Best Reverse Osmosis System for Hydroponics: Highly Recommended Nutrient Solutions

So you know you should filter the water you use in your hydroponic system and you want the Best ro system for hydroponics, at the best price. But with all the different filters on the market you are feeling a little confused, right?

Water is of course the most crucial and essential part of a hydroponics system, starting with water you know is clean and free of contaminants will make it possible to achieve consistent, and predictable growth. However, if you use water straight from the pipes you will struggle to maintain the right balance of chemicals and Ph in your hydroponic system.

The quality of water entering a hydroponic system matters far more than most people realize, ignoring this fact means you will struggle to get good results when growing hydroponically. Besides getting poor growth, starting with poor water quality in your hydroponic system will require far more attention and work from you. So basically, don’t take shortcuts, make sure your water quality is great in the beginning and you will achieve amazing results from your hydroponics.

Using a Reverse Osmosis system to filter your water before using it in your hydroponics is the simplest solution. Modern RO systems have the capability to remove almost all contaminants and chemicals from your water that may cause damage to your plants. More importantly, they remove the harmful chemicals that your plants absorb. Everyone who filters their water first agrees they get healthier plants and more consistent results, they only wish they had used filtered water from the beginning.

 But Do You Know? 

Not all RO filter systems are the best reverse osmosis system for hydroponics growing, all will benefit you but some are going to be better suited than others. That’s why after going through and reviewing many systems, we have chosen some of the best Reverse Osmosis Systems suited to hydroponics systems for you & the very awesome thing is all the unites are tested and reviewed deeply before presenting to you. So now instead of spending hours reading boring flow rate statistics, you can get all the best advice right here summed up. You should watch the video below that will enable you to choose based on your need.

Here are comprehensive chart of these RO Systems that will help you to make an informed decision.

TOP Reverse Osmosis System For Hydroponics – Comparison Chart

Images

Products

Price/ Rating

Best Overall

Hydro-logic RO 31035

Filtration Stages: 3 stages, Water Production: 100 Gallons, Waste Ratio: 2:1

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Premium Choice

Hydro-Logic 31023

Filtration Stages: 3 stages, Water Production: 1200 Gallons, Waste Ratio: 2:1

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Best On Budget

Aquatic life 3-stage RO

Filtration Stages: 3 stages, Water Production: 50 Gallons, Waste Ratio: 1:4

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Best On Budget

Aquatic life 4-stage RO

Filtration Stages: 4 stages, Water Production: 75 Gallons, Waste Ratio: 2:1

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Below you can read the details of each product that is reviewed by certified staff.

Hydro-logic RO 31035 is one of the best RO systems you could choose for your hydroponic system, although not specifically designed for use in hydroponics, it performs exceptionally well as a pre-system filter. This is why it is our editor’s choice as the best reverse osmosis system for hydroponics.

Water production

Using 3 individual filtration stages, the Hydro-logic RO 31035 can process and filter around 100 Gallons per day which for most growers is more than enough.

Well! 100 Gallons per day is the maximum capacity the manufacturer quotes as the maximum filter rate. This may vary slightly, depending on the feed water pressure. It operates most effectively at the minimum water pressure of 40 psi. However increasing the water pressure, will mean water output also accelerates. The negative effect of increasing water input pressure is it will reduce the filter lifespan. 

Pro Tip: You can use a booster pump if you want to get most of the system. Although, it works effectively without it so it’s totally up to you.

Water waste

This unit has a water waste ratio of 2:1 which is better than many other RO systems. Obviously, you can’t get the purified water out of an RO system without wasting some water, this wastewater is a byproduct that is used to clean the RO Membrane, providing you completely purified water.

The Hydro-logic RO 31035 wastes around 25% less than other RO systems.

Filtration Stages

The Hydro-logic RO 31035 has 3 stages of filtration to turn your contaminated water into the purified water. The first pre-filter of the system removes the sediments, rust, dust, odor, and other harmful particles from water.

Then the water passes through the second filter Coconut Carbon block filter, which has the ability to absorb most harmful chemicals from the water. Mostly, it removes chlorine from the feed water.

The 3^rd stage of filtration is the Reverse Osmosis Membrane, it is at this stage the water will be treated to remove all the micro-organisms and total dissolved solids from the water to provide you completely purified healthy water, ready to be used in your hydroponic system.

Filter Replacement

To keep the performance at its maximum level, it is recommended by the manufacturer to replace the Pre-filters every 3-6 Months and RO Membrane Once a year, even more regularly if you are using a booster.

Although, it depends on the quality of your feed water. This is the recommended filter replacement duration, but if you are not using the RO filter at full capacity, your filters may be working completely fine even after 1.5 years of use. So before you rush to replace your filters, it’s best to check the performance of filter before replacing them.

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This RO system is the best system for larger Hydroponic systems. The Hydro-Logic 31023 is the best choice if you are going to need lots of water on a daily basis. And obviously, it is a larger system than its baby brother, and being the bigger system it comes with a bigger price tag to the greater water production and other benefits, it is an expensive unit.

Water Production

The manufacturer specifications for this unit are that it is capable of producing 1000 gallons per day. This volume of water production is enough to supply a commercial grow setup you ha, keeping you in supply with purified water all day.

Again, water production depends on the water pressure and even the quality of water can also reduce the total amount of production. If the water is particularly contaminated, or you are filtering groundwater the production rate will be less than the manufacturer states. 

