What is Reddit's opinion of AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD?

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Personally I think you might be starting out on the wrong foot if you use distilled. Honestly better to get the 4 stage RO Buddie from Amazon for $60.

This isn’t really the hobby to cut corners on, but you do you.

You'll save money in the long run if you buy one of these. That's a super good sale right now, too.

i actually picked up an RO Buddie and have been using that. Pretty cheap and no cleaning my tanks all the time. It does take about 15 minutes to fill each tank but you can get a cheap 5 gal tank addon to fix that problem. I highly suggest picking one up. This is the one I have here.. It’s well worth the money if you have hard water.

I picked up this for $59, but I leave off the deionization. It brings my sodium down to 20ppm and bicarbonate to 25ppm. I don't worry too much about chlorine because of the boil. It may be an issue with sparging, but I haven't noticed yet.

I originally bought a chlorine filter and used it with my ward's water report but upgraded to this: https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr\_1\_2?crid=35D1AD3MP6ZWV&keywords=ro+buddie&qid=1666261953&qu=eyJxc2MiOiIyLjU3IiwicXNhIjoiMy4xMSIsInFzcCI6IjMuMDIifQ%3D%3D&sprefix=ro%2Caps%2C...

RO Buddie is only $70 and is very easy to use. I use mine to make about 5-10 gallons every day. It has an attachment that will hook up to most sinks but I just hook mine up to the hose outside.

I just got this about a month ago and it's been working perfectly fine so far. Can't say anything for the long run but at $70 it'll break even cost wise after about 180 gallons (I used to pay for refills at Walmart for $0.39 per gallon).

Something similar to this https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Reverse-Osmosis-50-Gallon/dp/B00204CQF6?th=1&psc=1 Fills a gallon in about half an hour. For the countertop distiller I had to leave it running all night for maybe half a gallon yield. RO water is not quite as pure, but really good enough for me, no residues, no problems of any kind so far.

Oh yeah bro. It filters out everything. This is the one that I have. It works great. Its system though that you'll waste a few gallons of the water thats discarded and end up with a gallon of purified water. I use the Purified water for my Humidity tanks and then I collect the discard water for use in my yard or giving the dogs water or whatever. It's still just as good as what came out of the tap to drink, it's just not as purified as the gallon you ended up with of the pure water.

I have the ro filter below. Only $70 and works great. I put a valve on my shower so I can switch between it and the shower head with the press of a button.

I live in the city so it beats grabbing jugs a few times a week.

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_GS58V6AMBBJZKH9HEXDJ?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

I have this

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_0HYPWPZ76JPWRFGKGDVS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It's not the best but for my tank it's fine. I just replace the filters every 6 months or so.

Thanks everyone for your feedback!

TLDR; Connection is fixed but now my system is clogged, If anyone has any tips for dealing with clogs/resources that would be great.

u/Orko_The_Great I can't believe I never thought of my shower as an option, DOH. I went to home depot and they helped me find the right parts to connect my RO buddy to my shower hose and voilà...i finally had my system running with a real connection and no leaks.

Except now I have a new problem...my RO buddy has clogged. This is the system I use and I barely got a gallon of water out of my new connection before the clog. Water pressure seems good enough and I don't think that's the issue.

I've read on forums other folks in nyc have had issues with this system due to high amounts of sediments in the water here. I'm not really sure what the best next steps are for me at this point.

It's been difficult to find any literature on this specific issue online and the info I do find is too deep into water filtration lingo and doesn't make any sense to me. If anyone has any tips for dealing with clogs/resources that would be great, my main concern is that no matter how much money I throw at upgrading my filtration system it's just never going to pan out for me.

I finally caved and ordered 30 gallons worth of purified water online to be delivered to my apartment so that I can get this ball rolling but I would really prefer to make my own water to save money down the line.

Thanks for reading!

I had this issue. Bought this AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FEMTGQCF6Z2S2FZGD9S3?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 which is reasonably priced, cleans the copper out completely and then I add salty shrimp. Haven’t had any issues since. Now I store this in 5 gallon jugs and do a 10% water change/add every week or two.

