Last Updated: March 22, 2019 (Refresh Now)
Aquatic Life RO Buddie Reverse Osmosis Systems
Last Updated: March 22, 2019 (Refresh Now)
7.7
SCORE
/10
Total Reviews
568
Old Reviews
243
Unverified
30
Spam Test
PASS
4 meters
SIZE
Review Analysis - 295 recent, verified reviews
Detailed Mode
Water Usage
75ro, gallons, tds, aquarium, gallon
+73%
-27%
" ... I tested it with a TDS meter and the water going in was 164 tds, the filtered water was 0. ... "
" ... It does a great job of producing quality water for my saltwater tank. ... "
" ... After that the system will be ready to produce 0tds water @ a consistent rate of 50 Gallons per day. ... "
" ... For drinking water you need to add a carbon filter to its output since 0ppm water also has zero taste. ... Carbon boosts dissolved solids to about 30ppm but the water tastes great. ... "
" ... Works great still making ro water for salt water aquarium ... "
" ... Must have for fish tank and ever drinking water small and compact ... "
" ... Cheapest purchase for making RO water. ... "
" ... We can't drink the water once it goes through the DI resin, so we will be keeping the Zero Water for human consumption. ... I'm really looking forward to having RO/DI on demand and hope that the water quality is as good as I anticipate it being from reading other reviews. ... "
Setup
45setup, easy to install, install, easy, ro
+96%
-4%
" ... Easy to install. ... "
" ... Easy to install and to use. ... "
" ... ( 24hours after install ) Installation was a breeze thanks to the Video provided by the manufacturer. ... "
" ... Very nice product no leaks easy to setup I would recommend you get the smart buddy booster pump also to complete the setup it fills my 38 gallon drum in about 10hrs ... "
" ... Simple to set up. ... "
" ... This RO setup is spectacular! ... It's easy to setup, a great value and does as advertised. ... In many of these cases the user has either installed the hoses incorrectly or has or isn't following the instructions fully (I recommend that you view one or more of the many helpful video's on YouTube to familiarize yourself with this system). ... And, have it handy to help with any of the installation issues you may run into. ... "
" ... The unit was super simple to setup and produces close to the 50 gallon a day rating. ... "
" ... Easy to assemble. ... "
Water Resistance
42ro, gallons, tap, aquarium, tds
+57%
-43%
" ... I got about 40 gallons of 0 water. ... Hopefully the originals were defective and now I can produce many gallons of RO/DI water. ... "
" ... Started using this new water for top offs and water changes, and my cyano disappeared. ... "
" ... The water produced has a TDS of 0 and a stable PH around 8.2 (which I believe is standard for RO. ... "
" ... Helps keep my ph from going high due to my alkaline tap water. ... "
" ... Once I found out that my water pressure is too low and got the booster pump, I'm getting great ro water and haven't even had to use the di cartridge yet (I have fresh water tanks). ... "
" ... We have ours set up outside by our outdoor shower. ... In sum, this item is a great deal and I would recommend it for drinking and DI water uses. ... "
" ... I need RO water for my shrimp and betta tank, and it works perfectly. ... "
" ... Will work great for water change water and top off. ... "
Price
38unit, waste, ro, save, gpd
+84%
-16%
" ... worth it for the price ... "
" ... Can't beat the price! ... "
" ... you can’t beat it for the price ... "
" ... Awesome filter for the price. ... "
" ... Disclaimer - I paid full price for this product and was not compensated in any way to write this review. ... "
" ... Nice price have not sit it up yet ... "
" ... Very happy with this considering other units that are rated at 100GPD are much more expensive. ... "
" ... Excellent value for what it is. ... "
Ease of Use
31easy, setup, set, easy to setup, simple
+97%
-3%
" ... No issues, easy to setup and start up. ... "
" ... Setup was quick and direct. ... "
" ... Easy to install. ... "
" ... Once I figured out how to get a proper connection to the waterline in my place set up and filtration are very easy. ... "
" ... Setup is easy. ... The additional unit is easy to install and available fro the manufacturer and on Amazon, but I would have preferred to know that when I ordered it. ... "
" ... The RODI 50 GPD filter is small, simple, and works. ... "
" ... Works good, easy to install! ... "
" ... Very easy to set up does wonders ... "
Product Reliability
24gallons, di, tds, ro, membrane
+67%
-33%
" ... I have been using the new one today without issues. ... "
" ... added the DI unit, no issues. ... "
