Can anyone recommend a good countertop RO water filter?
We have been buying pre-Fukushima bottled water since march. Lately this has meant the large size bottles of Fiji water. (fwiw - I am aware of the whole bottled-is-same-as-tap thing. Not looking for a debate on that topic. To each their own...)
Long story short we now face two problems: family of four goes through 3-4 1.5 litre bottles a day for all our drinking and cooking needs. That adds up to somewhere in the neighborhood of $300/month for water. There's a recession on, husband is unemployed. This is an unsustainable practice for our family. Secondly, most Fiji in the markets now was bottled 3/28 or later...which is probably the worst we could get. :-)
We want to start filtering our own water and I am hoping there are other people out there who have already been doing this and can recommend a good countertop or portable RO filter.
And also...does anyone know if an RO filter will remove fluoride? (we are in San Francisco where they do add fluoride to the water)
Thanks!
Hello I got my multistage
Hello I got my multistage unit from crystalquest and they have comparable membranes to dow filmtech. My ppm is about 9 same as many bottled ro waters and has a smaller ionizer and remineralizer . Not all RO Membranes are created equal. They also have a portable countertop unit, always use cold water with ro units. Safe materials for the health conscious short of all stainless steel, ect. Also find out if your water comes from some sort of ground source and if so your already better protected due to the filtering effects of the earth. gl!
Nimbus Sierra water filter
we have been using this one http://nimbuswater.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/Sierra.pdf
Counter-Top RO
Some years ago, I purchased several 'Sears' RO Units 'off-the-shelf, for friends and relatives. They were not, if memory serves, a Sears branded product. I expect that any brand-label or off-brand RO unit will be satisfactory. The package labeling should include a sediment filter, charcoal filter and an RO membrane.
The product water tested quite pure, though the city water was 'rank'.
Lots cheaper than bottled water.
The RO membrane will probably last a year or two. It will just produce less and less water, until it is so slow it is obvious. Eventually, some of the 'small' (safe) salt ions will work their way through the membrane. Your icecubes will become 'milky' if the membrane 'wears out' before the production stops.
And yes, any consumer-grade RO unit will remove fluoride, chlorine, sodium and the 'large' radionuclides of interest/concern.
Thanks so much!
Thanks so much!