Best RO system for the money?

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lhommedieu

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Home Master TMAFC Artesian Full Contact Undersink Reverse Osmosis System, White:

$349.99 at Amazon.com

Are there less expensive systems that work just as well? My brewing schedule needs are 30 gallons of water x 6 times a year.
 
I would shop based on price and availability (and price) of replacement membranes and filters. I got mine about three years ago from uswatersystems. Didn't know a thing about them at the time but it's still working fine. I have a 5 stage. I see remineralization systems are available now, I would at least do some research on them. As beersk mentioned, I have my water ready the day before. 10 gallons doesn't take that long but long enough that I don't want to add it to my brew day.

Mine is similar to this one. I have no stock in the company and no idea about quality but as I said mine is still working fine and I installed it and maintain it.

http://www.uswatersystems.com/galaxy-5-stage-reverse-osmosis-system-gx-5050.html
 
Last edited:
Get one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-STAGE-Aqu...144?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233c2993d8
Plus one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Float-Water...220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339f9551b4
And one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Univers...657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cebb04d59
to go into one of these:http://www.ebay.com/itm/55-gallon-B...455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ceaf4c9af

For $155.08 (plus misc. fittings you can get at Home Depot) you'll have 55 gallons of RO water on hand at all times. You never know, you might need the water during the apocalypse.
 
acidrain said:
Get one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-STAGE-Aqu...144?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item233c2993d8
Plus one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/Float-Water...220?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item339f9551b4
And one of these: http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-4-Univers...657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cebb04d59
to go into one of these:http://www.ebay.com/itm/55-gallon-B...455?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ceaf4c9af

For $155.08 (plus misc. fittings you can get at Home Depot) you'll have 55 gallons of RO water on hand at all times. You never know, you might need the water during the apocalypse.
Click to expand...

This one looks like it might work best for me, given that I get my water from an outside tap with a RV hose.

Two questions:

1. How long can water be stored without a preservative?
2. Is it possible to install a faucet on the bottom of the drum so that I can transfer water from the drum to the hot water tank using my pump?
 
Be careful with used plastic barrels, you don't know what they might have contained in a past life. Some contaminants aren't as rinseable as others. Yes, you can plumb a tap or valve into the bottom of the barrel and hook a pump to it.

Water does not go bad. It may pick up atmospheric contaminants including mold and bacteria, but the RO water has very little for them to live on. Don't worry about that issue.

I also have a 5 stage RO system, but honestly, you only need 3 stages: Particulate filter, Carbon filter, and membrane. The other stages are fluff. You can read more on my thoughts regarding RO systems on the Bru'n Water Facebook page at the link below.

As mentioned above, if you want to run pressure tanks, you can just daisy chain additional tanks into the system with no problem.
 
I looked into this recently, and the local supplier said most people just rent the setup. That includes a cheap installation, and they service the filters and repair any problems for the life of the system. The monthly fee was very reasonable, as I recall.
 
I don't know anybody that rents RO systems... first I've heard that one.

Like mabrungard said, be careful of strong odors in the tank. I didn't buy mine on-line... I went to my local garden store and bought one that I could open. look at, and smell it. It works great.
Also, true stuff about the 5 stage filter... you really only need a pre-filter, a carbon filter, and an RO membrane.
 
I'm planning on buying a small RO unit that I can connect with a 14 gallon pressure tank. That should give me just enough water for brewing 10 gallon batches. Any suggestions for reliable brands?
 
The 2 that I've read the most positive reviews about here over the years are:

BulkReefSupply.com
BuckeyeHydro.com

I have a BRS system and it performs perfectly. I would also recommend the Dow FilmTec 75 GPD membranes with a 850 ml/min brine restrictor. I get 99% rejection of softened 400-500 TDS water. (That's 4-5 TDS out) These membranes are high quality.

These housings all basically all the same, but you'll see some pretty ridiculous prices on some sites. You can't go wrong with the 2 listed above.

And don't get sucked into the DI resins. You don't need 0 TDS water for brewing, it's just a waste of money. Now if you have a reef aquarium...
 
All that is really needed for an RO system is 3 stages: particulate, carbon block, and membrane. Getting the common 10" cartridges is the most cost effective option and I would avoid the "mini" cartridges since they are more expensive and are used up more quickly. You can read more of my recommendations on RO system selection on the Bru'n Water Facebook page.

I have not used BuckeyeHydro, but they are active on the brewing forums and they have the latitude to provide more customized solutions that are likely to be more economical.
 
My vote is for Buckeye Hydro. The components are basically the same, it's the support that matters.