" ... That's a 2:1 ratio and has worked well for me over the years. ... "
" ... it does work faster on warmer days. ... "
" ... I will update after decrease in production and Di cartridge life span. ... "
" ... Interested to see how long the DI will last before it needs to be replaced. ... "
" ... After 2-3 months, I've never had any leaks. ... "
" ... I have been using this kit for a couple months now and I am really glad I got it!! ... I use about 20 gallons a week. ... "
Build Quality
23cap, tubing, teflon tape, ro, leak
+30%
-70%
" ... Unfortunately, this means when you have to try to take the cap off to check or replace the membrane, you need the strength of Hercules to even attempt this feat. ... The included cap wrench is a flimsy piece of plastic with threads that loosely fit over the cap. ... Thus, attempting to unscrew the cap with the wrench is futile. ... "
" ... This thing turned out to be a HUGE let down and nothing more than a pile of plastic tubes. ... "
" ... Im kinda disappointed with My Ro buddie, because its tubing is very hard to take off. ... "
" ... Poor built quality, DI resin holder fall apart after an year. ... "
" ... The brackets holding them are flimsy. ... "
" ... Leaks like a sieve, whoever pre-assembled this doesn't know how to plumb. ... Do note: everything is there, including extra tubing, 20ft, good quality parts so far except the flow restrictor, its fittings leak because they're loose. ... There was one joint that had an o-ring, not the fitting itself but between the fitting and the casing, that hadn't been seated and partially blocking flow . ... and I shouldn't have had to fix improper and sloppy assembly! ... Again, you do not need Teflon tape for most fine threaded plastics, those leaked the worst. ... "
" ... Worked fine until the plastic cracked and water spouted everywhere ... "
" ... The plugs are so hard to remove I broke the plastic casing don't waste your money!!!! ... "
Storage
19gallons, gallon, water, ro, fill a 5
+58%
-42%
" ... It’s easy to set up and use and I’m very happy with the small amount of space this takes up when not in use. ... "
" ... 100 gallons in, still every gallon 0ppm! ... "
" ... No complaints for a 20 gallon more than adequate I fill a 5-gallon bucket in 3 to 5 hours depending on pressure very happy. ... "
" ... I do not need 50 gallons a day so the few gallons I do need were easily produced and the unit stores easily. ... "
" ... Easy to install, doesn't take up a lot of space. ... "
" ... Very compact and doesn’t take up much space. ... "
" ... It came with a fitting for the hose/laundry room and or any faucet at home so no need to go buy anything . ... "
" ... Works perfect takes about three hours to get five gallons. ... "
Cleaning
15clean, gallons, canister, resin, tubing
+60%
-40%
" ... Creates a nice clean base to add salt or place directly into your tank. ... "
" ... I produced 12 gallons of clean water in 7 hours almost on target. ... "
" ... The thing that bothers me is that I was filling a 2 gallon bucket of clean water . ... "
" ... I live on a lake and our water is alot cleaner than most, but it does have more nitrates than I like to have. ... It works really well, it takes about an hour to get 5 gallons, but I figure that's because my city water is pretty clean to begin with. ... "
" ... Am able to make clean water in the tub, not worry about the container overfilling, and when done I can put the lines back in the cabinet. ... "
" ... Ran one tank with 1/2 strength bacteriostatic cleaner - just like new again. ... "
" ... It's what I wanted but I was hoping I could remove the carbon filter from the canister. ... "
" ... Water tests clean. ... "
Fit
13leaks, tubing, teflon tape, ro, fittings
+31%
-69%
" ... Poor built quality, DI resin holder fall apart after an year. ... "
" ... I was unable to remove it and ended up snapping the white part where you put the blue clip. ... "
" ... The included cap wrench is a flimsy piece of plastic with threads that loosely fit over the cap. ... Unless I find some other method of prying the cap off without damaging the threads (and risk a further leak), I effectively have a paper weight of an RO/DI unit when my reef tank needs a water change. ... "
" ... The adapter for the faucet pops off most of the time when using it because the threads have such a loos tolerance and ends up spraying water every ware, you definitely can not leave it unattended for any period of time. ... "
