R/o system

[Tony Paroubek]

I have killed many of the handheld dip in units ;/ They are pretty much toast if they dry out and keeping them moist is a royal pain. The remote probe unit I have now is great. The probe is not cheap. About as much as the whole handheld unit but it is far superior in quality. Does not need to be kept sitting in solution although it is easy to do if you wish. IE it fits nicely through the top of the solution bottle.

Personally for CP use you really only need to test your RO system once or twice a year if you do a good job changing the filters and maintaining the system. Probably easier to just find a decent aquarium shop or pool shop somewhere and paying them the few bucks to do a quick test for TDS.

These days a good typical 3stage RO unit is easy to come by and they all use standard housings. Most companies selling them construct them from parts made by central manufacturers anyway and just stick their own label on them. As long as it's a TFC membrane, what is important is to check the quality of the prefilters.. Solid Carbon block as opposed to granular and a separate 1micron (or less) sediment filter. Unit like that and you will have plenty pure enough water for all cps..

Tony

 

[LauraZ5]

Please no cyber bricks pointed at my user name ok... has anyone who lives in a home who has gutters considered rain water collection?

http://rainbarrelguide.com/

I have two big momma rain barrels (not pictured at that site above) that I received the last holiday season that aren't hooked up. Prior to receiving those, I had been placing basins under my downspouts to collect water. I would run around in the rain like a frantic idiot and empty the water from the basins into 2.5 gallon jugs and could easily get 100 gallons if not more per rainfall to set aside in my "water stash". Yes, very labor intensive however I had more than enough water to care for my plants with hundreds of gallons left over. I'm still using that rain water now for my indoor seedlings and plants. Just a thought if anyone out there is not in a position to be able to afford to go for RO right now.

 

[nepenthes gracilis]

I used rainwater one and will never again. It was so dirty from the roof of my house, looked like muddy water, especially when the trees are in flower...good luck getting clean rainwater. I was tempted to try it again and place fine screen and polyfiber (the fluffy stuff used in aquarium filters) to try to keep it filtered.

 

[LauraZ5]

In the fall, my rainwater is somewhat tainted color wise from the tannins of oak leaves. The other issue I had earlier on just after this house was first built was that granules from the asphalt shingle roof were ending up in my basins. They settle to the bottom quite nicely however I was nervous about their presence. I sent water samples to my girlfriend to test and she stated the water was well within acceptable ranges.  My girlfriend is a microbiologist and I don't pay for any testing.  Other than that, I am in a rural area and the water I collect is perfect for me. You raise very valid points in that I can see where water quality could most assuredly be an issue for others. I do also have a very tall 2 story home so blooms from flowering trees and shrubs are considerably less likely to get in the gutters which could very well be another factor to consider for others.