the RO membrane removes most of the the flouride, but not quite 100%. i paid over $200 for mine over 10 years ago, but they're half that for better ones (more stages) these days. when i recently replaced the cartridges, i learned enough about how they work to select better cartridges and also re-configure it a bit. a typical RO system basically has several standard size cannisters holding a sediment filter, some kind of carbon filter, the RO membrane, and some kind of final "polish" filter. i now have 3 cannisters before the RO membrane; 1)very fine sediment (1 micron), 2)granular activated carbon & KDF-55 resin, 3)carbon block 0.5 micron. 2 & 3 remove almost all chlorine and a lot of chemicals including some flouride... the RO membrane gets the rest of the chemicals including flouride very well. after that, a de-ionizer resin (changes color when tired) cartridge that traps dissolved solids as ions (that's what reduces the reading on a TDS meter way down near zero), then a 0.5 micron carbon "polish" cartridge to catch any of the DI resin that might leak through. it turns out that for what i spent on cartridges (and a "thumper" pump thingie that makes it work much more efficiently with more pressure and less waste water) i could've bought the whole system new incl shipping ...
if your store-bought is good, that's great, but consider: for CS and general drinking/cooking i use at least 2 gallons/day so i figure the whole thing will be paid for in 3-4 months. and i don't have to remember to get water when shopping or be generating and dragging around yet more plastic jugs. sediment filters are very cheap, and get changed every few months. the others last longer ... you can get 5 years out of a RO membrane if the other cartridges preceeding are kept up with. i'm too cheap to NOT have an RO setup. the cost of time grinding away what teeth i have left (& gas) while going back to the store all pissed off to get the water i forgot is unacceptable. > -----Original Message----- > From: Clayton Family [mailto:clay...@skypoint.com] > Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 8:46 PM > To: silver-list@eskimo.com > Subject: Re: CS>Plunged!- water issues > > > Hi Bob, > > So your setup will take out flouride, will it take out chemicals? I > used to like the Brita, I would boil the water first, then use the > Brita and the water would taste pretty good. Now I just buy all my > water. I am too cheap to get an RO setup, also I am not sure it would > be better here than the store bought. > > Kathryn > > On May 21, 2008, at 7:22 PM, bob Larson wrote: > > > you'll do fine. don't be discouraged if you mess up a few times... > > just > > make use of that which you wouldn't drink in other ways around the > > homestead. > > > > at $8US /liter for the DW (if i recall that right) you gotta get away > > from > > that a.s.a.p. > > consider a Reverse Osmosis water filter with de-ionizer cartridges to > > install under the sink. if needbe, you can get a garden hose adapter > > and > > use it anywhere but it's nice to have RO available from it's own > > spigot on > > the sink top. the de-ionizer will make it real nice, almost as pure as > > distilled but it doesn't trap or kill microbes (which will be dead > > already > > if you water supply is chlorinated as most is). then an economical > > countertop pitcher style distiller won't have much to do at all. and > > flouride will be gone too. > > the RO water is great to drink/cook with if trace minerals are added > > back > > into it via Concentrace or the like. > > > > i'm using RO & de-ionized water without distilling for my CS and it > > makes > > better CS than any of the DW available from the grocery stores except > > that > > from Whole Foods (strangely they're also the cheapest too). > > > > cheers, > > bobL > > > >> -----Original Message----- > >> From: Dee [mailto:d...@deetroy.org] > >> Sent: Wednesday, May 21, 2008 1:11 PM > >> To: silver-list@eskimo.com > >> Subject: CS>Plunged! > >> > >> > >> Just thought I'd tell you all that I've finally plucked up > >> courage and ordered my generator so am quite excited although a > >> bit nervous about it! Lord knows what sort of mess I'll make of > >> it, but nevertheless, nothing ventured nothing gained, as the > >> saying goes... I've also ordered some distilled water so hope > >> that goes ok, and who knows, I may end up getting my own > >> distiller! Brave talk indeed for a mechanically challenged OAP! Dee > > > -- > The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. > > Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org > > To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com > > Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com > > The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... > > List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com> > >
