That's right, reverse osmosis water units are hard to beat when you have a problem like salt in your drinking water supply. But most of us don't have that problem; we get our water from a municipal supplier or from a chlorinated well. And, for those people, I've got good news indeed. You will get a better result from selective filtration systems than you ever could with reverse osmosis. In today's article we will examine both systems and how they differ. Then you can decide which one is best for your situation.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems work by pushing water against a semi-permeable membrane with pores so small that only objects the size of a water molecule, or smaller, will pass through. As a matter of fact, the pores are so small they will even reject a large part of the water itself along with minerals and most contaminants. In most RO systems, the rejected water is simply wasted. Typically, this amounts to about two or three wasted gallons for every gallon filtered.
Some people throughout the US are also dealing with excessive minerals in their water and the fact that RO systems remove these minerals is another reason people have liked them. But, too much of a good thing can be bad.
You see, it seems water with no minerals is not good. That makes sense since nowhere on earth does pure water exist naturally. We need trace minerals like calcium and potassium, for example, in order to stay healthy. And, pure H2O is slightly acidic, so, when we drink this water it will try to get back to a neutral state by stealing minerals such as calcium from our teeth, bones or cells. In this case it produces calcium carbonate as its neutralizing element.
Health experts also tell us that cancer cells seem to grow only in a slightly acidic environment and, for that reason, they feels there is a long-term health risk associated with drinking demineralized water.
If you do decide on a RO system, be certain it comes with a carbon filter. This is because chlorine, a deadly poison, along with herbicides, pesticides, THMs, SOCs, drugs, etc., are made up of molecules smaller than water's so they will not be removed by reverse osmosis systems.
Since the pores in the membrane are so tiny, you must have sufficient water pressure to force the water through the system and this may necessitate a booster pump be added.
You also will need to have a storage tank with these systems. RO systems only filter about one gallon, or less, an hour. At this slow rate the systems need a way to store the water needed for bathing, doing dishes, or laundry, whatever. The solution is a diaphragmed storage tank in order to keep pressure on the line.
By the time you put all the storage tanks, extra pumps (if needed), and filters together you are going to have a good sized unit. Anytime you have a lot of components you are likely going to be dealing with extra initial and operating costs, and maintenance issues.
Anymore, I feel like using a RO system where you could have used selective filtration is like hunting flies with a cannon...they're clunky, expensive and give a dangerous result.
As an alternative to reverse osmosis systemes, let's take a look at selective filtration. This is also known as multi-stage filtration.
In selective filtration systems, carbon is mixed with a filter resin that has been chemically charged, and this mixture is then compressed into a solid block that has very small, submicron pores. The carbon, or course, removes chemicals and drugs that might be present in the water.
One cubic foot of this activated charcoal that has been so tightly compressed has the adsorption area of five square miles, according to scientists. The tiny pores filter out tiny, chlorine-resistant, cysts like Cryptosporidium and Guardia and the rest of the surface area scrubs up the chemicals and drugs.
What about the filter resin that covers the surface of the adsorption area?
Heavy metals, such as mercury or lead, have positively charged ions. When they pass over the chemically charged resin they are drawn to the resin as if they were magnets. Other metals, like calcium or potassium, pass by unaffected.
There you have it, the water is cleaned but it still has its nutritious trace minerals. Selective filtration systems are quick, so there is no need for holding tanks with diaphragms. Nor is there any need for booster pumps, electricity, backwashing, etc., and, if installed correctly, they operate virtually maintenance free.
Should you happen to be dealing with a severe water problem, is always wise to consult with a technical representative for any system you are planning to use. They know their business and can almost always suggest a solution. If you have salty water, you should be aware that selective filtration is not designed to remove salt.
Reverse osmosis (RO) systems work by pushing water against a semi-permeable membrane with pores so small that only objects the size of a water molecule, or smaller, will pass through. As a matter of fact, the pores are so small they will even reject a large part of the water itself along with minerals and most contaminants. In most RO systems, the rejected water is simply wasted. Typically, this amounts to about two or three wasted gallons for every gallon filtered.
Some people throughout the US are also dealing with excessive minerals in their water and the fact that RO systems remove these minerals is another reason people have liked them. But, too much of a good thing can be bad.
You see, it seems water with no minerals is not good. That makes sense since nowhere on earth does pure water exist naturally. We need trace minerals like calcium and potassium, for example, in order to stay healthy. And, pure H2O is slightly acidic, so, when we drink this water it will try to get back to a neutral state by stealing minerals such as calcium from our teeth, bones or cells. In this case it produces calcium carbonate as its neutralizing element.
Health experts also tell us that cancer cells seem to grow only in a slightly acidic environment and, for that reason, they feels there is a long-term health risk associated with drinking demineralized water.
If you do decide on a RO system, be certain it comes with a carbon filter. This is because chlorine, a deadly poison, along with herbicides, pesticides, THMs, SOCs, drugs, etc., are made up of molecules smaller than water's so they will not be removed by reverse osmosis systems.
Since the pores in the membrane are so tiny, you must have sufficient water pressure to force the water through the system and this may necessitate a booster pump be added.
You also will need to have a storage tank with these systems. RO systems only filter about one gallon, or less, an hour. At this slow rate the systems need a way to store the water needed for bathing, doing dishes, or laundry, whatever. The solution is a diaphragmed storage tank in order to keep pressure on the line.
By the time you put all the storage tanks, extra pumps (if needed), and filters together you are going to have a good sized unit. Anytime you have a lot of components you are likely going to be dealing with extra initial and operating costs, and maintenance issues.
Anymore, I feel like using a RO system where you could have used selective filtration is like hunting flies with a cannon...they're clunky, expensive and give a dangerous result.
As an alternative to reverse osmosis systemes, let's take a look at selective filtration. This is also known as multi-stage filtration.
In selective filtration systems, carbon is mixed with a filter resin that has been chemically charged, and this mixture is then compressed into a solid block that has very small, submicron pores. The carbon, or course, removes chemicals and drugs that might be present in the water.
One cubic foot of this activated charcoal that has been so tightly compressed has the adsorption area of five square miles, according to scientists. The tiny pores filter out tiny, chlorine-resistant, cysts like Cryptosporidium and Guardia and the rest of the surface area scrubs up the chemicals and drugs.
What about the filter resin that covers the surface of the adsorption area?
Heavy metals, such as mercury or lead, have positively charged ions. When they pass over the chemically charged resin they are drawn to the resin as if they were magnets. Other metals, like calcium or potassium, pass by unaffected.
There you have it, the water is cleaned but it still has its nutritious trace minerals. Selective filtration systems are quick, so there is no need for holding tanks with diaphragms. Nor is there any need for booster pumps, electricity, backwashing, etc., and, if installed correctly, they operate virtually maintenance free.
Should you happen to be dealing with a severe water problem, is always wise to consult with a technical representative for any system you are planning to use. They know their business and can almost always suggest a solution. If you have salty water, you should be aware that selective filtration is not designed to remove salt.
About the Author:
David Eastham has done extensive research on such topics as selective filtration to discover the best way to provide good, clean drinking water. Here are his choices for the best dollar for dollar buys, and the best products overall, in water filtration technology.
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