If you want to provide your fish with the best possible living conditions, then what you need is a good reverse osmosis and deionization system. There are many options out there to choose from, unfortunately for you, we’re here to narrow down the list to the top five. Let’s take a look at the top five best RO/DI systems for aquariums.
Best RO/DI Systems for Aquariums
- Joy Swan Ro Di System
- AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie 3-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- Max Water 6 Stage RODI Water Filtration System for Aquarium
- The AquaFX Seahorse Inline RO/DI
- AFWFilters Abundant Flow Water ARO-Omega 4-Stage RO/DI System
Top 5 Best RO/DI Systems for Aquariums: Reviews
Here are the top 5 best RO/DI systems for your fish tank.
1. Joy Swan Ro Di System: Our Top Pick
- ZERO WATER (TDS) CONDUCTIVITY VALUE : With Joy Swan Ro Di Aquarium Water Filter System, You Can...
- SEDIMENT FILTRATION : The 5 Micron Sediment Filter in The System Filters Coarse Contaminants Such as...
Here we have what is essentially one of the most affordable reverse osmosis and deionization systems for aquariums. This unit is designed to produce up to 75 gallons of clean water per day, which should therefore be enough for small and medium sized aquariums. Keep in mind that it does come complete with all of the components you need for effective aquarium filtration on this front.
What you get here are three separate filtration units, including sediment filtration, carbon filtration, and membrane filtration. This should be able to remove a wide variety of contaminants from the water, such as silt, rust, sludge, sediment, chlorine, colors, odors, heavy metals, arsenic, and so much more. It is able to reduce the TDs value of the water between 96% and 98%.
What’s pretty convenient is that it comes complete with all the cartridges and filtration media you need to get started, and it should be able to handle around 1500 gallons or around six months of use before anything needs to be replaced. You also get all of the mounting hardware you need to get started as well. For the relatively low price it comes in at, we think that this is one of the best units on the market at this time.
Pros
- Effective filtration
- Easy setup
- User friendly
- Good price
- Long lasting
Cons
- Not ideal for very large aquariums
If you have a small or medium sized aquarium, then this reverse osmosis filter might be right for you.
2. AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie 3-Stage Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration System
- CONVENIENT RO WATER – The AquaticLife RO Buddie is a 3-stage reverse osmosis system designed for...
- REDUCES TDS FROM WATER – This reverse osmosis water filtration system includes a Sediment, Carbon,...
Here you have another fantastic reverse osmosis filtration system that comes in at a relatively reasonable price. This particular one comes in various size options, including a 50 gallon, 75 gallon, and 100 gallon unit. The 100 gallon model can produce up to 100 gallons of clean water every single day, therefore ideal for some pretty large aquariums.
What you get here is a three-stage filtration system, starting with a carbon filter that produces chlorine in the water, an effective sediment removal filter that captures silt, sand, and more, and a reverse osmosis membrane filter that reduces the total dissolved solids in the water down to one out of 10,000.
All in all, it’s a perfectly effective reverse osmosis filtration unit that should work well for any type of aquarium. It also comes with a simple mounting mechanism, as well as an adapter that should work perfectly fine with most faucets. Keep in mind that the capacity here is around 1500 gallons, at which point the filtration media will need to be replaced.
Pros
- Easy to use
- High capacity
- Ideal for fairly large tanks
- Good price
- Produces very clean water
Cons
- Included hardware could be better
If you’ve got a medium or large sized fish tank, then this is a good reverse osmosis filter to consider.
3. Max Water 6 Stage RODI Water Filtration System for Aquarium
- 💧 6 Stage Home Water Filtration System: Max Water 6-stage RO-DI (reverse osmosis deionization...
- 💧 Safe Aquarium Use: A RO/DI system removes contaminants from tap water, making it safe for use...
Here we have what is one of the most effective reverse osmosis and deionization systems out there at this time. This is a six stage filtration system that is designed to remove sediment, GHC, CTO, and it also comes with a reverse osmosis membrane, deionization system, and a post carbon filter as well.
This therefore removes more impurities than any other unit on the list today, and produces water that is 99.99% pure. Thanks to the effective six stage filtration that you get here, this unit is able to reduce the TDS in the water down to zero. It is by far one of the most effective filters on the market at this time, and it should be suitable for any type of aquarium.
