Water Purification?

[jdmXSI]

I have been looking into getting a system for some time now to help eliminate some of the cemicals and additives in our water (not that our water is terrible) and the other reason is i have a salt water fish tank that needs untreated water. With so many systems available, im not really sure what i should get and was wondering what do you guys have and why?

I know there is your cheap brita jug for about $20-$30 all the way up to a couple grand for a under the counter system. I saw this at planet organic and looked into it but there dosent seem to be many reviews... Heres are a couple of the systems that i was looking at:

(RO) http://www.santevia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=81&Itemid=196 and

(Gravity based counter top) http://www.santevia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=79&Itemid=194

or in ceramic http://www.santevia.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=80&Itemid=195

cheers,

[sputnik]

Calgary tap water doesn't need anything more than a simple active charcoal filter. It will remove any harder minerals and get rid of the chlorine taste/smell.

A Brita will work just fine if you don't need to do it that often.

If you need it throughout the house a bigger charcoal filter with holding tank will need to be installed in your basement.

Don't bother with an RO or any other purification systems. Calgary water isn't bad enough to warrant the expense.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Any thoughts on the on-tap Brita or PUR filters vs the Brita jugs? I use a Brita jug now but often fill up my 1L water bottle or kettle with Brita, so I'm filling it up all the time which is annoying.

[jdmXSI]

Originally posted by sputnik
Calgary tap water doesn't need anything more than a simple active charcoal filter. It will remove any harder minerals and get rid of the chlorine taste/smell.

A Brita will work just fine if you don't need to do it that often.

If you need it throughout the house a bigger charcoal filter with holding tank will need to be installed in your basement.

Don't bother with an RO or any other purification systems. Calgary water isn't bad enough to warrant the expense.

My thought for the RO was for the removal of Flouride, Nitrates and phosphates. Seems the other ones will remove most heavy metals. It would be a huge + for the fish tank since i cant seem to fix an algea problem i have had since i moved into my new place... That is a whole other topic though.

[legendboy]

I also have SW fish at home. I use a 4 stage AquaFX RO/DI filter, and have 2 30g water storage drums, one for RO water and one for salt water.

I don't normally drink RO water but I do use it to brew beer.

You should be able to buy a complete RO system with under sink storage for $5-600

Check out http://www.jugfree.com/


Keep in mind that using an RO filter will produce a 4-1 minumum waste water, more like 6-1 if your not using a pump to up your supply water pressure.

Its an absolute massive waste of water.....

[J-hop]

Originally posted by jdmXSI


My thought for the RO was for the removal of Flouride, Nitrates and phosphates. Seems the other ones will remove most heavy metals. It would be a huge + for the fish tank since i cant seem to fix an algea problem i have had since i moved into my new place... That is a whole other topic though.

watch the news in the near future. From what i've been told they may be removing the flouride additive from our drinking water. We will be looking at a purification system too in the near future as not only does it taste better but things like hot water electric kettles, dishwashers and other utilities that use tap water seem to last longer IMO without the buildup of calcite from our hard water.

Also for those of you looking for something portable I just picked up a water bottle from GNC that has a charcoal filter built into the nozzle so you get great tasting water wherever you are. It seems to have worked well so far at the university (the pipes are so old in some buildings that you get flakes of calcite in your water bottle).

As far as on tap filters i've heard that they don't work so well, but my sources may have been expecting too much from it!

[bradwatson]

Hey guys,

I wanted to throw a product into the ring for your consideration.

www.santevia.com

It's a little on the more expensive side ($180-200), but I think it's worth it if you're an athlete or serious about the quality of water you drink. Basically, the system filters the tap water, then remineralizes it and renders it more alkaline, with an end result pH around 8.2.

In case you guys don't know, the pH and mineral content of the water you drink can drastically affect it's ability to keep you hydrated. And without going into too much detail, the santevia system comes very close to "ideal." If you're the kind of person who buys higher quality spring water (Fiji, Evian, Voss, Eska, etc.) then this will probably be a good option. Personally, I was drinking about 3-3.5 liters of Fiji water a day to keep up with my training as an athlete, so this product will definitely help save some coin in the long run.

I know there will be some guys who don't want to spend the cash on this system, but I thought I would just introduce the product and see if anyone is interested. In Calgary, the table top model is available at places like Community Natural Health Foods and Planet Organic.

Cheers!

Brad