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Which R/O unit is best?

oldgrayhair

Member
Most all the outside parts are the same for most companies. The differences is in their set-up (filter array), and the quality of their filters inside the cartridges.

For the actual RO membrane, you want to be sure you get a DOW FilmTec membrane. Their 50gpd and 75 gpd membranes have a 97-98% rejection rate, which is the best in the biz. Get a 75gpd and you'll make about 3 gal an hour.

The best set-ups have a Sediment filter first, then Carbon, then another carbon, then to your RO membrane. Having dual carbons really protects the membrane from chlorine and chloramines, the two biggest killers of membranes.

The filter array (micron sizes) I recommend are:
10micron sediment filter, 5 micron carbon, 1 micron carbon, RO mem.

Try to avoid places that sell units starting with a 5micron sediment or less....they simply clog faster and you'll pad their pockets buying replacements.

Also, get a handheld TDS meter with any unit you get. This will allow you to test your source (incoming) water, and output to be sure the membrane is working good and will help you know when to replace filters.

Hope that helped some.

If I had to recommend a company to go with, it would be thefilterguys.biz
They have systems right at $125 that kick major butt. And their service is bar none the best I've ever experienced.

Peace - OGH
 
G

Guest

oldgrayhair said:
Most all the outside parts are the same for most companies. The differences is in their set-up (filter array), and the quality of their filters inside the cartridges.

For the actual RO membrane, you want to be sure you get a DOW FilmTec membrane. Their 50gpd and 75 gpd membranes have a 97-98% rejection rate, which is the best in the biz. Get a 75gpd and you'll make about 3 gal an hour.

The best set-ups have a Sediment filter first, then Carbon, then another carbon, then to your RO membrane. Having dual carbons really protects the membrane from chlorine and chloramines, the two biggest killers of membranes.

The filter array (micron sizes) I recommend are:
10micron sediment filter, 5 micron carbon, 1 micron carbon, RO mem.

Try to avoid places that sell units starting with a 5micron sediment or less....they simply clog faster and you'll pad their pockets buying replacements.

Also, get a handheld TDS meter with any unit you get. This will allow you to test your source (incoming) water, and output to be sure the membrane is working good and will help you know when to replace filters.

Hope that helped some.

If I had to recommend a company to go with, it would be thefilterguys.biz
They have systems right at $125 that kick major butt. And their service is bar none the best I've ever experienced.

Peace - OGH
UUMMM...... :bow: yeah that covered it for me atleast . Great post homie.
 

OsWiZzLe

Active member
GE Merlin......best RO unit...750 Gallons Per Day and its fast ...took my water from 550 PPM to 50 PPM..make sure if ur using RO water to use plenty of Cal/Mag...
 

yeknomssa

Member
There's a good little tutorial on how to make one of those Mr Clean AutoDry units into a reverse osmosis filter. there like $20 (US) and they do everything the expensive filters do except filter out pathogens. and if you're using soil, you're just pouring water on to open dirt, so you're not worried about any pathogens.
 

Sleepy

Active member
Veteran
the 'best' is sometimes subjective...

the 'best' is sometimes subjective...

Consumer Reports graded water softeners and 3 stage r/o filters a while back...i think they judged whirlpool to be the 'best'...

it kinda depends on whether you intend to install it yourself, or go with a company that specializes in water conditioning. (pay to have them install it)...

the replacement filters are easy enough to replace...

our water is extremely 'hard'...having a water softener also helps you use less soap in the laundry, shower, etc...

if you suffer from excema, dermatitis, or psoriasis, your skin will be much happier, as well. :asskick:

as mentioned above, you will have to supplement all micronutes, as they will be removed by the filtration you use.

good thread.
 
Z

zoolander

Sleepy I use r/o and canna nutes I have never used cal mag to make up for the r/o water everything seems great you think thats ok thanx. Zoo
 

OsWiZzLe

Active member
Depending on how low the RO unit brings your PPMs down..your gonna need Micronutes for sure...regardless of what anyone says....if u have the money...get the Merlin..nothing installs easier and works as good...if your on a budget...disregard this message then
 
Z

zoolander

Hey Os here's how they look and have come out with nothing but canna A & b Rhizotonic and canazyme









I have more in my gallery I dont want to mess up someone else's thread seems the only problem I have sometimes might be ph but I seem to fix it
 

OsWiZzLe

Active member
your girls look beautiful....but for the most part...if you hold out on the Micros while ur feeding your plants RO water your gonna have issues ...at least I did in Hydro...to everyone is their own though........
 

