Looking to Buy RO Water System...

[Rob2010SS]

So after 22 batches over the last year and a half, and buying $8-$10 worth of distilled water for every batch, I'm coming to the realization that RO might be the way to go...

I really don't have any specific question here, more along the lines of a few general questions:

1. Any good name brands or highly recommended brands?

2. What kind of GPD rate should I stick with (is there a minimum GPD to stay above; I brew 5 gallon batches and will be moving to 10 gallon batches in the next 6-8 months)?

3. Where did you install yours? (Mounted on a wall, sitting on the floor, etc)

4. How hard are they to install yourself?

Thanks.

Side note: I know there's waste water with RO, but we do not pay for water so I'm not concerned with that.

Oh, and any pictures you may have of your RO setup will be helpful.

 

[Bobby_M]

Even the cheap ones work. I have a $100 system with well water at 400 TDS going in and 7 TDS coming out. You'll want a 4 stage RO without DI. If you want to collect the water in a big tank, you'll want a float valve. That's just about it. Very easy to hook up. One water in, one RO out, one Waste out.

 

[Rob2010SS]

So, going to ask you some newbie questions...

TDS means....? Isn't it total dissolved solids or something like that?

Why 4 stage vs 5 stage?

What's 4 stage without DI?

EDIT: I read up on the DI (deionization) so I'm up to speed on that one as well as TDS. Still trying to read about 4 stage vs 5 stage as all the ones I'm seeing on home depot's website are 5 stage.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Scratch that. The one I'm looking at says 5 stage...

 

[day_trippr]

I would contact HBT member Russ @Buckeye_Hydro and work with him to come with a system appropriate for both the source water and the volume needs. Give him a water report and what your RO consumption rate is and he'll come up with a system that'll work out of the box...

Cheers!

 

[mongoose33]

Another vote for Buckeye Hydro. That's the system I have, and it's paid for itself several times over.

 

[Gameface]

Yep, Buckeye Hydro.

Have been using one of his systems for a little over 1 1/2 years, emailed to get some info and he was very helpful and prompt responding and I bought replacement filters from him because I appreciate the service, the honesty and the helpful participation he provides on HBT. He isn't going to oversell you a system. He'll get you what you need. And all his stuff is standard, so you can get filters pretty much anywhere that will work with his stuff.

 

[MaxStout]

Another vote for Buckeye Hydro. Call Russ, he is very helpful and will get you in the right direction. I have a 75GPD system that I hook up to a spigot in my laundry room. I fill up a few 5 gallon water jugs and I'm ready to brew. I also use RO for coffeemakers (don't need to clean them as often).

 

[Gameface]

Another vote for Buckeye Hydro. Call Russ, he is very helpful and will get you in the right direction. I have a 75GPD system that I hook up to a spigot in my laundry room. I fill up a few 5 gallon water jugs and I'm ready to brew. I also use RO for coffeemakers (don't need to clean them as often).

RO for coffee is a great point! Not only does it keep stuff clean without all the mineral deposits, it absolutely, no two ways about it, tastes better.

I use an Aeropress coffee maker and I heat up my water in an electric kettle. I have a jug of RO water for filling the electric kettle and sometimes my kid uses that to make instant noodles. She won't fill up the RO jug so sometimes puts tap water in the kettle. I know when that happens because I can taste it and have said that if she puts tap water in the kettle, please empty it when she's done.

 

[NTexBrewer]

RO systems can also be mounted under your kitchen sink. This gives you a sink mounted spigot to use for drinking, cooking, coffee.

I had my system from when I had Saltwater Aquariums.

My system has two presssure bladder tanks that holds about 4 gallons of water. I have a second length of tubing with a shutoff valve under the sink to make filling buckets easier.

I keep 12 gallons of water in jugs to use when I need it.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

About four years ago, before learning about Buckeye Hydro, I bought a SpectraPure CSP 90 RO filter. I use it for making brewing water and around the house. It has great features like a low rejection rate, TDS meter, and auto-flush. And is currently on sale if you happen to Google it.

 

[brew703]

I went with a 4 stage from Bulk Reef Supply. I think it was around $150.
There are a slew of inexpensive portable ones on ebay for $100 or less. Some of the ones on ebay leak and the RO filter is an aftermarket one, not that it's a bad thing.
I also use mine for making coffee and it definitely helps with eliminating scale etc.

