Fishy Business

Problems with Aquatic Life Booster Pump/RO Buddie

Alejandro_1403 said:
Yeah, I knew my tap water had a lot of sediment, but I never imagined how much. Those RO systems look great, but sadly I do not have the budget to buy a new one right now. I am going to buy two 10-inch water filter housing canisters to run two sediment filters, though I have not decided on the micron rating for each yet, and use them to bypass the smaller Aquatic Life 5-micron sediment filter.
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Understand. I learned that the tap water in the Dominican Republic is significantly better than in San Jose, CA.
 
Wow Ive heard this hobby down in the DR is challenging to say the least and a bit under the radar. Plus barely any saltwater fish shops
 
It’s horrible. Only two or three LFSs import fish, and when they do, they charge very high prices. There is little to no variety, but you work with what you have.

I am looking into how to get an import license. Even then, since no one ships fish directly to the Dominican Republic, I would still need a transhipper. They rebag the fish in Florida and then send them here.
 
Thanks for posting this. I have two ro buddies units giving me this issue currently. first one worked for 3 years while the second one showed same symptoms new out of box. I will reach out to them.
 
@Alejandro_1403 @Patio are you guys using Float Valve by any chance? I had the same issue with Aquatic Life RO Buddie few months back where TDS would just creep up within few days/weeks of usage.. I found out that they don't advice using Float valves, stating that the DI resin can't 'handle' it basically.. Here is my thread with other details for reference: https://www.bareefers.org/forum/threads/high-tds-after-rodi.39267/

FWIW, I moved on from RO Buddie within a couple of months of use and installed BRS 5 stage that has been giving me 0 TDS for over a couple of months of usage now.. its definitely worth the investment and their prices during thanksgiving made them a no brainer IMO.
 
I am sorry for confusing- I use the booster not the purification unit. This guy with 7 stages:
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spuri87 said:
@Alejandro_1403 @Patio are you guys using Float Valve by any chance? I had the same issue with Aquatic Life RO Buddie few months back where TDS would just creep up within few days/weeks of usage.. I found out that they don't advice using Float valves, stating that the DI resin can't 'handle' it basically.. Here is my thread with other details for reference: https://www.bareefers.org/forum/threads/high-tds-after-rodi.39267/

FWIW, I moved on from RO Buddie within a couple of months of use and installed BRS 5 stage that has been giving me 0 TDS for over a couple of months of usage now.. its definitely worth the investment and their prices during thanksgiving made them a no brainer IMO.
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Sorry for the late reply. Gmail did not notify me about the recent responses for some reason.

Yes, I am using a float valve, but only as a safeguard to prevent the tank from ever overflowing. I estimate how long it takes to fill the tank and set my smart switch for that duration. The float valve is not what shuts off the system, the smart switch does. I always set the timer so the system turns off before the tank is completely full.

If I did not do that, the booster pump would start cycling on and off until the tank was fully filled. Technically, I do not need the float valve, but I added it for peace of mind in case the smart switch malfunctions and turns on by itself.
 
UPDATE: I replaced the flush valve / flow restrictor inside the Smart Buddie, and the system is now behaving much more consistently.

After the replacement, the pressure is holding steady at around 80 psi, and the product to waste ratio is now approximately 1:1.15. The rejection rate is about 94%. It’s not perfect, but it’s an improvement, as I was getting around 90% before. I may try a higher quality membrane in the future, but for now, if it remains consistently at 94%, I’m comfortable with it.

It has only been about a day since the part was replaced, so I will continue to monitor the system over the next few days to make sure everything stays consistent.
 
psidriven said:
can you post a picture of the faulty part? Might be useful for other smart buddie users.
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The part was provided free of charge, with free shipping, by AquaticLife. They have very good customer service, at least in my experience. They even offered to have me send them the unit so they could do the repair themselves.

As for the repair, it was a bit tricky, but not difficult. The unit was not designed to be easily taken apart and reassembled. The only thing AquaticLife could have done better was provide more detailed instructions for replacing the valve. They only explained how to remove the top cover and properly disconnect the two wires. It is not that straightforward. You need to remove additional screws and even disconnect one of the tubes, apart from the ones attached directly to the part, to create enough room to remove the valve.

Still, it was not difficult. It took me about 20 minutes total, and 15 of those were spent figuring out how to remove the valve.

I'm going to write a set of instructions, hopefully it helps others to do the repair more easily.
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How to remove the Flow Restrictor Valve in the Smart Buddie Booster Pump

  1. Remove the 4 screw covers located on the side of the unit.
  2. Remove the screws.
  3. Lift the top cover, moving it carefully so it comes out without hitting the tube inlets. Keep in mind that there are cables connected to the upper part on the inside. Be careful not to pull it up too hard, so you do not damage the wires. The cables are long enough to allow the cover to be fully removed and rest on the back of the unit.
  4. Identify the valve that needs to be replaced. In this case, it is the one in the center.
  5. Remove the clip from the tube that runs directly over the valve, which is the waste water inlet tube, and disconnect the tube from the Smart Buddie, not from the valve. Also remove the clip from the second tube, which is the waste water outlet tube, but do not remove this tube yet because there is not enough space to do it comfortably.
  6. To remove the wires, slide back the plastic protective cover on each connector. To disconnect them, gently press the tab on the connector and pull it back carefully. The wires are very thin, so it is best to handle them with great care. If there is resistance, check that you are pressing the tab correctly. Both wires are identical, so before removing them, I numbered each one on top of the plastic cover to avoid mixing them up later.
  7. The support where the Smart Buddie components are mounted is divided into two sections, one above the other, separated by small legs or spacers. You need to remove the screws that hold this support together in order to access the lower section, which is where the valve is screwed in place. The 4 screws are located on each of the 4 corners of the platform. Without lifting this platform, it is impossible to reach the screws holding the valve because the booster pump is in the way.
  8. Even after removing the screws mentioned in step 7, there still is not enough space to fit a screwdriver in properly. You need to temporarily disconnect the tube from the booster pump, since this is what prevents the platform from being lifted further. Another option would be cutting the zip ties, but I found it easier to disconnect the tube and reconnect it later.
  9. After creating enough space, remove the screws that secure the valve.
  10. Once the valve is free and only still attached by the waste water outlet tube, disconnect this tube from the Smart Buddie.
  11. Remove the tubes from the valve being replaced and install them onto the new valve. Transfer both tubes. Also remove the elbow fitting and install it on the new valve, since the replacement part does not come with the rear elbow fitting or with the tubes.
  12. Before screwing in the new valve, connect the corresponding waste water outlet tube to it, with the tubes already installed. Make sure it is fully inserted into the connector and secure it with the clip.
  13. Screw in the new valve.
  14. Reassemble the platform by reinstalling the 4 corner screws. Also reconnect the tube that was disconnected from the booster pump.
  15. Reconnect the waste water inlet tube and secure it with the clip. This step could also be done at the same time as reconnecting the waste water outlet tube, but I found it easier to screw in the new valve with this tube still disconnected.
  16. Reconnect the wires to the valve connectors. Simply connect them without the plastic cover in place until they click, then slide the plastic cover back over each connector.
  17. Put the top cover back on, making sure the power supply cable is positioned vertically so it fits properly into its slot. Screw the top cover back in place and reinstall the plastic screw covers on each screw.
 
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