Bozo

Active member
Out out of all the stuff I bought to start up my hydro I think the R/O filter was the biggest waste for me I have water that is only 70-80 ppm outa the tap If you have bad water then Id say surf E-bay thats where i found mine 125.00 i think it was many years ago. I like it for drinking water and making coffe and juice but caused Ca/Mg issues in plants,yes cal mag plus fixxed problem but so did switching back to my tap water.

Most quality nutes will have all the needed micros included PBP showwed the worst Ca/Mg diffenicy.Ro water also worked fine using the lucas formula GH bloom 18 ml/gal GH micro 9 ml/gal but it is desinged for R/O water

Guess Im sayin think about weather you need it or does it just sound cool cause you read there a must for growwing cause there certianly not .I bought mine for the second reason and I was doing the Lucas formula and it required water with a very low 0 if possible starting piont.It makes up the loss of all the micros and Ca/Mg by not using the grow and replacing it with more micro search the lucas formula it can explain it better than I did

I learned alot From Lucas and Ph mostly that with the right diet its the enviroment makes the biggest difference in yeild . Good luck to you what ever you decide my advice is if you decide to get a R/O filter buy a bottle of cal mag just incase
 

Sleepy

Active member
Veteran
some more info...

some more info...

from: watersoftenerscompared.com...
"Home Water Softener Comparison and Reviews

What must you consider with purchasing a water softener? Exploring various types and brands and comparing prices is a general rule of thumb. You also need to consider what type of environment the water softener will be set up in, installation requirement, the size, durability of the unit, convenience, as well as the softener rating. This site is provided to give you some understanding on the different types of softeners, how they work, the benefits, and the disadvantages.
The Primary Purpose Of A Water Softener

Although hard water is beneficial to humans, plants and animals it creates problems with build up of calcium and magnesium in plumbing pipes and appliances as well as hot water heaters which cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars each year. The negative effect of calcium sticking to our hair and skin has created a windfall for hair and skin products designed to counter act these effects. The Primary purpose of a water softener is to counter act the negative effects of hard water.

Many people are unaware of the different methods for softening water and the advantages and disadvantages of each. On this site you will find information about the different methods for softening water that will aid you in your selection process to determine the right method for you. We have researched the top 4 methods used in whole house water softeners and have rated the top product for each method. There are many benefits to owning and using a water softener.


*Disclaimer
RECOMMENDED USAGES FOR THE TOP 4 METHODS

SALT-FREE WATER SOFTENERS (CATALITIC MEDIA)
Recommended Usage: Pelican™ Salt-Free Softener
Salt Free water softeners are recommended for residential and commercial applications at or below 75 grains of hardness. It is also recommended for health conscious people, people with high blood pressure, people on a low or no sodium diet, or people who prefer chemical free water softening.

SALT-BASED WATER SOFTENERS (ION EXCHANGE)
Recommended Usage: Local Franchise Dealer
Salt based water softeners are recommended for those who prefer the calcium and magnesium to be removed from the water using salt or potassium.

REVERSE OSMOSIS (ULTRA FINE FILTRATION UNDER PRESSURE)
Recommended Usage: RaindanceSM WH-RO-500
Reverse osmosis is recommended where salt is present in the water supply.

MAGNETIC WATER SOFTENERS (USES MAGNETS)
Recommended Usage: Clearwater GMX Diamond 4800
Magnetic water softening is recommended for apartments or single family homes where space does not allow for a whole house water softener to be installed.
TOP 4 METHODS OF WATER SOFTENING & HOW THEY WORK
SALT-FREE WATER SOFTENERS (CATALYTIC MEDIA)

About Salt-Free Water Softeners

The media is a catalytically working media using nano-technology developed to first remove already existing scale from pipes and heat exchanger surfaces (de-scaling effect) and further on to protect the system from future formation of scale (scale protection effect). This media is used in a process where atoms are placed in a special structure so that an active surface is created. This technology is so effective that it requires only a few seconds of contact time. It transforms the dissolved calcium carbonate (temporary hardness) so it cannot attach to any surfaces. The chemical bonds are then rinsed away by the water flow. The size of the bonds is so small (in the range of a nanometer) that they can only be seen with a microscope. Therefore the effect is the same as if the water was free of temporary hardness (calcium carbonate). The crystals are heat resistant and do not fall apart under high water temperatures.

