Reverse Osmosis Water Filters

slowone

slowone

Jedi Master
Hi all,

Have been weighing up investing in a Reverse Osmosis water filter for a while now. Obviously there are many internet sites that sell them and the prices seem to vary greatly.

Does anyone who has one have any advice about what to look for? I was thinking of fitting it myself as certainly some sites say it is a DIY job not a plumbing job.

I thought around £150.00 was our budget, but as I say should I be wary of the cheaper models or are the differences just convenience not quality of purification ? (for instance).

Any advice would be great.
 
Hi Slowone,

I am also thinking of buying a reversed osmosis water filter. So far, I haven't done a great deal of research but in case it is of any help, this post:
http://www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=12588.msg138530#msg138530

made me realize that much water can be wasted in this particular filtering process, and that there is a way to minimize it by including a permeate pump.
 
Hi slowone. I bought my RO from this supplier _http://www.eastmidlandswater.co.uk/default.asp?menuID=1 The fitting is very easy. If you go to this page here _http://www.eastmidlandswater.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=50 there is a fitting video which will give you a good idea of what’s involved.

I would advise you to go for a 5 stage (minimum) RO system due to the fact that most areas in the UK have very hard water. To improve the filtration further, I’ve also added a DE Ionization Filter _http://www.eastmidlandswater.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=758 (very easy to fit) I would also recommend you get a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter to monitor the quality of your filtered water.

I’ve opted for the 5 Stage pumped ROS (£169.95 incl. Delivery) because of the low water pressure in the flat where I live. A RO with a pump also has the advantage of filtering water much faster and some retailers claim that that a pumped RO will produce water with a lower TDS (the lower the better).

If you are worried about the loss of minerals you can add an additional stage RO mineral filter which will add the necessary minerals _http://www.eastmidlandswater.co.uk/Details.asp?ProductID=757


I hope this helps.
 
Hi slowone

I bought mine just after xmas off an ebay shop, contained the 5 stage R/0 unit plus tank and pump, they also included a full set of filter and a TDS meter and a faucet, I did the installation which took a bit of time getting the faucet position right and drilling through my work top next to the sink, but the rest is straight forward, just take your time. You might need to visit a plumber supplies, i needed a piece to add onto my inlet water supply, don't forget plumbers tape.

From what i can gather after looking at many sites selling R/O's, the 5 stage R/O units all seem to look the same, it just the sticker thats put on the front mounting plate that changes.

Here is the link if you are interested, by the way i am really please with the water, tastes so much better, i also rinse all my drinking glasses after wash, and i get not smears of dried chlorine.

___http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/5-STAGE-REVERSE-OSMOSIS-WITH-80psi-BOOSTER-PUMP_W0QQitemZ260505171718QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_Home_Garden_Food_SM?hash=item3ca7517706
 
I am also planning to buy a reverse osmosis water filter machine but my budget is too low. I’ll get to look in some online store like Amazon and ebay but the price is too expensive. Some people said machine like that is really too expensive than other water filters that we can use in our house.
 
mhegz said:
I am also planning to buy a reverse osmosis water filter machine but my budget is too low. I’ll get to look in some online store like Amazon and ebay but the price is too expensive. Some people said machine like that is really too expensive than other water filters that we can use in our house.
Click to expand...

Hi Mhegz,

I bought a RO 5 filters system for 169 euros from aquaeuro.com. It's been working very well.
 
Finally seen the light, as the filters (originals) for my Brita have become difficult to get. Eventually sourced a year’s worth, but in researching to find them I became aware of little was actually filtered! So I followed up Belibaste’s link, and bought one after the holiday period (beating the VAT increase) from the UK supplier (emwc.co.uk) for GBP144.95. It arrived today, just checking it through prior to installing.

I ‘m following Belibaste’s practice (www.cassiopaea.org/forum/index.php?topic=14552.msg176755#msg176755):
Belibaste said:
No doubt that fluoride water doesn't help. I was renting my previous place so I couldn't damage the sink either. However I installed a RO system. It was under the sink, the faucet pipe was going between the cupboard door and the rest of the sink base, and the I left the U shape faucet (closed of course) hanging on the side of the sink.
Click to expand...

Ditto with the waste pipe.

Thanks.
 
Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a reverse osmosis filter, and I'm a little confused. The price span is pretty wide - ranging from 70 Euros here on German Amazon (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00647I500), apparently intended for fish tanks, to 270 Euros (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N7DAWOE), also intended for fish tanks.

One in the mid-range looks interesting (170 Euros, _https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00ES1J19S). This one is actually intended for producing drinking water :D, and it's a 5-stage filter system.

Now, do I need 5 stages - micron filter, carbon filters, reverse osmosis etc.? Or isn't one reverse osmosis membrane sufficient? Can you get away with a "cheapie" for fish tanks or would that be a bad idea?

I just need it for producing drinking water (+ coffee & tea water).

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!
 
luc said:
Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a reverse osmosis filter, and I'm a little confused. The price span is pretty wide - ranging from 70 Euros here on German Amazon (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00647I500), apparently intended for fish tanks, to 270 Euros (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N7DAWOE), also intended for fish tanks.

One in the mid-range looks interesting (170 Euros, _https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00ES1J19S). This one is actually intended for producing drinking water :D, and it's a 5-stage filter system.

Now, do I need 5 stages - micron filter, carbon filters, reverse osmosis etc.? Or isn't one reverse osmosis membrane sufficient? Can you get away with a "cheapie" for fish tanks or would that be a bad idea?
Click to expand...

Not sure about one membrane, but usually most good RO systems range between 4 and 9 stages. I don't know much about the German brands you linked so it really depends on how much chemicals they put in the water supply in Germany. In North America, they put the entire gamut including fluoride so we have a 5 stage system in place. Although it can get pricey and you do need to maintain and replace the filter systems roughly twice a year. Are you getting your water from a well or a city supply? Have you had the water tested for impurities, metals, etc? Some of the better systems also remineralize the water so you don't get that flat taste. Here's a few reasons why there are so many stages and filters in place. If you read the link attached it gives a really good breakdown of how the systems operate and what different types of multi-staged filters actually do. If money is an issue and you're not using it for a LOT of water, you could even look into a simple distiller, which is a lot less installation and maintenance, but not as convenient, but still does the trick. You just need to get used to the taste of flat water or remineralize it yourself.

_http://www.ro-system.org/

Pre-Membrane Filters

In normal drinking water, there are materials that, although invisible to the naked eye, are large enough to damage the RO membrane. Typically, this filter (or filters) will filter out all solids such as rust and sand, chlorine, etc. through a 5-micron filter.

RO Membrane

The RO membrane is an ultra-fine filter; it filters everything larger than 0.001 microns. This means that virtually the only thing that can pass through the membrane is pure water. There are some dissolved solids that can get through but the membrane can remove as much as 98% of dissolved solids from the water. With the membrane being so fine, it is understandable to see why the water pressure would affect how quickly the water would pass through the membrane.

Final Filter

Most systems pass through an additional carbon filter at this stage to remove any lingering tastes and odors from the water. The purified water is then delivered to a storage tank until required.
Click to expand...
 
luc said:
Hi all,

I'm about to purchase a reverse osmosis filter, and I'm a little confused. The price span is pretty wide - ranging from 70 Euros here on German Amazon (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00647I500), apparently intended for fish tanks, to 270 Euros (_https://www.amazon.de/dp/B01N7DAWOE), also intended for fish tanks.

One in the mid-range looks interesting (170 Euros, _https://www.amazon.de/dp/B00ES1J19S). This one is actually intended for producing drinking water :D, and it's a 5-stage filter system.

Now, do I need 5 stages - micron filter, carbon filters, reverse osmosis etc.? Or isn't one reverse osmosis membrane sufficient? Can you get away with a "cheapie" for fish tanks or would that be a bad idea?

I just need it for producing drinking water (+ coffee & tea water).

Any thoughts or suggestions? Thanks!
Click to expand...

Hi luc, I actually have a 3-stage reverse osmosis fish tank filter and it definitely does the job for me. I can't drink tap water where I live and my landlord won't let me install a permanent RO unit so my only option is a portable filter. Mine was recommended to me by someone who has some really fancy and overly sensitive fish that cannot be exposed to fluoride and need really clean water. So far I've been happy with it. I bought a TDS meter ( this one: ) and the PPM of my water shows zero.

That said, if money and installation isn't an issue, I'd definitely go for a top of the range model with at least 5 stages - and that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive one. You can get a really decent one for 150-200 Euro. The one costing 170 Euros looks fine, if you compare it with normal under the sink units it does the same job and has the same stages. But for that price you can actually get a normal drinking water one - in case there is in fact a difference I myself can't see. Even if it's only the way it's installed because I guess you'd like the comfort of use on top of clean water.
 
