Water filter opinion

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Dailyj38

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Looking into water filter options. What does everybody use for a water filter? I dont want to run to store water when i brew, i would like to hook up a filter, turn it on low, lit it fill kettle and do other things getting ready for my brew day. I dont know anyhting about water filter, so any advice would be awesome.

I am looking at the water filter from morebeer, Water Filter Kit - 10 inch, https://www.morebeer.com/products/water-filter-kit-10-inch.html, but I am not sure if that is good or garbage. If anyone uses that, what are your thought?

I live in tampa, florida, and the water is not great.

Thank you!
 
I have that filter from MoreBeer. It did the trick more or less. Removes a good chunk of unwanted's but I was still having water issues (water here in San Diego sucks). So, ultimately I decided to move to store bought water. For a while I was paying $1/gal for distilled sparklettes water. Eventually I found a water place by me that will fill 10 gals of R.O. water for $3. So its a win there and I stopped using the filter.

IMO that filter is good for water that is decent and just needs to have some chlorine removed.
 
you can make your own- one or two filter housings and .5 micron filter with some fittings.
here's the housing
Culligan HF-150A 3/4-Inch Whole House Sediment Water Filter

filter
KX MATRIKX Pb1 10-Inch Length Extruded Carbon Block Filter Cartridge, 1-Pack
 
A sediment filter is going to remove sediment, period. It won't change your water's composition. Put a carbon block filter in the housing and it'll remove VOCs and chlorine, but you need to run it pretty slowly. It will not change the mineral composition of your water one iota.
 
Thorsbrew said:
If you're gonna spend $50 for a single filter i'd just bump that up to $70-100 and get an actual RO with at least 3 stages system.
Click to expand...

Doesnt RO take everything out? Im not up to building my own water yet, been brewing about a year.... Which one would you reccomend?
 
Dailyj38 said:
Doesnt RO take everything out? Im not up to building my own water yet, been brewing about a year.... Which one would you reccomend?
Click to expand...

Honestly i havn't gotten to RO yet either, but i will.

From what i've read you can use RO water without adding the minerals back but i certainly would as its not very difficult. Ritebrew.com has a ton of minerals and plenty of other stuff for a few bucks each. Gypsum would probably be the first thing to grab but i'd look up guides on that.

If you're using beersmith it should have a water chemistry tool. Then its just a matter of adding how much it says to for a recipe provided you've got a cheap small scale.

Of course its up to you but if it were me i definitely wouldnt be spending $50 on a simple sediment filter when i can get 3 stage RO for $70 from places like purewaterclub and tons of other places you can find from threads on here.
 
I have this exact system from this seller I bought about 4 years ago for brewing and my Reef tank mainly... works great. http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Stage-Kit...580777?hash=item236fbe0a29:g:D0oAAOSwV0RXqOTl

they also have systems for less output a day like this 50gpd unit for $105 shipped...

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-Stage-Kit...580777?hash=item236fbe0a29:g:D0oAAOSwV0RXqOTl
They actually ship from toronto even though it says buffalo they dont have a warehouse here.
The filters are universal despite the way some companies make it seem... and they are cheap and last a long time. RO water makes a huge difference... I have a TDS meter which shows what it removes.. makes it way easier to adjust the ph or the water and mash too.. otherwise I have to add like 5 times as much lactic acid for the same effect. for most beers I do a mix though of decholinated tap water and RO ... stouts for example do better with the mineral content found in my tap water so I dont use RO but other beers benefit.
 
Thorsbrew said:
Honestly i havn't gotten to RO yet either, but i will.

From what i've read you can use RO water without adding the minerals back but i certainly would as its not very difficult. Ritebrew.com has a ton of minerals and plenty of other stuff for a few bucks each. Gypsum would probably be the first thing to grab but i'd look up guides on that.

If you're using beersmith it should have a water chemistry tool. Then its just a matter of adding how much it says to for a recipe provided you've got a cheap small scale.

Of course its up to you but if it were me i definitely wouldnt be spending $50 on a simple sediment filter when i can get 3 stage RO for $70 from places like purewaterclub and tons of other places you can find from threads on here.
Click to expand...

Ok. Thank you for the information. I will have to look into that. I will buy the RO if it is that much better. Ill surf around here a read up on water building.... Hopefully it is not that hard to learn... If Beersmith will tell me what to add, then i think i can do it. Thank you again for your help!
 
brew703 said:
you can make your own- one or two filter housings and .5 micron filter with some fittings.
here's the housing
Culligan HF-150A 3/4-Inch Whole House Sediment Water Filter

filter
KX MATRIKX Pb1 10-Inch Length Extruded Carbon Block Filter Cartridge, 1-Pack
Click to expand...

