Has anyone tried to make clear ice


 
I had my reverse osmosis hooked up to the Amana I just took out. Nice and clear. But because I knew we were getting this Samsung with Beverage Dispenser and no way to separate the ice water supply from the beverage supply I hooked up my highly filtered water. Nice job but not clear. At least I don't get debris falling out of the ice cubes into my single malt
 
www.alcademics.com

Camper English is the authority on this topic. His website had Everything you need to know about making clear ice.

Basic idea is to use a cooler to slow the freezing process down and to mimic how a pond freezes. No need for filtered or distilled water.

I use tap water and get 100% clear ice.
 
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With ice not so much worried about flavor. Water treated though RO has no flavor. Totally flat. One reason I switched from using it (other is the system is a bit of a PIA to keep up and a bit expensive) so switched it over as all the filters and membrane are due for replacement and full system flush and clean. Actually easier and cheaper to buy a new system. But you still get very "flat" tasting water. (nice clear ice) but water tastes flat and I guess the coffee makers recommend against it.
When I bought the water carbonator to make my own sparkling mineral water, I then faced a bit of a crossroad. We have very good Artesian wells here. And knowing folks who have private wells tied into the same aquifer I've tasted the fully (very hard) untreated water. And it's like the expensive spring/mineral water you buy in a specialty shop.
I wanted to mimic the flavor of that Italian (read $$$$) water I was buying as it was REALLY good. So, a little plumbing in the basement, a trip to Menards for a couple T fittings and inline valves, and nice filtration system with easy to replace (push button, twist cartridge 1/4 turn, insert new twist and lock) filtration system https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...p-1501223587675-c-1535732895503.htm?exp=false though I did replace one cartridge (the main carbon block) with a better carbon block with this cartridge https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...p-1501223587610-c-1535732895503.htm?exp=false Simply because I have read we've had some VOC's in the aquifer (though the issue was localized to a couple small areas around here and supposedly not tied into the entire aquifer). Apparently it only affected those folks who were in specific areas with more shallow wells. In any case I felt like all things considered the extra $30 for the higher end cartridge was worth it.
My efforts were rewarded with wonderful water. Nearly impossible to tell from the high $$$$ stuff.
Only thing is I don't get clear ice from the new fridge.
Now if there was a way for me to run a separate line to only the dual ice maker I actually would take the time to buy and plumb a new RO system to only the ice maker. But it's just not that important to me. I am more concerned with having good tasting water overall.
 
Maybe there was some other variable--and maybe I should try it again--but after I installed a RO filter a few years ago and used it to brew tea I thought it tasted horrible. It tastes fine to me as normal drinking water but the tea was gross.
 
Clear ice cubes are way too much trouble for me. Some of my friends have gone overboard in trying to perfect them. I bought a silicone flat fat 6 cube tray and simply fill it up--ready to go anytime.

I know nothing about RO filters, so I Googled:

What is the disadvantage of a reverse osmosis filter?


Reverse Osmosis Water Benefits & Disadvantages | Wastewater ...


One of the major disadvantages of RO systems for the home is that they remove most of the minerals from the water leaving it with an acidic pH. Also, during the purification process, up to 20 gal of water is flushed down the drain for every gallon of filtered water produced.
 
Yeah, that article must have been written by a hater. Typically it's more like 3 to 6 gal flush per gallon output. And "acidic?" What a load of BS. It's just simply devoid of minerals. I have a TDS tester. IIRC I published in a thread on here, various TDS results including from RO (which for the record was about 0).
The tea tasted flat or bad because RO water is made so pure, it leaches WAY more impurities out of the tea leaves than water with minerals in it. Same with coffee. RO will tend to make the coffee taste a bit more "sharp" (honestly no better way in my vocabulary). Again because the water itself is "hungry" for stuff to "dissolve" since you've taken out all the TDS from it. So it leaches out the stuff you don't want to taste.
Anyway it has it's purposes. Especially good for ice making, or rinsing something you want no spots on.
I may still try to separate the 2 water systems in my new fridge BUT, I am concerned about someone saying it voided the warranty due to a modification. Plus then it means I'll need to buy a new RO system as current one is a bit "cobbled" tanks to a couple cracked filter housings I have had to piecemeal it. Would rather have a total homogenous system all one brand and type.
The company that makes my drinking water system makes a very good RO system at a reasonable price. I can do it since 90% of any plumbing is already in place. It's simply "shut off" right now
 
The reason this thread started was because we have city water that tastes bad. It makes ice that tastes bad so I buy bottled water and so called premium ice from the grocery store. Now for some reason the ice tastes like freezer burn. 😢. I have tried different ice and the same issue, could it be the grocery store freezer issue? The store had an issue where all of the bag ice got soft and the bags got frozen into 1 solid block. I think it was repaired but since then the ice tastes bad.
 
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