My system slowly grew from an undersink 3 gallon pressure tank to a relocated to the basement, pressure pump boosted, 11 gallon pressure tank system with a permeate pump, a pressure switch and a shutoff solenoid. I use it to feed both my refrigerator/icemaker and a separate tap at the sink. It's great having 11 gallons of RO water ready to brew, and it makes RO water very quickly with a 90psi booster pump driving the system.
 
The_Bishop said:
My vote is for Buckeye Hydro. The components are basically the same, it's the support that matters.

My system slowly grew from an undersink 3 gallon pressure tank to a relocated to the basement, pressure pump boosted, 11 gallon pressure tank system with a permeate pump, a pressure switch and a shutoff solenoid. I use it to feed both my refrigerator/icemaker and a separate tap at the sink. It's great having 11 gallons of RO water ready to brew, and it makes RO water very quickly with a 90psi booster pump driving the system.
Click to expand...

Any chance of getting a bit of a part/component list? I have a small system now, but its barely keeping up with our drinking water needs, let alone being able to generate enough water to brew with.

Thanks!
 
tjr3000 said:
Any chance of getting a bit of a part/component list? I have a small system now, but its barely keeping up with our drinking water needs, let alone being able to generate enough water to brew with.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Honestly, there's no 'one size fits all' approach. It all depends on the quality of your source water.

My well water is very hard, so I have a softener for the whole house. The RO system is fed from the softened water. Since I'm on a well, my pressure fluctuates between 40-60 PSI It's also very cold, usually in the 55 degree range year-round. That's not optimal for RO filtration, so I have a booster pump that brings the pressure up to a steady 90 psi. It's not necessary, but it generates RO water faster and and more efficiently that way. My system is fitted with a 75 GPD membrane and a storage tank that holds 11 gallons of RO water when full.

Your best bet is to call Buckeye up. Let him know what your needs are and your water supply situation, and they can recommend a system that will fit your needs.
 
The nice thing about Buckeye Hydro is they give you high quality sediment and carbon filters and RO membrane. The higher quality filters help make you're RO membrane last. They give you a 1 micron sediment filter and a .5 micron carbon filter. Where as a lot of other places give you 5 micron sediment and carbon filters.
 
I do BIAB, which requires around 8 gallons of water for a 5 gallon brew. If I wanted an RO system just for brewing, what is the minimum set of equipment required? Can I hook it up to an outside faucet so I don't need it to be plumbed in?
 
3 stages is the minimum. Particulate, Carbon Block, and Membrane.

Including an auto-shutoff valve and discharging into an open tank with a float valve to control the maximum level is about as simple as you should go. A pressure tank is not desirable since it reduces the system efficiency, but if you need to deliver water through piping, then the pressure tank is probably desirable.
 
I can't say enough good things about APEC http://www.freedrinkingwater.com/

I've had my 45gpd system for about 14 years now. Use it for all the drinking/cooking water for my family of 5 plus brewing water for the last 3 years. I change the carbon and fiber filters once a year. I've changed the post carbon filter once. I'm still on my first RO membrane. I actually bought a new 90gpd membrane to swap out when this once goes bad. That would speed up my brewing collection. I currently stage collection over two evenings to minimize the shortage of drinking water.

I order all my replacement filters from them as well. Never had a problem with anything or their services.
 
You can overcome the pressure tank efficiency issue by using a permeate pump. I uses the concentrated brine to 'push' the permeate into the pressure tank, relieving the increasing backpressure from the tank. As a side benefit, you can also develop higher pressure in the storage tank, approaching the incoming water pressure levels.

Offshot is you can hear it 'clunk' while it's doing it's thing. It's not terrible but it is noticeable.

You really need a TDS meter to determine the condition/rejection rate of the membrane. If your water is chlorinated, you'll need to change out the carbon block filters more frequently, as the chlorine will damage the membrane.
 
The_Bishop said:
You can overcome the pressure tank efficiency issue by using a permeate pump. I uses the concentrated brine to 'push' the permeate into the pressure tank, relieving the increasing backpressure from the tank. As a side benefit, you can also develop higher pressure in the storage tank, approaching the incoming water pressure levels.

Offshot is you can hear it 'clunk' while it's doing it's thing. It's not terrible but it is noticeable.

You really need a TDS meter to determine the condition/rejection rate of the membrane. If your water is chlorinated, you'll need to change out the carbon block filters more frequently, as the chlorine will damage the membrane.
Click to expand...