I am all for building things myself, do you have any pics? I am interested in this, sounds like a fun project. :D
 
You can also go with a portable RO system like the ones on Ebay. $69 isn't a bad deal for a 4 stage filter. Just not sure how good they are. If anyone has one of those systems I would be interested to know how they perform.
 
Dailyj38 said:
Doesnt RO take everything out? Im not up to building my own water yet, been brewing about a year.... Which one would you reccomend?
Click to expand...

RO removes almost everything. It's great!

I have one from Bulk Reef Supply, and I paid about $119 for it. (It was a while ago, so the price has gone up some I'm sure). I know Buckeye Hydro has some affordable ones as well.

Mine has a 75 gallon per day capability, but I get less because I don't have great water pressure. It takes a couple of hours to get enough water for a batch, but I like that better than running to the store to get water.
 
brew703 said:
You can also go with a portable RO system like the ones on Ebay. $69 isn't a bad deal for a 4 stage filter. Just not sure how good they are. If anyone has one of those systems I would be interested to know how they perform.
Click to expand...
see my post earlier in this thread... been using mine from ebay everyday for 4 years now.
 
Yooper said:
RO removes almost everything. It's great!

I have one from Bulk Reef Supply, and I paid about $119 for it. (It was a while ago, so the price has gone up some I'm sure). I know Buckeye Hydro has some affordable ones as well.

Mine has a 75 gallon per day capability, but I get less because I don't have great water pressure. It takes a couple of hours to get enough water for a batch, but I like that better than running to the store to get water.
Click to expand...

you can always upgrade the standard tank (which only holds 3 gallons of water) they usually come with, to a larger holding tank.. Ive almost done this myself numerous times..
 
brew703 said:
Thanks. I would like one without a tank, which Ebay has several.
Click to expand...

I assume you dont know this but for a real RO system you kinda need a tank really... The water comes out at such a small trickle it takes hours just to fill a bucket.. The tank acts as a temporary storage for the system to build up a supply for when you need it.
RO systems also waste about 3/4 of the water that goes through them as well... they normally are plumbed into your drain so as the water is forced by the memebrane which purifies some the rest is used to soft of keep the membrane clean and down the drain... its also why you need at least 40psi water pressure to work correctly.
 
augiedoggy said:
I assume you dont know this but for a real RO system you kinda need a tank really... The water comes out at such a small trickle it takes hours just to fill a bucket.. The tank acts as a temporary storage for the system to build up a supply for when you need it.
RO systems also waste about 3/4 of the water that goes through them as well... they normally are plumbed into your drain so as the water is forced by the memebrane which purifies some the rest is used to soft of keep the membrane clean and down the drain... its also why you need at least 40psi water pressure to work correctly.
Click to expand...

Yes, I do understand about the tank. It's only going to be used for brewing water and I have no issue with taking a half day or so to get the desired volume needed. I just want something compact that I can keep on a shelf and hook up to a faucet outside.
 
Sorta depend on how often you brew.

I have a 5/gal day water distiller and have considered changing to a RO system. However, for how often I'm brewing these days it's pretty good bargain to just buy RO water for $1/5 gallons from a water place up the road. Granted, not every place it may be available for $1/5 gallons but water purification systems have maintenance costs in addition to the initial outlay. Just have to do the math to see if/where you have a break even or pay back point.
 
I have pretty good water for brewing and use a filtere under sink kit. The advanced one w the kit is what Ive used for over a year. Now they have a maximum filter that I will buy this summer after my filter change interval is up. I run the water VERY SLOWLY for brewing use to maximize the efficiency of it.

https://www.amazon.com/Filtrete-Advanced-Filtration-Replacement-3US-PF01/dp/B001DVW0PI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1487368486&sr=8-1&keywords=filtrete%2Bunder%2Bsink%2Bwater%2Bfilter&th=1

If I have to dilute for some style for some reason.. I buy RO water in gallon jugs from walmart.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
brew703 said:
Yes, I do understand about the tank. It's only going to be used for brewing water and I have no issue with taking a half day or so to get the desired volume needed. I just want something compact that I can keep on a shelf and hook up to a faucet outside.
Click to expand...

