Thank you for visiting the Aquatic Life channel. Here you will find videos about product assembly, product use, education and more. We welcome feedback and suggestions for improving content. We try our best to ensure your success and happiness with our products.
Channel 2 is for blue light, Channel 1 is for white light. Figured that out even though it's not in your manual. But I can't get my light to turn on or off with programming. Not a huge fan of this light, might be way it's discontinued. Good times.
Setting up my first saltwater..its a summer project ..20 gal long. Do I need one of these and does it have to constantly be connected to the faucet..idk how the connections go back to the tank as in this video he just explained how the device works..
I'm worried how long mine will (or won't) last. The water comes out of my tap at well over 200 TDS, so it will have its work cut out for it. I've just now finished setting it up and am collecting my first bit of water. Yay!
Literally been on my tank for two days and the impeller doesn't work properly anymore. Hardly spins or moves and makes almost nothing for bubbles. My collection cup has been dry since I put this thing in my tank. Don't understand, it's almost 2018 and this company doesn't have proper impeller technology down yet? Seriously?
We're sorry you're having issues with the impeller on the mini-skimmer. Have you contacted Customer Support? If not, shoot them an e-mail at customersupport@aquaticlife.com or call 888-548-3480 and someone will get back to you. We're sure this can be resolved.
I followed your tutorial but only waste water is produced after I've installed the membrane. I tried reinstalling membrane but same result. Any solution?
Freddy, the fixture is 14.625" x 12.125" x 2.125". You can find the complete specs for this model on our website: aquaticlife.com/media/import/420309_XSUV_SpecSheet_012414.pdf
Hi, Does this unit need to be in use 24/7? Can I use it once every 2 weeks to produce 40 liters when I need to do a water change for my aquarium? Thank you.
Hi Mauricio, we don't know what you consider slow? This is a 100 GPD unit. 100 gallons / 24 hours = 4.2 gallons per hour of filtered water production. If you are watching the water flow out of the filtered water line, it will appear very slow. This is how RO units operate.
Hi, thank you for the video, it helps me a lot. I just received the 100GPD Model, 330084 is for 50 GPD membrane, 330093 is for 100 GPD membrane, where can I check these serial number, just wanna make sure I got the right one, thank you!
The box will indicate if it is a 50 or 100 GPD model of RO unit. With regards to the membrane, there is a label on the outer plastic wrap that will indicate if you have item # 330084 (50 GPD Membrane) or item # 330093 (100 GPD Membrane). If the outer plastic wrap has been removed, there is also a label on the Membrane itself. There will be a series of numbers (and sometimes letters) that will end in either a "-50" or "-100". If you need help, shoot us an e-mail at customersupport@aquaticlife.com.
Hi, thanks for the reply. I have the 50 GPD model. It seems the water pressure in my apartment is low. I wanna change the membrane 100 GPD component only to increase the speed. Will it fit to the rest of component of the current 50 model?
The RO Buddie 50 GPD model is built with a 450 CC Flow Restrictor. This is the round cylinder that is connected to the waste water port on the bottom of the Membrane Housing. If you leave the existing 450 CC Flow Restrictor on your unit and install the 100 GPD Membrane, the RO Buddie will work, but the waste ration will become 1 Gallon of good water to 1.7 Gallons of waste water. While this sounds great, it will also deplete your Membrane quickly. To get a longer life out of your 100 GPD Membrane, you would need to replace the 450 CC Flow Restrictor with an 800 CC Flow Restrictor. www.aquaticlife.com/aquatic-life-reverse-osmosis-barrel-style-flow-restrictor-800cc.html
Yes, that would work too. The reason people use a flush valve assembly is for convenience. If you flush your membrane for 30-45 seconds prior to every use, you can significantly increase the life of the membrane.
I've just flushed my Carbon cartridge. The water was coming out at a good rate and was clear from the start. I left it running for about 5 to 10 minutes, as the water was clear. I have now connected the RO cartridge to discard the first 30 gallons but it's been an hour and 45 minutes and it has only produced 4 and a half gallons. Is this normal?
Membranes are designed to be most efficient at 77°F and 65 PSI. A 100 GPD membrane should produce a little over 4 gallons per hour to make 100 gallons in a 24 hour period. This means your 4.5 gallons in about 1:45 is very close to how it should be operating. Here is a link to a temperature correction table for more information: www.aquaticlife.com/blog/how-temperature-affects-ro-water-production-/
It usually takes 1-2 weeks for the micro-bubbles to stop. If you are still having bubbles, shoot us an e-mail with a good time to call and we'll help you trouble-shoot. customersupport@aquaticlife.com.
Can I hookup and RO tank to this for storage? and my can i hookup and additional di 2 can to this to filter more? after a 2 days my di cartridge started to change color and i think its because of the iron and all in my water and I'm close to the main city water but not that close?
Yes, you can absolutely connect a pressure tank to the RO Buddie. We will be adding a video of connecting a pressure tank to one of other models of RO units in the next few weeks. Connecting to the RO Buddie would be very similar. With regards to the DI being used up quickly, there are a few things you can check - (1) New membranes contain a preservative and need to have about 30 gallons of water run through them before connecting the membrane filtered water line to the DI cartridge. Otherwise, the DI cartridge is absorbing the membrane preservative. (2) If the membrane has been damaged by chlorine, it would not filter properly and this would contribute to a faster depletion of the DI cartridges. (3) If the membrane is not "seated" all the way into the housing, some water could be bypassing the membrane. If you need additional help, shoot us an e-mail at customersupport@aquaticlife.com and we'd be happy to help you trouble-shoot.