I'm also on a well with very hard water. I got an rodi system off Amazon and it makes 5 gallons every 3 hours. Watch nyc cnc's video on it. Talk to your coolant rep but mine said no softened well water. I got this, the in line tds meter, and a canister filter. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6

I bought a 75 dollar RO system and have not seen any minerals. The waste water I have going into my washing machine for a load so I don't waste water.

I'll throw my $0.02 in:

Something like the below would be sufficient (@$69). You can increase its efficiency (decrease the waste water ratio) by adding a booster pump (but double the cost).

If you have chloramines in your source water you'll want to add catalytic carbon stage which will add ~$30-40 to your system.

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

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_TY5ATW1JW36H1Y7DQ616?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It talks about it in the details. This is the one I have and my city does use chloramines. I was poisoning my shrimps for weeks lol.

I don't run a humidifier unless my humidity is under 50%. You can probably just get away with buying water if you don't use much. Here's that link anyways

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apan_glt_fabc_YXZMEXV942YH50TNCXZQ

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_5P2D296CDZ7X1Y46QX47

I’m not making money off this guy, water is your #1 priority and These guys need some of the best quality water available, it reduces their stress and they breath through their skin so heavy metals and Chlorine are really bad for them.

Yea, I do suggest adding them yourself. There's no controlling tap water and no telling what is in it, so way harder to get right. Could throw a lot out of whack, not just PH and KH, but also the minerals required for plant keeping. Not to mention it often has heavy metals. This thing is my best friend https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=mp_s_a_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=ro+buddy&qid=1630680033&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSUo1TU9WSzJPTThIJmVuY3J5cHRlZEl... It's relatively affordable, easy to install and use, and the cartridges will last a good long time with how tiny your tank is. There's a temperature range it works best at and I use a meat thermometer to gauge it. The higher part of the range filters better, but uses the cartridges faster too. That will affect you far less than me though. I have a total tank volume of 190 gallons between my tanks, so I go through almost 40 gallons of ro water per week on my weekly 20% changes and at least an extra 5 for topping off evaporation. I replace the sediment and carbon filters about every 3 months and the membrane every 6. You'd be using basically 1 gallon a week vs my 45 to put it into perspective.

Aquatic Life RO Buddie Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_37MRWRENBGRHTDYRWVT0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

It's this one if that helps. After doing some research I've learned that DI has issues removing the ammonia because ammonia is dissolved in the water in gas form.

I read that you have to get a special type of resin to get the ammonia out.

I'd recommend getting a cheap r/o filter from amazon. I personally use RO buddy from amazon, 60 bucks, takes with my tap about 30 minutes to make 2 gallons. zero tds etc.

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

Then buy the appropriate remineralizer. I recommend Shrimp Minerals, depending on the type of shrimp you have, almost all neocaridina will be gucci with the standard dose of Shrimp minerals gh/kh+.
Never have to worry about tap water changing. Because keep in mind, depending on the season, the city will add different chemicals and amount of chlorine to the water based on where you live. What was once safe might not be due to random events in the city.

Get a kit like this and you can generate your own RO water without extra crap from the tap. You will need calmag, but that's always good to have anyway. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_Q6TG3GES2FVH6MEB01E4?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Even better than fridge filter

My tap water comes out about 250 ppm. Fresh fridge filter was about 170 ppm. RO/DI. Avg 1-3 ppm and im sure its because of stuff already in the container.

You want to get one of these. Its and RO Buddie. It comes with sink attachments or you can buy a few things to add it in to your existing sink. I have mine just sitting on the counter connected to my bathroom sink.

I use tap water for a solid year for my DWC/RDWC and wasn’t able to use the expert feeding schedule because my ppm’s would be off the charts. Never once was I able to use full nutes. This go around I invested in a great first time RO system. It’s changed the game for me for sure. All seven bottles used are $20+ so I feel ya shits expensive lol. AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_NKT1R6YDSYT31EB8058V?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is a really great starter RO water system AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_HFNDXJ7PKNA8CP6ZRN4V?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_76BJXVE8AX8TSSWQS1PE?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Best one for the money I could find. You can hook it up to a hose bib or standard faucet with the stuff that comes with it, but beware, not all faucets can handle the back pressure and may leak. I installed a double valve under my sink and just run a line out to fill jugs in my bathtub and set the drain line in my sink. Those shut-off valves are about $20 at the hardware store.

