Reefer82
New Member
People get hung up on the waste water issue. It's waste water but not wasted. It served a purpose in producing the DI water you needed and likely is being returned to the sewer system in better condition (filtered) than you got it in albeit higher TDS.
It doesn't sound like you have a crazy huge system and we aren't talking 100k gallons going to drain or anything. The adapter in that Amazon link is a good, easy to install idea for what it sounds like in your situation. If you'd rather replace the entire valve under sink you can get them with the 1/4 fitting and a 3/8 to your faucet without the adapter. Basically a dual output ball valve. There are drain saddle adapters available to make it easy to plumbing into the existing sink drain. Only basic tools/skill necessary.
The BRS units are well built and reliable. I've had a BRS 6 stage for years that used to support my 100G, 40G, and 20G frag tank. I upgraded it a bit with the Spectrapure ultra high rejection membrane, nicer TDS meters that don't use button cells and have much larger displays and added a 3rd DI canister because someone gave me one and figured why not. It's extremely efficient in terms of cost/gal produced. I don't notice the water bill chance even when doing a couple hundred gallons a month, I used to make water for a couple locals at times in addion to my own needs.
I took some time out of the hobby when the kids were born but our oldest is starting their first nano tank and I am getting the BRS ro/di back in action with a new set of filters, O rings and sanitizing it from being on storage for so long but fully expect it to work as great as it once did.
I had an RO buddy once, I gave it away. It lower cost but significantly higher long term unless you're just making water for a 10g or something very low use. Filters aren't readily available if one is needed unexpectedly in most cases and not as easy if you want to plumb in anything else like a drinking water output due to the compact configuration.
One suggestion I might make is consider the Value Plus system. The pressure gauge is nice to have an easy visual on performance. The addition of the flush kit will greatly extend DI resin life by eliminating the TDS surge you get each time you turn it on. I've seen TDS as high as 150 on my output while flushing. Normally my membrane is sending like 2-3 to the DI so that surge is significant when you consider how many times you start and stop your RO throughout the life of it.
Obviously you have a budget and have to get what makes sense and can add these items later but likely at higher overall cost than up front. It's an expensive hobby and anything you can do from an efficiency standpoint pays off in spades over time.
It doesn't sound like you have a crazy huge system and we aren't talking 100k gallons going to drain or anything. The adapter in that Amazon link is a good, easy to install idea for what it sounds like in your situation. If you'd rather replace the entire valve under sink you can get them with the 1/4 fitting and a 3/8 to your faucet without the adapter. Basically a dual output ball valve. There are drain saddle adapters available to make it easy to plumbing into the existing sink drain. Only basic tools/skill necessary.
The BRS units are well built and reliable. I've had a BRS 6 stage for years that used to support my 100G, 40G, and 20G frag tank. I upgraded it a bit with the Spectrapure ultra high rejection membrane, nicer TDS meters that don't use button cells and have much larger displays and added a 3rd DI canister because someone gave me one and figured why not. It's extremely efficient in terms of cost/gal produced. I don't notice the water bill chance even when doing a couple hundred gallons a month, I used to make water for a couple locals at times in addion to my own needs.
I took some time out of the hobby when the kids were born but our oldest is starting their first nano tank and I am getting the BRS ro/di back in action with a new set of filters, O rings and sanitizing it from being on storage for so long but fully expect it to work as great as it once did.
I had an RO buddy once, I gave it away. It lower cost but significantly higher long term unless you're just making water for a 10g or something very low use. Filters aren't readily available if one is needed unexpectedly in most cases and not as easy if you want to plumb in anything else like a drinking water output due to the compact configuration.
One suggestion I might make is consider the Value Plus system. The pressure gauge is nice to have an easy visual on performance. The addition of the flush kit will greatly extend DI resin life by eliminating the TDS surge you get each time you turn it on. I've seen TDS as high as 150 on my output while flushing. Normally my membrane is sending like 2-3 to the DI so that surge is significant when you consider how many times you start and stop your RO throughout the life of it.
Obviously you have a budget and have to get what makes sense and can add these items later but likely at higher overall cost than up front. It's an expensive hobby and anything you can do from an efficiency standpoint pays off in spades over time.