 

[Rob2010SS]

Thanks for the information everyone. I appreciate it. I will be reaching out to buckeye hydro to discuss needs. I will need to get a water report first. Anyone know how to go about getting this on a well?

 

[Gameface]

Thanks for the information everyone. I appreciate it. I will be reaching out to buckeye hydro to discuss needs. I will need to get a water report first. Anyone know how to go about getting this on a well?

If you're going to use an RO system I'm not sure you really need a water report.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Thanks for the information everyone. I appreciate it. I will be reaching out to buckeye hydro to discuss needs. I will need to get a water report first. Anyone know how to go about getting this on a well?

I use RO water to eliminate the need of guessing at my local water properties. That's because a water report is a snapshot of my local source water taken at a point in time. Unfortunately, local water properties may or may not be the same throughout the seasons or year.

 

[Rob2010SS]

If you're going to use an RO system I'm not sure you really need a water report.

Previous posts said that @BuckeyeHydro would need the water report. That's the only reason i asked.

 

[Gameface]

Previous posts said that @BuckeyeHydro would need the water report. That's the only reason i asked.

I see that, but I really don't get it. I mean the difference would be a chloramine filter or not, I would think and I'd say if you have any suspicion that chloramine is used, or might be used, just get the chloramine filter.

 

[ScrewyBrewer]

Previous posts said that @BuckeyeHydro would need the water report. That's the only reason i asked.

The TDS of my local tap water is 115 coming in the filter and 005 going out of the filter. But the sediment filter color is now closer to off-white than white, not bad for 4 years of filtering. It will need replacing soon along with the carbon block cartridge too. Once I see the output water TDS getting above 015 the high-rejection thin-film composite Reverse Osmosis membrane will also need replacing.

 

[day_trippr]

I see that, but I really don't get it. I mean the difference would be a chloramine filter or not, I would think and I'd say if you have any suspicion that chloramine is used, or might be used, just get the chloramine filter.

If you're going for a custom system it might as well be optimized. Eg: - one doesn't need a large carbon block or multiples if the source water doesn't demand it, or, conversely, keeping a high chlorine/chloramine content from the membrane is worth the extra cost of large/multiple carbon filters...

Cheers!

 

[piojo]

Have any of you priced out the cost per gallon of RO filtered water? I'm curious whether it's cheaper than ceramic+carbon "candle" filters, which are about the size of your forearm and can handle lead and chlorine, but need filter replacements after 600 gallons. (I think a replacement filter for mine costs $40-80, depending on if you buy locally or import it.)

 

[Rob2010SS]

So dumb question - I found a place nearby that does water testing and to get a complete water analysis, it's $175.00...?

Is this the typical price range for this? Quite frankly, I don't think spending more than I'm planning on spending on the whole system for an initial water test makes sense.

Anyone know of any other places that do this for cheaper?

 

[day_trippr]

Whoa, nellie! Don't do that, get a Ward Labs "brewer's test" (W-5A) for $27.25 plus the cost of mailing them a sample (they have an instruction page for that).

Cheers!

 

[DownHillonWater]

Give Buckeye a call

 

[Epos7]

Permanent installation wasn't an option for me when I bought my RO system, so I opted to a portable one:

https://www.freedrinkingwater.com/ro-counter-detail.htm

It's nice and small and easily portable. I have it hooked up to the faucet in an unused bathtub. I get about two gallons per hour. I make 10 gallon batches and usually collect water the day before. My tap water comes in at about 65ppm, and water leaving the filter is <3ppm.

I bought it for brewing beer, but I find I also use it a lot for making coffee and tea, or even drinking water. I think I need to replace the pre-filters after 2000 gallons. By my estimation, two years in, I'm nowhere close to that.

 

[Bobby_M]

All ro systems are technically portable only having one input and two outputs. The fact that all connections are push fit john guest makes it even more so.

 

[BugEyedValiant]

Buckeye Hydro, 3 stage (I don’t need a chloramine stage for my municipal water), 100gpd. It takes my water from 340 to about 10 according to the tds meter I bought with it. I do 10-15 gallon batches and just put water into pet carboys a day or so before I brew. Am glad I bought it.

 

[Jakfri]

bulkreefsupply.com is having a 15% off black Friday sale going on. They have quality stuff. If you search brs tv ro system on YouTube they have a lot of videos.