I would revisit getting an RODI unit again, you don't have to get a whole house sized one, a little 50 gallon per day $60 unit, like say, this one will meet your needs.

Like others have said though, its more important to worry about keeping pH consistent (at least for 'easy' fish like bettas) than it is to worry about the exact number. Keep using your boyfriends water for now, that level of nitrates would be dangerous for the fish long term.

Here's what I got. I mounted it on a board next to my utility sink and have it drip into a 5gal in the sink, just in case I forget about it and it overfill. The waste water goes down the sink.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Okay. If true, that's not too bad, but typically under 5 ppm is what you want (ideally 0 TDS). A lot of people here use the RO Buddle, which is relatively cheap compared to a traditional RODI unit. And you probably wouldn't eat through filters too fast at that TDS either. Just something to consider. Also FYI, most bottled distilled water is okay to use, but you must check the TDS with a meter and check it for copper. I have a traditional RODI unit that I make my own water with, but occasionally I'll top off my ATO with distilled from WalMart if I'm running low and can't 'make' water for a few days. Since your tank is relatively small, it might be a viable option. Good luck!

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_27?dchild=1&keywords=reverse+osmosis+system&qid=1605760313&sr=8-27

Perfect for watering and to make tea, coffee or just drinking water for yourself...

I plan to use a nice ro/di 4 stage off Amazon with good reviews, not water, I’m getting a machine. Hopefully it will work well, I’m also getting a TDS tester to know when I need to change filters. I know you can buy the water from local fish stores or grocery markets, but I honestly don’t trust that. I don’t have a reason, I just don’t trust places I don’t have a connection with, especially with something like the lives of my corals and fish (in the future). So hopefully I can control that element of the chain. If you want to see the brand I’ll post the link here.

If you’re in a rental, idk if plumbing the RODI filter in would be a good idea. Easiest just to get an RO buddie off Amazon and just use a faucet adapter. Otherwise a home improvement store will have the setup, but it’s usually an extra little faucet on the kitchen sink, which wouldn’t work for a rental.

There’s conflicting evidence on drinking RODI water, I personally don’t outside of using it to make coffee. Just like fish need minerals in the water, so do we - especially if you’re active you’ll want the electrolytes in the tap. If it’s taste you don’t like in your tap - a simple Britta filter would do for drinking.

My water hardness is about 10dKH. Is it worth getting an RODI unit to help lower that 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.

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

Aquatic Life RO https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_YvnGFbA9QJNEC

Is this what you’re mentioning for the RO buddy?

I’ve been thinking about getting one but I don’t trust the water in Jersey city, apparently it has very high TDS. Do i just hook this puppy up to my faucet or underneath where the water valve is?

The basic RO system from bulkreefsupply is sold out. Would this work?

AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie Four Stage Reverse Osmosis System with Color Changing Mixed Bed Deionization Cartridge by Aquatic Life USA Learn more: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_0fOtFb38SFVEA

So would something like this be good enough?

AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie Four Stage Reverse Osmosis System with Color Changing Mixed Bed Deionization Cartridge by Aquatic Life USA Learn more: https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_0fOtFb38SFVEA

I picked up one of these about two years ago and it has worked very well. It's quite slow, so I usually start collecting my water the night before a brew (but I also brew 8-10 gallon batches). I permanently mounted it underneath my kitchen sink and have a small spigot mounted in the sink.

We use an RO/DI system for our regular aquarium. You can get them from Amazon for relatively cheap.

The one linked outputs 0 TDS water, although it does take quite a bit of time to fill a 10g bucket.

Buying a $20 hose attachment for your sink from Home Depot, and buying a $100 RO filter from amazon. By far the cheapest you will get for long term. I bought this for $80 on sale: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B00204CQF6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

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.

Make sure it removes the chlorine.

A friend just ordered this one recently, for a small grow, it should work fine

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

Edit, one thing to keep in mind is water pressure. Depending on the water pressure in your house, you may need to add a booster pump, to get better results.

I also was planning on getting a small RODI system as I’m nervous about top off water but I don’t need something huge since it’s a nano tank. I was considering this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_xF.sCbSDB33NV

Any reason not to? Also was going to get a 2 gallon storage container for the water to keep in a dark closet until I need to top off.

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.

​

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

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.

