Zero water filter... Need feedback from smart people :)

Beman

Social Media Manager
Staff member
Hey everyone. So I no longer have access to RO water. I was going to buy an RO filter after we moved but the moved ended up a bit more expensive than originally planned. I do not really want to have to buy distilled at a $1 a gallon. So I bought this water filter system. https://zerowater.com/collections/w...ensers/products/30-cup-water-filter-dispenser

I do not know enough about water. I know we are trying to take out the calcium and other things that can mess up our Mistkings and foggers. I am hoping this will do the trick.

Can you let me know if you think it will work? I suppose if it does not then I will just be getting new nozzles when they fail and a new fogger. But I am hoping this might do what I need.
 
I'm not particularly smart but I can suggest buying RO water it is a little cheaper than distilled and you shouldn't need as much as you did before you downsized. It is in the market as "drinking water" not spring water. There are stores or kiosks here in lotus land where you can drive up and fill your own container and could be cheaper. Maybe cactus land has something similar.
Another option is to periodically soak your nozzles in vinegar or Limeaway. Rinse very very well.
 
I'm not particularly smart but I can suggest buying RO water it is a little cheaper than distilled and you shouldn't need as much as you did before you downsized. It is in the market as "drinking water" not spring water. There are stores or kiosks here in lotus land where you can drive up and fill your own container and could be cheaper. Maybe cactus land has something similar.
Another option is to periodically soak your nozzles in vinegar or Limeaway. Rinse very very well.
You are smart Jillian! I will have to be running misting sessions more then I was in Northern Cali because I went from way too much humidity to 10% lol. I may just be the guinea pig and try the zero water filter to see if it works. I can always try what you suggest about the vinegar or limeaway.
 
Hey everyone. So I no longer have access to RO water. I was going to buy an RO filter after we moved but the moved ended up a bit more expensive than originally planned. I do not really want to have to buy distilled at a $1 a gallon. So I bought this water filter system. https://zerowater.com/collections/w...ensers/products/30-cup-water-filter-dispenser

I do not know enough about water. I know we are trying to take out the calcium and other things that can mess up our Mistkings and foggers. I am hoping this will do the trick.

Can you let me know if you think it will work? I suppose if it does not then I will just be getting new nozzles when they fail and a new fogger. But I am hoping this might do what I need.
I don't know about that one, But if you get stuck, I use this one:
http://www.purewaterclub.com/index.php/poq-5bb-100.html
and run 5-10 gallons a day through it and the filters last me (measured with a meter) nearly a year. I have it attached to a hose bib outside but they probably make ones that connect for inside. Had it for 3 or 4 years and very happy with it.
 
Looking at the website, they're more public than some about what their filter will remove.
https://zerowater.com/pages/results
However, what's conspicuously missing is... calcium. My gut tells me that this filter will not remove calcium from the water, but you could always contact them directly and ask them point blank.

I went a bit further and searched Do Brita filters filter out calcium?
First up, an Amazon Q&A says, "Yes; the Brita filters remove calcium, magnesium, chlorine, and lead." HOWEVER, if you go to the page where this answer was given, two other answers say NO.

Going to Brita's site: https://www.brita.com/why-brita/better-water/
Again, calcium is conspicuously missing.

Continuing on, Do Water Filters Remove Minerals?
A. Although the PUR® and Brita® brand water filters tell you a lot about what they remove from your water, they don't tell you much about what they leave in, do they? To get an answer to your question, I contacted both companies for clarification. Both replied that their water filter pitchers do not reduce calcium or other nutrients.

So as I mentioned in the other thread, these filters DO NOT remove calcium.

I don't know about that one, But if you get stuck, I use this one:
http://www.purewaterclub.com/index.php/poq-5bb-100.html
IDK about that particular RO filter. Unfortunately, it seems not all RO filters are created equal, and sources differ on efficacy in removing calcium.
Reverse osmosis membranes are fragile. Although there is usually a small sediment filter in front of the RO, reverse osmosis has a hard time removing or reducing calcium and magnesium–the minerals that make water hard.
http://blog.watertech.com/is-reverse-osmosis-needed-if-have-a-water-softener/
However since MK recommends RO water, I would feel safe in using it if/when available.

