RO filters

[ross]

I've been looking into ro filters trying to plan a switch to hydro but I'm not really understanding how the full set up would be as far as plumbing, water source, draining and stuff. Ive been looking at the hydro logic 100 gallon per day filter. Does it need to always be connected to a water source and have a place to drain? I can't imagine everyone has a water source and drain in their grow room. Do you need a resi for the filtered and unfiltered water? Do people usually just keep filtering the same water in a closed system? Do all the nutrients get filtered out? Any and all info would be helpful Im a complete noob to hydro I understand how flood and drain table systems work but integrating a ro filter into it seems to complicate it immensely.

 

[NorCalHal]

With a RO Filter, you have 1 water input going into the filter.
You will then have 2 outlets. One of the outlets is "clean, filtered" water, that you must store, and then you have 1 "waste water" outlet, that must go to a drain.
The clean water usually goes into a container that has a float valve. Once the container is full, the float valve will close and the RO unit senses the back pressure and shuts off.

The RO will generate clean water at a 1-2 rate, meaning that for every gallon of "clean" water, it will make 2 gallons of "waste" water.

The RO is put to gether with push/pull fittings, very easy to set up. The clean and waste water lines are color coded, so it is very easy to determine what line needs to go to your clean water and which one is waste water.

 

[ross]

Thanks NCH. So the ro filter isnt really "integrated" into the hydro system rather you take water from your ro storage tank to the resi whenever the level drops?

 

[4u2sm0ke]

Thanks NCH. So the ro filter isnt really "integrated" into the hydro system rather you take water from your ro storage tank to the resi whenever the level drops?

:aok:

 

[NorCalHal]

Well, you can do a couple of things. If you wanted the RO to keep your res topped off, you could put a float valve in your res and have the RO keep it topped off, but, of course, the water will be just that, plain water, no nutriunt value at all.
But yes, you could just fill a storage tank and then get your water from there and do what you want. That is what I do.

 

[ross]

Is the intake line usually hooked up to a household waterline or is there an unfiltered tank as well? I have a laundry room next to the grow room and the hookups and drain aren't being used.

 

[NorCalHal]

Hook the ro up with the laundry room hook up and use that drain for your waste water.
If you need longer runs then what the ro came with, any home depot will have the line and fittings you will need. Very easy bro.

 

[ross]

Cool thanks. So if the water line is hooked up and always "on" the pressure won't affect the filter once the float valve shuts it off?

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Just as a side note, your waste water can actually be 4-1 or higher, depending on the amount of dissolved solids in your water. The more dissolved solids in your water, the more waste water you have.

These units process water slowly. If you are looking at a 100 gallon per day unit, it processes up to 4 gal of water an hour. The actual amount it processes is partially dependent on your incoming water pressure. This is the reason that RO units often have holding tanks.

 

[pcduck]

you will need to mix R O water with tap water its hard to grow in straight R O water

:confused2:

I have not found this to be true when growing hydro.

There is no buffers in the RO, so then the buffers in the nutes takes it to the proper pH and keeps it there with no adjustments.

 

[NorCalHal]

you will need to mix R O water with tap water its hard to grow in straight R O water

Totally False.

Yes Ross, you can keep the water on to the RO at all times, as the unit has an internal shut off valve.


THG makes great points also. Your waste water ratio most likely will be higher then 2-1.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

Most units that I have installed are permanently installed. They are connected directly to a pressurized cold water source, have a small pressure tank installed in close proximity to the filters and run to a faucet. The drain is saddled to an existing drain (before the p-trap). I personally have not seen a unit with an internal shut off valve. However most of the units I have installed are undersink models for drinking water.

Like the others mentioned, you do NOT need to mix RO water with tap water. Tap water does contain some trace minerals that your plants need. However it can also contain too much of one thing or things you do not need. If you start out with water very low in dissolved solids, YOU control what your plant is fed.

 

[NorCalHal]

Ya, whats the point of having an RO if your going to mix in "dirty" water anyway.

 

[NorCalHal]

I don't believe you know what your talking about you cant grow in soil in straight ro water. can't be done, nor in hydro

Your funny.

It took me a few mins to grasp what you think you know about RO, and it hit me, you don't understand what it is used for.

You use RO water as a starting point when you make your nuitrient solution. RO water will start you at 0, or near 0 ppms. From there, you add exactally what you want in your nuit mix.

Usuing Regular tap water, you are starting at a ppm of anywhere from 80 ppm to 400 ppm. All bad for the person that wants a perfect garden......

So, for thinking that you would feed your plants plain water anyway, it is I sir, who think you do not know what you are talking about.

 

[pcduck]

do you use R O water?

I do not know if NCH uses RO water, but I do in my DWC with GH 3 part.
I use straight RO with my nutes and my girls love it With No Problems what so ever. They are even doing better then when I used tap water with a low dissolved solids number to start with.

 

[Growdude]

RO water is all ive ever used.

 

[The Hemp Goddess]

I live somewhere now where the tap water is good--about 50 ppms. However where I lived before I had well water that was very highh in dissolved solids and used RO water in my hydro all the time. Used GH Flora series. Added a little Cal-Mag in flowering and had great results.

I don't know why you would be experiencing problems with RO water--it really does not make any kind of logical sense--I can figure out absolutely no reason that RO water could be a problem. I really do not like starting out with more than about 100 ppms (unknowns) in my water, especially for hydro.

 

[NorCalHal]

do you use R O water?

Absolutly. With great results.

Before you slam someone and say they don't know what they are talking about, maybe check some of their grows.......

 

[PUFF MONKEY]

oh snap!!! someone said NHC didnt know what he's talkin' about again!!! lmao. i actually gave my 200gpd membrane to nhc cause i didnt use it..he uses RO, i dont..or should i say didnt..my next grow will use RO. my tap ppm's are around 300 and i constantly burn things when using it.RO makes it much easier to to mix the perfect solution and hence not burn things up. the hydrologic 100(which i own) comes with a garden hose adapter if you need to go that route and the 1/4" waste hose can be tapped into just about anywhere..some folks i know put it in the top of their toilet. you'll need at least 40psi for proper functionallity as well.