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

If you are looking for a small RODI I purchased one off Amazon for $50 at the time. IT works great and I have not had any problems with it. It has gone up a little but still an excellent value. https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/?coliid=I3LCUW6P1PNM08&colid=2256ZMASSX6OZ&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

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 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?

Best $60 I ever spent

RO Buddie

Go with Neocardina, they come in basically every color.

What you need to understand tho is this. If you mix different colors of neocardina, they will interbreed and eventually your tank will return to wild color neos which are clear/brown. If you want to prevent this you can mix species that cant breed, such as Neocardina + cardina.

I recommend you pick any color neocardina shrimp. If you plan on doing a multispecies tank, think about getting a cheap r/o system like this. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/
Learn to use saltyshrimp gh/kh salt to get parameters right. Set it for cardina shrimp. since neos can live in cardina parameters. Get neos first, After 2-3 months if your neos are thriving, then add in some cardina shrimps.

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RWEK578KXCH1CX3DK6GP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Regular 109 so a pretty good sale

You might find an RO/DI filter to do just as good of a job at a cheaper cost

Then you can save your berkley for drinking water

Save about 10 of your jugs. Get ya one of these.

Has nobody in this thread heard of this?

Save yourself some plastic, time, and money. RO/DI Plz it does 1000 gallons for like 50 bucks

I use this, it's great for me. I can get 50 gallons a day.

I need like 20-30 gallons per week. No more lugging that home from the store every week.

This has save me.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=asc_df_B00204CQF6/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=167149786275&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=18191229583559215687&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9015781&hvtargid=pla-316086433617&psc=1

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Sorry, the link is for the 3 stage, I have the 2 stage, working great for 51$

link to one I’ve been eyeing on Amazon

This is what i use.
https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/

note this cannot 100% remove all of the chlorine/chloramine, however it does remove the majority of it. After using this I dose 1 single drop of seachem prime along with the proper remineralizer for 2 gallons of water.

Till you get a filter, I recommend covering the lid aquarium, this will decrease the amount of evaporation by a large amount. Then Just buy a single gallon of distilled water from any market. That should last you quite a while if you are just doing top offs.

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RWEK578KXCH1CX3DK6GP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This one is only 69 not too bad

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_RWEK578KXCH1CX3DK6GP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6 (not an affiliate link)

Best investment I've ever made. 7 months of ro water, only just recently bought a replacement cartridge for 18 bucks.

Not sure why you think an RO system is seriously expensive, you can get one for $60 bucks that'll make all the RO water you need for plants.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_--gMFbCGZ89GS

Gets even cheaper if you get a three stage unit that produces low ppm (~10 ppm) usually vs a four stage which gets you 0 ppm. Plants don't care. I think someone did the math on an amazon review and it works out to being 8 cents a gallon.

If you don't want an RO unit for a small collection, zero water filters are reported to work great too, since they reduce the total ppm of the water.

https://www.zerowater.com/zerowater-products

Sure thing:

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=emc_b_5_mob_t

Any thoughts on this one?
https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr\_1\_1\_sspa?keywords=RODI+filter&qid=1663525141&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1

You can get a cheap RODI system for less than 100 dollars off of amazon. then mineralize to your liking. I have this one : https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2HQX9K1CVPWZB&keywords=RODI&qid=1663377198&sprefix=rodi+%2Caps%2C151&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1 and it works well for me. You can also take off the DI filter to make yourself purified water. Some people say the DI makes it unsafe or unhealthy to drink but it is up for debate.

Get something like this as soon as you can: https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_2?crid=VRYRH9TEZGLX&keywords=ro+buddie&qid=1662317068&sprefix=ro+buddie%2Caps%2C392&sr=8-2

I got this one in January, it's working very well for me AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

It’s this one AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share .. and that’s exactly how I have it set up, I bought a Y faucet splitter from Lowes to make it even more convenient.

Yep! AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

I went with this. I'm happy with it.

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

Picked it up with these accessories:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00HZ6A476/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0124FAV6Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001EHAZGW/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KNTNPP1/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I know a ton of people are telling you to use RODI water and I was a little intimidated by it at first. I would suggest using this https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6

This system made it SUPER easy and they even have a little video to show you exactly how to use it properly. All I do is hook it up to my kitchen faucet once every 2 weeks and produce 5 gallons of RODI water to keep on hand. That was the cheapest and easiest option i could find after doing a lot of research!