Advantages

The system requires no monthly maintenance or additional monthly costs. It softens the water without the use of salt or potassium, therefore there is no need for an expensive reverse osmosis system for drinking water. The salt free softener leaves in all the essential minerals for the drinking water requiring no chemicals, electricity, or back flushing to operate. There is no wasted water or drains to install. It allows for up to 50% less soaps or detergents to be used, saving money and completely removes and prevents 100% of the scale from forming in all pipes and heat exchangers (hot water heater). The system does not fall under any softener ban because it does not discharge salt or potassium back into the ground water. It is 100% environmentally friendly. Longer life of appliances including washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters; less use of household cleaning products, such as detergents, as well as personal care products, like shampoo; reduction of water spotting; cleaner, softer feeling clothes.

Disadvantages

Not recommended for water that contains traces of oil, or H2S.


SALT-BASED WATER SOFTENERS (ION EXCHANGE)
About Salt Water Softeners

Calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) ions that cause water hardness can be removed by using an ion exchange procedure. Water softeners are cation exchange devises. Cations refer to positively charged ions. Cation exchange involves the replacement of the hardness ion with a non-hardness ion. Salt-based water softeners use sodium (Na+) as the exchange ion. Sodium ions are supplied from dissolved sodium chloride salt, also called brine. In the ion exchange process, sodium ions are used to coat an exchange medium in the softener. The exchange medium can be natural “zeolites” or synthetic resin beads that resemble wet sand. As hard water passes through a softener, the calcium and magnesium trade places with sodium ions. Sodium ions are held loosely and are easily replaced by calcium and magnesium ions. During this process free sodium ions are released to the water. After softening a large quantity of hard water the exchange medium becomes coated with calcium and magnesium ions. When this occurs, the exchange medium must be recharged or regenerated. To recharge the softener with sodium ions, a softener is back flushed with a salt brine solution. During a back flush the brine solution replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the exchange medium with sodium ions from the salt solution. The time between recharging cycles depends on the hardness of the water, the amount of water used, the size of the unit, and the capacity of the exchange media to remove hardness.

Advantages

Longer life of appliances including washing machines, dishwashers, and water heaters; less use of household cleaning products, such as detergents, as well as personal care products, like shampoo; reduction of water spotting; cleaner, softer feeling clothes.

Disadvantages

Softened water from a salt-based water softener is not recommended for drinking, watering houseplants, lawns and gardens due to its sodium content. There are many health risks associated with sodium intake. During the softening process sodium is released from the exchange media into the output water. For every grain of hardness removed from water, 8mg/1 (ppm) of sodium is added. People on restricted sodium intake diets should account for increased levels of sodium in softened water. Your family physician should be consulted. Sodium intake from softened water can be avoided by leaving one kitchen tap un-softened from drinking and cooking. Water used in recharging a water softener may over load or reduce the effectiveness of small septic or sewer systems. Softened water is not recommended for small appliances such as steam irons or evaporative coolers. There are additional cost and maintenance required. Salt-based softeners require that salt be added to the system on a regular basis based upon the hardness of the water. Cost of salt is approximately $5 to $7 per 40-pound bag depending on the form

REVERSE OSMOSIS (ULTRA FINE FILTRATION UNDER PRESSURE)

About Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis is used to remove dissolved impurities from water through the use of a semi permeable membrane. Reverse osmosis involves the reversal of flow through a membrane from a high salinity, or concentrated, solution to the high purity, or permeate, stream on the opposite side of the membrane. Pressure is used as the driving force for the separation. The applied pressure must be in excess of the osmotic pressure of the dissolved contaminants to allow flow across the membrane. For example, the membrane may allow passage of water molecules, but blocks molecules of dissolved salt. The membrane retains unwanted molecules while the ultra-pure water continues on for use or further treatment. This process takes any unwanted molecules retained by the membrane and sweeps them away to the drain.

Advantages

Ultra fine filtration at the molecular level filters out 98% of all unwanted molecules. Reverse osmosis removes salt, heavy metals, and most solids.

Disadvantages

Reverse osmosis strips the essential minerals from the water therefore it is not suitable for plants, animals, humans or cooking (according to the World Health Organization). Reverse osmosis water is hard on plumbing and fixtures, due to the non-mineral content in the water. Reverse osmosis only recovers between 5% and 15% of the water entering the system; the rest of the water is wasted. The system requires a connection to a drain for wastewater. The process is relatively slow and requires a storage tank. Low water pressure and high temperatures adversely affect the production of water. A booster pump may need to be installed for low-pressure situations. The storage unit for treated water will support bacteria growth unless regularly disinfected. Costly membranes will need to be replaced periodically.

