Anyone use one of these for watering horses? The ancient well and pipes in my barn are very prone to gunk.
There seems to be a lot of these products on the market for RV use, and most of them seem pretty affordable:
Does anyone out there use one? If so, is there a particular model you would recommend?
We use the Camco in our RV, as do many of our friends. Seems to work just fine. It did get me thinking about whether it might be a good idea to use on our barn hose too. Our own well water is very good, except for being high in iron. We got the filter for the RV mostly for when we are away from home.
I’ve used the Camco ones for an RV and they work just fine. If you have a lot of “gunk” in your lines it might clog quickly. If you have a place that doesn’t freeze to put one in the water line, a home sediment filter might be a better option.
I ordered the Camco one shortly after posting this because it was the only one I saw that advertised it removed iron and sediment, which are my two biggest problems!
I will update when it arrives!
I had no idea there were so many of these things on the market. It has me wondering if they may be beneficial to keep in the trailer for horse shows and traveling to help remove the odor/flavor of strange water?
I’ve used the ones on the bottom link. Twin packs that can be had at wal mart. Used them on the water line to an auto waterer that had a valve that was sensitive/clogged with sentiment. Convenient and worked well for what I was dealing with.
Iron is not easily removed. Esp with these types of filters. Removing iron with a filter is tricky depending on the type and amount of iron in the water. When dissolved iron comes into contact with air/oxygen it becomes oxidized, iron sulfide I think is the term. The inside of the filter can and does get slimy/clog and the water coming out can and does smell like someone farted.
Iron is of little concern for human or horses. Iron water is a PITA to wash things in, Esp whites.
@gumtree Thanks for the input, that’s the one I ordered.
I don’t expect it to remove all of the iron, but sometimes, for a myriad of reasons, the water is more orange than other times. The horses don’t seem to drink as well in those instances, so I am hoping a filter might provide an added layer of consistency. Same goes for sediment.
If these filters do what I hope, which is reduce the “gunk” at times when it’s bad, I will be over the moon, even if I have to replace them every few weeks. The property is not mine, so permanent fixes are not really an option. The property owner is of the mindset that the water has been like this for 3 centuries and it’s been good enough for their horses. Me, I’d rather not see my impaction prone mare turn her nose up at water if I can help it.
You should have your water tested to see what you really need to be filtering out. I have hard water so from my water well I have a whole house filter (for sediment) then a water softener to get rid of the hardness. This system cleans my barn water to be better than the city water that flows from the tap at the house.I change the filter in the whole house unit every month and add salt to the softener as needed. Not really a lot of work for water that I will drink out of the hose.
We have whole house filters. Ours goes through a course filter first then through a second filter. It is right after the well. DH installed it. If the plumbing is PVC it is an easy install. They are inexpensive and the filters last a long time. He added a UV filter just before his Stem Cell Transplant but I think that is overkill for what you need.
We have 2 of these type:
https://www.lowes.com/pd/A-O-Smith-AO-WH-PREV-Single-Stage-4-GPM-Mechanical-Filtration-Whole-House-Water-Filtration-System/1000576411
I’ve used a similar water filter for cattle at shows. They can be picky drinkers like some horses
I purchased from Sullivan Supply and now I feel like I overpaid!
https://www.sullivansupply.com/product/water-purifier/
Now I know about these RV filters
Updating–
My Camco RV filter arrived and I finally put it on the hose today. I was really impressed that the water ran clear! When it’s not raining, maybe I’ll try to get some before/after pics.
I didn’t actually catch anyone drinking out of the trough yet, but for $14, I’m definitely a fan of this purchase!
By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy. You may also receive promotional emails from The Chronicle of the Horse. You can opt out at any time.
For Customers
Company
Terms of Use
