Aquatic Life RO Buddie 4-Stage Aquarium Water Filter System, Reverse Osmosis RO/DI Filtration Unit for Fish Tank, Fountains, and More, 50 GPD (Gallons Per Day)

With very few exceptions, we’ve been really happy with this RO system. It’s compact, lightweight, affordable, and incredibly easy to assemble and maintain. A few months ago, we bought a humidifier and filled it with Brita‑filtered water. After a couple of weeks, we noticed a fine layer of mineral dust coating the kitchen, living room, and even the inside of our cabinets. After some research, we learned that Maryland’s water contains an unusual amount of salts and minerals that the Brita pitcher—and the humidifier’s own filter—simply can’t remove. Our options were to either buy distilled water constantly or utilize an RO system. Since hauling gallons of water up three flights of stairs wasn’t appealing, we chose this unit to produce near‑distilled‑quality water right at home. The unit arrived on time and in excellent condition. After watching a setup video and reading the instructions, assembly was a breeze. No leaks, no errors, no issues at all. Just be sure to cut the tubing exactly as shown in the video—improper cuts can lead to crimping and unnecessary swarf. Also, follow the two‑step flushing process: the first flush is done without the RO filter installed, and the second 30‑minute flush is done with the RO filter in place. Once that’s complete, you’re ready to go. Since we live in an apartment, using the kitchen faucet to produce our RO water was our only practical option. It works great, and although it’s a slight inconvenience to move the RO system from the kitchen sink to the bathroom (to drip in the other sink), it’s still far better than hauling 15 gallons of water up three flights of stairs every week. We then made a nice wooden stand for the RO system to keep it vertical and from lying on the countertops. Here are a few exceptions. It’s quite slow—about 27 minutes to produce a gallon of RO water. Because this ties up the kitchen sink, RO production has to be scheduled, and I always set a timer to remind myself to check on the bucket. If you do the math, it averages out to around 50 gallons per day, exactly what the RO filter is rated for. The wastewater ratio is 4:1. For every gallon of RO water produced, four gallons go down the drain. I hate wasting water, and this feels wasteful to me. That said, when compared to distillation, the RO method is much easier on the environment since there is no heat involved. There are other RO systems available that produce a gallon more quickly and with less wastewater, but from what I understand, higher wastewater ratios generally result in higher-quality water. All in all, I recommend this product. It stopped the layer of solids from accumulating everywhere from the humidifier, and I can also make RO water for drinking if needed. Tips: Always use cold water, and never turn the faucet on full when you first connect the hose. Let the filter canisters fill slowly, then gradually increase the water pressure.

I purchased the RO Buddie 4-stage RO/DI 50 GPD filter. This is for my small freshwater setup which includes seven tanks of varying volumes with a total volume of just under 100 gallons. I went with the RODI and not just RO system because I am trying to decrease the alkalinity of my water. So far so good after filtering 10 gallons of RO/DI water. It's very easy to set up and my water parameters have come out excellent with zero PPM TDS and zero EC (see attached photos, the meter was calibrated today). I live in Coastal Georgia and have moderately soft water parameters from the tap at around 150 PPM TDS (total dissolved solids) with a significant amount of EC (electrical conductivity) due to the high amount of minerals in the water. So basically very low sediment but high mineralization and somewhat moderate GH and KH. I have had a hard time keeping my South American tanks at good parameters for my tetras to breed and this will help immensely if it continues to work as it has so far. A Few Tips: - tighten the deionization filter cap before you install, I had a small leak as mine was somewhat loose but that was easy to fix and find and I just tightened the cap of the actual filter body itself and the leak stopped. To do it correctly I took all the hoses out and tightened it that way so I would not torque the hose connections. - this can be run off of any hose or even many kitchen and bathroom sink setups if you take out the aerator from your faucet. I am personally running it off of my laundry room and it's running beautifully as there is both a supply of cold water and a drain for the wastewater. - if you're going to install it in your laundry room all you need is a t-joint hose splitter or some other sort of double hose splitter that fits the receptacle for your washing machines supply water and gray water drain (see attached photos of my setup, everyone's will vary and I had to measure mine specifically as there are a huge variety of hose splitters) - if you are are doing a laundry room setup like mine where you can mount it close to the washing machine then the amount of hose provided in the kit will be more than sufficient. However if you are doing some other sort of setup you may want to buy additional hose, as you will need not just the proper amount of hose for the treated water but also the appropriate length of hose for wastewater. You could of course use a bucket but if you want to appropriately drain it to a sink or drain, getting additional hose maybe necessary. - if you are using this for a freshwater setup like I am you must absolutely get an additive that will keep the GH and KH at appropriate levels. RODI water by itself will kill fish. - Read the darn instructions. For a cheap system like this they are actually fairly detailed and obviously written by somebody who speaks English fluently. - having a solid set of channel locks or a wrench that will fit into a small area, as well as Teflon tape for the female ends of the threaded connections, will help reduce the potential for leaks. I am on city water that withdraws from a river and and underground aquifer and it is at a fairly high PSI as I live only 2 mi from the treatment center. All in all I am really pleased so far as this is the least expensive system I could find. This would not be an appropriate system for drinking water as the pressure/supply would not be great enough to fill a glass in a reasonable amount of time. Right now I am averaging about 5 gallons of treated water every 90 minutes (around 80 GPD) which is far above the 50 gallons per day that the system rated for, although I expect that to eventually go down as the sediment and carbon filters begin to fill with debris. That said, I am currently probably experiencing closer to a 75 GPD or even 100 GPD system which got $70 is impossible to beat. As an added bonus when the RO finally wears out I can replace it with one of their 75 GPD or 100 GPD rated filters so long as I swap out the The 450cc flow restrictor for an 800cc flow restrictor, thus functionally increasing the output of the system. This will of course wear out the DI filter faster. I will update this review if anything changes but so far I am pleased. For some reason Amazon's AI wants me to comment on the noise level which is silly for a system of this low of a flow rate. If it's making any noise louder than a few gurgles and bubbling sounds that you can only hear when you are right next to it then there is probably something wrong with the system like over pressure or an incorrectly installed hose connection which is creating suction and/or air intrusion somewhere. So, tldr, it doesn't make any noise. In summary, it's a cheap effective system that took me about 20 minutes to install with just the parts in the box and the hose splitter I bought. Hard to go wrong at this price point. I would recommend this to anyone who needs a small amount of water for weekly or bi-weekly water changes and is trying to keep the GH and KH of the water column down (i.e. slightly acidic or neutral). note: The picture system has not been fastened to my wall yet nor have I done any hose management so bear that in mind as well.

