Reverse Osmosis System Recommendation Please

[Mike123]

I could use a recommendation for an RO system. I have been using distilled water, and treating it using the EZ Water Calculator IAW the beer style I am brewing. I've also been buying drinking water because the local tap water tastes awful. I need an RO system for both. I am under the impression that distilled and RO water are extremely close to pure water, at least for brewing and drinking-water use. I don't want an under-sink setup or storage tank, just the filtration system that I can carry around and connect when I need it. I'll collect brewing water overnight in my Keggle, so a high flow rate is not necessary. I'll do the same thing for drinking water, collect it overnight and bottle/store it. I would like to connect the RO system to my outdoor faucet as needed, and just drain the waste water into the yard. I would prefer a system that does not produce excessive amounts of waste water.

So - given my requirements, can someone with experience please recommend a specific, quality RO system? I have also read that it is best to start with softened water, versus tap water. I could use a recommendation on that as well. Thanks for your time, and Cheers!

 

[Dustin_J]

I use this one in 75 gpd: https://www.buckeyehydro.com/premium-ro-systems/

Good quality systems and the owner posts here frequently to help folks out with water and RO-system-related questions.

I use it pretty much exactly the way you've described. It's got a hose bib to connect to a laundry/garden faucet, and it's just hanging off a set of shelves close to my brewing area. I run it directly into my kettle/HLT before brewday and the waste water goes down the laundry drain - works great. With our tap water I'm consistently seeing 4-7 ppm TDS.

 

[passedpawn]

Check out Bulk Reef Supply. I have a 4 stage. I suggest adding the TDS meter on the output

 

[passedpawn]

I get 0 ppm, but me water goes through a water softener system first.

 

[Mike123]

I use this one in 75 gpd: https://www.buckeyehydro.com/premium-ro-systems/

Good quality systems and the owner posts here frequently to help folks out with water and RO-system-related questions.

I use it pretty much exactly the way you've described. It's got a hose bib to connect to a laundry/garden faucet, and it's just hanging off a set of shelves close to my brewing area. I run it directly into my kettle/HLT before brewday and the waste water goes down the laundry drain - works great. With our tap water I'm consistently seeing 4-7 ppm TDS.

Thanks Dustin. Did you get the automatic shut off valve (ASOV), or the flush valve? If you did not do you wish you had? Cheers!

 

[Mike123]

Check out Bulk Reef Supply. I have a 4 stage. I suggest adding the TDS meter on the output

Thanks I am looking at Bulk Reef now. Why did you recommend them, if you don't mind me asking.

 

[Dustin_J]

Thanks Dustin. Did you get the automatic shut off valve (ASOV), or the flush valve? If you did not do you wish you had? Cheers!

No automatic shut off valve since I'm not going into a storage container. I suppose it would be nice, but with how I'm using it I don't see the need. I didn't get the flush valve either - although to be honest I don't remember why.

 

[passedpawn]

Thanks I am looking at Bulk Reef now. Why did you recommend them, if you don't mind me asking.

It's what I have (for my reef tank). Others maybe be as good or better, dunno. I've been impressed with Buckey's posts on this forum, so if you like what they have go for it

Here's my system hanging over the sump for my tank (it's outside in a shed).

 

[brew703]

It's what I have (for my reef tank). Others maybe be as good or better, dunno. I've been impressed with Buckey's posts on this forum, so if you like what they have go for it

Here's my system hanging over the sump for my tank (it's outside in a shed).

Got the same one.

 

[mabrungard]

There are a series of articles on what to look for in a RO machine and how to optimize them in Zymurgy magazine. That is probably the most comprehensive guide for anyone looking to move into owning a RO machine. AHA members can access those articles via the eZymurgy app. AHA membership is worth it!

But in the interim, another brief guide is here: https://www.brunwater.com/articles/what-ro-system-should-i-buy

 

[day_trippr]

Or...drop a PM to Russ @Buckeye_Hydro and let him work through the particulars to come up with a well-designed functional system - without false starts...

Cheers!

 

[Mike123]

OK I talked to Russ on the phone and I'm good to go. Curious about one thing. You really should not let water sit in these systems for more than a week, else bacteria can grow, etc. What is your experience in that area? Do you make it a weekly chore to go run your RO system? I can see easily overlooking it for two weeks, unless my RO water demand is high......….like here in the Las Vegas summer we drink a lot of water. But in the winter...….

 

[day_trippr]

One could come up with a solution using a digital timer, a small 12V wall wart power supply, and a 12V solenoid valve that will shunt product water to the drain when activated. Program it to run it late-nightly for whatever duration required to produce a quart of product...

Cheers!

 

[Mike123]

My plan is to use this battery powered hose valve timer to do that. I've used this one to turn my garden irrigation on and off.

