APEC Water Systems ROES-PH75 Essence Series Top Tier Alkaline Mineral pH+ 75 GPD 6-Stage Certified Ultra Safe Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Filter System

Up until the pandemic, we had been using a large volume of bottled water every week. Since it has become risky to return to the store every time we are out of water, it seemed logical that a reverse osmosis system would mitigate that risk. Installation of the APEC system was not difficult, and I spread the work out over two afternoons. The first afternoon was spent boring a hole in our granite countertop. I used a Milwaukee 1" diamond hole saw purchased at our local home improvement store. I followed the recommendations found on YouTube for boring granite. I made a circular well around the drill site with plumbers putty to hold cooling water for the hole saw. This worked out well in terms of eliminating all of the granite dust and in keeping the hole saw cool. In keeping with the hole saw directions, the hole was started by boring at a 45 degree angle until the hole saw caught the granite. Then, the hole saw was carefully raised to vertical to complete the boring operation. The 1" hole was barely large enough to accommodate the air gap faucet that I purchased to replace the faucet that was supplied with the APEC RO unit. I would recommend boring a 1 1/4" hole. The faucet that I used was a Kingston Brass Concord Collection KSAG8198DL Reverse Osmosis System Filtration Water Air Gap Faucet. It has a long lasting Ceramic Disk Cartridge. I selected an air gap faucet to protect the APEC RO membrane from a drain backup. This is the same protection provided for dishwashers. Because the RO discharge water has to pass through the faucet air gap, the air gap inlet uses the supplied 1/4" tubing, but the air gap outlet uses 3/8" tubing. I ordered some John Guest 3/8" Food Grade Polyethylene Tubing from APEC. The discharge quick connect drain saddle supplied with the unit is 1/4" and that had to be replaced with a 3/8" drain saddle, also available from APEC. That requires that a 3/8" hole be drilled in the sink drain line. The drain tubing should be cut as short as possible while still providing serviceability. If the drain tubing forms a large loop below the level of the drain saddle, the air gap will not drain properly, and discharge water will leak from the air gap onto the countertop. Please note that this drain line requirement is only true when an air gap faucet is used. If the APEC supplied faucet is used, there will be no air gap and no air gap leak problem will occur. When connecting to the supply needle valve, it is important to remember to slide the compression nut over the supply tubing first, then the sleeve and tubing insert. Don't over-tighten the compression nut on the supply needle valve. All of the items described above can be ordered from Amazon. Installation went smoothly by following the detailed instructions found in the installation manual. After installation and system flush I measured dissolved solids of 19 ppm. I am told that anything under 100 ppm is excellent. With a new the calcium carbonate pH+ filter the water pH measured 9.3 which is alkaline. That's exactly what we were looking for. That pH is the same as is found in premium bottled waters. You would have to pay around $16.00 a gallon for those. The maintenance schedule is clearly defined in the installation manual, and the replacement intervals will depend upon the raw water quality. Whenever installing or replacing the filter elements, disposable gloves should be used in order to prevent the introduction of bacteria into the system. One thing that I did not find in the installation manual was an end-to-end sanitization procedure to be performed when it is time to replace all of the filters at roughly a 1 year interval. For that you will have to look for guidance elsewhere. Bacteria has a tendency to grow on charcoal media and that may be why APEC offers a UV lamp solution on some of their systems. APEC cautions not to inject chlorine into the system to clean it. That will destroy the RO membrane. However, whenever the filters are replaced, the housings should be thoroughly cleaned with soap and water. A few words about water pressure after reinstalling the system at our new home that is on a private well. There are times when the water pressure drops below 40 PSI and the RO system will run continuously for hours at a time. In order to mitigate this problem and to conserve water, we ordered a water driven permeate pump from APEC. APEC maintains that it will work to pressures as low as 30 PSI, and I will revise this review as soon as I have had an opportunity test it. The downside of any RO system is that is discharges more waste water than the amount of pure water it produces. That can increase the amount of water being drained into a septic system if there is one in use. If a water softener precedes the RO system, the salt that the RO system removes will be discharged into the sink drain. That will discharge some amount of salt into the septic tank. In such cases it may be better to discharge the RO system drain line outdoors and into a dry well along with effluent from the water softener. Draining brine into a septic system is never a good idea, and in many locales it is prohibited. One other problem that we experienced during reinstallation was that the needle valve on the water supply inlet side would not shut off. It appeared as though the needle valve had become pitted or corroded during its brief 4 months of use in Florida. It became necessary to replace the needle valve that is only available by buying a complete standard feed adapter. Next time it happens, I will buy a different style of adapter that incorporates a different type of valve such as a ball valve. These are available from other RO system suppliers on Amazon. A few words about radon. Since writing the original review, we have moved to a house that is on a private well. We moved the RO system with us. The water softener that is ahead of the RO system introduces sodium that is very easily removed by the RO system. Our well water also contains dissolved radon gas. The small charcoal filters that form a part of the RO system are not effective for removing radon gas from well water. If there is radon in the water, it should be removed before the the water enters the RO system. Then, the radon will be concentrated in a larger activated charcoal filter at a location far from the kitchen where the RO system is usually installed. Large activated charcoal tanks are available that will provide radon mitigation for the whole house provided that the dissolved radon concentration is less than 5,000 pCi/l - in our case 3,760 pCi/l. For dissolved radon levels greater than 5,000 pCi/l water aeration and outdoor venting is recommended, although these systems can also promote bacterial growth.

