FiddlersGreen
Member
So I have searched and I cant find an answer, at what ppm does tap water require an RO to be efficient.
Do I need an RO filter?
- Thread starter FiddlersGreen
- Start date
vro
Well-Known Member
anything that can burn your pants, small plants lower ppm for bigger it takes more. it is not as important in soil as it is in soiless or hydro runs. ive never used one for my soil plants and never had any burning problems but it is also based on where you live, certain cities have worse water than others
FiddlersGreen
Member
Well this is for a hydro setup. I have my pH and TDS meters coming today so I'll at least know where I stand. Basicly what I need to know is how big of problems could be ceated by skipping water fill.
BAMS
Well-Known Member
RO water is void of all chemicals, it is in definition pure H2O. RO units are minimum 3 stage filtration, the first being a charcoal scrubber which removes any and all Chloromines (including Chlorine). It is the purest water available, and a must for my marine reef tank, if it had chlorine still in it, then all my corals would perish
FiddlersGreen
Member
I thought carbon filters pulled out chlorine?
I'm looking at a multi stage filler, sediment, pre and post carbon, and RO
Cpappa27
Well-Known Member
If you have some good well water just use that. Plants don't want pure filtered water. There's a lot of micro minerals that plants require in the correct amounts and in their natural state in unfiltered water. If you can drink it then your plants most likely can. Good Luck
BAMS
Well-Known Member
I agree for the most part, but I have seen some videos of people reporting that their tap water is already creeping up to 500ppm, and in a soil application such as plants in nature the residual products in tap or well water are able to disapate via the loamy soil. But on the other hand in most Hydro systems that water is circulating around the roots constantly with no place to run off to (unless doing drain to waste). Well water is hit and miss just as tap water. If one should live near industrial, chemical or manufacturing plants then the pollution resides within the rain and needs some sort of filtering. But as you said if you can drink it, then most likely will be ok. So it really boils down to how your roots are going to be able to handle the extras while being constantly flooded by these extras
Smellytree
Member
Ya...Plants hate all that clean low tds rain water .....yuck 
Rrog
Well-Known Member
You guys should do yourself a favor and look this up. Chlorine isn't common in water these days, Chloramine is. Chloramine needs a lot of time in contact with standard activated carbon to remove by pure carbon filtration.
This is why a specialized Chloramine filter is used.
This is why a specialized Chloramine filter is used.
FiddlersGreen
Member
ok so i gt my TDS my tap water is 183ppm so not to shaby. so should i be able to get away without the RO then? I should still go with a chloramine filter though, huh? thats a GAC carbon filter right? any suggestions on a good filter that relatively cheap?
Carolina Dream'n
Well-Known Member
That's pretty hard water my friend. Might want to consider that RO. Gonna lead to some mad ph swings in hydro.
See if you can get a water analysis. It will tell u everything you need to know about your water.
See if you can get a water analysis. It will tell u everything you need to know about your water.
FiddlersGreen
Member
Really? ive seen people who were using way worse, of course that doesnt really mean anything. how much of a ph management issue would it be? if i can avoid the $250 for the RO it would really help.
Carolina Dream'n
Well-Known Member
Just depends what your going for. Less work for more start up money. Or more work for less startup money. Also depends if your looking for perfection or just tryin to get some nugs. Perfection=ro.
Carolina Dream'n
Well-Known Member
My ppm is 100. If it gets above that my ph will drift daily.
FiddlersGreen
Member
yeah im a perfectionist, im just a broke one, lol. since im starting from seed im a few months from flower or even taking clones so i guess there are a few things i can push out the loosen my budget.
now you said you ppm is 100? is that your water right out of the RO or nute solution using RO water? i was under the impression the the Ro system will bring your pmm very close to 0.
now you said you ppm is 100? is that your water right out of the RO or nute solution using RO water? i was under the impression the the Ro system will bring your pmm very close to 0.
BAMS
Well-Known Member
Not sure where your located, but on Australian eBay I found this RO unit that is made for Caravans, over here costing about $98aud....they are only rated at about 50 gallon per day, which is a bit slow compared to the under bench models
Carolina Dream'n
Well-Known Member
That's 100 ppm right out of my tap. Well water. I do not use a RO but change my whole home filter constantly. (Every 2 to 3 weeks)
Trust me, you do not want 50 gallons a day. Get atleast a 100, preferably the 200 hydrologic makes good ones.
Trust me, you do not want 50 gallons a day. Get atleast a 100, preferably the 200 hydrologic makes good ones.
BAMS
Well-Known Member
Agree, I was just throwing a cheaper budget option on the table....the 50gpd is a pain in the arse