MAGNETIC WATER SOFTENER / MAGNETIC WATER CONDITIONER(USES MAGNETS)

About Magnetic Water Softeners

The majority of these devices claim to work by causing the carbonate salts that would ordinarily form adherent scale deposits to precipitate as small particles within the water instead. This would also presumably reduce the concentration of the calcium and magnesium ions that react with soaps to form insoluble scum.

Advantages

Magnetic water softening claims to reduce the scale build up and the affects of hard water. The magnetic devises are very inexpensive compared to other methods of softening water.

Disadvantages

The degree of efficiency is constantly changing. The magnetic field exists only in the immediate vicinity of the device and therefore only affects behavior of water that has passed through the immediate vicinity of the device. The state of the water after it has been introduced to the magnetic field will only stay in that state for a period of 48 hours, which means if the water is not used for more than 48 hour it will revert back to hard water with the negative effects. The Tests conducted at Purdue University found "…no significant, beneficial variation in the physical or chemical water quality parameters measured." Another disadvantage is that there is the possibility of experiencing interference from other high voltage cables in the surrounding area.Note: GMX magnetic systems were not tested by Purdue
Conclusion

The above methods of dealing with hard water are proven technologies if used in the right application. We recommend you consider on going maintenance cost as well as initial cost of each system. Please refer to the recommended usage section for a good starting point in your decision-making.

How we rated each system
Note: Water softeners do not remove contaminants, such as chlorine, chloramines, THM's, VOC's, SOC's, they are designed to address hard water issues. It is recommended that a whole house water filter be coupled with any water softener."
 

nUt_jOb

Member
DI resin is for after the RO machine.. it can drop PPMs to 0 and completely neutralize PH. Awesome stuff but if you have to make 100 gallons a week it gets tedious to keep replacing it. If you use DI resin with tap water it wont last long at all.

I have put thousands of gallons out of my Spectra Pure system and dealt with their awesome customer support.. I recommend them.
 

smurfin'herb

Registered Cannabis User
Veteran
someone told me that there is a substance that you can put into a 5gal bucket of water for example. and that it will (over 24hrs) remove almost all the hardness from the water, leaving the bucket now with somethin like 4.5 gal or sumthing b/c of the removed mass.... Anyone heard of this, or was this guy pullin my chain..?
 

nUt_jOb

Member
Sounds like PFM to me.. (pure f...ing magic)

First.. the "hardness" is not half a gallon.. maybe a cup if you really want to quantize it. Probably less.. Think about it.. lets say your water is 350ppm from the tap. That is 350 parts per MILLION..

350/1,000,000 = 0.035% of volume (roughly)

0.035% * 5gal = 0.18 gallons

I guess in reality thats not too far off but I have a pretty extensive chemical (engineering) background and I cant see how thats possible.. There are products that will of course remove chlorine and chemically soften the water but neither of them reduce TDS (hardness). I guess I should mention water softeners don't really remove the TDS, they just force the water with solids through a bed of rock salt and exchange good nutrient minerals with salt.. if FEELS soft on your skin (thats why they call it..).. but its still got high TDS. Hope that helps someone.
 

ShootinBudz

Member
Sleepy said:
from: watersoftenerscompared.com...
"Home Water Softener Comparison and Reviews


Disadvantages

Reverse osmosis strips the essential minerals from the water therefore it is not suitable for plants, animals, humans or cooking (according to the World Health Organization). Reverse osmosis water is hard on plumbing and fixtures, due to the non-mineral content in the water. Reverse osmosis only recovers between 5% and 15% of the water entering the system; the rest of the water is wasted. The system requires a connection to a drain for wastewater. The process is relatively slow and requires a storage tank. Low water pressure and high temperatures adversely affect the production of water. A booster pump may need to be installed for low-pressure situations. The storage unit for treated water will support bacteria growth unless regularly disinfected. Costly membranes will need to be replaced periodically.
[/B]



Sounds like good information besides the source, if you trust the WHO to be correct on information regarding your personal health, then I have a vaccine full of mercury for you that will prevent colds. In it's pure form the RO water will strip minerals from the body and from plants but that's why we add cal/mag and minerals to it, should be all good to go after that right?
 
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