What's the Best Rainwater Filtering System For Use In Cisters & Washing Machine?

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What's the Best Rainwater Filtering System For Use In Cisters & Washing Machine?

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Started 4 years ago by GJOESQ
Latest reply from Sunshine

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GJOESQ
Member

Greetings Knowledgeable ATS Members,

The greening of my house roadshow continues. I've been looking at rainwater harvesting for use in my two cisterns, washing machine and garden. Which filtering system, or combination thereof, is best to keep nasty stuff out of the rainwater tank that may stain clothes and toilet bowls?

I've been recommended the Frogmouth and Lazy Lizard filters from WaterCare: http://www.water-care.com.au/water-tank-accessories whereas another plumber recommended a leaf guard combined with an open style of leaf diverter on the downpipe and a 100 micron filter on the outlet of the tank

Another interesting gadget is the Superhead: http://www.superwall.com.au/superhead/index.html which looks like an all in one solution.

We have a large she-oak which drops it's needles on the collecting roof as well as some possums that frequent it at night.

Any thoughts/experiences?

Posted Wednesday 13 May 2009 @ 7:47:33 am from IP #
Sunshine
Member

Hi GJOESQ,

We have rainwater for washing machine and garden use. It is unfiltered and have no issues with staining clothes.
We have trees overhanging but it doesn't seem to affect water clarity.
I suppose it depends how much tannen there is in the leaves.
If you are concerned, after installing the tanks, just test the water clarity, if it looks good, I wouldn't filter it unless you are drinking it.
One recommendation is if you are internally plumbing the house with rain water, is to ensure you use plastic pipes and not copper, as rainwater is very soft and it corrodes copper and makes the water turn blue, causing the cistern to stain blue.
Also, the copper pipes will have limited lifespan.

Posted Wednesday 13 May 2009 @ 8:57:28 am from IP #
petanque
Member

Perhaps something to reflect on is what is in mains water?

While mains water has improved a lot optically rain water usually is better.

I have managed for 15 years with nothing.

We had the tank cleaned once.

Being soft water you may make a saving in the soap in the washing machine.

Posted Wednesday 13 May 2009 @ 11:46:28 pm from IP #
Solgen
Member

As Sunshine mentioned, rain water is naturally acidic and will attack copper piping. As a result on our system we have had to add a small amount of lime to increase the pH to slightly alkaline. Ironically, I understand that water authorities do this as well.
For good info on water filtration, I suggest you look at http://www.psifilters.com.au.

Posted Friday 15 May 2009 @ 8:12:38 am from IP #
RogerCrawford
Member

I am in Sydney and have a whole of house rainwater system supplied via a Davey Pump and Rainbank 2 system.
I use the 20 Micro Jumbo Housing and filter (20inch) and have no other filters and have no problems with my front load washing machine or cisterns.

Posted Saturday 16 May 2009 @ 8:23:26 am from IP #
GJOESQ
Member

Thanx, folks, for your replies. No one has mentioned the corrosion of copper pipes as yet. I'll have a chat with the plumbers about that.

The main problem I'm having is with Council needing a DA because we have to locate the tank in the front yard.

Posted Saturday 16 May 2009 @ 2:32:55 pm from IP #
Sunshine
Member

GJOESQ,
About two years ago, my 90 year old cold galv pipe for the cold water run in the house started to have small weeping leaks, so I got it replaced it all with PEX (Cross Linked Polyethylene) pipe, a grey/tan plastic pipe that is rated for mains pressure hot water up to 90c. It

Posted Saturday 16 May 2009 @ 11:03:35 pm from IP #

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