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Check out TheFilterGuys.biz, Bulkreefsupply.com and Buckeyefieldsupply.com and look at ther info, here is an article from a very knowledgeable person.
As quoted from the AZDesertRat
Water is the single largest ingredient in a reef system by far, why not provide the very best? The key is consistency, with a good RO/DI you get the same consistent water quality every time, unlike purchasing water or tap water both of which you have absolutely no control over and may be hit and miss.
Do not get hung up on the word "stages", this is an old ebay ploy to make low quality drinking water systems sound like the best thing since sliced bread. They tack a few cheap filters on like a 10 micron carbon or GAC carbon, both of which are completely exhausted in 300 to 1000 total gallons of water (total gallons means all water passing thru the filter including waste so at the normal 4:1 waste ratio that’s only 60 to 200 good gallons and 240 to 800 waste gallons) or another little dinky horizontal DI with about 6 oz of resin bobbing around in it and call them "stages".
Good vendors don't play this game. Spectrapure, the Filer Guys, Bulk reef supply, and Buckeye field supply, have been building RO/DI systems for the reef hobby for 25 years. They give you a guaranteed systems with exactly what you need, no extra carbons, no small horizontal DI's no extra taste and odor carbons etc.
A single 0.5 micron carbon block is good for up to 20,000 gallons of normally chlorinated or chloraminated tap water, a 1 micron is good for 9000 gallons. No need for extra carbons and the associated pressure drop they cause. A good vertical 20 oz DI like they use is good for much more treated water than two or 3 or more of the small horizontals since it has a true engineered bottom up flow pattern so all water and resin come into contact with each other unlike horizontals that channel and short circuit.
For a reef quality RO/DI 4 stages is perfect, if you want to add something make it a second DI like the MaxCap where you get something for your money.
Final TDS has absolutely nothing to do with the prefilter and carbon and should not be used to judge filter condition. Final TDS is a direct result of the RO membrane performance and DI performance, the others are just there to protect the membrane which in turn protects the DI resin.Prefilters and carbons remove TSS or Total Suspended Solids, big stuff like sediment, particulates and colloidal materials, and VOCs like chlorine not TDS or Total Dissolved Solids, small atomic level things actually dissolved in the liquid which is what the RO membrane and DI take care of. Suspended and Dissolved are two different things treated and monitored in two different ways.You change prefilters and carbons on a 6 month schedule like clockwork or when a low level chlorine test kit tells you have chlorine breakthrough and an inline pressure gauge tells you have a large pressure drop, one or the other or both. The easiest way is every 6 months by far.You change DI resin when you start to see TDS breakthrough. You change the RO membrane when it is no longer producing a 94-98% reduction in incoming TDS or rejection rate or when the cost of DI replacements starts eating you out of house and home! Again the pre and carbon have very little to absolutely no effect on TDS.Always remember to disinfect the system while you have it down to reduce or eliminate the possibility of virus or bacteria growth inside the unit. It only takes about 5 minutes and could be a lifesaver! Quoted from AZDesertRat
currently under attack by ich!!! *** Survivors: yellow watchman gobie, 2 peppermint shrimp & snails/hermits.