Questions about water filtration?

[there goes edro]

Plants have been struggling last few rounds and part of my problem is my plants don't like the tap water since I moved. I'm tired of buying gallons of distilled water from the store so water filtration would be more cost effective in the long term.

Do I invest in a reverse osmosis filter or will a quality 3 stage filter suffice. RO removes everything but I'm trying to be eco friendly and the thought of wasting water goes bothers me. I would like to drink it as well but I keep hearing drinking ro water could rob your body of nutrients also. Leaning towards the 3 stage but I'm not positive it will remove everything I need it to. I'd hate to invest in filtration and the plants still not happy but if I can avoid waste and be more environmentally friendly I'd like that option better. Could someone in the know please lend some advice as I want 2019 to be a year defined by me growing the best cannabis I have ever produced!

 

[Cantharellus]

I have been collecting rainwater and snow for years. My tapwater is 900ppm and ph 8. For a few years I used ph down and then I went to r/o and then I decided all of that was a waste of time and went to rainwater about 10 years ago and have never looked back. Well worth what little work it takes to make it happen.

 

[BakedBandit]

It depends what you a you trying to remove from your water. Ro is not bad for you to drink. Rodi is what you are thinking of. You can waste a lot less water with an rodi system by using multiple membranes in series. Plumb the waste fron one to the input for the next. Just need good pressure or a booster pump.

 

[RoyalFlush]

You could just order a RO system off Ebay, a 75gph 5 stage system with everything you need to plug and play at $80 and a 100gph at $100. If you are worried about the waste water ratio you could just replace the flow rejector with a ball vale and adjust it to a 1:1 ratio. Some people say that it shortens the life of the membrane but heck you could always flush the membrane and they are also cheap on Ebay, around $20.

 

[Ace Rothstein]

You could just order a RO system off Ebay, a 75gph 5 stage system with everything you need to plug and play at $80 and a 100gph at $100. If you are worried about the waste water ratio you could just replace the flow rejector with a ball vale and adjust it to a 1:1 ratio. Some people say that it shortens the life of the membrane but heck you could always flush the membrane and they are also cheap on Ebay, around $20.

That is what I use and from ebay too. Water General I think. You will never go back. I change all filters and membrane once a year. The hoses become brittle and crack and leak at about 5 years of use. Still a great option. Cheaper than buying distilled in the long run. I add back Cal Mag and Ph down.

 

[RoyalFlush]

That is what I use and from ebay too. Water General I think. You will never go back. I change all filters and membrane once a year. The hoses become brittle and crack and leak at about 5 years of use. Still a great option. Cheaper than buying distilled in the long run. I add back Cal Mag and Ph down.

yes, way cheaper than buying "Band name" Ro system specifically made for "Hydroponics/plants".

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

I'm a big fan of giving cannabis only what it needs.

Set up your feed system to provide everything required, including pH balance, then use r/o water to hydrate it. Soil/hydro, doesn't matter. This way you can take your proven grow style anywhere an r/o machine puts out <14ppm and 7pH water.

 

[BakedBandit]

You could just order a RO system off Ebay, a 75gph 5 stage system with everything you need to plug and play at $80 and a 100gph at $100. If you are worried about the waste water ratio you could just replace the flow rejector with a ball vale and adjust it to a 1:1 ratio. Some people say that it shortens the life of the membrane but heck you could always flush the membrane and they are also cheap on Ebay, around $20.

It will shorten the life. You should flush your membrane no matter what. It will also produce water with a higher tds in it. Depending on what your are starting with and wether you use di resin post membrane this may or maybe not be an acceptable option for you. It's way smarter and more economical to use multiple membranes in series.

 

[f-e]

Does your local water company publish the results of it's testing program?
Perhaps you could send a sample somewhere for testing. You could ask them specifically about particles over 1 micron that could be removed easily.

These are things to know, if you wish to adjust your feed to accommodate your supply. Or wish to stick with normal inline filters.

The 10" cartridge filters can hold many types of insert. From spun plastic that's simply catching large particles, to carbon blocks treated to target specific problems.

Growth Technologies will look at your water sample and make food just for you. UK though..

My water board 'severn trent' have an article that helps ID some problems. Looking for green deposits in kettles that signify Lime. Or white calcareous deposits. The surface scum of detergent bubbles. They will even come to your tap if you're not happy with a local report.

 

[there goes edro]

Thanks for all the suggestions IC! I have no idea what I'm doing these days but I'll work it out.

 

[Douglas.Curtis]

Does your local water company publish the results of it's testing program?

This is a good place to start, especially if something in it requires pre-filters before your r/o membrane. I've lived in areas with arsenic and other heavy metals in the water, now I live in uranium country.

Joy!!

We have faith in you Edro, we know you'll work it out. Hope this year is great for you.

 

[f-e]

Actually, my 10" inserts were 0.5micron. 1u is tiny but quite common. 0.5u is so small the supplier questioned if it were true, despite being a stock item.

I had a feeling it was 0.5u but didn't want to say until I confirmed it. In their shocked words, that's almost like Reverse osmosis. However, it dropped the tap from 6 to 3 (0.6 - 0.3) as we were miles of pipeline from the source.

That is pretty good scrubbing. It's not the zero that RO produces, but halving the reading isn't bad. I guess if near a well, you could have a lot of debris over 0.5u still, and could maybe drop a crazy 10 back to just 2 or 3. Though some heavy metals would just sail though. Caught only by specific carbon inserts.

Knowing the actual problem is the first part of any fight.

 

[Bmac1]

3 troll accounts to set up one schill? Impressive.

 

[TexanTerps]

3 troll accounts to set up one schill? Impressive.

Wow, you are correct, same format username, same subject...
Lot's of work for not much return...
Usually it is someone that got their feelings hurt.


About the water filtration my tap is 900ppm at 7.8pH. No wonder the county doesn't charge for water (ranch country next to gulf). Anyways I think it tastes good, I know it builds scale like crazy though.
I'm looking for a filtration setup that will get me below 250 or so. I don't mind some CaCO3 dissolved in there (aquifer fed by limestone area).



I probably can just run my Jacks FeED on top of such with epsom foliar but I've searched and searched without finding anyone posting about using water so HARD!


They sell the 10" inline canister filters on amazon fairly cheap and was thinking of going that route, just don't wanna go in blind.


I have another water source I will test later on. I'd appreciate any input on filtration. I don't really wanna go RO if I can avoid.

 

[sshz]

I live on an old peach farm, the water is not drinkable as it contains many heavy metals from the old fertilizer they used. I have a 4 stage r.o. device and it does a good job. But buy a well made r.o. system, with usa made filters. They last longer and do a better job.

 

[f-e]

Some multi-stage filters have a final one that shouldn't be used. Like a britta, they are both carbon granules in there, and some white salts for ion exchange. Fine for taste but bad for plants.

 

[sshz]

Actually, I believe what I use is coconut activated carbon media, perfectly fine for plants......