Water filters

The more filters and smaller micron type the more restriction... like you infer, it's a balancing act of pressure reduction versus filter level desired. Getting the UV is easy since the water just passes the bulb, but you have to remember to slide the cleaning brush back and forth over it every time you change the regular filters or the light won't do much good if it's crudded up.

Most of your pumps/controls are adjustable for the rise and cutoff limits. Shouldn't be a big issue unless the pump is already overloaded.

Thanks Walter , any systems/Brands that you will recommend. I notice houses with 4 different filters plus the UV . Not sure if you buy it separate or one package.

We put ours together ourselves, 3 decreasing micron sized filters and then the UV. We bought the stuff off island, but have gotten replacement bulbs from Tropical Plumbing for a reasonable price..(and not our worry then about shipping the fragile bulb). When our neighbor was looking recently, they could get the filters there at a decent price too, and then were going to get the plumber to install for them.

thank you rmb 2830.. i am moving soon and I want to bring the filter with me so i can install them ..

We just bought a whole house water filter here in Florida from Aquasana and we LOVE it. It is great because it is all one unit and is easy for a plumber to install, in addition to just plain working well.

They have a "well water" unit which is what I would install in the VI for cistern water. It runs $1399, including a UV unit. Or you can customize your own filter. They have great customer service too.

Since you're bringing it with you, this could be a good option. Or else for anyone else I say ship it down via a cargo carrier.

http://www.aquasana.com/category.php?category_id=4

They advertise a limited time 30% off special - but every time I check the site they are 30% off. 😉

We have a Seagull. Works great, but the filters are kinda expensive.

Have a GE Smart Filter on a separate spout in the kitchen but seldom use it....waste of money in my opinion but we had it from a prior project so we installed it here when remodeling the kitchen.

I took my filters off because they restricted the flow too much and were a pain in the a** to change. We don't drink our cistern water so I didn't see why I needed the filters. I've never had an issue since I took them out and have plenty of pressure now.

Gallows Bay Hardware sells an assembled on a sheet of plywood UV filter with 3 decreasing size charcoal / micron filters for much less than the Aquasana unit mentioned above.

Gallows Bay Hardware sells an assembled on a sheet of plywood UV filter with 3 decreasing size charcoal / micron filters for much less than the Aquasana unit mentioned above.

They're different units. It's an individual choice.

Gallows Bay Hardware sells an assembled on a sheet of plywood UV filter with 3 decreasing size charcoal / micron filters for much less than the Aquasana unit mentioned above.

They're different units. It's an individual choice.

but my unit from Gallows Bay Hardware:
a) costs less money
b) supports a locally owned VI business
c) works great at my old and new houses

Thank you everyone , very helpful...

Gallows Bay Hardware sells an assembled on a sheet of plywood UV filter with 3 decreasing size charcoal / micron filters for much less than the Aquasana unit mentioned above.

They're different units. It's an individual choice.

but my unit from Gallows Bay Hardware:
a) costs less money
b) supports a locally owned VI business
c) works great at my old and new houses

And with an Aquasana you're not buying near as many replacement filters (the main unit lasts 3 - 5 years), and the two that you need are significantly less expensive, so it will pay for itself over its lifetime. It's also more efficient and doesn't reduce water flow.

I am all for supporting local business, however I find the Aquasana unit to be much more efficient and cost-effective in the long run.

To each his own.

I am in concern with water flow/pressure, Aquasana wont reduce water pressure and that is big deal for me, great,.
I need to find out about the one in the hardware store reduce the pressure after installed. How is your water pressure Beeski ?

In my opinion, the best option for cistern water filtration consists of a sediment filter, a charcoal filter, and an ultraviolet lamp downstream of the filters. The standard filter housings are sized for filters that are either 2.5 or 4.5 inches in diameter and either 10 or 20 inches long. I typically recommend using 2.5 inch by 20 inch filters for smaller houses and the larger filters for most houses in order to minimize the pressure drop through the filters. Filters come in different micron sizes, with 1 micron being the smallest. Most UV system distributors recommend that a maximum micron size of 10 microns to prevent microorganisms from hiding behind larger particulates and being shielded from the UV light. Therefore, I recommend using 10 micron sediment and charcoal filters to satisfy this concern and to minimize the pressure drop across the filters.

