BEST FOR RE-MINERALIZATION
The ROES-PH75 is one of the top RO systems in APEC’s budget-friendly ESSENCE series. It is one of the two RO filters in this series to provide mineral water.
A remineralization filter adds small amounts of calcium to increase the water’s alkalinity and give it a more natural taste.
The ROES-PH75 is a 6-stage reverse osmosis filtration system with one of the stages being the alkaline filter.
The other five stages remove over 98% of a wide range of impurities ranging from chemicals to heavy metals and waterborne pathogens.
The system is slightly more expensive than basic RO filters. But that’s because of the additional mineral filter, which most customers say is worth the extra cost for the bottled water-quality taste.
If you are looking for a cheaper and more basic RO system, read our in-depth reverse osmosis filter buying guide for the most affordable recommendations.
Pros
- Produces natural-tasting mineral water.
- High-performance 6-stage filtration system – removes almost all contaminants from drinking water.
- High daily production capacity. It produces enough pure water to meet the consumption needs of most families.
- Long filter life.
- Easy DIY installation.
Cons
- A bit more expensive than other RO systems.
- Doesn’t increase alkalinity.
Product Specifications
Specifications
- Filtration: 6-stage
- Production Capacity: 75 GPD
- Water efficiency ratio: 3:1
- Reserve tank capacity: 3.2 gallons
- Pump: No
- Remineralization stage: Yes
- Filter lifespan: 6-12 months
- Membrane lifespan: 2-3 years
- Dimensions: 16 x 5.2 x 17.5 inches
Filtration System Design
The APEC ROES-PH75 is set up similar to most other reverse osmosis filters – pre-filters, RO membrane, and a post-filter.
The only addition is the alkaline filter.
Here are the various filtration stages in more detail.
Pre-Filters
Like most RO systems, the ROES-PH75 uses a set of three pre-filters to remove impurities that might clog or damage the RO membrane.
This improves filtration performance and extends the lifespan of the semi-permeable membrane.
First up is a 5-micron sediment filter.
It’s made from polypropylene microfibers that trap silt, sand, rust, and dust particles as water passes through. The cartridge is 10” long, which allows it to hold a lot of dirt before you need to replace it.
Unlike the RO membrane, which is sensitive to certain chemicals, the sediment filter can withstand exposure to most chemicals and contaminants in water like chlorine.
The second pre-filter is a 10-micron carbon block filter.
It filters out organic chemicals like chlorine, chloramine, VOCs, and pesticides by trapping their molecules within the porous carbon structure.
In addition to chemicals, it traps ultra-fine sediment that may have passed through the sediment filter.
Carbon block filters are generally better than GAC (granular activated carbon) filters.
Because the filter is one uniform block, rather than separate granules, it filters water more effectively and releases few or no carbon fines into the water.
The third pre-filter is also a 10-micron carbon block filter.
Having double carbon block filters significantly increases filtration performance and extends the life of individual filters.
RO Membrane
A high rejection reverse osmosis membrane removes a wide range of contaminants from the water, including chromium, lead, arsenic, fluoride, bacteria, cysts, viruses, and dissolved salts.
The membrane uses a Thin Film Composite that provides the best filtration performance while maintaining a high flow rate.
From the RO membrane, the now-purified water flows to the 3.2-gallon pressurized reserve tank where it sits until you turn on the faucet.
Coconut Shell Carbon Post-Filter
The 5-micron post-filter, which is located in-line just before the faucet, eliminates any remnant odors and tastes the water may have picked up in the reserve tank.
This ensures you get fresh drinking water.
Calcium Carbonate Filter
Before the water comes out of the faucet, it goes through one more stage – the remineralization filter.
The purpose of this stage is to neutralize the acidity of the purified water and enhance its taste.
It does this by adding small amounts of calcium into the water. This raises the water’s pH, though not by much, and gives it a more natural bottled-water taste.
The filter cartridge uses food-grade US-made calcium carbonate.
Note: Don’t expect your pH to rise by much. This is not an alkaline water machine or a water ionizer. Depending on your water chemistry, you may see little or no change in pH. But the water will still taste much better than normal non-mineralized RO water.
