FlytrapCare Carnivorous Plant Forums

Hello,

it’s probably not the best forum for my topic, but I can’t really find one, plus you all seem very well rounded around the water topic

I purchased a Zero water system 5 stage.
I live in UK and my water hardness is 250 on the TDS meter that they sent me, but with third party stickers I actually get around 400.
From what I know, TDS doesn’t mean anything, it could be simply only calcium or only mercury, or a set of all the metals and other pathogens etc… Please correct me if I’m wrong.

In the end, I’ve seen that the rest of metals is beyond the eatery level with the stickers, but that was not a news.
With the zero system, I can’t believe but it removed all the garbage inside, the sticker shows good levels of each metal and the TDS meter shows 000.
Casually, I used an empty water bottle of spring water to store the filtered water.
It turns out that the water becomes 005 max, not bad considering that it was carbonated plus with the addition of other minerals.
The TDS showed 140 for the bottle water previously………….. Mostly related to the fact that it was carbonated water, but I don’t have that color in the sticker so I could not verify. The rest of the metals were kind of ok.

My biggest concern is that basically I’m drinking distillated water from the metals point of view, there is basically no track of metals…

During the day I should get all the vitamins I need through the food, plus some mineral, but not all of them…
The water is a big part of the metal absorption, so, shall I diluite my filtered water with minerals tablets or similar solution?

I need to mention that I take Multicentrum a couple of times a week, just to make sure that I get what I need, but not every day…

If I exclude Multicentrum, do I need to be concerned by the missing minerals in the water?


2nd topic, this filter costed me 27 pounds, it’s the first purchase, does the reverse osmosi system actually clean better?
Looking online, absolutely not, that’s quite scary , 000 against 50-70 TDS of reverse osmosi systems that cost 450 pounds here…
I rent my apartment so I can’t drill here and there, I would need a table top or portable solution.

I’m not sure how it is in the UK but in the US the water has additive minerals “for nutritional benefits” so you don’t have to create your own chemical soup.
You can request an annual water-quality report from your City water management. To get an idea of your contaminant’s.
I get water already run through a Reverse Osmosis filter at Walmart or the grocery store for $.89 for 3.7L for my plants. Then for myself I mix it with my sink water that’s been run through a Charcoal/large particulate filter for my trace mineral intake.
I’ve never tested it myself but it’s certainly has less Mineral/Chemical taste. My point overall is unless you pay for a Reverse Osmosis system your probably not going to achieve Perfectly clean water. If you have a health issue or Carnivorous plants Etc. you probably don’t need it. Also if you have health issues ask your doctor for directions and a blood test for toxins and metals. You could possibly get a Prescription for a filter in that context.
To my knowledge Reverse Osmosis is the Gold Standard available to the average consumers.

Seven Steps of Water Purification
ION EXCHANGE AND COAGULATION. This is the first step of water purification process. ...
SEDIMENTATION. ...
FILTRATION AND GRANULAR ACTIVATED CARBON. ...
DISINFECTION. ...
CARBON FILTERS
REVERSE OSMOSIS
STORE PURIFIED WATER.
I like water. Lol I hope this helps

Thanks a lot for the answer.
I don’t know much about chemistry, sadly, so whatever I’m saying is by my little experience.

I’ve seen a few reverse osmosi systems and they were inferior to the one I have now, that is not reverse osmosi, it’s simply a jar with a filter inside, but the filter is way more complex than any other out there .

I need to filter the water for myself only, but this plain water makes me thing to the famous recommendation of not drinking distillated water for many days in a row, which by my little knowledge it ensures that you remove bacterias in the process, in addition to the metals removal.

So, is it correct to say that the current water is like distillated water?
If so, then I need to add up minerals afterwards, but it’s very strange that the company doesn’t warn me about it

I think this could help with context.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/drinki ... lters.html

This can tell ya about gut bacteria lol
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=VzPD009qTN4

Distillation by default requires heating or boiling off a substance.
Water in this case or think of making alcohol which is distilled.
Filters work based on size of microorganisms or mineral molecules and atoms
and stuff lol
As I’ve learned on this forum under 50TDS is seemingly good water. Idk what mine is but it’s probably HIGH. So you might be in good shape.

Thank you, I’ll watch these resources as soon as I can.

My biggest concern was about the minerals that are basically absent after the filtration.

U can get them through vegetables and fruits and there’s “Natural Spring Water” with minerals for flavor. Use a multivitamin. Trying to maintain it yourself with little understanding of chemistry isn’t gonna do much good for you and will only be a waste of time energy and money.
I’ve tried.

You just suggested Multivitamin, so it’s all there.

I know that my little knowledge of chemistry won’t bring me working in a nuclear power plant, but I think I can follow basic recommendations

I have another doubt, does it make a big difference being constantly idradated with mineral water instead of taking an all in one pill?
I also need to mention that I’m vegan, I do breakfast with a soy drink that contains pretty much what I need for most of the day.

I try to eat healthy so I feel ya I’m not a vegetarian or vegan. 1 thing I’ve realized regarding being a healthy person in this day and age is ya gotta pick your battles and try to rationally counterbalance the bad with the good food etc.
speaking of nuclear knowledge H2O is a poor carrier of radiation overall that’s part of its use in nuclear reactor cooling.

Think of your stomach as a bacteria farm lol

My first filter lasted 20.5 days, for an average of 2300 L daily.

Pretty disappointing, I’m just happy with the technology, the only filter that can really filter the most common garbage including metals.

This is the result:
40.5 L filtered before the water tasted like lemon and rubber, not enjoyable.
The TDS meter reported 0.05 or 0.06, pretty low, also the Color strips didn’t show anything.

So, what is that taste? It started to form bacterias? Did it release some weird metal from the filter itself?

Will I poison myself?
The manufacture mentions to change the filter as soon as the TDS level turns 0.06, did they experienced the same taste or they know that it will start to release some dangerous garbage that I’m not aware of?

I just mention that the filter turned overnight to such conditions.
My water TDS level from the tap is 275 average, little variance.

There are websites that do chemical testing of your water.
https://www.dwi.gov.uk/private-water-su ... -services/
If your filters removing anything it’s probably the dirt type substances (iron, manganese, lead)
But most chemicals are smaller.

This is my 3rd party “city” water report…
https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/system.php?pws=MN1300002
I can’t even drink my water. In the “richest”country on earth.
Minnesota is nationwide known as the land of 10000 lakes (actually 18000+)
America is Flint Michigan