29 cents per gallon for RO water

[foxthorn]

My local store has RO water for 29 cents a gallon.
First, is this considered a good price?
Second, this is their filtration method - is this okay?
1) Sediment filter
2) Activated Carbon filter
3) Reverse Osmosis (membrane)
4) Ultraviolet Light
Just trying to decide on buying the water or spending the bucks for an RO unit. I've got a 90gal plus 20gal of sump to fill. Thats just $31.90 to fill.
One RO unit I looked at is about $200 - so I wouldn't start saving money until after 690 gallons. But by that time won't I need to buy new filters ($$) for it??

 

[birdy]

Before I bought a ton of this water I would get some then test it for, Ammonia, Nitrites, Nitrates, and Phosphates. You never know how well a store changes out their filters.
And yes you definitely need to keep in mind the upkeep of the filters, I spend at least $100 a year on just filters.

 

[flamingkingofhe]

i pay about $.30 a gal.

 

[foxthorn]

Birdy... You spend $100 on filters a year for your 46gal?!? Should I figure double that for my 90? What kind of unit do you have and roughly how many gallons of RO(DI) water do you get before the filters need changing? Thanks.

 

[birdy]

I have a 24gph unit, I change the carbon and sediment filters every 4 months, I change the DI about every 6 months, and I changed the membrane after about a year, but it is suppose to last at least two years. I let the filters go to long one time and didn't realize the water was bad and I am still battling the algae problems. I am really paranoid about my filters now. I don't know that I save a lot of money having my own unit, it is more of a convienence thing. Also if you have never seen a unit going. The good water just trickles into your vat, the waste water flows, There is a ton of waste water.

 

[justinx]

I am going to bet . . . that you are talking about the water stand in the bulk food aisle at Meijers. Am i right? What do I win?
I use this water without any ill fates as of yet, but i have a feeling that there may be some phospates in the water. I havent tested it yet, but it is definitely better than tap water which is my other alternative.
Where in MI are you?

 

[foxthorn]

Hey Justin... yup, you're right. Culligan water from Meijers.
We've talked before - about VHO lighting. I ended up getting my 90 AGA from the fish store you suggested "aquatic discoveries". Got it for $215 - which compared to the other LFS' around here was a great deal! As far as VHO goes... I ended up getting a 4 bulb Icecap hood (Champion Lighting setup) - used for $365. I'm making progress

 

[justinx]

Oh yeah . . . college really killed the short term memory if you catch my drift. Hows the tank coming along?

 

[bradttu]

I buy RO water that is UV Sterilized for $.15 a gallon.

 

[chevytrks]

Bradttu
its not dfw area for that price
prices on ro water range from .30 cents per gallon to .50 per gallon
most are about the same on salted at $1 per gallon

 

[broomer5]

foxthorn
I hauled store bought water for a year or so.
As Birdy mentioned, buying my own home RO/DI unit was partly for convienence.
Also I felt it gave me more control over the freshwater I use for both tanks.
I estimated that between daily water top offs, and scheduled water changes - I would use around 1200-1300 gallons of water a year.
At that rate - the cost of the RO/DI plus maintenance made sense to me.
It's a personal choice - but having your own RO or RO/DI is very nice to have.

 

[foxthorn]

Thanks Broomer.
It looks like I can deal with the inconvienence to save some $$ initially. I want to put more $$ into live rock right now. I'll probably end up like you and get tired of lugging water home from the store and get an RO/DI unit. But it looks like that purchase can safely wait a while