Comment

Comment by Dr. George B. Brooks, Jr. on August 25, 2013 at 4:42pm

IMHO RO has real sustainability problems. It works by forcing water through a membrane permeable to the water only (mostly). In this manner it "cleans" 1/3 of the water you provide. However, the other 2/3 of the water containing the salts and other stuff you filtered out along with the salt load that was in the 2/3 of the water anyway is flushed down the drain. 

Comment by Matt Miskinnis on August 25, 2013 at 4:37pm

I would suggest Boogie Blue, Been working great for me and attaches to the hose.

Comment by Scott Bloom on August 25, 2013 at 4:32pm

@ Jim - Using gassed off water is what I am using now for my experimental AP system, but ultimately my full size AP systems will also be the water tanks for the horses, so I will be going through a lot more water and need a way to remove the chlorine.

Comment by Scott Bloom on August 25, 2013 at 4:25pm

Just found this info about a small RO system, does anyone know if this is true or just over exaggerated?

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

Purified water grows healthier, more beautiful and longer-lasting plants than ordinary tap water. Your plants will flourish with our " better-than-rain" quality water. SpectraPure manufactures a wide range of the highest quality water purification equipment available.

Features 

• RO at an economical price 
• 100 and 200 US Gallons Per Day high-rejection Thin Film Membranes
• High-Capacity 1-micron carbon block pre-filter eliminates chlorine, herbicides, and other organic pollutants. 
• High efficiency 1-micron sediment filter. 
• Durable no rust mounting bracket . 
• Garden hose adapter and filter wrench. 
• Dimensions 15" x 7" x 16" . 

Benefits of Reverse Osmosis Water 

• Maximizes nutrient uptake for faster growth and greater yields. 
• Eliminates harmful mineral build-up which damages delicate root hairs. 
• Stabilizes pH of recirculating rockwool, NFT and Ebb Flow hydroponic systems. 
• Ultra-high rejection TFC membrane eliminates up to 99% of harmful minerals, fluorides, chlorides, alkalinity, heavy metals, agricultural and industrial pollutants, chloramine, PCB's, MTBE, and arsenic.

Comment by Jim Troyer on August 25, 2013 at 4:22pm

@ Scott, I know several are using the KDF.  I chose to go with a simple  gas-off tank fashioned from a trash can, and a cooler float setup.

Nice Veggies, John

Comment by Scott Bloom on August 25, 2013 at 3:58pm

Question, I will be modifying my AP system next month, larger FT and sump, and I want to add a float in the sump for auto fill and an in line filter to remove the chlorine and chloramines and what ever else.  I have been reading about the filters that use KDF:

KDF water filtration media is a high-purity alloy of both copper and zinc, KDF is known to kill algae and fungi, control bacteria growth, remove chlorine, pesticides, organic matter, rust, unpleasant taste and odour, hydrogen sulfide, iron, lead, nickel, chromium, cadmium, calcium, aluminium, mercury, arsenic, and other organic compounds.  Other non-metal impurities react with the KDF and form zinc oxides, copper hydroxides, hydroxides, and sulfates in the water. These by-products remain within the drinking water, but are not dangerous, also as part of this reaction, ozone is created and carried through into the drinking water, forming a hostile and desolate environment for algae, bacteria and any other array of micro-organism.

So with that info, "forming a hostile and desolate environment", I am thinking about using a small RO system.  Any help with filtering systems would be greatly appreciated.

Comment by John Malone on August 25, 2013 at 12:47pm

Last of the summer harvest

Finally finished pruning and tidying up the growbeds yesterday.  Pulled the last of the spring onions and leeks, found a few straggling tomatoes and trimmed the mint.  (BTW - all the warnings about mint in AP are true.  Be very, very careful - it goes subterranean and pops up all over the place. It's not quite so bad in a DWC bed.)

Comment by John Malone on August 22, 2013 at 2:42pm

New growth

I went out to feed the fish this morning and glanced at the growbeds, as I am wont to do.   Helloooooooo....... what's that?

Seeds that I planted on Sunday are doing rather well after just 4 days!

Summer Squash

Lettuce Salad Mix

Comment by Jim Troyer on August 20, 2013 at 6:44pm

Very cool Randy! 

Comment by Randy Mann on August 20, 2013 at 5:44pm

Thanks Dr. Brooks....trying to follow in your large footsteps!

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