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Custom building your own RO system
Good day,
I am curious if building your own ro system is a worth while idea. Here is my thoughts...
I currently reside in a rural area with a 200 ft well drilled into limestone. I get good clear water but it is hard. I currently have a softener system but that leaves me with what I consider non potable water however I do know other families who drink it (yuck). I'd like to have a system in the house that makes the water drinkable and safe for my aquariums.
I've done some basic research into ro. I do not trust my local water conditioning stores for fear of their extremely expensive systems they are trying to sell me that, according to my lab that tested my water, say I do not need.
I understand that I will need a particle and carbon prefilters before the membrane. I understand the water needs to be a desired temperature and pressure for the ro membrane to work.
I would like to install in the following order after my water softener:
-particle counter
-5 gal pressure tank to let the water loose its chill prior to filtration
-Whole home 20 m particle element filter
-whole home 5 m particle element filter
-whole home 1 m particle element filter
-whole home 1 m carbon element filter
-in line pressure pump and pressure regulator switch to maintain proper pressure to the membranes
-2 RO canister in parallel with 50 gpd membranes
-particle counter
-20 gallon pressure tank that will feed 2 faucets and an ice maker
The system itself will be in my basement. The reason I'm using so many particle filters is that I'd expect longer life out of the filters if I step down as I listed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
My questions are:
Am I over complicating this? If I am not crazy, what advice can you give?
Would the whole home filters work effectively as pre filters for the membrane? (I chose them as they have the most standard filters. Which are easiest to find and more cost effective than the small proprietary systems).
Will the RO make this water drinkable and freshwater aquarium safe?
Am I missing anything? I don't think I need UV sterilization as I have no bacteria count in my tests.
I have a lot of the equipment already sourced from other projects.
I am curious if building your own ro system is a worth while idea. Here is my thoughts...
I currently reside in a rural area with a 200 ft well drilled into limestone. I get good clear water but it is hard. I currently have a softener system but that leaves me with what I consider non potable water however I do know other families who drink it (yuck). I'd like to have a system in the house that makes the water drinkable and safe for my aquariums.
I've done some basic research into ro. I do not trust my local water conditioning stores for fear of their extremely expensive systems they are trying to sell me that, according to my lab that tested my water, say I do not need.
I understand that I will need a particle and carbon prefilters before the membrane. I understand the water needs to be a desired temperature and pressure for the ro membrane to work.
I would like to install in the following order after my water softener:
-particle counter
-5 gal pressure tank to let the water loose its chill prior to filtration
-Whole home 20 m particle element filter
-whole home 5 m particle element filter
-whole home 1 m particle element filter
-whole home 1 m carbon element filter
-in line pressure pump and pressure regulator switch to maintain proper pressure to the membranes
-2 RO canister in parallel with 50 gpd membranes
-particle counter
-20 gallon pressure tank that will feed 2 faucets and an ice maker
The system itself will be in my basement. The reason I'm using so many particle filters is that I'd expect longer life out of the filters if I step down as I listed. Please correct me if I'm wrong.
My questions are:
Am I over complicating this? If I am not crazy, what advice can you give?
Would the whole home filters work effectively as pre filters for the membrane? (I chose them as they have the most standard filters. Which are easiest to find and more cost effective than the small proprietary systems).
Will the RO make this water drinkable and freshwater aquarium safe?
Am I missing anything? I don't think I need UV sterilization as I have no bacteria count in my tests.
I have a lot of the equipment already sourced from other projects.