Best price I can find on distilled water: $.88 (W-Mart)
IDK about RO water—not available our area.
 
Looking at the website, they're more public than some about what their filter will remove.
https://zerowater.com/pages/results
However, what's conspicuously missing is... calcium. My gut tells me that this filter will not remove calcium from the water, but you could always contact them directly and ask them point blank.

I went a bit further and searched Do Brita filters filter out calcium?
First up, an Amazon Q&A says, "Yes; the Brita filters remove calcium, magnesium, chlorine, and lead." HOWEVER, if you go to the page where this answer was given, two other answers say NO.

Going to Brita's site: https://www.brita.com/why-brita/better-water/
Again, calcium is conspicuously missing.

Continuing on, Do Water Filters Remove Minerals?


So as I mentioned in the other thread, these filters DO NOT remove calcium.


IDK about that particular RO filter. Unfortunately, it seems not all RO filters are created equal, and sources differ on efficacy in removing calcium.

However since MK recommends RO water, I would feel safe in using it if/when available.

Best price I can find on distilled water: $.88 (W-Mart)
IDK about RO water—not available our area.
Well my TDS meter shows 0-5 PPM and I think that means anything other than H2O, so I feel pretty comfortable that anything that would clog a filter is absent.
 
Looking at the website, they're more public than some about what their filter will remove.
https://zerowater.com/pages/results
However, what's conspicuously missing is... calcium. My gut tells me that this filter will not remove calcium from the water, but you could always contact them directly and ask them point blank.

I went a bit further and searched Do Brita filters filter out calcium?
First up, an Amazon Q&A says, "Yes; the Brita filters remove calcium, magnesium, chlorine, and lead." HOWEVER, if you go to the page where this answer was given, two other answers say NO.

Going to Brita's site: https://www.brita.com/why-brita/better-water/
Again, calcium is conspicuously missing.

Continuing on, Do Water Filters Remove Minerals?


So as I mentioned in the other thread, these filters DO NOT remove calcium.


IDK about that particular RO filter. Unfortunately, it seems not all RO filters are created equal, and sources differ on efficacy in removing calcium.

However since MK recommends RO water, I would feel safe in using it if/when available.

Best price I can find on distilled water: $.88 (W-Mart)
IDK about RO water—not available our area.
I am not using Brita or Pur.... I am using the Zero water filter that I linked in my post. I found this on their site.

https://zerowater.com/pages/results
 
I am not using Brita or Pur.... I am using the Zero water filter that I linked in my post. I found this on their site.

https://zerowater.com/pages/results
Yes, that's the exact same page I cited. Do you see calcium anywhere on that page? As the first article I quoted cautioned, "Although .... water filters tell you a lot about what they remove from your water, they don't tell you much about what they leave in, do they?"

Brand doesn't matter; if it doesn't specifically say it filters out calcium, it's a safe bet that it doesn't.
RO filters that DO remove calcium specifically say so.
 
Uhh cant you just buy a distiller? That would make it beyond RO grade.

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=distiller&ref=nb_sb_noss
As it turns out, distillers and RO filter systems are pretty much in the same ballpark, cost-wise.
Same with RO water and distilled water by the gallon. The few cents you save buying one over the other may be eaten up by mileage. This is why we include distilled water with our grocery trips.
 
It seems that if the ZEROwater pitcher does what they claim, it would work just fine. The issue I have is the ongoing high cost to operate it. The website you linked claims that the filter is good for ~20g. 4 x filters = $50, so you get ~80gfor $50 or $0.625/gallon. I think your money would be better spent on an inexpensive RO system. If you are looking for 0TDS, then add a DI canister to it.

I am a reef tank guy as well, so I have a 400gpd RODI system. I only use the RO for my chams. I have it tee'd off before the DI resin and get <10TDS. So far I have had NO issues with clogged nozzles after about a year on Chucks cage. I know this is a popular, cheap RO system, on the reefing forums. It also come with a DI canister for a few $ more.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
 
It seems that if the ZEROwater pitcher does what they claim, it would work just fine. The issue I have is the ongoing high cost to operate it. The website you linked claims that the filter is good for ~20g. 4 x filters = $50, so you get ~80gfor $50 or $0.625/gallon. I think your money would be better spent on an inexpensive RO system. If you are looking for 0TDS, then add a DI canister to it.

