Best (under-sink) budget water filter?

DrDukePHD

Well-Known Member
Chlorine in my community water, just want to filter it out to water my plants & for drinking. Looking for a plug & play "under sink" filter system that is affordable, takes out chlorine/chloramine & doesn't create a bad PH issue for my plants.

What filtration system did you go with?
 

bam0813

Well-Known Member
None and honestly not concerned with it. If my town water report said it wasn’t safe to drink I would but if i can consume it my plant can. Not sure your level but if your growing soil its a waste imo and new growers seem to struggle stripping water to add it back my worthless .02
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
Chlorine in my community water, just want to filter it out to water my plants & for drinking. Looking for a plug & play "under sink" filter system that is affordable, takes out chlorine/chloramine & doesn't create a bad PH issue for my plants.

What filtration system did you go with?
Chlorine is also a plant nutrient.

The Cl levels in tap water are perfectly fine for plants

My tap has chlorine, but also has 35ppm Ca, 12ppm Mg, 25ppm S -all good stuff, compliments of Lake Michigan
 

DrDukePHD

Well-Known Member
None and honestly not concerned with it. If my town water report said it wasn’t safe to drink I would but if i can consume it my plant can. Not sure your level but if your growing soil its a waste imo and new growers seem to struggle stripping water to add it back my worthless .02
So you don't even do the 24-hour bucket thing? I was just looking at cheap solutions like this


My water really smells strong like chlorine coming out of the tap. I don't even want to drink it, so i buy a case of deer park per week. I'd rather filter it, possibly help my plants & not keep wasting all the plastic ya know?
 

bam0813

Well-Known Member
So you don't even do the 24-hour bucket thing? I was just looking at cheap solutions like this


My water really smells strong like chlorine coming out of the tap. I don't even want to drink it, so i buy a case of deer park per week. I'd rather filter it, possibly help my plants & not keep wasting all the plastic ya know?
I do but thats only because my water is ice cold and it’s convenient to have it ready
 

Billy the Mountain

Well-Known Member
Cool, any difference if its chloramine?
Chloramine doesn't readily off-gas like chlorine does.
I still wouldn't worry about it

Some general info and a few scholarly links:
 

Jjgrow420

Well-Known Member
I use a hydrologic stealth ro. Easy, cheap, and it works great. I can tell how good the water is by changing my minnows water. If the minnows stay alive and well there's no chlorine or chloramines left in the water. I can run that water straight to the minnows and they love it.
 

DrDukePHD

Well-Known Member
I use a hydrologic stealth ro. Easy, cheap, and it works great. I can tell how good the water is by changing my minnows water. If the minnows stay alive and well there's no chlorine or chloramines left in the water. I can run that water straight to the minnows and they love it.
Stealth RO150? I see, you just connect it to a garden hose, hmmm neat
 

Chubbycherub

Well-Known Member
I come from a saltwater aquarium hobby where purified water is essential. I bought this unit, not super cheap but it will give you perfect water AND it has a drinking water port as well so if you have a water cooler and jug, you can fill it on your own. My water cooler does cold and boiling hot water. It also comes with an accurate TDS meter, which can't be said for some of them on amazon. You get what you pay for.

---> Water Filter
 

Drop That Sound

Well-Known Member
If you aerate the water in a bucket first, it will gas off a lot quicker than just letting it sit for a day. The amount of chloramines left will stick around, but not enough to kill off the colonies of beneficial bacteria in organic soil or even aquariums.

I would for sure buy the RO unit though. Mostly so you yourself don't have to buy filtered water to drink anymore. I def won't drink straight tap water either.

I actually like having the chlorines/mines because I truck my plant/aquarium water in from town, so it stays sanitary in the capped off tanks & jugs until I use it. Also is a small boost to keeping all my hydroponic reservoirs sterile, without using much if any chlorine bleach or any additives. Free low PPM water and cheap dry nutes = constant partial daily water changes = decent concentration of chloramines= cold enough temps= less chance of root rot.
 

DrDukePHD

Well-Known Member
If you aerate the water in a bucket first, it will gas off a lot quicker than just letting it sit for a day. The amount of chloramines left will stick around, but not enough to kill off the colonies of beneficial bacteria in organic soil or even aquariums.

I would for sure buy the RO unit though. Mostly so you yourself don't have to buy filtered water to drink anymore. I def won't drink straight tap water either.

I actually like having the chlorines/mines because I truck my plant/aquarium water in from town, so it stays sanitary in the capped off tanks & jugs until I use it. Also is a small boost to keeping all my hydroponic reservoirs sterile, without using much if any chlorine bleach or any additives. Free low PPM water and cheap dry nutes = constant partial daily water changes = decent concentration of chloramines= cold enough temps= less chance of root rot.
So half the people say use tap water, no worries at all & the other half say buy a RO system. Daaaayum!
 
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