Or it can be overcome with a booster pump. Yea 14 years on the same membrane is crazy.
 
mabrungard said:
All that is really needed for an RO system is 3 stages: particulate, carbon block, and membrane. Getting the common 10" cartridges is the most cost effective option and I would avoid the "mini" cartridges since they are more expensive and are used up more quickly. You can read more of my recommendations on RO system selection on the Bru'n Water Facebook page.

I have not used BuckeyeHydro, but they are active on the brewing forums and they have the latitude to provide more customized solutions that are likely to be more economical.
Click to expand...

Depending on the water supply, specifically if your water contains Chloramines, I would suggest adding a forth stage containing a Catalytic activated carbon, or other filter specifically to address the Chloramines.
Examples:
http://www.buckeyehydro.com/catalytic-gac/
or
http://www.buckeyehydro.com/chloraguard-chloramine-carbon-block/
 
trimixdiver1 said:
Or it can be overcome with a booster pump. Yea 14 years on the same membrane is crazy.
Click to expand...

I actually run both; I have a booster pump *and* a permeate pump. I figure that RO is wasteful enough as it is, I wanted to make it as efficient as possible. Backpressure from the storage tank really takes it's toll on the efficiency of the membrane. With the permeate pump isolating the membrane from the backpressure of the storage tank and the booster pump, I'm getting a tested 98%+ rejection rate and 90+ GPD on a 75 GPD membrane.
 
The_Bishop said:
Honestly, there's no 'one size fits all' approach. It all depends on the quality of your source water.

My well water is very hard, so I have a softener for the whole house. The RO system is fed from the softened water. Since I'm on a well, my pressure fluctuates between 40-60 PSI It's also very cold, usually in the 55 degree range year-round. That's not optimal for RO filtration, so I have a booster pump that brings the pressure up to a steady 90 psi. It's not necessary, but it generates RO water faster and and more efficiently that way. My system is fitted with a 75 GPD membrane and a storage tank that holds 11 gallons of RO water when full.

Your best bet is to call Buckeye up. Let him know what your needs are and your water supply situation, and they can recommend a system that will fit your needs.
Click to expand...

I'm probably going to give them a call. Funny enough, your situation is mine exactly. Very hard well water (artesian well on the property - it almost runs orange), with a softener in the house. Temp is identical (ground water in the midwest). We love our current RO system, but it just cant keep up. I suspect it is due to the lack of a booster/permeate pump, so thats definitely on the list.

Anyone in particular there you've had good luck dealing with?
 
Pretty sure Buckeye Hydro is one guy. At least, I've always talked to Russ there.
 
tjr3000 said:
I'm probably going to give them a call. Funny enough, your situation is mine exactly. Very hard well water (artesian well on the property - it almost runs orange), with a softener in the house. Temp is identical (ground water in the midwest). We love our current RO system, but it just cant keep up. I suspect it is due to the lack of a booster/permeate pump, so thats definitely on the list
Click to expand...

Is that orange due to iron? Softeners can remove low levels of iron. Sometimes its good to use the iron out salt in your softener. If your softener resin fouls with iron, it really can't do its job. If you have a lot of iron that gets past your softener, be aware that RO membranes and iron don't get along well. The reason your RO system cant keep up may be that your membrane is fouled with iron. Or you may just have a very slow (e.g., 24 gpd) membrane. Cold water (less than 77F) and low pressure will also slow RO water production. For residential scale membranes we have a calculator (link on our homepage) where you can put in your pressure and your temperature and see how many gpd your membrane should produce.

Realize that you can change the capacity of your current RO system by changing the membrane and the flow restrictor. You'll want two "tools" at a minimum in order to have any idea what's going on with the system: a pressure gauge, and a TDS meter. Without either you're flying blind. A pressure gauge kit is less that $15, and reasonable handheld TDS meters beging at $20 to $25.
 
Loodachris said:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/200930049633?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK:MEBIDX:IT

I bought this one a couple weeks ago and seems to be a great system so far and the price was perfect with all the extra filters
Click to expand...

I have the same system I bought 2 years ago for my reef tank... I have a tds meter to test it from time to time and It works very well.... I didnt get all the extra filters but bought replacements later and found they are standard sized filters. (they are not in buffalo NY BTW since that is where I'm from... they actually located in toronto canada.
 
In my opinion, it's best to avoid standard GAC prefilters in these systems. Carbon blocks provide a much better option (essentially = price, and much much better performance).

Also, based on work over the last 15 years, we've replaced a huge number of the housings like those used on that system. You can recognize them by the exceptionaly tall lids. They have male threads on the sumps, and we've found those tend to crack. You'll typically find these housings used on cut rate systems as they are relatively inexpensive compared to other housings. A good example where the lowest cost may not be the best value.

Just my 2 cents.

Russ
 

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