I am a reef tank guy as well, so I have a 400gpd RODI system. I only use the RO for my chams. I have it tee'd off before the DI resin and get <10TDS. So far I have had NO issues with clogged nozzles after about a year on Chucks cage. I know this is a popular, cheap RO system, on the reefing forums. It also come with a DI canister for a few $ more.

https://www.amazon.com/Aquatic-Life...uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl
Yeah I am not sure... Going to test it with the brand new filter and it comes with this little detector thing that tells you something about the water... I still have to read up on it. :LOL: I am thinking I will be needing less then 10 gallons a week.

I am trying to go with the easiest right now since I am still adjusting to the elevation where we moved. Right now walking upstairs makes me feel like I went out hiking. So hauling water upstairs is a little much for me until I fully acclimate to the elevation. Going from sea level to 7,000 feet is kicking my butt a little bit.
 
Gonna have to put Beman out to stud. $75 or 1 hold back per transaction.
Hilary Duff Laughing GIF by YoungerTV
 
It seems that if the ZEROwater pitcher does what they claim, it would work just fine.
:confused: What is it that you think it does? :unsure:

The question was, would it remove calcium, and I haven't seen anything that specifically states that it does. On the contrary, it doesn't say that it removes calcium, and that's the rub.
 
:confused: What is it that you think it does? :unsure:

The question was, would it remove calcium, and I haven't seen anything that specifically states that it does. On the contrary, it doesn't say that it removes calcium, and that's the rub.
You are correct, it does not say that it removes calcium specifically, but then neither does my RODI system. What it does claim, is that it will remove up to 98% of total dissolved solids (TDS), of which Calcium is one. That means that even if you start with pretty terrible water @ 500TDS, after the filter you would have ~10TDS water. In my personal use of 10TDS water with my Mistking system, this is a low enough concentration that there should not be a concern with clogging nozzles.

Of course, source water can vary greatly, and this can effect it to some degree. Still 10TDS, even with some calcium in the water, is unlikely to cause problems, IME.
 
You are correct, it does not say that it removes calcium specifically, but then neither does my RODI system. What it does claim, is that it will remove up to 98% of total dissolved solids (TDS), of which Calcium is one. That means that even if you start with pretty terrible water @ 500TDS, after the filter you would have ~10TDS water. In my personal use of 10TDS water with my Mistking system, this is a low enough concentration that there should not be a concern with clogging nozzles.

Of course, source water can vary greatly, and this can effect it to some degree. Still 10TDS, even with some calcium in the water, is unlikely to cause problems, IME.
After some further digging (including trying to run down an alleged ZeroWater scam) I'm inclined to agree that if ZeroWater truly does what it claims, it should be OK for use in a MK mister, depending on the starting level of TDS, and provided the system is... (How did Data phrase it...?) "operating within normal parameters." :rolleyes:

There are still some things that concern me: the complete omission of calcium on the performance results, the TDS Comparison that says 99% of TDS removed = 000 (Shouldn't 000 equate to more like 99.99%?), all the reviews & tests I found used ZeroWater's own meter to test samples (instead of independent 3rd party meters), and claims that ZeroWater has a fishy smell (If everything is removed, why is there something left to give it a fishy smell, and why doesn't that chemical register on the meter?)

Chalk all that up to my innate skepticism. 🤷‍♂️

Actually, after looking up some of the contaminants in the water around Flagstaff (been there— nice town), I'm glad Beman is using something to filter drinking water. There are at least 8 different water utilities in the Flagstaff area, so to get a better handle (If she so desires), go to https://www.ewg.org/tapwater/ and input her zipcode, and then select her specific water provider (some of which may be well water districts).

Ultimately, time will tell. I hope it works out—those filters are pricey. Let's see... @ $50 for 4 replacement filters= $12.50 ea., and should filter... (hard to estimate local pre-filtered TDS...) ~25 gal.(?) So roughly $.50 per gallon. Really depends on the TDS of the local water.
 
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