BRS 75GPD RO/DI 5 Stage *Plus* System (Newbie review)

Herbie

Herbie

Banned
Hello all. I've received so much good information from everyone I thought I would do what I could on a simple review of a system that many of you probably know 50x better than I (Please add/correct anything). There are a LOT of choices on these, and as a newbie I did a ton of research trying to balance the price and parameters. I truly believe cost is only an issue in the absence of value, but something has to be pretty valuable to get any cost out of me. This is the one I chose (Mentioned positively here on CR many times). Excuse me if I ramble:

I ordered the RO/DI from bulkreefsupply.com (I hope I am allowed I give the website?) on 12/27. $199.99 shipped. Received 12/29 at about 2pm (fast). I was immediately pleased with the secure packaging (Biodegradable packing peanuts got mixed with water and poured down the drain((smelled exactly like sugar smacks))) and the heft of the product. It includes multiple water-in and waste out options (described on product description). I went with the self-piercing saddle valve and ran the black tube into the runoff drain for my HVAC. It installed in about 3 hours, but that included making the hanging bracket from scrap materials. With the Mur-lock push in fittings, it couldn't have been easier.
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I initially had a small leak at the saddle valve (definite panic at first) but luckily realized that another bolt was required on the back side of the saddle pushing in the block. I had emptied the various small parts bags into a tray and I have only done the flange type saddle so I was stumped until I noticed the threaded hole on the clamp and the brass set screw with no home. This was user error and the whole installation could easily be done by a 6th grader.
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I was pleased to see I run about 48psi (50 is what they recommend) and after the initial hour break-in period I was running 1-2 TDS in and 0 out. I then realized that I had no way to know what my starting point was (the TDS "in" reading is after the RO but before the DI for all you newbies like me) so I bypassed the RO and connected directly to the meter and ran it for a little while (Mur-lock made that easy). It read 120-125 (which I think is pretty dang high!). So it seems to be doing it's job at about 2.5gph right now (slow but standard at this psi I think). I'm going to run it for a while to wash away my TDS "experiment" and will update later with any parameter changes.

Here is a quick idea I had while figuring out my process going forward (quick 1/4" drill through the clamp took care of the "stiff hose" issue I was having:a03:).
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If anyone has any other tips or tricks I would love to see them.

All in all, I am very pleased with the product and will provide additional updates if that changes. There are so many choices on certain products in this hobby (any hobby really) that you sometimes have to just pick something and go with it, but this system seemed to be referenced in a positive light a lot and I think I can see why. Anything else with similar equipment seemed to run 50+ dollars more and anything with less seemed to be an upgrade waiting to happen.

Good reefing. Sorry if you :alcoholic:
 
jcarlilesiu said:
Great review. Glad to see this forum being used as intended.
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Thanks!

As a follow up: I am getting a steady 2.5 gph and the TDS has leveled at 2 from the RO and 0 out. It does creep to 60 or so on the RO side when I first turn it on, but the out side always stays at 0. No complaints whatsoever at this point.
 
Herbieace said:
Thanks!

As a follow up: I am getting a steady 2.5 gph and the TDS has leveled at 2 from the RO and 0 out. It does creep to 60 or so on the RO side when I first turn it on, but the out side always stays at 0. No complaints whatsoever at this point.
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I wish I was getting 2.5 gph but I had to get a pump for it to do that now I get about 3 gph. Before without the pump I was barley able to top off the tank let alone get any water for my water changes. Glad to hear yours is producing well.
 
SkunkerX said:
I wish I was getting 2.5 gph but I had to get a pump for it to do that now I get about 3 gph. Before without the pump I was barley able to top off the tank let alone get any water for my water changes. Glad to hear yours is producing well.
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What is your PSI reading? I was initially getting 45-48, but that has creeped up to 50-51 PSI. If I remember correctly, the BRS info says these will produce at stated GPD (75 in this case) at around 60PSI. I am definitely intrugued by the correlation.
 
That's nice that it has it comes with a TDS meter. Looks like a great product, but le sigh...we cannot fit something that large in our small little condo. We always have to tuck our RO/DI under the sink in our kitchen when we're done.
 
Scarlett778 said:
That's nice that it has it comes with a TDS meter. Looks like a great product, but le sigh...we cannot fit something that large in our small little condo. We always have to tuck our RO/DI under the sink in our kitchen when we're done.
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It actually includes fittings to tap right into your flexible water line under the sink and an adapter to sent the waste water down your drain. I'm a little surprised they don't have you just select which fittings you need. They probably sent at least $10 worth of parts I didn't need.
 
got the same unit a month ago when it went on sale. got all the fittings, but did not want to really "solidly" connect everything. I live in a 2 bdrm condo and keep the unit underneath the bathroom sink for storage and put it on top of the sink when needed. I did have to go to Menards for a male to male fitting because of my faucet. cost like $3. Love not having to lug buckets from car onto elevator down long hallway anymore.
 
Herbieace said:
What is your PSI reading? I was initially getting 45-48, but that has creeped up to 50-51 PSI. If I remember correctly, the BRS info says these will produce at stated GPD (75 in this case) at around 60PSI. I am definitely intrugued by the correlation.
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I think it was at around 40psi. which should of been able to keep up with the top off and fill my 40 gal. water change container every 2 weeks when I do a water change, but it would just keep up with the top off and take almost a month to fill the container. I dont remember what psi. it said it needed the produce the gpd advertised "either 50 or 60 dont remember which one" so I dont know what was going on there but since I got the pump I had to take the pressure gauge off because when the pump turned on the needle kept bouncing off the stopper 100psi + but it now puts out the 75gpd it is supposed to and now I even have it hooked up to the refrigerator for water and ice and takes less that a day to fill the 40 gallon container.
 
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