RO Systems, what don't I know???

[tokinblackguy]

Greets everyone, I may be back up and running soon and the location uses well water as it's main water source. I know I will need a RO Unit to filter and I know what they do and how they do it, generally speaking. I've researched a quite a few from hydro stores online and even some undersink systems.

What I don't know is what's actually useful and what's overkill. Three, 4, and 5 stage systems, what's really necessary for my meager needs? What system are you guys and gals running and what was your source water like? I don't see my needs being much higher than 100 GPD, is a $200-$300 system efficient for well water? I was thinking of using a cheap sediment filter and maybe a de-chlorinator before entering into the RO system. Is that a good idea or would water pressure be an issue?

My last issue is with water loss. I've heard that all RO systems waste water, but I can't seem to find info on how or why. One of the last things I read was that the avg water lost is something 5 gals in to 1 gal cleaned. Any truth to that and what are your experiences?

Sorry for so many questions, I just hate not knowing before buying.

 

[Ichabod Crane]

RO system have a membrane that the water has to pass threw to be cleaned. The water that does not pass is used to flush the impurities out with and away from this membrane. This keeps it clean enough to let the water pass threw. How much gets past is sometimes your choice. This is because some units allow for a water saving feature which causes the membrane to fail faster because of increased pressure on the membrane. All units I am aware off will have some water that will have to be drained to some where. Another thing to be aware of is that in order to run the RO unit will need a minimum pressure to operate. Check with the seller to make sure you well can put out the pressure that is needed. If it can not you will need a pressure boasting kit as well.

Best of luck IC


I just read more of your post as I had to leave earlier.

I am running a hydro logic stealth 100 on a well. My pressure gets to about 50 PSI. 40 PSI is the lowest my unit will operate at with out a pressure boaster. It takes me 37 hours to fill a 55 gallon drum. My PPM comes out around 18-20 from nearly 400.

At first my well didn't put out enough pressure but I adjusted the start pressure for my pump. Be carful if you do this though if your well is old. If you well is old your pressure tank may not hold and could rupture. If this happens it is another couple hundred dollars for one.

You do not need to get chlorine out of well water usually. This only happens if your well is contaminated wish is very unlikely. You may need a sediment filter if you get sand from your pump and usually this is standard with each unit I believe.



Best of luck IC

 

[GP73LPC]

i'm here to learn

 

[turtle farmer]

I too use a Stealth 100 on a well --50 pounds of pressure...
I put a restricter in it in order to waste two gallons for every gallon it cleans.Fills a barrel in 48 hours...my PPM is zero.....I love it....

 

[dansbuds]

http://www.purewaterclub.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=325

This is the unit i bought ..... I've had it 6 months now no probs . ppm's are still in range & working great . it is a little slow .. it takes about an hour to fill a 2 1/2 gallon jug but i have a small garden & thats fine for me . & yeah it dumps 5 gallons of tap or in your case well water down the drain to fill a gallon jug but my tap was killing my plants cuz of the sodium levels & i needed a filter that could remove the salts . brita & those type filters Don't .

set mine up along side my washer . put a Y on the coldwater faucet & put the drain line down with the washer drain .... easy

purewater has some decent prices & any refills you could want . checkem out .

 

[hotboxes]

I was running an R/O system for a while until my water waste bill came into the mail. a 3:1 is3 gallons wasted and 1 gallon filtered, at 100 gallons a day you are wasting 3x the amount of water filtered so if you are using a well you might want to invest in a water pump because the R/o system runs off of the pressure coming from the pressure entering your living quarters. some R/O filters have a higher filter to waste ratio but your going to spend the dough for it.

 

[turtle farmer]

I was on city water until I moved to the country....I thought well water was super filtered and pure,,boy was I way wrong....way too many minerals---calcium mostly.
my garden improved immediately by going with RO water,greener and much healthier.
I'm not sure if you can go wrong with any system,as long as its filtering out the junk the plants dont want....
just my $0.02

 

[LittleAmsterdam]

RO Filters are a 'WASTE' of water and good minerals. They are NOT environmentally friendly and IMO should be outlawed in all states effected by drought.

The sediment and carbon filters prior to the membrane is all you need ! Covert your 4 stage RO system into a 3 stage water filter. I did and will never look back !

Here's just some of the issues with RO Systems
1. Wasted water - 3to1 or 2to1 if you're lucky. That's too much waste !
2. Slow - 48hr to produce any sizable amount that's usable
3. 0 PPMs = 0 Buffer = PH Swings
4. 0 PPMs = 0 minerals = more $$ spent to add them back (Nothing wrong with the minerals that were there after being filtered from my 3stage water filter)

 

[rrog]

I have a 5 stage system. I have a well with hard water so I added the RO system after the water softener. So softened water is running through the RO. Much easier on the RO that way.

To get more volume of water, I added a water pump to increase water pressure before going into the RO system. The pump increases the RO water production.

For giggles, I also added a de-ionizing system of resin beads. Getting close to lab pure water. Note that an RO will not remove the last of the ions, but who cares...

Then I went organic, where none of this is necessary any longer. No pH checking, no PPM checking. No nutes, no pumps, no RO. Straight un-pH'd well water is all that is needed.

Ultimately that is the cheapest and most natural grow method, but I'm not wanting to hijack the thread, so that's all I'll say on that.

 

[qupee]

RO Filters are a 'WASTE' of water and good minerals. They are NOT environmentally friendly and IMO should be outlawed in all states effected by drought.

The sediment and carbon filters prior to the membrane is all you need ! Covert your 4 stage RO system into a 3 stage water filter. I did and will never look back !

Here's just some of the issues with RO Systems
1. Wasted water - 3to1 or 2to1 if you're lucky. That's too much waste !
2. Slow - 48hr to produce any sizable amount that's usable
3. 0 PPMs = 0 Buffer = PH Swings
4. 0 PPMs = 0 minerals = more $$ spent to add them back (Nothing wrong with the minerals that were there after being filtered from my 3stage water filter)

I tend to agree with this.

Also, my local shop has RO units, Growonix maybe, and the higher end models boast a 1:1 waste ratio, the low end models boast 2:1 waste. I don't know if those are realistic or wishful thinking estimates though, as I just use my 100ppm tap water.

 

[Ichabod Crane]

Forgot my well water is 8.5 PH going in and 6.7 after RO treatment.

Also if you run a fertilizer with a good buffer you wont have to worry about the PH swings.

I have more problems with my well water and nute lock out because it is not ROed. Also my water does not have a good balance of minerals in it and fluctuates from season to season.

Personally I wont run my well water with out ROing it, to many variables.

IC

 

[rrog]

If you're running a nute system, you have to calculate all of these variables. If running soil, you don't. I sure don't miss all the fuss.

 

[praisehim.]

RO may waste alot of water. but due to the poor quality of tap water these days, it really helps get the unnecessary CRAP outta there. If your growing hydro, of any sort, i highly recommend getting one.