If you're growing indoors, it's important to have a water filter for your grow. This is because many tap water sources contain contaminants that could be harmful to plants if they are not filtered out first. Luckily, there are several different types of water filters available that can help to purify and clean the water before you use it in your indoor grow operation. In this article, we'll take a look at some of the most common types of water filters and discuss how each one works.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems
One type of water filter commonly used by indoor growers is reverse osmosis (RO). As its name suggests, RO systems push the water through a membrane that removes dissolved solids from the liquid. This process also removes any bacteria or fungi that may be found in the water, allowing you to safely use it for your indoor grow.
Activated Carbon (AC) Systems
Another type of filter that is commonly used by growers is activated carbon (AC). AC filters contain granules made up of carbon and other substances that help to remove impurities from the water. This type of filter is most commonly used before the water enters an RO system, as it helps to remove any chlorine or chloramine that may still be present in the water after it has been treated with an RO system. AC filters are also sometimes used on their own without a pre-treatment system, but this isn't recommended unless you have very pure tap water to begin with.
UV Light Systems
Some growers choose to use UV light filters for their indoor grow operations. UV light works by killing microorganisms in the water and preventing them from reproducing. While this is a safe and effective way to purify your water, the downside is that it's not very effective at removing dissolved solids. So if you're growing indoors with tap water that has a high level of contaminants like heavy metals or nitrates, an RO system will be required in addition to any UV filtration that you use.
Overall, different types of filters work better for certain situations than others, so it's important to consider what type of grow you are running when choosing which filter to use. For example, if you're growing hydroponically without the use of soil, then an AC filter may be sufficient on its own. But if you're growing in soil and using tap water that contains dissolved solids, then an RO system will be necessary in order to keep your plants healthy.
No matter what type of grow you're running, though, there's a water filter out there that can help to ensure that your plants are getting the cleanest and purest water possible.