Reverse Osmosis 4 Stage 50 Gallon $70

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=1X0XC2MKBB7BF&keywords=rodi&qid=1648081026&sprefix=rodi%2Caps%2C215&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExVENHT1FKWEMzWVZTJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwMjkzMDc5WDRVUkhTSTJBWVRKJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA4ODM2MDhEMFVCOEEwSlpBT0cmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=sr_1_5?crid=3NEMRBOJYOSMU&keywords=RODI+system&qid=1648014420&sprefix=rodi+system%2Caps%2C160&sr=8-5

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Not all that much work. Does take some time to "make" water though if you have a really large tank. I did 50 50 ish RODI water to tap water and it was good for 2 55 gallons with heavy water changes.

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_E6ZM8P5N96ECC8HMQFFS

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_i_E6ZM8P5N96ECC8HMQFFS

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6/

Also I was mistaken, it's only a 2 GPH unit. Still not a big deal. I have mine set up with an auto-shutoff valve so I don't have to worry about spills.

This 4 stage is better and $70 AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_3YF1JQQ33N6FEHCXFW62?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_i_3YF1JQQ33N6FEHCXFW62?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_J2C90M80W2R1ZEBXNCCK

I, too, have liquid rock (tds often reads 400+) and this system works great for me plus is one of the cheaper systems

Hi there, the best way to post a clean link is to take everything out from the "tag" on or else someone profits from our users clicking on the link.

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

I am sorry to hear about your fish!!!

They’re so cute it’s hard not to feed them when they beg. I have an angelfish and she’s a total water puppy. She even bumps the water surface and gives me side eyes, such an adorable beggar.

I’d imagine the detrius is where your bacteria was, also floating in the water. My friend brought me some of his gravel and a bit of water for cycling my tank and it really helped. We both use fluval shrimp substrate.

I haven’t looked into the method you mentioned but I imagine big cleaning and water changes would quickly disrupt that bacteria balance. It also may not be equipped to handle abrupt changes with experiments at all, regardless of recent cleaning.

That same friend is the one who successfully ran a filterless tank. He is a big hands off guy: “don’t touch your tank, just let it do it’s thing.” He also told me not to over feed and just stick to the flakes I have, and he told me not to change my water all the time. I think that’s the best advice I have for your filterless tank. Don’t introduce big change to a more sensitive system. If something is working, just let it work.

So now on just do your food experiments on a tank with a filter! I left my fish on a feeder over thanksgiving while I was gone for a week. Despite my best effort to make it dispense a tiny amount, I came home to a PILE of food in the tank, covered in algae. It was horrifying. But my ammonia was zero! Filters do keep the system pretty hardy and prepared for the worst.

Good luck with your many fish friends! Let me know if you end up getting the homemade food and filterless tank working together.

I think for the 65 gal I am setting up I will get this RO system with a 0ppm filter, and put crushed coral back in to raise the pH. That way my water hardness is not crazy high and my pH is not crazy low. It’s all about finding that balance, and this system isn’t prohibitively expensive. Hope it works for me.

What do you think about using this instead? Ty for the info! AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HDSQGVA87R2ESK4M0AMS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

What do you think about using this instead? Ty for the info!

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_HDSQGVA87R2ESK4M0AMS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Okay here you go. I started with the three-stage filter but I recommend the four-stage because it improves the taste quite a bit.

Okay here you go. I started with the three-stage filter but I recommend the four-stage because it improves the taste quite a bit.

I have a “fancy” water filtering system. I’m lucky and have quite a bit of space to fit a larger ro system that has multiple remineralisation “stations” (ones for tap, that have less “good minerals added”, instead more salt. And the drinking water, that has multiple filtering processes+multiple mineralisation filters) (I have a good dad lol!, we are so nerdy about water).

I’ll go look for the cheaper smaller systems I’ve seen recommend!

This one is a bit more expensive(~60$), but it looks pretty good, though make sure to do your research before purchasing(don’t trust random Redditors too much, lol)

AQUATICLIFE Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_R6K9KBPWQ02F6WBGHBKR

Here’s a ~50$ one

Geekpure 3 Stage Portable Aquarium Countertop Reverse Osmosis Water Filter System-100GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07H2TSNZM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_9K10KFP0AXMG7JXSEF92?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Nice thing is with ro systems is (depending on quality and amount of filter stages ofc) you don’t have to add dechlorinater! My city water is pretty bad, and full of chlorine, but once filtered it’s really nice.