" ... The pre-filter o-ring was blocking and not seated and no need to over-tighten every fitting. ... Note, when re-attaching the fittings, just past hand tight, like a car's oil filter, don't over-tighten. ... Two were stubborn so I had to re-cut ends again and slide in tubing first then add the collar pin, order doesn't really matter if you seat it well, I've seen plumbers do it both ways. ... There was one joint that had an o-ring, not the fitting itself but between the fitting and the casing, that hadn't been seated and partially blocking flow . ... "
" ... The plugs are so hard to remove I broke the plastic casing don't waste your money!!!! ... "
" ... The brackets holding them are flimsy. ... "
" ... I put PTFE tape around the threading to get a better seal from the rubber seal. ... I go to tighten the cap on with slow turns but the cap cracked! ... "
Print Quality
12cartridge, di cartridge, gallons, resin, replacement cartridges
+58%
-42%
" ... I plan on just buying some DI resin and refilling the cartridge as another buyer already showed on here. ... "
" ... Easy to assemble and refill cartridges are easily replaced. ... "
" ... It was actually less expensive to buy this system than to replace the cartridges in my Watts RO system. ... "
" ... I will update after decrease in production and Di cartridge life span. ... "
" ... Added the DI cartridge and am getting 0.00000 ppm TDS. ... I'll be going through 4 DI cartridges a year I figure. ... "
" ... I will continue to use the unit and will ultimately buy replacement cartridges because I like the ease of use and the small footprint. ... "
" ... The setup for this went very smooth (other than I put the cartridge in upside down . ... "
Overall performance
8slow, well, gets, done, however
+63%
-38%
" ... Does a great job ... "
" ... Does the Job ... "
" ... I was very pleased how fast this was shipped it was the first time I use one of the Amazon lockers worked awesome. ... "
" ... Like most reviews on here, it gets the job done. ... "
" ... It does the job very well and it is affordable. ... "
Size
8portable, compact, ro, aquariums, units
+88%
-13%
" ... Very compact and doesn’t take up much space. ... "
" ... And that it’s small and compact is always great ... "
" ... Nice and compact. ... "
" ... Nice small unit for specific purposes. ... "
" ... Perfect for people with small aquariums. ... "
" ... We also recently bought a large portable evap cooler. ... "
" ... I have owned more expensive RO units and they were of better quality, but they were also much heavier and bulkier. ... "
Marketplace
5seller, replacement, received, exactly, described
+80%
-20%
" ... Everything about it is as described. ... "
" ... Just received my RO Buddie today. ... "
" ... shipping was quick. ... "
Design
5look
+100%
" ... The unit is a good design, just built as inexpensive as possible. ... "
" ... I am shocked seeing the simplicity of this product's design. ... "
" ... I don't yet have the deionizing attachment, but will look into getting it. ... "
" ... Looks like it will do the job ... "
" ... Nice to look at but does nothing for you! ... "
Inlet Outlet Pipe
4faucet, adapter, sink, pipe, male
+75%
-25%
" ... I had to remove the gasket from the hose bib connector, to allow the sink faucet adapter and hose bib connector to thread all the way. ... "
" ... In my case that is a 15/16 male to a standard garden hose male adapter. ... "
" ... Bought a faucet-to-hose adapter from Lowes. ... "
Delivery
4shipping, received, like, days, box
+100%
" ... Just received my RO Buddie today. ... "
" ... shipping was quick. ... "
" ... Purchased last week, arrived today. ... "
Hair
4tubing, collar, clean, blade, razor
+75%
-25%
" ... they even sent a razor blade to cut the hose! ... "
" ... Awesome product, they give you all the tools (razorblade to cut the tubing) you need in the package. ... "
" ... Don't have away with a serated blade like I did, a neater cleaner cut will come from the provided blade. ... "
For Running
3run, tds, money, lot, let
+67%
-33%
" ... Running great for for now check in later ... "
" ... Run it an hour. ... "
Cables
3faucet, adapter, using, tubing, hose
-100%
" ... The faucet connector's sections are defective. ... "
" ... They are very fine-threads so I had to find a pin and coax the last out. ... "
" ... At the end I end up breaking the collet and now I do not have not well secured tubing connector. ... "
Defective Delivery
3unit, maybe, first
-100%
" ... Maybe I got a defective part but it is very disappointing. ... "
" ... The DI unit came defective. ... "
" ... We even returned the first unit thinking it was defective. ... "
Battery Life
3gallons, long, lasts
+67%
-33%
" ... I get about 20 gallons in about 7 hours. ... "
" ... Hopefully it lasts a long, long time. ... "
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Specifications
Body
Size: 4 meters