Absolutely love my APEC Water Systems ROES-50! The water tastes incredibly clean and fresh, and I feel confident knowing it’s thoroughly filtered. Installation was straightforward, and the system is very durable and well-built. I’ve noticed a huge improvement in my water quality compared to standard tap water, and it’s perfect for drinking, cooking, and even making coffee and tea. Highly recommend this RO system for anyone looking for reliable, high-quality water filtration! Functional work fine. Capacity hold a lot.

Great tasting water once you get the filters purged ! Our water is so crisp and clean tasting this system works great ! Best water ever I highly recommend! For the price you can't beat it plus it comes with extra filters ! Me and my oldest son are the water drinkers in this house and now my whole household loves drinking water and that says a lot for toddlers ! If your thinking about getting a water filtration system this one has a great price point and instillation isn't bad at all had it up and running in about 1 hr ! But my uncle did install it and he works for a watersoftner company so for the complete novice it might take 2 hrs ? He recommended this one to me and has it in his own home . No regrets!

Really good. This is my second one (new house). Install is straightforward, the instructions are clear and hoses are color coordinated. The only hard part would be drilling through your countertop, but I have always just used the pre-existing hole from those crappy old soap dispensers. You also have to drill a 1/4” hole in your drain pipe. Do NOT do this after the p-trap, it must be before. Installation took me maybe 2 hours, with a large portion of that just dedicated to testing for leaks along the way, and the awkward work space making simple tasks like tightening a nut more challenging. Really makes a big difference in the water quality. The water is perfect. The filter is not dead silent, but very quiet and nothing you would notice once the cabinet is closed. 100x quieter than your refrigerator. Pressure is decent as long as the tank has some water in it. Takes 2-3 hours to fill the tank, and a little over 5 minutes to drain it. I never have any problem running out of water with normal use. It’s pretty large so make sure you have space. The instructions do state that the tank can be placed sideways and that the filters themselves can be stood upright rather than mounted if desired. We figured we were spending $60/month on bottled water, so this pays for itself in three months, and saves a lot of unnecessary plastic waste from entering landfills and oceans. Note: do NOT touch the blue thing on the side of the tank. It looks like a disposable cap for shipping but it is actually a vital air valve.