All RO units should be kept out of direct sunlight and avoid freezing. The ideal water temperature for most RO units is 77°F. If the water is above or below that temperature, the membrane will not be as efficient.
We recommend you turn the cold water faucet on all the way. Hot water can damage the membrane. It's more important to consider the amount of pressure in your water pipes. The RO Buddie works best at 65 PSI. Less than 65 PSI may yield less filtered water.
We recommend the 24" Halo Mounting Arm. The arm is adjustable, so you can place the light directly center front-to-back. The 18" would be too small for a 19.68" aquarium.
We agree it looks very similar. We've been manufacturing the Aquatic Life Mini Protein Skimmer since 2009 and it's become a time-tested proven skimmer for reef's up to 30 gallons.
It depends on your water pressure. The ideal operating pressure is 65 PSI, but it will work with pressure as low as 35 PSI--you might not get 100 GPD production with the lower PSI though. Most houses have at least 65 PSI.
We're not sure what you mean by "gpd upgrade"? The RO Buddie comes in either a 50 or 100 GPD model. The model that includes the DI Resin cartridge is only a 50 GPD unit.
We currently don't ship outside the US. However, there are companies that sell our products that will ship to other countries. You might do a Google search or contact us at customersupport@aquaticlife.com for assistance in finding a retailer who will ship to Brazil.
I filled my 29 gallon tank with ro/di water and my di cartridge is already exhausted ! I paid 45 $ before tax for mine and it only lasted for a day , this doesn't seem worth it to me . Is this normal wear for this product and if so what a ripoff.By the way my water was 007 tds before going through di cartridge.
This is unusual, but not the first time we've heard of this issue. Resin can be depleted quickly for a number of reasons. For example, not flushing the preservative from the membrane will deplete the resin quickly. However, since you're using a TDS meter to check the water prior to DI cartridge, we think it is more likely a CO2 issue. If your water supply contains CO2, the resin will be depleted very quickly. We're guessing you have the 21 CUIN inline resin cartridge that works with the RO Buddie. These resin cartridges are rated at removing 1300-1500 TDS before being exhausted. If your water is 7 TDS, you should be able to filter about 200 gallons of water. We'd suggest checking for CO2 in the membrane-filtered water. If you have questions or need further help, please e-mail us at customersupport@aquaticlife.com and we'll be happy to assist.
I have the 3 stage + 2 stage DI. I have also added a booster pump, auto flush valve, pressure gauge, permeate pump and triple TDS meter. The water going in measures around 95-100 TDS and goes down to 2-1 TDS after the RO stage. Post DI TDS is always 0. I chose this mostly due to size since I needed to take it with me on a plane overseas. It does the job well.
Most people will get 6-8 months from their sediment and carbon cartridges and up to 24 months for their membrane. However, this is all subject to your water quality going into the RO unit. If you have a high TDS reading in your supply water, you will need to change your cartridges and membrane more often.
Hi Jim, We'll be shipping our next production run to distributors and retail stores in the next week. You should see availability in 7-10 days. Thanks for checking-in with us!
I ordered the 3 stage filter without the DI from a distributor already. I'm thinking I'd like to just buy the DI filter separately. Can it be easily added to the other assembly or should I return and buy the 4 stager when it's available?
Yes, you can easily connect the filtered water from the three stage to the input on the Dual DI. The advantage of having Dual DI is that you can see when the first DI cartridge is depleted and then move the second cartridge into first position and install a new cartridge in second position. This allows you to completely use all the resin in cartridge one without risking TDS increases in your filtered water.
Need some help please. I got the 3 stage filter and have it all hooked up...very easy to do and nice product...but there's more waste water coming out than clean water being produced. Is this normal? It doesn't matter what flow rate I set the input at, it's still the same ratio. Am I doing something wrong?
No, it is likely operating correctly. Most RO units produce more waste water than filtered water. The more quickly you push water through the membrane, the shorter the membrane life. Typical RO waste ratio is 1 gallon of good water to 4 gallons of waste water. Anyone who is getting better ratios, like 1-to-1, is using a different Flow Restrictor which is forcing more water through the membrane. While it's good to have less waste water, you will be replacing the membrane often.
Do you still have the plastic wrench that was included with the RO Buddie? It makes taking the cap off a lot easier. If you need a new one, shoot us an e-mail at customersupport@aquaticlife.com.
Yes, this is a Reverse Osmosis unit with a Deionization cartridge to remove the remaining TDS. The good (membrane filtered) water can be added to your sump or another storage device.
There is not a flush valve included with the Twist-In RO Units. You are correct that periodically flushing the membrane will increase the life of the membrane. There is a PDF on our website showing how to install a flush valve www.aquaticlife.com/media/import/TI%20Flush%20Valve%20installation.pdf.
I like the design of the twist system so really if I go out and buy a flush valve and a tds meter I should be good. A flush valve should be included with any ro system. Does the 2 Stage di system come with one?
soverjas There would be no reason to have a flush valve on a DI system. The resin changes color when depleted. We're always looking at ways to add value to products and appreciate the suggestion for the flush valve.
