RO/DI UNIT?!?!?!

[RockoC87]

I'm looking to get an RO/DI unit soon and I do not want to spend a whole lot, but when it comes to quality I want the best. So I am willing to spend a decent amount, under $250. Does anybody know the best of the best ones as far as best quality/deal/package etc. I was looking at a few from maasts sponsors. I saw the ones from purely H20 and AquaFX and purely h20s is a chaeaper, but what about quality. I was also looking at http://www.airwaterice.com because someone told me their stuff is top of the line. So any help on this would surely be appreciated, thanks.
-Chase

[RockoC87]

also the ones on airwaterice.com were 5 stage, around the same prices of the other 4 stages, do you really need that extra carbon block for our water in san antonio or is a 4 stage ok on producing 0 tds?

[Darth-Tater]

There is one for sale in the for sale forum. I think that loansnfishes is selling a brand new unit

DT

[GaryP]

RO units are all pretty much the same with the exception of the extra stages and volume they produce. The filter components inside are made by the same few manufacturers regardless of what name is on them. The extra carbon is there to protect the RO membrane so that no chlorine will leak through and destroy the membrane. I would suggest that you get a unit that has a back flush attachment.

[loans_n_fishes]

Yep, I am selling a brand new unit for $195. It is an awesome RO/DI unit from what I have heard. It is a spectrapure 90 gpd unit. Still in the box.

Here is more info: http://www.gettankedaquariums.com/Spectra%20Pure%20Page.htm

Scroll down to the "Four Stage MaxPure MPDI Systems"

Mine is the "MPDI-90" unit

[matt]

purelyH20 makes high quality stuff...I bought a 100gpd optima with flush kit, pressure guage, and auto shutoff for quite a bit less than $195 back when Bryan was doing a special on a group order from MAAST. I am getting 0TDS w/out the second carbon filter for cloramines, but I did use up the D.I. resin in about 150 gallons. I'd suggest getting a refillable D.I. cartridge and buying bulk resin; it's way cheaper.

[GaryP]

Also purchase a TDS meter. Without one, an RO/DI can be useless.

[matt]

Also purchase a TDS meter. Without one, an RO/DI can be useless.

I think Bryan's now including TDS meters with some of his filters. But, I disagree that without one the filter is useless. If you buy a decent quality R.O./D.I. filter, you're going to have very low TDS for some time; if you have the D.I. resin that changes color you can easily see when it's time to change that, and after several months of use, you might be able to borrow a meter to make sure your R.O. membrane is still working well. The meters are not expensive, though, so it's not a big deal to get one.