It’s also a very durable unit that is designed to last for a very long time to come, and it comes complete with all of the mounting hardware you need to get started. Really the only problem we see with it is that it takes up a lot of space, not to mention that it’s relatively expensive as well. However, if you have an aquarium that is up to 100 gallons in size, then it is a fantastic model to keep in mind.
Pros
- Brings TDS to 0
- Very effective 6-stage filtration
- Easy to set up
- Very durable
- Ideal for large tanks
Cons
- Pricetag
If you don’t mind paying a high price for a premium product, then this is probably your best bet.
4. The AquaFX Seahorse Inline RO/DI
- Portable Size Makes the AquaFX Seahorse an Excellent Portable RO/DI
- Able to Produce up to 100 GPD (Gallons Per Day)
Here we have a relatively high end and effective reverse osmosis and deionization unit that is able to remove a wide variety of contaminants from the water. This includes, but is not limited to, chlorine, THMs, BOCs, SOCs, pesticides, herbicides, bad odors, tastes, and more. It should be able to produce zero parts per million laboratory grade water that should be fine for any fish tank.
All of the filtration media you need to get started comes included here, as does the mounting hardware, so you shouldn’t have any problems there. What’s also really cool is that this model is built in the USA, which should allow for a great durability.
Keep in mind that it can produce up to 100 gallons of clean water per day, which should be more than enough for most home fish tanks, as long as they are not too large. You might also appreciate how it comes complete with its own TDS meter, so you can see what the results are in real time.
Pros
- Made in the USA
- Durable
- Reliable
- Ideal for fairly large tanks
- Produces extremely clean water
Cons
- Price
If you need a simple and reliable reverse osmosis and deionization unit for your tank, this is probably one of the best options at your disposal.
5. AFWFilters Abundant Flow Water ARO-Omega 4-Stage RO/DI System
- 4-stage RO/DI System with clear housings, garden hose adapter, and filter housig wrench
- 1 micron sediment filter, 1 micron carbon filter, color-changing mixed-bed DI filter
Here we have what is by far the most expensive and highest end reverse osmosis and deionization system on the list today. One of the reasons why it is so expensive, besides coming from a high end brand name, is that it is also built to last.
This is one of the longest lasting and most durable systems you could possibly purchase. Furthermore, all of the included mounting hardware is also very high in quality and should not break due to simple usage. It’s also just really easy to use.
Although it might not be huge, it can still produce up to 100 gallons of clean water every single day, and it does this through an effective four stage filtration system. It comes with a Micron sediment filter, a carbon filter, a DI filter, and more. This should effectively produce some of the cleanest water of any system on the list today.
Pros
- Very effective
- 0 TDS water
- Very quiet
- Durable
- Superior quality
- Easy mounting
Cons
- Price
If you have money to spare, and you want the best of the best, then this is what you need to get.
RO/DI Systems for Aquariums Buyers Guide: What to Look Out For
When purchasing an RO/DI system for an aquarium, there are a few important factors to keep in mind.
Types of Filtration
At the very least, these systems should come with a reverse osmosis membrane that has the ability to remove various contaminants from the water, with chlorine being one of them.
Furthermore, any system worth its money also has to come with the DI system, which removes positively charged contaminants from the water.
Next, most of these units also come complete with a sediment filter, and many also have a carbon filter included. The more types of filtration these units come with, the cleaner the water they produce.
Daily Output
You then also need to consider the daily output of the RO/DI system in question. Some may only be able to produce 50 gallons of clean watch per day, whereas others can produce 100 gallons of more. You therefore need to consider the size of your aquarium before making any such purchase.
The TDS
TDS stands for total dissolved solids, and some of these systems can get the TDS down to absolute zero, while others can get it close. This is always a relatively important value to pay attention to.
Overall Quality
These RO/DI systems can be relatively expensive, therefore we recommend going for something that is designed to last for a very long time with great durability.
What it really comes down to is that we recommend not purchasing the cheapest unit in the world, because you often get what you pay for. These RO/DI systems need to be very effective and reliable, so we recommend investing a good bit of money into something worthwhile.