Size & Setup: The Aquatic Life RO Buddie 4-stage RO/DI unit is compact and easy to set up, making it ideal for smaller spaces or hobbyists who don’t need a large permanent system. Performance & Water Quality: Despite its size, it’s very effective, producing clean, high-quality RO/DI water suitable for aquariums and other uses. Maintenance Considerations: Because of the smaller filters, you’ll need to change the cartridges more frequently, depending on your incoming water quality and total gallons processed. Final Verdict: If you want a small, effective RO/DI system, this unit does the job well. Just be aware of the more frequent filter changes due to its compact design.

The product is a easy setup and works, the only con for me is that the male/female adapter that screws where the aerator sits is made out of cheap plastic and broke easily on testing the product. Since it was working before trying to remove and breaking i went to buy another.. the only problem with that is they don't sell the cheap plastic piece they sell a metal adapter. Why wouldn't you charge the extra 10 bucks and send your customers the better quality parts so we don't have to worry about getting the m/f adapter out of the faucet? other than that this product is as advertised, a great cost effective RO system for small aquariums and in my case small time growers.

G'day! If you've ever thought your aquarium water looked as murky as a billabong after a storm, let me introduce you to the AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie Plus. This little wonder turns your tap water into the purest, most pristine aquarium water imaginable. Think of it as the ultimate water wizard—it takes your H2O from “ugh” to “ahh!” The RO Buddie Plus works its magic to deliver water so clean, even your fish will think they're swimming in a luxury resort. Say goodbye to algae problems and hello to crystal-clear waters! Setting up this gem is easier than finding a kangaroo in the outback. Just hook it up, and you’re good to go. No PhD in marine biology required! This compact unit fits snugly under your sink, working tirelessly to provide top-notch water quality. It's like having a mini ocean purification plant right in your kitchen, minus the fishy smell. The AQUATICLIFE RO Buddie Plus has turned my aquarium into a sparkling underwater paradise. My fish are happier than a blue-ringed octopus at high tide. If you're tired of your aquarium looking like a scene from a murky swamp, do yourself a favor and get the RO Buddie Plus. Your fish will thank you, your mates will be impressed, and you’ll be the proud owner of the best-looking tank on the block. Cheers to happy, healthy fish! 🐠

Amazing it’s output is exceeding 50GPD

Great system and very cheap, Worth pointing out if DOES NOT come with a Chlormide filter and have to be bought additionally

Overall the product is working fine but the filtered water delivery is very very slow unlike the waste water which is very fast. It needs a booster pump may be.

delivered fast and easy to install, water tests 0 tds which is perfect!