Water wastage

Hydro-Logic 31023 also has a 2:1 waste using  2 gallons to produce 1 single gallon of purified water. Systems that waste below or equal to 3-4 gallons per gallon produced are considered efficient systems. Making this system a highly efficient choice if water consumption is a concern.

There are some systems on the market that wastes more than 19-20 gallons per gallon of filtered water produced. This is why we are recommending the  Hydro-Logic 31023 as one of the best choices for fast, efficient water filtration in your hydroponic system.

 Installation

This unit has been designed with ease of use and installation in mind. After a quick read of the installation manual, you will be more than qualified to install the entire system yourself, saving you money and the need to get a professional plumber to install it for you.

Interesting Features

Made from a strong polypropylene construction, making it more durable than some cheaper units. Although the initial investment may be more you will save money in the long run.

Another feature we really like is the high water flow, the Hydro-Logic 31023 has one of the best through flow rates of any filter on the market. Making it the best reverse osmosis filter for large scale hydroponic growers.

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Another popular Reverse osmosis system well worth considering, especially if you are on a budget, is the aquatic life 3-stage reverse osmosis filter. This system is specifically designed for use in gardens or hydroponics, It even comes with a garden hose attachment so you can connect straight to it. So if  If you only need a mediocre volume of water production but a premium quality filter, and you are wanting an affordable unit, then the aquatic life 3-stage reverse osmosis filter system would be the best fit for you.

Water Production

Aquatic life 3-stage RO does not have the best flow rate, it only has the capability of producing around 3 gallons of filtered water per hour. Although, the water production quantity may vary due to other factors like water quality, water pressure, and temperature.

This is one system that will really benefit from a water pressure booster.  The recommended minimum water pressure is 60 psi and to ensure optimum efficiency it is suggested to keep the water temperature between 77°F and 105°F. This should be a suitable volume of filtered water for the smaller scale hydroponic grower.

Filtration process

For the filtration of your feed water, this unit uses the typical 3 stage filter setup. The filtration process is quite similar to the Hydro-logic RO 31035 (Editor’s Choice).

In the filtration process, the first pre-filter effectively removes sediment, hardness, odor, etc. from the water, When the water passes through the 2^nd stage of the filter is a catalytic GAC (granular activated carbon) cartridge filter. A question often asked is what does GAC filter do, and the answer is simple. The GAC filter stage is very effective at removing organic dissolved chemicals, chloramines, fluoride, chlorine, and especially important if you are filtering groundwater is the ability for GAC cartridges to remove hydrogen sulfide, the chemical that gives groundwater a rotten egg smell.

Now your water is almost purified, the 3^rd stage will remove all the remaining micro-organisms, viruses, and the remaining chemicals from the water to give it the final touch.

Installation

The process of installation is pretty simple for everyone. If you are new to this, still you can set up this unit by reading the instructions manual. One thing we really found useful is the color-coded Yellow and Red Polyethylene Tubing making the process of connecting the correct pipes a simple job.  It comes with a built-in mount bracket that enables you to fix it easily. Moreover, you will have a garden hose that makes it easy for you to connect it with the faucet. Long story short, you will not face any trouble during installation.

Interesting features

One of the biggest differences between this system and other Ro systems is the manual filter flush option. This means you save on wastewater by only flushing the RO membrane when you need to.

This unit also has an automatic shut-off valve, which means that it will stop the water supply whenever you are not using the output.

These are features not seen on other reverse osmosis systems, and that is because the Aquatic life 3-stage reverse osmosis system is specifically designed for use in gardens and hydroponics.

The manufacturer gives you a warranty of 1 year from the date of purchase, which is not the best warranty around but the system is solid and should give you years of use if it is maintained properly.

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Unlike its little cousin, the Aqualife 4-stage filter is not specially designed for hydroponic growers. However, it is compact and easy to set up so we have included it in our top choices. It is also one of the top-rated filters on the market. The addition of the deionization filter ensures that even more minerals are removed from the water, which for a hydroponics grower, it means you have more control over what you are feeding your plants. 

Water Production

Aquatic life 4-stage RO has the capability of producing around 75 gallons of filtered water per day. Making it one of the slower filter units reviewed. In this case, it is a compromise worth considering as this filter is filtering out, even more, contaminates than most other comparably priced water filters.

Filtration process

For the filtration of your feed water, this unit uses the typical 3 stage filter setup. With the addition of the fourth demineralization stage. It is the fourth stage that removes all of the dissolved salts, calcium, magnesium, and other dissolved metallic substances.

The water that is produced is safe enough to put straight into an aquarium, so if you are thinking of doing any aquaponics this is the ideal filter for you. 

Installation

The filter comes with a mounting bracket and all the hoses you need to connect it to your water supply. If you have basic tools you can install this unit yourself in under half an hour. 

Interesting features

One innovation is the easy twist-off replacement filter, making them easy to replace and install. 

Another really cool feature is the clear viewing window which allows you to check the color-changing DI filter without removing it. 

The option of an auto shut-off solenoid. So you can connect the filter unit to mains and have it filling a float-controlled reservoir tank.

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Over to You!

We have covered what we consider to be the best reverse osmosis systems for hydroponics. Now the decision is yours, choose the system that is right for you and start to see the difference it makes to your plants. 

Hopefully, we have covered every aspect that you may be looking for. Share the post with all of your friends, perhaps they did not even realize they should be filtering their hydroponic supply water. 

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