What size batches do you do? The stanard pressure tank the RO systems often come with are only 3 gallon. I'd personally hate to fill 3 gallons then have to wait 2 more hours to collect another 3 for however many multiples of 3 gallons i need. What i'm going to do is pretty much copy this [ame]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuHZMLlpPc[/ame]

You dont have to have a receptacle that large. Im going to try and find a 10-15 gallon one with a lid, put a ball lock valve on the bottom and voila. Money you save on getting RO without a pressure tank (larger ones can get kinda pricey) you can use on those parts. Just need to figure out what fittings you need like in the video.

I'm also going to use my RO setup for drinking water. It really will make it much healthier for us especially as i drink a lot of water. With a 10-15 gallon receptacle itll be easy to open the top and drop in a few minerals right into the reservoir of water too.
 
Thorsbrew said:
What size batches do you do? The stanard pressure tank the RO systems often come with are only 3 gallon. I'd personally hate to fill 3 gallons then have to wait 2 more hours to collect another 3 for however many multiples of 3 gallons i need. What i'm going to do is pretty much copy this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuHZMLlpPc

You dont have to have a receptacle that large. Im going to try and find a 10-15 gallon one with a lid, put a ball lock valve on the bottom and voila. Money you save on getting RO without a pressure tank (larger ones can get kinda pricey) you can use on those parts. Just need to figure out what fittings you need like in the video.

I'm also going to use my RO setup for drinking water. It really will make it much healthier for us especially as i drink a lot of water. With a 10-15 gallon receptacle itll be easy to open the top and drop in a few minerals right into the reservoir of water too.
Click to expand...

I brew 3 gallon batches which takes about 5.65 gallons. I don't want to fill a tank with 3 gallons then have to wait for it to refill. I probably brew 2 times a month so with a portable system I can just let it go and fill my kettle to the amount I need.
 
Thorsbrew said:
What size batches do you do? The stanard pressure tank the RO systems often come with are only 3 gallon. I'd personally hate to fill 3 gallons then have to wait 2 more hours to collect another 3 for however many multiples of 3 gallons i need. What i'm going to do is pretty much copy this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuHZMLlpPc

You dont have to have a receptacle that large. Im going to try and find a 10-15 gallon one with a lid, put a ball lock valve on the bottom and voila. Money you save on getting RO without a pressure tank (larger ones can get kinda pricey) you can use on those parts. Just need to figure out what fittings you need like in the video.

I'm also going to use my RO setup for drinking water. It really will make it much healthier for us especially as i drink a lot of water. With a 10-15 gallon receptacle itll be easy to open the top and drop in a few minerals right into the reservoir of water too.
Click to expand...

Good video. and that could be a good idea to set up that way.
 
brew703 said:
I brew 3 gallon batches which takes about 5.65 gallons. I don't want to fill a tank with 3 gallons then have to wait for it to refill. I probably brew 2 times a month so with a portable system I can just let it go and fill my kettle to the amount I need.
Click to expand...

That portable system you posted is not RO though? Only saw 1 filter.
 
Thorsbrew said:
What size batches do you do? The stanard pressure tank the RO systems often come with are only 3 gallon. I'd personally hate to fill 3 gallons then have to wait 2 more hours to collect another 3 for however many multiples of 3 gallons i need. What i'm going to do is pretty much copy this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oZuHZMLlpPc

You dont have to have a receptacle that large. Im going to try and find a 10-15 gallon one with a lid, put a ball lock valve on the bottom and voila. Money you save on getting RO without a pressure tank (larger ones can get kinda pricey) you can use on those parts. Just need to figure out what fittings you need like in the video.

I'm also going to use my RO setup for drinking water. It really will make it much healthier for us especially as i drink a lot of water. With a 10-15 gallon receptacle itll be easy to open the top and drop in a few minerals right into the reservoir of water too.
Click to expand...
The "reef ready" system I bought from maxwater actually did come with this direct second output with a valve but it does drain through the tank as well after the reserve is gone it just trickles like it would from the start if there was no tank... realistically any way you look at it the 3 gallon tank will save you a couple hrs of waiting time.. I just drain mine and shut it off and few hrs later I turn it back on and drain a few more gallons and so forth because when I leave the valve open Ive run into an overflow condition before if I forget about it for too long.

if your only looking to remove the solids and some of the contaminants than a charcoal/ mechanical filter is good too.. I have a few of those as well for my regular water coming in for my tankless heater to prevent limescale buildup.
 
Thorsbrew said:
That portable system you posted is not RO though? Only saw 1 filter.
Click to expand...

