it is what they say it is.

dover157

Recipes 

+1
I have a system from the same company for the saltwater tank, and for drinking water. One of the best investments I have ever made and the replacement filters for their systems are fairly cheep.

helibrewer

Recipes 

Store bought is probably the easiest, I happen to have a 5-stage in house system that I use for my brewing water. If you brew 5 gallon batches every other week for a year you would spend about 8 gallons X .40 X 26 batches = $83.20. An RO system is going to cost you about $200 when all is said an done so the breakeven is about 63 batches or 315 gallons of product.

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jpc

Recipes 

How frequently do you have to replace the membranes/filters/etc. for the RO system? It's probably not that often, but it would still be another variable to compare costs.

I would love to have an RO system, even if it costs a little more, but I have nowhere to put one.

dover157

Recipes 

I change mine about twice a year. Thats just the 5 Micron Sediment Filter, 5 Micron Carbon Block and 0.6 Micron Carbon Block. With the system from Bulk reef supply all three are $21 plus shipping. The RO membrane will last for several years as long as you remember to flush it out every now and then. Size is not a huge issue in most cases. The whole drinking water system will fit under the kitchen sink, or if you just want it for brewing just bolt it to the wall in your brew area and run a supply line and drain line. The waste water is good for the garden FYI. I reccomend you check out their website, most of the systems I have seen at the home improvement stores may be a bit cheaper up front, but dont work as good and have a higher replacement filter cost.

My system ran about $500 by the time I was said and done, but I added the upgrade kit to go from 75 GPD (gallons per day) to 150 GPD and had to get a booster pump since my water pressure was to low to run the system properly. If your not wanting the 3 gal storage tank for drinking water, and have at least 50 psi comming out of your water lines a basic 4 stage system will run you 123.99. Hope this helps.