Filtering Performance
Many people have wondered whether there’s a difference in performance between RO systems in the ESSENCE series and those in the pricier ULTIMATE series.
The truth is, there’s virtually no difference in core filtration performance between the two.
What makes RO filters in the ULTIMATE series more expensive is that all the components are made in the US and the systems have WQA certification.
For filters in the ESSENCE series such as the ROES-PH75, components are imported, but the system is designed and assembled in the US.
The only exception is the calcium filter, which is made in the US.
But performance between the two is comparable.
With five core filters, the ROES-PH75 does a great job removing impurities from water. The dual carbon filter setup dramatically increases performance, and the RO membrane significantly reduces TDS levels.
The alkaline filter is a nice addition.
While it may not increase your water’s pH by much, it makes it healthier and tastier.
The 75GPD production capacity is pretty good and more than enough for most families. If your home has higher water pressure (60 PSI or more), the ROES-PH75 can produce as much as 90 GPD.
The only area where the ROES-PH75 suffers a bit is in flow rate. Because it lacks an integrated pump, water flows slowly out of the faucet.
But a non-electric permeate pump or an electric booster pump can help increase the flow rate.
Efficiency
The ROES-PH75 has a water efficiency ratio of 3:1. That means it wastes three gallons of water for every gallon of purified drinking water.
Not all that water is wasted. Some of it is used for flushing the RO membrane to keep it from clogging.
But most of the water is wasted because of backpressure from the pressurized reserve tank.
To reduce the wastage, you can install a permeate or booster pump. It will increase the pressure of water going into the RO filter, which helps counter the backpressure created by the tank.
This would allow more water to get into the tank and less to go down the drain.
Installation and Maintenance
Setup
Installation is pretty straightforward. If you’ve installed a reverse osmosis system before, it will take about 30 minutes to an hour especially if you already have a pre-drilled hole in your sink for the faucet.
If this is your first RO filter, it takes 1-2 hours to set up.
APEC has made it super easy to install the system on your own without calling a pro.
The tubes are color-coded to make it easier to know where each goes, and the fittings use a push-to-connect tool-free mechanism.
The ROES-PH75 comes with a complete installation kit that has all the fittings you need including a check valve, a flow restrictor, a ½” feed water adaptor and a lead-free faucet with a modern brushed nickel finish.
If you need extra parts such as an icemaker kit or a TDS meter, APEC sells them separately.
Maintenance
One thing we love about APEC RO filters is their long filter life.
Their high-quality filters last on average 6-12 months. For most users of the ROES-PH75, you only need to replace the filters once per year.
If you use well water; however, you may need to do it twice depending on your water quality.
The RO membrane is good for 2-3 years.
You can get replacement filters in a conveniently bundled set that includes all the filters. You can also order individual filters from APEC’s official website.
Other than replacing the filters, there’s no additional maintenance required. Just keep an eye out for any leaks and deal with them immediately.
What We Like the Most About the APEC ROES-PH75 RO System
- It produces mineral water that tastes better and is healthier than normal RO water that has been stripped of all minerals.
- Highly effective filtration process eliminates virtually all impurities from the water using a 5-stage process.
- Long lasting filters make maintenance easier and cheaper.
- The ROES-PH75 is also easy to install. It might take a while to set it up, but you don’t need to hire a pro.
What We Don’t Like
- The flow rate out of the faucet can be frustrating when you need to fill a large water bottle. It’s worse if your home water pressure is low. If it’s a serious problem for you, install a permeate or booster pump.
- The alkaline filter is a bit disappointing in terms of pH. Most people who tested their water got a pH of 7 or lower, meaning the filter doesn’t increase pH by much. If you are looking for a system that produces high-pH alkaline water, this is not it. We recommend the Express Water 10-stage RO system.
The APEC ROES-PH75 Is Perfect For You If...
You are looking for an effective and reliable reverse osmosis water filter that produces bottled water quality mineral water.
Our Bottom Line
The ROES-PH75 is a great choice for those who want an RO filtration system that produces purified water that tastes as good or even better than bottled water.
The alkaline filter makes an already excellent filtration system even better.
