[Indy574]

Ok.  I have over searched the internet and probably more confused than before I started. I am looking for a ro system primarily for home brewing. Of course it will be used in the home as well.
I looked at APEC, Spectrapure, Express Water, US Water Systems, Hahn Filtration from Costco which has a remineralzation feature which I don't believe I want for brewing?
I live in town with municipal water, which I soften, not sure of incoming pressure (I will be calling the Water Dept tomorrow for this info). I would rather not use a pump if I can't do without it. Prices range from $150-300.

[Philbrew]

I've been thinking about this option as well.  Currently using RO water from a couple of stores in town.  I check the machines with my TDS meter before buying.  Sometimes they're good, sometimes I have to wait a week or so for them to service the machines.  I'll be interested in what the forum has to say.

[yso191]

I always use RO water for brewing.  The only downside is the small (4 gallon?) pressure tank.  So I just set an alarm to go off every 40 minutes and I take another gallon out to the HLT.  I have a Culligan system.  I heartily recommend Bru'n Water software.

[Kit B]

I would recommend a system from Air, Water, Ice.
http://theh2oguru.com/

I have a Typhoon III 150 gpd system & love it.
(The deionization portion is not necessary & rarely gets used.)
I bought a 30 gallon bladder tank on another site (actually holds 18 gallons) & ran a line to my kitchen, to supply drinking water.

[mabrungard]

If your municipal water pressure is typical, you won't need a pump to pressurize the feed water.

Don't worry too much about the brand of the system. They all use nearly the same components. The important factors are: system uses 10" filter cartridges and not the little bullet filters, system has a carbon block filter in one of the cartridges, system uses a quality membrane such as Dow Filmtec.

Discharging into an open container improves your system efficiency, but that may not be desirable if you want to deliver the water to taps. Get a big pressure tank if you don't discharge to an open container. If your typical brew day requires X gallons of RO water, you will need a pressure tank with double that capacity. 

[Indy574]

If your municipal water pressure is typical, you won't need a pump to pressurize the feed water.

Don't worry too much about the brand of the system. They all use nearly the same components. The important factors are: system uses 10" filter cartridges and not the little bullet filters, system has a carbon block filter in one of the cartridges, system uses a quality membrane such as Dow Filmtec.

Discharging into an open container improves your system efficiency, but that may not be desirable if you want to deliver the water to taps. Get a big pressure tank if you don't discharge to an open container. If your typical brew day requires X gallons of RO water, you will need a pressure tank with double that capacity.

What exactly do you mean by discharging to an open container?  Wouldn't any discharge go down the drain pipe?  I was thinking of putting the RO system in the basement and running two lines for the ice maker and drinking tap.  Is that feasible?  Would I need a pump then?  My thought was space under the sink is already being used, but it's not like all the crap can't be moved out.

[mabrungard]

Product water, not waste water. I was referring to discharge to a tank that is not pressurized.

I have also piped my RO system to both a kitchen tap and the ice maker like you want to do. You will have to discharge your RO product water to a pressurized tank in this case.

[mba0006]

Ok.  I have over searched the internet and probably more confused than before I started. I am looking for a ro system primarily for home brewing. Of course it will be used in the home as well.
I looked at APEC, Spectrapure, Express Water, US Water Systems, Hahn Filtration from Costco which has a remineralzation feature which I don't believe I want for brewing?
I live in town with municipal water, which I soften, not sure of incoming pressure (I will be calling the Water Dept tomorrow for this info). I would rather not use a pump if I can't do without it. Prices range from $150-300.

Check out the Kickstarter for HbrewO Systems. It's an RO System designed for Homebrewers.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/2021073150/brewro-homebrewing-water-solution?ref=category_newest

The website to the company is HbrewO.com

It's an easy and precise approach to water treatment.

Hope it helps! Cheers!

[Stevie]

Not trying to be a jerk, but it seems as if you have involvement in the product. If you do, awesome. Just say so.

That said. I'm interested. Would be great for apartment dwellers.

I'm curious as to how much waste water is produced. I know typical home systems can vary from 4-8 gallons wasted per gallon produced.

Edit.- I just did math and this would pay for itself in about 60 batches at $0.40/gallon RO. considering I am moving to a third floor apartment without an elevator, this is very attractive.

[Phil_M]

Here's what I'm running. It's designed for aquarium use, but has been working just fine for brewing.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DOG64FM?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o04_s00
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DSP57BQ?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00

I don't have a pressurized storage tank, everything is plumbed to this air-gap faucet. Drain line runs via the air gap straight to the drain line.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0018MVYOK?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o08_s00

When collecting water for brew day, I slip a hose over the faucet and run that into a bucket. I use it for ice, but then only in regular ice trays/molds. I also installed a decent on/off valve on the main input for the RO system, as I don't want it wasting water when not in use. (The regular icemaker "tap" valves take too long to throw all the way on to all off.)

This may not work for OP's requirements, but I think it's a good option for a lot of brewers.

Don't forget an RO meter as well.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002C0A7ZY?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o06_s00

[Stevie]

Wow. Here I figured the mounting frame was something they created. Thanks

[Phil_M]

FWIW I think it may be on sale, I think I paid ~$80 for the 100-gallon system when I bought mine. I know it was more than the 50-gallon setup.

[mabrungard]

That is a nice, neat system. However, it has some major flaws. First and most important, is that they are supplying a 100gpd membrane through a teeny carbon filter. That filter is not likely to consistently remove chloramine from the water supply and that will end up prematurely destroying the membrane. That filter may not even be able to consistently remove chlorine either, but its got a better chance of that. You really have to have a 10" or 20" carbon block filter to remove these contaminants when the RO production is 100 gpd.

The second flaw is the inclusion of a teeny DI filter. In the realm of brewing water, the difference between 2 ppm TDS and 20 ppm TDS is insignificant. The DI stage is wasted money for brewing use. The good thing is that it will be exhausted in short order and as long as you don't waste your money replacing it after its exhausted.

Buyer beware.

[AmandaK]

Martin, which one are you talking about? The 'Aquatic Life' one or the RO in a briefcase one?

[Phil_M]

Martin, the aquarium system I posted is a 100 gallon per day system, not per hour. How does that change things?

So far it's been working fine, still getting single-digit TDS after about 50 gallons of water.

This system was my quick hack to try and get a decent baseline water for brewing. I'm curious what I've done wrong/how I can improve things.