Turgon said:
Not sure about one membrane, but usually most good RO systems range between 4 and 9 stages. I don't know much about the German brands you linked so it really depends on how much chemicals they put in the water supply in Germany. In North America, they put the entire gamut including fluoride so we have a 5 stage system in place. Although it can get pricey and you do need to maintain and replace the filter systems roughly twice a year. Are you getting your water from a well or a city supply? Have you had the water tested for impurities, metals, etc? Some of the better systems also remineralize the water so you don't get that flat taste. Here's a few reasons why there are so many stages and filters in place. If you read the link attached it gives a really good breakdown of how the systems operate and what different types of multi-staged filters actually do. If money is an issue and you're not using it for a LOT of water, you could even look into a simple distiller, which is a lot less installation and maintenance, but not as convenient, but still does the trick. You just need to get used to the taste of flat water or remineralize it yourself.
Click to expand...

Thanks a lot, Turgon! I think I understand better now how these things work. We won't be connected to the water system but directly to a source; however, the water is run through an external water system, I'm not sure whether they add some stuff, possibly a little chlorine. Haven't done any tests there (we're about to move to a new place). So I guess a good system can't hurt.

As for distillers, I have a "water wise" I currently use, however the quantity of water is not sufficient for two people. Plus, it's a huge energy hog - it consumes 800 watts and since I run it almost every night (4h), this amounts to 300 Euro a year!! Something to be aware of for those who want to buy a distiller. Plus, it's rather inconvenient. That's why I wanted to go for RO in the new place.


Ant22 said:
That said, if money and installation isn't an issue, I'd definitely go for a top of the range model with at least 5 stages - and that doesn't necessarily mean the most expensive one. You can get a really decent one for 150-200 Euro. The one costing 170 Euros looks fine, if you compare it with normal under the sink units it does the same job and has the same stages. But for that price you can actually get a normal drinking water one - in case there is in fact a difference I myself can't see. Even if it's only the way it's installed because I guess you'd like the comfort of use on top of clean water.
Click to expand...

Thanks Ant22! I hadn't thought about the installation issue - I'd like to have a clean install under the sink with an extra tap, so I don't get that with a fish tank model I gues unless I put in some extra mods/work. So that's the main difference I guess.

Thanks again!
 
luc said:
Thanks a lot, Turgon! I think I understand better now how these things work. We won't be connected to the water system but directly to a source; however, the water is run through an external water system, I'm not sure whether they add some stuff, possibly a little chlorine. Haven't done any tests there (we're about to move to a new place). So I guess a good system can't hurt.

As for distillers, I have a "water wise" I currently use, however the quantity of water is not sufficient for two people. Plus, it's a huge energy hog - it consumes 800 watts and since I run it almost every night (4h), this amounts to 300 Euro a year!! Something to be aware of for those who want to buy a distiller. Plus, it's rather inconvenient. That's why I wanted to go for RO in the new place.
Click to expand...

Distillers do have their disadvantages because they are major energy hogs, that's for sure. And also constantly refilling it and then placing that water in large glass jars for use later on. And it almost sounds to me like you have a well of some kind close by and there's a pump attached to it that's directing the water to the house. If that's the case, depending on what kind of pump it is, you should in theory be able to hook up the RO to it. Although that's something you'd need to look into. I would think based on the technology, that some companies planned for people purchasing RO systems who aren't connected to a city source.
 
I agree that distillers can be a pain to run, especially for a larger family where they have to be on every day to keep up with the water usage. One tip to improve the running time is to fill the unit with hot water so that it boils faster.
 
Ninas said:
I found that Bluevua Reverse Osmosis System from Amazon does the Job.

At times, the water does taste a little flat, but I just put it out in the Sun for a while and then in the fridge to cool, and it seems to taste better.

For someone who lives in a small apartment, it's the best product that I've found so far that doesn't take up too much space.

Amazon.com

61UmDL17kDL._SL1500_.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I'm confused about RO specifically why is flow rate determined in membrane cartridges rather than the pump/pressure system only? would a lower gpd membrane have smaller pores?

and are they really able to remove nanoparticles (hormones, nanoplastics etc)??
 
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