 

[Buckeye_Hydro]

Or use it to make water for coffee every morning.

 

[Mike123]

I called Buckeye Hydro and ordered an RO system for brewing water and all other drinking water needs. Should have it soon.

 

[day_trippr]

Russ is a good guy and has helped many folks on HBT.
btw, Russ isn't some random tech at Buckeye Hydro. He pretty much runs the place

Cheers!

 

[Dog House Brew]

I just spent $85 a few weeks ago on RO water. I haven’t looked at what the cost is to get in one of these. Time to get on it I presume.

 

[day_trippr]

Yikes!
Seriously, start a conversation with Russ. You won't regret it...

Cheers!

 

[Dog House Brew]

Yikes!
Seriously, start a conversation with Russ. You won't regret it...

Cheers!

I went to every RO water dispenser in my area. The TDS reading coming out of everyone was 200+. So I went to a local water delivery company and bought 20 of their 5 gallon jugs years ago. Should have bought an RO system right then. Their water reads almost 0, but is $1/gallon. I’ll have to give Russ a call. Hard to believe how poorly maintained the store units are. People filling up with virtually tap water.

 

[Jag75]

I would love a RO system but I dont have room for a tank . I use RO water in my coffee ninja and for brewing only . How long would it take to collect about 10 gallons?

 

[Dave Sarber]

For years, I've been using a Pure Water Club portable RO system that I can hook to my kitchen sink tap, use it to fill 1 gal plastic jugs. My wife recently left me, and decided that this system was hers. I went back to Amazon, and found they no longer sell the PWC system. Instead, I found a Liqua-Gen system, 100 gallons per day, 4 stage, 4 to 1 waste. About $70 on Amazon, it hooks up to a regular garden hose, and actually does put out 0 ppm water.

Cheers.

 

[passedpawn]

I would love a RO system but I dont have room for a tank . I use RO water in my coffee ninja and for brewing only . How long would it take to collect about 10 gallons?

My system would take about 2-3 hrs for that amount.

 

[SEndorf]

I would love a RO system but I dont have room for a tank . I use RO water in my coffee ninja and for brewing only . How long would it take to collect about 10 gallons?

I have my 5 gallon water jugs from when I used to buy it.
I keep two filled from my buckeye hydro to keep on hand for coffee, drinking, etc.
Then transfer to a 2.5 gallon spigot dispenser I keep in the fridge.

 

[Dave Sarber]

That Liqua-Gen system takes 20-25 minutes per gallon, so about 3-4 hours for 10.

 

[MikeCo]

Is there any disadvantage to a higher capacity system other than cost? I was looking at Buckeye Hyro's web site and the 150 gallon/day Premium RO system doesn't cost very much more than the 75 gallon/day system. Are the higher capacity systems a lot larger?

 

[The_Bishop]

I'll throw in my vote for Buckeye Hydro.

The higher GPM systems aren't usually physically bigger, it's the RO Membrane (along with pressure/temperature) that determines the Gallons Per Day rating.

However, the higher the GPD rating, usually the worse the rejection rate is. A 75 GPD membrane is usually in the 98%-99% range for rejection (Meaning 99% of the TDS is rejected) while the 150 GPD membrane is usually in the 96% range. That's under optimum conditions, with sufficient pressure into the membrane and no backpressure on the permeate output line. Those numbers change a lot with water conditions and pressure conditions. Also, most systems put 3-4 times the volume of permeate collected down the drain as waste/flush water.

There's also little point in a high GPD membrane if you're feeding into a 3 gallon storage tank.

Contact Buckeye Hydro, they can answer your questions in detail and won't sell you stuff you don't need.

 

[MikeCo]

Thanks for the explanation.

I was thinking more in terms of getting brewing water quickly when I need it. I don't need 150 gallons a day, but I'd like to have 8 gallons in less than an hour when I need it. The product information on Buckeye hydro says this:

So although you may never need to produce 75 gallons of RO water in a day, most users will find a "gallons per hour capacity" more practical.
24 GPD = 1 GPH; 36 GPD = 1.5 GPH; 50 GPD = 2.1 GPH; 75 GPD = 3.1 GPH; 100 GPD = 4.2 GPH; 150 GPD = 6.3 GPH

GPH is more important to me since I would not likely use a storage tank and just generate it on demand.

 

[Dave Sarber]

I use Coleman 5 gallon water containers. Because I use this for coffee and drinking water, I always keep a supply on hand, the 5 gallon jugs for brewing, and 1 gallon jugs next to coffee pot, and another in the fridge. I fill them while I'm brewing, so I always have water for the next brew day.
The setup I have is rated for 100 gpd, but I only hook it up and "make water" maybe once a week.

 

[MikeCo]

Yeah, I suppose it just takes some planning.