Good luck! (I know that cheaper one is out there somewhere… just can’t find the link, it was from a Reddit post though.. darn)

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_WG5T4ZJ01QPDR5BS9DD2?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Yup. THIS is the one I use and it works amazingly well.

This one works perfectly for me. Just hooked it up under my sink .AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_PTM572CGG6M9BKBY4WE6

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

Ordered the Blumat meter, would I be better off getting an RO system like this? Or an inline filter like this?

If you don't need tons of water the most economical solution is definitely the AQUATICLIFE RO BUDDIE system ( https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6 ). Works really well for your situation.

Tips and tricks.

r/O filter. Water comes out with near zero tds. ph around 7. But because it has zero tds, its ph can change in a heartbeat and shouldn't really be considered at 7.

If you have access to amazon check out RO buddie.
https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life-Changing-Deionization-Cartridge/dp/B00204CQF6/
This is what I use. Get a TDS pen, then check water whenever you make it to make sure filters are keeping it all at Zero.

Remineralize said water with a mineralizer. Such as Shrimp Minerals or Salty Bee.

Salty bee is perfect for almost all Caridinas. Salty bee only adds GH and not KH, keeping the water perfect for ph adjustments.

Next step. Find a way to reduce PH to around 6.4. Which would be amazing for Caridinas.

Get a bag of Stratem for planting. Such as Fluval Stratem. Fluval will lower the PH of water over time, also stripping the KH in the water. Keep in mind your water should have zero KH at this point. Fluval lowers the ph to around 6.4 from my experience.

For my Caridina tanks, I do a corner by the filter with fluval then Sand/gravel everywhere else. Then every 6 months I gravel vac out some of that fluval and replace it with new ones. Fluval will wear out so you will need to add new fluval to keep reducing the PH.

Mine doesn't have that. It's the aquatic life 4 stage system on Amazon Aquatic Life RO Buddie Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_37MRWRENBGRHTDYRWVT0?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie 3-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System, https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_ZMHQSJV143H108NQ6QYP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

This is the one I’ve been using. It works well for my plumbing setup.

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apip_eBIGsfFcKAqVe

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_glc_fabc_MD2Y1NKEA6271CPF0ZDB?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_5MP1AG7SHDT9KVTBK881?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Would this work for making my own ro water?

Any detectable ammonia is going to stress out the fish. I picked up one of these guys which will fill up a 5 gal bucket in about an hour or two. I just set it up in a shower in a guest room that I don't use very often so if it overflows the bucket it just goes down the drain. This way you're starting with clean water.

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

AQUATICLIFE Aquatic Life RO Buddie Plus DI Four Stage Reverse Osmosis Deionization Unit 50 GPD https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00204CQF6/ref=cm_sw_r_u_apa_fabc_DeL7FbX4SGP7Y?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Use this! I’ve been using it for about a month or so and it’s great. A little on the slower side but gets the job done for a great price!

I picked this one up off Amazon. It's a game changer dude, just make sure you buy a re-mineralizer that suits your shrimp type as well.

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

After buying water from LFS for years, the pandemic finally pushed me into buying a small home RO system. I'd avoided it because it sounded complicated and I didn't want something else to take care of. My mistake. I've been thrilled with it so far. Has probably already paid for itself, and much more convenient.

Here's the one I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00204CQF6

I have no real expertise or experience, so if someone replies that this one is terrible and a different one would be much better, they're probably right. But it has worked very well for me. I was fighting a moderate green hair algae outbreak, and having plentiful RO water readily available encouraged me to up my water changes to where they probably should have been before. Algae is much better now.

Dunno if you're in a house or apartment or what, but the thing isn't really all that big, and if you're even slightly handy it wouldn't be that hard to hook up to a regular sink.

The aquatic life ro Di is cheap and it’s small and come with a Faucet adapter amazon

Amazon

Interesting. Thanks.

This 5 Stage has really good reviews. What minerals do you add back into your 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_3P5rCbM5T4PR7

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

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

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