Uploaded November 2016 | Updated September 2026, 3 hours ago
RO (reverse-osmosis) filters separate water molecules from other dissolved solids in the water (like carbonates). Pick up your new RO filter here: shop.zipgrow.com/products/stealth-ro™-reverse-osmosis-filter
Basically, the RO filter is a membrane through which water is pumped, sorting through water at a molecular level. Most dissolved solids can’t get through the membrane. This means that the water coming out of the filter is much closer to pure water.
When to use an RO filter
RO filters can be a great investment for farmers who struggle with source water quality. The primary culprit of low source water quality for hydroponics or aquaponics is carbonates. Carbonates act as a buffer, making pH control more difficult for growers. Having a high ppm in your source water to start also interferes with the nutrients you are able to add to the solution.
Source water quality becomes a problem at 200 or 250 ppm. This means that if your source water has a ppm value over 200, you want to think about a filter. If the ppm value is over 250, it’s worth getting one.
What size of RO filter to buy
The RO system in this video is very large. For smaller farmers, there are many smaller RO units that will work fine for you.
How an RO filter works
Siemens’ RO filter has multiple levels of filtration to increase the efficiency.
1 ) Source water enters the system and goes through pre-filter and a sand filter. This filters out the large solids before they reach the finer filters.
2 ) After being filtered for large particles, the water goes through a third filter before being sent to the RO pump.
3 ) The RO pump runs the water to the RO filter itself. Finally, water reaches the RO membranes in the RO filter.
4 ) Each filter sends the filtered water into a large holding tank. The system runs constantly and tops off the holding tank, which is used according to demand.
Operating tasks
The 3 main tasks associated with an RO system are:
1- Backflushing filters: Most filters in this system have a backflushing function. Backflushing removes the “gunk” that builds up on the filter, increasing flow and filter lifetime.
2 - Replacing the RO membrane: Membranes can get worn out and efficiency can drop. Check with the filter manufacturer to see their recommended replacement intervals.
3 - Scheduled checks and records: Keep a maintenance sheet to track the efficiency of the pump. For instance, one maintenance entry might have the incoming source water at 433 ppm, and the filtered water at 5.8 ppm. That's great filtration.
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----------------
Timestamps/What's Covered:
00:37 Who needs an RO filter?
00:50 What are RO filters?
01:34 Drawbacks
02:07 How RO Filters work
06:46 RO system scale
07:11 When to use an RO filter
-----------------
Connect with us:
Website: zipgrow.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ZipGrowTM
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/zipgrow-inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zipgrowinc
Instagram: instagram.com/zipgrowinc
-----------------
Music by: Scott Gratton
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Sco...
RO (reverse-osmosis) filters separate water molecules from other dissolved solids in the water (like carbonates). Pick up your new RO filter here: shop.zipgrow.com/products/stealth-ro™-reverse-osmosis-filter
Basically, the RO filter is a membrane through which water is pumped, sorting through water at a molecular level. Most dissolved solids can’t get through the membrane. This means that the water coming out of the filter is much closer to pure water.
When to use an RO filter
RO filters can be a great investment for farmers who struggle with source water quality. The primary culprit of low source water quality for hydroponics or aquaponics is carbonates. Carbonates act as a buffer, making pH control more difficult for growers. Having a high ppm in your source water to start also interferes with the nutrients you are able to add to the solution.
Source water quality becomes a problem at 200 or 250 ppm. This means that if your source water has a ppm value over 200, you want to think about a filter. If the ppm value is over 250, it’s worth getting one.
What size of RO filter to buy
The RO system in this video is very large. For smaller farmers, there are many smaller RO units that will work fine for you.
How an RO filter works
Siemens’ RO filter has multiple levels of filtration to increase the efficiency.
1 ) Source water enters the system and goes through pre-filter and a sand filter. This filters out the large solids before they reach the finer filters.
2 ) After being filtered for large particles, the water goes through a third filter before being sent to the RO pump.
3 ) The RO pump runs the water to the RO filter itself. Finally, water reaches the RO membranes in the RO filter.
4 ) Each filter sends the filtered water into a large holding tank. The system runs constantly and tops off the holding tank, which is used according to demand.
Operating tasks
The 3 main tasks associated with an RO system are:
1- Backflushing filters: Most filters in this system have a backflushing function. Backflushing removes the “gunk” that builds up on the filter, increasing flow and filter lifetime.
2 - Replacing the RO membrane: Membranes can get worn out and efficiency can drop. Check with the filter manufacturer to see their recommended replacement intervals.
3 - Scheduled checks and records: Keep a maintenance sheet to track the efficiency of the pump. For instance, one maintenance entry might have the incoming source water at 433 ppm, and the filtered water at 5.8 ppm. That's great filtration.
Like this video?
Subscribe to our channel for more farming tips.
----------------
Timestamps/What's Covered:
00:37 Who needs an RO filter?
00:50 What are RO filters?
01:34 Drawbacks
02:07 How RO Filters work
06:46 RO system scale
07:11 When to use an RO filter
-----------------
Connect with us:
Website: zipgrow.com
Facebook: facebook.com/ZipGrowTM
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/zipgrow-inc
Twitter: https://twitter.com/zipgrowinc
Instagram: instagram.com/zipgrowinc
-----------------
Music by: Scott Gratton
http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Sco...
