Water Filters for Chlorine, Chloramine, and VOC.

[Beng]

Previously i'd recommended this water filter on bnut.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40045-T...d=1392396629&sr=8-2&keywords=camco+taste+pure

While this worked fine for me in Brooklyn NY where we have some of the best quality water in the country i'd been having a few problems out here in Los Angeles. I'd been noticing leaf problems on a kurume azalea i'd been watering with it instead of RO water like my others satsuki and kurumes. With the drought here in CA i want to find a solution to chlorine removal without having to waste water with the reverse osmosis unit. I looked around for other filters and got it down to these 2.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_1?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=clean%20water%20fun&sprefix=clean+water+fu%2Caps&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Aclean%20water%20fun

and

http://www.amazon.com/Boogie-Brew-Blue-Filter/dp/B00DJ7WD4C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392396875&sr=8-1&keywords=boogie+blue

I received the "clean water fun" filter 2nd link above yesterday and hooked it up. Here's the results of my test using strips similar to these http://www.hach.com/free-total-chlorine-test-strips-0-10-mg-l/product?id=7640211603 .

~{Straight City Tap water} 4.5 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

~{Camco after 2 months of use} 4 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

~{Clean water fun after one day} of use 0.2 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

I'll have to see how it holds up over the next few months but initial tests look promising. The boogie blue is supposed to last a lot longer but claims to remove less chlorine and chloramines then the clean water fun filter. I'll update this at 1 and 2 months for the new filter.

 

[ChristianDGreat]

Previously i'd recommended this water filter on bnut.

http://www.amazon.com/Camco-40045-T...d=1392396629&sr=8-2&keywords=camco+taste+pure

While this worked fine for me in Brooklyn NY where we have some of the best quality water in the country i'd been having a few problems out here in Los Angeles. I'd been noticing leaf problems on a kurume azalea i'd been watering with it instead of RO water like my others satsuki and kurumes. With the drought here in CA i want to find a solution to chlorine removal without having to waste water with the reverse osmosis unit. I looked around for other filters and got it down to these 2.

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_n...clean+water+fu,aps&rh=i:aps,k:clean water fun

and

http://www.amazon.com/Boogie-Brew-B...F8&qid=1392396875&sr=8-1&keywords=boogie+blue

I received the "clean water fun" filter 2nd link above yesterday and hooked it up. Here's the results of my test using strips similar to these http://www.hach.com/free-total-chlorine-test-strips-0-10-mg-l/product?id=7640211603 .

~{Straight City Tap water} 4.5 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

~{Camco after 2 months of use} 4 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

~{Clean water fun after one day} of use 0.2 parts per volume chlorine/chloramines

I'll have to see how it holds up over the next few months but initial tests look promising. The boogie blue is supposed to last a lot longer but claims to remove less chlorine and chloramines then the clean water fun filter. I'll update this at 1 and 2 months for the new filter.

@Beng

Any updates on which you recommend in LA?

 

[colley614]

I'm wondering, what would using a dechlorinator designed for aquarium do?

 

[Lorax7]

I would just use the dechlorinator solution (sodium thiosulfate) that they sell at pet stores for aquarium use if all you need is to remove chloramine from your water. It’s safe for aquatic plants, so I have no reason to think it wouldn’t also be fine for bonsai.

If your water is treated with chlorine instead of chloramine, you don’t even need that: just fill a bucket with tap water and let it air out for a day before using it to water your trees.

 

[colley614]

I would just use the dechlorinator solution (sodium thiosulfate) that they sell at pet stores for aquarium use if all you need is to remove chloramine from your water. It’s safe for aquatic plants, so I have no reason to think it wouldn’t also be fine for bonsai.

If your water is treated with chlorine instead of chloramine, you don’t even need that: just fill a bucket with tap water and let it air out for a day before using it to water your trees.

That stuff would save you a fortune in the long run too

 

[Lorax7]

Thinking about it a little more, I wonder if chlorine/chloramine is really a red herring anyway. My city tap water is treated with chloramine and I use it on all my trees, including azaleas, without issue. I would think it more likely that you have a pH and/or carbonate hardness problem. Maybe pick up some test strips as well when you’re at the pet store getting dechlorinator.