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Reverse Osmosis System

What Is A Good Price for a Reverse Osmosis System?? Also what is a good brand??
 
Well, I can't give you a good price because I don't use them, but they are pricey. 300 for a small system, and they waiste alot of water. Many are not very efficient. Would there be any way you could find some plastic 55 gallon drums and collect rain water? Would be cheaper, but as far as RO systems go. The cheapest I have seen was 300 for an under the counter system.
 
You can get them on ebay for about $100. I've done so and am very happy. Here's an auction for one that is similar to mine, from the same vendor:

<a href="http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUA-SAFE-100GPD-HOME-REVERSE-OSMOSIS-WATER-FILTER_W0QQitemZ4469993616QQcategoryZ20684QQrd
Z1QQcmdZViewItem" target="_blank">http://cgi.ebay.com/AQUA-SA....iewItem</a>

Capslock
 
I use rainfall collection and AC condensation collection for nearly all of my needs. I live in Houston and do occasioinally use tap water, dropped on top. I always follow up with either rainwater or the very occasionally purchased distilled water. I have also used tap water left out for a few days - to remove the chlorine, not the mineral, of course.
My plants seem to tolerate this very well.
I am in my second season and have lost 0 pitcher plants or VFT's. My nepenthes are very vigorous, and receive almost exclusively straight tap water.
Unless you know for sure your water is very high in minerals, I would look twice before shelling out for an RO system.
Just my opinion, but it is based on talking to and reading what some pretty big growers are saying.
 
Got mine on eBay for about $60. Only has one prefilter before the membrane which isn't ideal, but the water is plenty clean I'm sure.
 
Approximately $60 and it works like a charm both for my CP and hydroponic systems.
 
I got one at Lowes for 168. It's got the prefilter, ro unit and post filter. Best of all I can run by and pick up replacement filters when needed without much effort. Haven't tested the water yet but it sure tastes better than the straight well. I've got it hooked up to the fridge. Can't forget about momma, plus it was easier to spend the money on the family than just my plants.
 
Get one on ebay.
 
  • #10
[b said:
Quote[/b] (droseraguy @ June 19 2006,3:40)]Haven't tested the water yet but it sure tastes better than the straight well
Yuck, Im glad we got city water a while ago. Our well had lots of iron in it so it was all funky tasting. Plus it stained anything white into a pee yellow. We got city water back in 94, our well finally went in 2004. Watertable dropped from all the new houses out here. But anyway, if your water was like mine, do you have a water softener? If not the membrane does not last long
 
  • #11
The only thing about a water softener is it replaces the hardness with salt. VERY BAD FOR PLANTS. Does the RO system remove all the salt afterwords?
 
  • #12
[b said:
Quote[/b] (JB_OrchidGuy @ June 20 2006,8:36)]The only thing about a water softener is it replaces the hardness with salt. VERY BAD FOR PLANTS. Does the RO system remove all the salt afterwords?
I read somewhere that running the softened water through the filter worked better because the salts were easier to remove than the minerals. Whether it's true or not I don't know. I would think though, that as salt is a disolved solid, it would be removed the same as the minerals are.

To improve the life of the membranes you have to occasionally back flush it to remove the crud it filters out of the water. Also, if you have a TFM type membrane, you need a good carbon prefilter to remove chlorine from the water. Chlorine will destroy the thin film membrane in short order.
 
  • #13
Cool cool. Glad someone knew because I didn't. LOL I don;t have any experience with the things. All natural for me. Come on rain I need ti fill my drum back up!
 
  • #14
We are currently renting Culligan's RO system, and I use that water for my plants.
 
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