The water is amazing after installing the RO system. It was pretty straight forward and easy to install. I really wish they would design it differently so that there aren't so many connections throughout the system. There are just way too many places for a leak to spring up. After installing the whole system and also adding a splitter so I could have filtered ice as well, I tested the system and noticed no leaks on any of the lines that I connected myself, however there was a pretty bad leak on one of the factory 1/4 inch OD lines that came already attached to the filter housing. I made a new piece, which I made longer so it could loop because the factory piece was short and had to bend awkwardly in between the connections, which I assume played a part in making it leak. So be prepared to test it out beforehand over a plastic bin or towels because it may leak out of the box. Also wouldn't hurt to order extra 1/4 inch OD line and a cutter for it, and may also need to order a splitter if you want to run a line to your icemaker. Also takes a 1/2 inch drill bit for the hole to add the extra faucet. So far I have zero complaints about the water though. The water rocks and tastes great. Finally able to stay hydrated without being dependent on bottled water. =)

This is my second system, we purchased a vacation home and wanted to enjoy the same quality water there as we do at home. Our area has very hard water and requires frequent cleaning to remove deposits. This system has had a deposit free faucet for 9 years while I have had to replace shower heads 3 times. This system is identical to the one we purchased in 2016 and installation was very easy. The hardest part was drilling a hole in the granite counter top then cleaning up the mess. The instruction book is easy to follow and provides the list of tools you'll need. There isn't any real plumbing experience needed just review the instructions carefully first and follow them and it will go smooth. The kit comes with feed line adapters for most installs so confirm before beginning. Having the under sink space and planning where the lines will go before you start is also a very good idea. The only tip I can come up with is to use the right amount of teflon tape on the storage tank and tighten the top valve until snug and then when the system is on come back and check for leaks and tighten the top until the leaks stop. Installing the filters into the manifold was easy, just follow the order. It is easier to tighten the filter housing with the unit on its side. I opted to mount it on the wall across from the dishwasher about 1/2 inch off the cabinet floor and this was easy but the instructions say its not needed, I just like it being off the counter floor. I was concerned with over-tightening so I had to tighten it over a few hours but once water stopped showing up I knew it was good to go. Drilling the hole into the drain line was easy enough but removing it really helped out. The instructions state the tank is already pressurized so no pump is needed, just don't open the faucet until you are ready to begin flushing the filters. I opted to add the ice maker kit to this and installing that at the same time was very easy and no mess. Over the years we have measured the water quality from this RO system and am still amazed and how low the TSS readings are compared to tap or even fridge filtered water. The water purity isn't even close, this system removes everything. The PH filter adds back in the right amount to give the water a pleasant taste that everyone prefers over plastic bottled filtered water. We have never had to run vinegar through our coffee machine, tea kettle, and the rice cooker/instapot are easier to clean up too. Given some of the problems with water in the news I wanted to be safer than sorry as this is cleaner, more cost effective, and better all around than getting filtered water delivered or plastic bottles of water.

I installed this Reverse Osmosis water filtration system in my home about a year ago. Most people keep their pressure tank and filters under the kitchen sink, but I mounted mine to the basement wall just below the kitchen—so I could save that valuable kitchen cabinet space under the sink. I am a plumber and wanted a fairly priced RO system and this is it! The install was fairly easy, because most of the connections are just push-to-connect with 3/8” or 1/4” plastic hoses and fittings. One caveat I have is that the threaded connections between the three main filter housings were leaking VERY SLOWLY when I first installed everything. I had to turn the water off, remove the filter housings, and apply Teflon tape and pipe thread sealant to the threads between the housings. Then I reassembled and there have been no leaks. We use the clean water for normal drinking water, better water for tea/coffee/espresso, and if someone in our household has a bad cold, we can use the RO water with a Netti-pot to clean sinuses out. Most of the filters only need to be changed every 2 years or more. I wrote a note below the filters with the install date. I also successfully got the 2 year manufacturer warranty confirmed through their website, which is a nice free feature.

