[Omega]

I'm thinking of installing a reverse osmosis + deionization system for drinking water at home. Anyone have experience with remineralizing the water? I'm looking for a drop-in tablet or low pressure drop flow-through cartridge with packing that I can add on as the last stage.

 

[mrarroyo]

IMO you will be wasting your money, unless you know you have known contaminants. A wet chemistry and bact test would be inexpensive. Of course you could get inorganics, pestacides, radionuclides, etc tested as well.

 

[Tridacnid]

Usually city water is of good quality (especially here in STL). An issue with RODI units is the amount of waste water they produce. In general, for every gallon you'll get of pure water, you will waste several gallons of "waste" water. Your water service should be able to provide a detailed report of all the dissolved elements and compounds in the water.

 

[appophylite]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking of installing a reverse osmosis + deionization system for drinking water at home. Anyone have experience with remineralizing the water? I'm looking for a drop-in tablet or low pressure drop flow-through cartridge with packing that I can add on as the last stage.

The systems work very well if you are not on city water. A friend has one set up in their house in the city and honestly, it doesn't seem to make a major difference. However we have one set up on our water system too because we live outside of the city limits and pull our water from a natural well system. We have it in place because the house we bought came with it pre-installed after the water softening system because the previous owners wanted it in place. there is a slight difference between the soft water straight off the tap and the water run through the reverse osmosis/deionization system but even in our case, I think it was a bit overboard (we still use it though cause its there).

 

[smrtby123]

If you are running off city water, most likely your water has already been through a pretty sophisticated purification process, usually stages of RO, and different types of resin to filter out heavy metals, etc. You can buy under the counter RO systems that work pretty well, but another option is to run a filter system with either activated carbon or a filter resin with large exchangeable cartridges.

I have direct job experience in this area, btw.

 

[arnesto]

I have been doing the reverse osmosis and the re-mineralizing the water thing.

I bought a ph testing kit and started testing different types of bottled water.
I noticed all bottled water labeled spring water is on the alkaline ph side.

I also noticed all bottled water that is not from a spring source is on the acid ph side.

Depending on which city you live in, the water may be acid or alkaline.

If it is acid, then you will need to re-mineralize the water to change the ph.

The theory is you saliva and blood is alkaline. If you drink alkaline water it is more similar to your saliva and blood.

If you drink acidic water, your body has to adjust the water to change it to an alkaline ph. Your body does this by taking minerals that are already stored in your body to adjust the water.

Most people are in good health and drinking acidic water will not hurt you.
But if you can do this and it can contribute 1% to your overall health, then I think it is worth it.

 

[Drag0n]

Kangan water. Set your Ph, and its ionized and oxygenated.
Add Himalayan Pink Salt for 84 colloidal minerals.

www.the-essence-of-life.com

Most of the grocery store bottled waters are acidic. Alkaline Ph waters are Essentia with 9.5ph, Fiji with 7.6, Real Water 7.9, Evian 7.4, Arrowhead Spring Water 7.42, Evamor 9.18.

Most of the others are under 6. Most are around 3ph, and none of them are high oxygen.......Except water made with the Kangen water machine.

Acid water is not good for you.

 

[Omega]

<sigh> Simple question, thanks arnesto for the only real answer, and thanks for the interest.

I have degrees in this stuff, I understand the mechanisms, was looking for recommendations for remineralization tablets or cartridges, if they exist. I haven't been able to find anything suitable thus far.

For the record, my city water (in St. Louis) is supposedly excellent. But then, the city tells me that violent crime is under control too

whatever. STL has inordinately high levels of chloramine (~48 micromolar). At a concentration of 48 micromolar and liters per day, even a weak drug will start accumulating.

I don't like chloramine...gives rashes, has never been FDA tested, and it poisons fish and some pets. The only sane way to treat chloramine away is to do RO, followed by an activated carbon filter, followed by a deionizer. Or add lots of vitamin C to the water, which I'd rather not do long-term. Tell me why cities switch away from chlorine again? So much easier to put a bottle of drinking water in the sun for an hour to clear the chlorine.

 

[CDBacklash]

Ever consider a rainwater tank? Rain water is mighty tasty!

 

[apatN]

The water in the Netherlands is already one of the best. "Maybe YOU can live, work and study in the Netherlands!"

 

[arnesto]

I've read that you can buy ph drops and a health food store but I don't currently use them.

I bought this machine called the Wave Q machine. I think I should post this as a disclaimer, I do not work or profit from the sale of this machine.

It's kind of expensive too, I paid around $400 for mine. I like it though and I have been frequently testing the water before and after I put the water through this machine and it does what it is supposed to do.