The system at my house has 2.5 inch by 20 inch filters that I typically change every 3 to 4 months when I start to see a noticeable pressure drop when taking a shower. The larger filters typically require replacement every 8 to 12 months depending on usage. A 2.5 by 20 inch sediment filter will cost around $8 and a 2.5 by 20 inch charcoal filter around $16. A 4.5 by 20 inch sediment filter will cost around $25 and a similar charcoal block filter around $56. There are different types of filters, and prices will vary depending on the type and not so much the brand.

The main concern with our cistern water is bacteria contamination. Most cisterns that are not chlorinated will test positive for coliform bacteria, which is not harmful but is easy to culture and identify so labs test for it on the assumption that if it is present then other harmful bacteria more difficult to test for could also be present. The primary source of e-coli bacteria, which is harmful, is from rat or bat waste on the roof and gutters that is washed into the cistern. In addition, rats can explore unscreened cistern overflow pipes, fall into the cistern, and drown, which is another source of bacteria. And even if the gutter downspouts are screened, animals can die in the gutter and the water flowing off the roof will flow over their remains. And yes, I have found dead rats in both cisterns and gutters. It is not unusual to find frogs living in cisterns as they can squeeze through very small spaces. But if you chlorinate your cistern on a regular basis then frogs will not live there.

A concern with having filters without a UV lamp is that filters are excellent breeding areas for bacteria. For example. most filter systems designed to be installed on a faucet have a warning on the box stating that they should not be used with water of an unknown quality, which a cistern would be. Some pre-assembled UV systems sold at local hardware stores here have two filter housings upstream of the UV lamp and a filter housing downstream of the lamp, which in my opinion is a poor design since it can result in contamination of the downstream filter if water flows through the UV lamp while it is de-energized, which would occur if a toilet was flushed during a power outage. These systems, which you must install yourself, also cost more than better systems that are available on island that include all installation labor and parts too.

Finally, you should chlorinate your cisterns on a regular basis regardless of what kind of filtration system you have. The general recommendation is to add 4.5 to 6 ounces of unscented household bleach per 1000 gallons of water currently in the cistern on a monthly basis. Just because you have a 15,000 gallon cistern does not mean you have 15,000 gallons of water in it, so you need to calculate how much water you have in your cistern before adding. A charcoal filter will remove any chlorine taste or odor from the water for those who are really sensitive.

DISCLAIMER: My company installs and maintains whole house UV systems.

Although I don't use any filtration, I do pour some bleach in every month or so. My cistern water is always nice and fresh smelling.

JE , that was an amazing explanation , I learned a lot just reading your short message , thank you very much you were very helpful, same to everyone else. Thank you.
JE , I am very knowledgeable with plumbing installations, so I will be installing it myself. My question to you , any system that you will recommend. I would not mind to buy it in the island , however, if the one in the state are better quality and better results I will buy it and ship it or bring it with me if it is not that big.. I went to the aquasana web site and I looked at the system Julie mentioned. It looks good but kind the big to bring with me , I probably need to ship it . Please names thanks jorge
.

All our filters (3 in series, in decreasing micron size, 20-10-5), run before the UV, because it is important that the water not have turbidity, in order for the UV to work properly. When we started our system, we used the bypass we have installed, and ran highly chlorinated water through every line and to every outlet in the house and let it soak--no point in having clean water if you are going to put it into a dirty plumbing line in the house.

Also JE, do you clean cistern and seal them.? I may be looking to do that , The past owner told us the last time cistern was seal was in 2004. Please send me your info if possible. I don't know if can write my email address in here. Thanks

Rmb 2830
Does make a lot of sense to clean your lines , thank you for your great advice. you will say to install ---line in. 20-10-5 and uv -line out. house...in that order?

I would also imagine that the age of the property and whether you have the older cast iron plumbing or newer PVC will make a difference in what you decide will work best. Plus the old cast iron should be replaced if you have it and that can be another expense.

The house was build in 1964 so I don't think it is cast iron, I believe it is copper.

Uh-Oh. Eventually that copper is going to leak. Been there with 1960/1970's houses here. Had to run new lines for 3 of them.
You can worry about that road when you cross it. Then again, you might be lucky.

The past owner said that they suspect cistern was leaking , and it was not , a pipe was leaking and it was repair.. I guess I may need to change it all some day... I going to rebuild the kitchen so new pipes are going in.. The problem could be the bathroom which is the other side of the house. I guess worst case scenario I can bury the pipes outside...