This product literally changed my life! Back in the day I had to go the rite aid on a monthly basis, find Poland Spring boxes, haul them home in the trunk of my car, carry them to the second floor. Then same thing over and over again every month, carrying 5-6 boxes of Poland Spring up the stairs to the second floor. Also, I became a bit concerned with the fact that I throw out more than 100 plastic bottles per month. That is when I started doing my research. At first, I wanted to go with a BRITA pitcher (or PUR) but then after doing so much research I came to realization that those filters do make tap water better, but still not healthy enough for me and especially for my newborn. At first, under sink water systems were out of the question for me because I did not want to deal with finding a plumber, doing major plumbing overhaul in the house which I rent and pay top dollar for this. I was very fortunate to stumble upon this product and after reading all of the reviews I am very happy that I purchased it. The item comes in a big white box labeled APEC. Unboxing it was fairly easy so no need to write too much about it. The top layer of the package consists of 3 filters, then in a middle is 4th stage membrane filter and the piece that goes on top of the filters. Also, there is a wrench that helps tie the filter. There are also color coded tubes, faucet, adapter, drain saddle, teflon tape, etc. On the bottom there is another box with the water tank. In order to install the item you will need a drill, adjustable wrench and a screw driver. Installing 3 stage pre-filters is fairly easy, just follow the instruction as to which filter goes where and then screw them into the arrowhead using the included wrench to tighten the housing, but don't over tighten it too much. Installing the system under the sink is easy if you follow instructions carefully. One thing to note is that instructions are also available in the video format on youtube - just search for APEC water filter installation video. Although installing the item is fairly easy and the video shows that too, the difficult part is spending an hour or two under the sink, which can get very uncomfortable. Also, would be great to have someone help you because it is a bit difficult getting under the sink and out then back under again. The video makes it sound much easier that in real life. To install the feed water adapter you have to turn off the cold water (check that you turned off the cold water by turning on the faucet). I recommend turning off both hot and cold water just to be sure. Then you need to loosen the nut at any location and connect feed water adapter there - you can either loosen the nut at the top where the faucet is or at the bottom where the valve is, either is fine. Be careful - that adapter edges are very sharp and I cut my hand twice by accident. Also, don't forget to use teflon tape that is provided. Now the drain saddle - you need to use a specified size drill (refer to instructions) and drill a hole in the drain pipe. You need to drill in the horizontal pipe to avoid drain noise. If you do it correctly you will never hear the filter system working or making noises. Keep in mind that you need to apply pressure on the drill so that it goes through the pipe. Then you need to align the hole on the saddle to the hole on the pipe. I am not going to comment on installation of tubes so please refer to instructions - just don't want to confuse you. Last step is to install the faucet - you can either drill a hole in your counter but I used the spray hose hole instead. I removed spray hose (you disconnect it under the sink and pull it out, make sure that the water is turned off. Then I put the faucet that came with APEC through that hole. Once you are ready and everything is assembled, I suggest emptying at least 5 tanks of water. To do this, just wait till the tank is full and then open the faucet to let the water drip until it stops and repeat that 5 times. Now, in terms of water quality and taste. I got APEC ROES PH75 which is the same thing as ROES-50 but great tank output (75 vs. 50) and PH filter which you can either use or not use. There is a way to bypass it and you can call APEC support, they are great they can guide you through the process. For extra $20/$30 I decided to go with ROES PH75 - and I love it. You also get more output from your tank. And if you ever decide not to go with PH filter you can bypass it. At first, the water tasted a bit bitter to me, especially compared to Poland Spring but then either I got used to it or flashed a few tanks. Now the water taste is perfect, I absolutely love it. It replaced Poland Spring and I had it for a few months and everyone loves it. I also bough glass Life Factory bottles and love them too! I also bough HM Digital TDS (ppm) meter to check the water quality. Since this PH filter (6 stage) adds minerals back the ppm will not be zero, I am getting around 10. Tap water in NYC is pretty good at about 50 ppm and Poland Spring is roughly 20ppm. If you are considering PH75 or non-PH 50, I suggest going with PH75. It has better gallons per day output and comes with PH filter. If you don't like that filter you can easily bypass it. The water tastes great and this filter definitely improved by life. Thanks to APEC, Amazon and to all the reviewers who contributed to the great rating of this product, which in turn resulted in me buying it!