The one I linked is just a DIY set up that you can set up as many filters as you want. I was going to do two Carbon filters but the cost is more than one of the 4 stage systems on ebay like the one in the video.
 
The problem with some of the RO systems on Ebay is they come with a DI filter which I don't want. So if I were to get one of those then I would have to replace the DI filter with a GAC filter. There is one that I found, 4 stage system, that doesn't have the DI filter so I may go with it. And I'm not sure if a 5 micron filter is sufficient.
Here's a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141725330272?var=440849427642
 
brew703 said:
The problem with some of the RO systems on Ebay is they come with a DI filter which I don't want. So if I were to get one of those then I would have to replace the DI filter with a GAC filter. There is one that I found, 4 stage system, that doesn't have the DI filter so I may go with it. And I'm not sure if a 5 micron filter is sufficient.
Here's a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141725330272?var=440849427642
Click to expand...

Yeah me neither. Most of these sub $100 i've seen have 5 micron filters but guides i've read suggest going as low as .5 microns. Not sure what those cost or how necessary they really are.
 
To the OP, sorry for hijacking your thread. Thought about starting a new one but figured others may benefit if they are looking for a RO system.

I'm leaning towards this system. The seller will replace the 5 micron filter with a 1 micron filter. I just need to test my water pressure to make sure it's at least 50 psi.
Not quite sure on the 5th stage filter so I will replace with a GAC filter. The seller will also fit for a garden hose attachment.
Overall I think it's a pretty good unit for $100.
If anyone has thoughts about this system, I would like to hear them.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/152243712949
 
brew703 said:
The problem with some of the RO systems on Ebay is they come with a DI filter which I don't want. So if I were to get one of those then I would have to replace the DI filter with a GAC filter. There is one that I found, 4 stage system, that doesn't have the DI filter so I may go with it. And I'm not sure if a 5 micron filter is sufficient.
Here's a link
http://www.ebay.com/itm/141725330272?var=440849427642
Click to expand...

the one I bought has the GAC and DI and has 2 outputs.. one is for drinking water and avoids the DI and the other for my reef tank uses it. the one you linked above looks perfect for what your looking for.
 
Yooper said:
I don't have a pressure tank- I just run the RO water into my 15 gallon HLT.

My set up is much like this one: http://www.bulkreefsupply.com/brs-4-stage-ro-only-system-75gpd-2.html
Click to expand...

If you have it plumbed in permanently a tank like this would pre filter what you need so it would already be topped off and ready whenever you need it.. Not to say the way your doing it doesnt work well too but this one can save major time having 14 gallons ready at any time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RO-14G-LARG...hash=item588fedbcf9:m:mVy_tLs7b-o0DmpGBlctY4A
 
brew703 said:
That's a nice system Yooper. Do you still use the 5 micron filter or did you replace it with a .5 or 1 micron filter?
Click to expand...

It's not exactly like that- but it's similar. I have a 5 micron filter on it.

augiedoggy said:
If you have it plumbed in permanently a tank like this would pre filter what you need so it would already be topped off and ready whenever you need it.. Not to say the way your doing it doesnt work well too but this one can save major time having 14 gallons ready at any time.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/RO-14G-LARG...hash=item588fedbcf9:m:mVy_tLs7b-o0DmpGBlctY4A
Click to expand...

I like having it in my laundry room, and it hooks up perfectly to my utility sink so I have no plans to plumb it in. It works well for me, but I could see having it plumbed in in other cases.

When I bought mine, it was something like $119, and I've had it a long time now. We have chlorine (not chloramines), and not that much of it, so it is a good system for me.
 
I usually brew two times a month. For those using RO systems for brewing only, does a RO system need to be flushed in between uses? Will allowing water to sit in the housing for two weeks harm the filters or produce less than ideal water?
 
brew703 said:
I usually brew two times a month. For those using RO systems for brewing only, does a RO system need to be flushed in between uses? Will allowing water to sit in the housing for two weeks harm the filters or produce less than ideal water?
Click to expand...

To add to that.....I've noticed some filters list their longevity in gallons (ie 500-1000 gallons) and some list in months (6-12 months).

For the ones listing in months is that because no matter how much you run through it stuff will start growing/molding in those months or is it possible to use a set of filters for a few years if you dont run much water through them?

PS: I've seen filters listed at 6-12 months for regular ones and 2-3 years for RO membranes. Not sure if the RO membranes are somehow different but i hope that suggests other filters can last longer if not use much (ie based on volume run through them not time since water first entered them).
 

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