Water Softeners and Air Filtration Systems - correct filter needed

We recently moved into a new condo, and looking for some type of water filtering system.

Current conditions:

1. Location - a small city near Raleigh, NC.
2. Buying drinking water in gallon containers.
3. City water. No chlorine smell.
4. Pink/red stains on toilet, around faucets, shower heads, etc.
5. According to Culligan:

a. Odor - No
b. Hardness - 2
c. Iron - 0
d. PH - 7.3

4. Culligan wants to install something 'under the sink', saying that any bigger system install would be too complex in our conditions (condo). : rolling eyes:

Objectives:

1. Install something (? 'whole house' ?) to filter all incoming water.
2. Perhaps something for drinking water filtering (?)
3. Stop buying water from stores.


We are ready to analyze as much information as necessary to make a proper decision.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide (direct filter(s)/technology advice, links to general discussions, etc.)! :)

I personally would never buy a thing from Culligan. Instead purchase a quality RO drinking water system. I like the Water Factory SQC model. You can install it yourself of hire a plumber to do it. I think they are about $375.

Steve,

Thanks for your (emotional) reply. I am no fan of waste of any form …

I would go with RO, but you see, we need to filter all this red crap for showers, appliances, etc. So, I figured we need some ‘perimeter-based’ solution.

I am no water specialist, but, theoretically, based on my IT experience know that more junk is filtered by perimeter firewall less you have left to deal with on client workstations…

Additionally, based on this:

http://heartspring.net/water_filters_guide.html

RO leaves water ‘naked’, which is not very healthy.

But, once again, I am no specialist … just trying to collect as much information as possible.

Thanks again! :)

Hello, Clean_Water,

It seems as though your tests are inaccurate, but definitely incomplete. The red stains are being caused by something. My guess is that you are getting trace amounts of iron that a simple test method may not be able to detect. It could be ferric iron or even colloidal or organic iron.

Buying something just for drinking water won't cure the water problems you are have in the shower.

I am not sure whose eyes were rolling but it can be very difficult to plumb in a whole house system for buildings (townhouses, condos and even whole houses) that were not considering a water treatment loops during planning and construction. Pipes just go into different directions and an effective location can't be found without some major reconstruction.

As for RO water not being healthy. I can't disagree with you more. Any minerals that come from the ground are so miniscule, that any positive effect on your muscular, nervous, endocrine, sketetal, etc. systems is a moot point. You have to consume gallons and gallons of water every day to receive as much calcium from half a glass of milk.

Besides the type of calcium you get from milk, cheese, coral, etc., is from an organic source, the calcium you get from the ground is inorganic and does little to enhance health. It is simply dissolved rock, along with a plethora of additional what-evers. Take a handful of gravel, throw it into a blender and grind it up into a powder and mix it with water....now drink about eight gallons and maybe! your body will react. How positive, I am not sure.

Make your water the best it can be and enhance your health by managing your diet, food suppliments, exercise and sunshine. "Naked water" is very attractive to me. Besides, the entity that is managing your water is already letting you down and you want to trust them for your mineral supplies? Hmm?

RO water is as close to 'pure' water as you can get for an affordable price with adequate production level. Anyone who says RO water is bad for you is trying to sell something else or has been listening to someone trying to sell something else.

Also, how is that you are getting no chlorine? Chloramine? Bromide? Ozone? If you are getting no disinfectant in your public drinking supply, then something is wrong with the water or the testing procedure. You should be registering at least 0.5 ppm free chlorine. I would rather worry about that than depending on the infinitesimal minerals to have believe the water is making me stronger.

As your ID indicates, make your water as clean as possile.

Andy

There is nothing wrong with a whole house filter such as "The Big Blue" filters. Make sure you change the filters on a regular basis. At least 3 or 4 times a year and more often if you have "difficult" water.

I went to the site listed above and it made references to a water treatment device very popular in Asia, particularly in Korea and Japan. Be very wary of 'ionizers' as a menas of treating water.

There is very little, if any, scientific evidence they benefit the users in anyway advertised. There is scant reseach showing any improvement of water for consumptions purposes and the are popular in counties where many other dubious water systems have become popular.

The marketing, packaging and "testimonials" don't, well, hold much water.

Andy

I used to work at Culligan. For condo's, yes, usually a pain to do whole house. Also, the association would have to get involved, unless the poe ,Point of Entry, is inside. Plus room is always a factor. I would get an R.O.for under the sink, even if you eventually install a whole house system.Soft water is great, especially for shaving, etc..A carbon filter would remove any chlorine.
Try this site, we have bought from them in the past
www.internetwatersupplies.com
and change the filters, once per year, or after a boil water order.
good luck






We recently moved into a new condo, and looking for some type of water filtering system.

Current conditions:

1. Location - a small city near Raleigh, NC.
2. Buying drinking water in gallon containers.
3. City water. No chlorine smell.
4. Pink/red stains on toilet, around faucets, shower heads, etc.
5. According to Culligan:

a. Odor - No
b. Hardness - 2
c. Iron - 0
d. PH - 7.3

4. Culligan wants to install something 'under the sink', saying that any bigger system install would be too complex in our conditions (condo). : rolling eyes:

Objectives:

1. Install something (? 'whole house' ?) to filter all incoming water.
2. Perhaps something for drinking water filtering (?)
3. Stop buying water from stores.


We are ready to analyze as much information as necessary to make a proper decision.

Thanks in advance for any help you can provide (direct filter(s)/technology advice, links to general discussions, etc.)! :)