Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse Osmosis (RO) water purification systems have the capability to reduce and eliminate Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), such as salts and minerals, from your drinking water. In an era of increasing pollution, inorganic minerals and chemicals find their way into our water supply.
The human body's cells naturally reject these contaminants, resulting in the accumulation of dissolved inorganic substances like acid crystals and mineral deposits throughout the body.
This accumulation of contaminants can lead to additional challenges for the body, including joint arthritis, gallstones, kidney stones, and mineral deposits in artery walls. In contrast, organically bound minerals, present in fresh foods like fruits and vegetables, are considered soluble, making them readily absorbable by the body's cells. A single glass of freshly squeezed orange juice, for instance, contains more minerals than 30 gallons of untreated raw water.
Reverse Osmosis Rejection Rate
A typical 5-stage reverse osmosis system has the capability to remove or reduce the following array of contaminants:
Choosing the Ideal Reverse Osmosis System for Your Home in Easy Steps
Is Your Water Source Municipal?
Note:
For safeguarding your property against possible water-related incidents, it's advisable to include a leak detector. You can find a suitable option here. Additionally, if the water pressure from your city source exceeds 70 PSI, consider adding a pressure control valve to protect your RO system from potential damage.
- Firstly, ensure that your incoming city water pressure falls within the range of 55 to 75 PSI. If it's below 50 PSI, it is recommended to consider the addition of a booster pump.
- If your city water pressure exceeds 75 PSI, you may want to incorporate a pressure limiting valve, which can be found here or here.
- It's important to note that adding a pressure limiting valve after the booster pump is unnecessary. The booster pump's pressure will not harm the system or the membrane, even if it reaches 110 PSI. This is because the booster pump's flow rate is restricted to a range of 0.9 to 3 LPM, depending on the specific membrane and booster pump you select from the residential range. However, it's vital to be cautious of the city's high pressure, which can potentially damage the system and the membrane when it reaches 80 PSI. You can find more information on this matter here.
| Water pH Levels | Beverage pH Levels |
|---|---|
| Tap Water = 6-8 | Soda = 2.5 |
| RO Water = 5-7.5 | Coffee = 4 |
| Mineral Water = 7.4-9 | Beer = 4.5 |
When it comes to tap water, the pH level typically falls within the range of 6 to 8. However, the water produced by a Reverse Osmosis system often exhibits a pH level between 5 to 7. If pH is a significant concern for you, which is often the case, you may wish to consider incorporating a pH alkaline filter to restore the drinking water quality. You can explore options like our PH alkaline filter 104051 or our recommended Mix Alkaline Mineral filter 5in1 104185.
For the average family of five, daily water consumption, which includes activities like making tea, coffee, and cooking, amounts to about 1-2 gallons. If you're contemplating the purchase of an RO/DI System, it's essential to consider the size of your aquariums and how frequently you need to change the water in your tank(s).
Are You Using Well Water?
Most well water pumps are engineered to function within the pressure range of 40 to 60 PSI. However, there's a high likelihood that your RO system won't perform optimally without the addition of a reverse osmosis booster pump, particularly if you have a water softener or another whole-house water filtration system. These systems collectively reduce the overall home pressure, which can eventually impact the pressure at the inlet of the reverse osmosis system.
In certain instances, home water pressure may dip below 40 PSI, which is insufficient for the RO system to operate effectively under standard conditions. It's not uncommon for the system to perform well for the first one or two months, but problems may arise when the reverse osmosis pre-filters become clogged with dirt, causing a drop in pressure within the RO system.
To ensure the water is potable, consider incorporating a 0.5 to 1 LPM UV Sterilizer (105551) to eliminate any bacteria present in well water if you don't have a central whole-house UV system.
Note:
If well water contains hydrogen sulfide due to the presence of iron, sulfur, and manganese, and it hasn't been treated prior to the RO system, it can lead to issues such as slime and build-up on the RO membranes if hydrogen sulfide oxidizes or sulfur bacteria are present. RO membranes, by themselves, do not remove odor. To address this, you should introduce an iron filter before the Reverse Osmosis system.
If your Reverse Osmosis system is equipped with a booster pump and your water source contains iron, it can potentially harm the booster. Iron may block the nozzles of the booster pump, damage the bearings, and cause the booster to start leaking, depending on the iron concentration in your incoming water. To prevent premature failure of your RO system, it's advisable to install a primary iron removal system before the RO system to safeguard your equipment. You can choose to add 103458 or explore whole house systems from this link.
We Offer Custom RO Systems
If you can't find a model that suits your specific requirements, we can create a customized system tailored to your needs. Our expertise covers Reverse Osmosis Water systems, ensuring optimal conditions for growing exceptional cannabis.
You can pick:
Before You Start
- First, shut off the main incoming water supply to the system. This is typically done using either the feed water adapter ball valve or the self-piercing saddle valve.
- Open the countertop RO Faucet to drain the storage tank completely. You can collect this water in a container for use while the system is being flushed.
- Turn off the ball valve for the holding tank to prevent water from entering the tank during the filter change.
Replacing the Pre-Filters
- To access the pre-filter housings, use a housing wrench to unscrew them in a clockwise direction.
- Dispose of the used filter and clean the inside of each filter housing by rinsing or washing with a mild dish soap solution.
- Unwrap the new filters and place them inside the filter housings.
- Ensure that the O-Rings are correctly positioned inside the groove of the filter housings. It's important to replace the O-ring every year, but at a maximum of every 2 years, to prevent any potential leaks.
- Hand-tighten the housing by turning it in a counter-clockwise direction. Keep the housing upright to prevent the O-ring from slipping or causing damage to the filter casing.
- Double-check that all the housings are securely fitted, gently tightening with the housing wrench.
Replacing the RO Membrane
- Disconnect the red tube from the fitting on the cap of the membrane housing.
- Unscrew the membrane housing cap (turn it counter-clockwise while holding the housing with your other hand).
- Remove the used membrane (pliers may be needed) and clean the inside of the housing.
- Insert the new membrane into the housing (the end with the double O-ring goes inside the housing first).
Rebooting and Flushing the System
- Turn on the main water supply and storage tank ball valves.
- Check for any leaks; if there is a leak, gently tighten the housing (avoid excessive pressure). If it continues to leak, shut off the mainline and tank ball valve, then open the filter housing. Check if part of the O-ring is protruding from the groove. Flip the O-ring over and re-install the housing, then recheck for leaks.
- After restarting the system, it's necessary to drain the first tank of water. This typically takes 2 hours or less to fill one tank with a 50GPD membrane, and one hour or less for a 100GPD membrane.
Disposal of Used/Old Filters
- Used/old filters must be disposed of in the garbage. Water filters are not recyclable and should be placed in the black bin or garbage.
Changing the Inline Post Filters
- Open the two fittings on the polishing inline carbon filter and discard the old filter.
- Apply 6 to 8 rounds of Teflon tape to the fittings and screw them back onto the new filter. Note: Ensure that you install the new polishing filter with the correct flow direction. Please follow the same process if you have another alkaline, mineral, or DI filter in the 6th stage of your system.