Reddit mentions of AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie Four Stage Reverse Osmosis System with Color Changing Mixed Bed Deionization Cartridge

I was lugging water from the store with a couple of these: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Reliance-Aqua-Tainer-Water-Container-7-Gallon/872426

Got tired of that so I bought one of these: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/

On brewday I collect water out of the carbon filter and cut that with R/O from a jug. Ratio depends on my grist bill but I usually don't need a full 7 Gallons of R/O, much less 14.

While I brew I refill the jug with R/O. Waste hose gets tossed around the garden. Jug is full again by cleanup. The little water hose even fits in the air vent hole on the jug.

Bing-bang-boom. $60 initial investment. Pays for itself (sans-water costs, but also sans gas costs filling the jugs) after 25 brews.

I use this system and seems to work very well for my purposes for the price.

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https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Reverse-Osmosis-50-Gallon/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=ro%2Bbuddie&qid=1556424308&s=gateway&sr=8-2&th=1

Yes, there are ~$50 systems that just connect to your sink while you use it, then you disconnect it and put it away when done. That 30 gallons / day is a speed btw. So it will only make ~1 gallon an hour.

I use one I bought from my LFS for about $75 that does 100 gallons per day, or 4 gallons an hour.

I believe the RO buddie is the one that gets recommended here.

https://www.amazon.ca/Aquatic-Reverse-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?keywords=ro+buddy&qid=1568604855&s=gateway&sr=8-1

I guess I lied, I paid $106 Canadian. I bought it on sale, which it currently appears to be listed at. Works great but produces tons of waste water, I would guess the numbers are something gross like 4L waste for 1L R/O.

$60 RO/DI

I prefer to have a devoted tap for RO, rather than hooking it up to a pre-existing faucet. For this installation method, I tap a cold water line with a saddle valve. The linked kit provides plenty of tubing to run to the installation site. I mounted the RO/DI inside my bathroom sink cabinet. This allows me to fill my sprayer in the bathtub, so I don't have to worry about it flooding if I lose track of it. Doesn't hurt to install a backflush (consider that picture a 'blueprint'). THIS kit has the two 'Y's and 2 ball valves you'd need. One ball valve to control flow into the RO/DI (effectively your ON/OFF switch); 2 'Y's and a ball valve to plumb a backflush in at your flow restrictor.

$81 for the RO/DI and associated plumbing to build a devoted fill station. A single light costs more than that. Your water bill will go up, but you don't have to break the bank to have RO/DI water on tap in your home. It's easy. It's cheap. It has a host of benefits. I don't see why more people don't do it.

I've got the 'ON/OFF' ball valve right above my bathroom sink. When I need to make water, I run my waste line down the bathtub drain, put the clean line into my sprayer, and open the ball valve. Nice and simple. No hassles.

Edit: If you don't already have them, you'll want a drill and ~1/2" drill bit to run holes in your wall/bathroom cabinet for your water lines. Maybe brings you over $100, if you don't already have those tools.

You can get a cheap RO unit for $60. Totally worth it.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I use this. It works great and cheap. Easy to set up. 0 TDS coming out of it.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

It'll be worth your while to get an RODI unit in the long run. You can get a simple 4 stage RODI on Amazon for like $60 as well, so you wouldn't be spending that much.

Edit: here's the Amazon listing for it https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_fMtCDbWX9QMVW

I was in the same boat as you, paying ~$1 a gallon for distilled water, as none of the local supermarkets had RO fill-up stations.

I bought this RO/DI system off of amazon for $60.

I've used it for a few brews now, and have had no issues. It's been putting out about 3 gal/hr for me.

It'll pay for itself after the 8th brew or so.

I got one. Best decision ever

All my test kits are API. How often should I add the remineralized RO water to replace the water I have in there currently?

I'm looking at inexspensive R/O units on Amazon currently and just ordered some salty shrimp GH/KH. I appreciate your advice.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/ref=ask_ql_qh_dp_hza

I have this RO unit and it works pretty well for a smaller tank. For $60 it will pay for it self pretty quickly making salt and top off water.

Aquatic Life RO Buddie Four Stage Reverse Osmosis System with Color Changing Mixed Bed Deionization Cartridge https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1NieBbFKAY6VJ

BRS has good videos on RODI units and ROBuddie has their own video in setting it up properly.

here’s a link to amazon It looks like its $59.99 right now so it’s a good price.

My water hardness is about 10 to 11dKH. Is it worth getting an RODI unit to help soften the water to provide better conditions for plants? Amazon has ones for $60 that look good enough.

I have good lighting, co2, fertz and all that. The hardness feels like the last hurdle.

There are some pretty cheap RO or DI water systems that you can get on amazon. I got my DI system for $60 here:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_umJSDbKVPYZFZ

It just hooks onto your faucet (you have to remove the aerator from your faucet, which is just the little mesh screen thing at the opening) it's worked great for me since I live in a tiny apartment and can't re-plumb anything.

If it's not rated for Aquariums, then it's probably not going to work. I would recommend instead looking at the RO buddy system on Amazon.

EDIT: Link

It will last indefinitely in a sealed bucket, but you don't want to agitate or heat it. The only danger is that alkalinity will precipitate out over time...you might want to test before you use it and adjust back to your desired range.

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Just FYI, you can get cheap RODI systems for $60 and make it yourself too.

The brand is Aquatic Life and the product is called "RO Buddie". It has 4/5 stars on Amazon out of 312 reviews so it's not a total blind buy but yeah...suspicious...here is the link.

I feel like there's probably some kind of caveat, like the filter needs to be replaced stupidly quickly but I only have space for a 10gal nanotank anyway (I know how totally inadvisable it is to start with a nano-anything in the aquarium hobby but as I've established in this post I fail at taking advice) so I wouldn't need much water, it might end up totally worth it.

My arms are like ramen noodles so I can't lug water anywhere.

I'm looking at these two RO systems. Should I pay extra for the four stage model at the cost of half the GPD?

4 stage 50 gpd includes deionization filter

3 stage 100 gpd

the place i got them goes by purewaterclub now, but i saw this one and i'd order it if i was ordering them now, the color changing DI filter is good to have.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/

I have been looking at CO2 injection, anything you could suggest? It completely confuses me

EDIT: Would something like this work if my rtap water has phosphates?

I think if I do get it, I would ge tthat one,
I think you are talking about this
https://www.amazon.ca/Aquatic-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge-50-Gallon/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1474475175&sr=8-4&keywords=RODI