SMALL BOY DE-CHLORINATOR AND SEDIMENT FILTER

Description

SMALL BOY DE-CHLORINATOR AND SEDIMENT FILTER is the inline water treatment unit that removes chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, and fine sediment from tap water before it enters your irrigation system or nutrient mixing process. We have been recommending the SmallBoy to UK growers since 2017 because water quality is the starting point of every nutrient solution, and the chlorine and chloramine routinely present in UK tap water directly damage the beneficial microbial populations that organic and living substrate growers depend on for nutrient cycling.

What the SmallBoy Removes and Why It Matters

UK water companies use chlorine and chloramine to disinfect the public water supply — essential for human health but damaging to the root zone biology of a living growing medium. Chlorine off-gasses from water within a few hours of standing in an open bucket, but chloramine is more stable and does not off-gas significantly, making it impossible to remove by letting water stand overnight. The SmallBoy’s KDF-carbon filter cartridge removes both chlorine and chloramine through catalytic and chemical processes, producing water that is safe for beneficial bacteria, mycorrhizal fungi, and the wider root zone microbiome that drives nutrient availability in soil and organic growing systems. The integrated sediment filter also captures fine particles that would otherwise accumulate in drippers, AQUAvalves, and spray nozzles.

Installation and Flow Rate

The SmallBoy connects in-line to a standard 3/8-inch pressurised cold water supply — typically under a kitchen sink — and delivers filtered water at the mains flow rate. It requires no electricity and needs only a periodic filter cartridge change every three to six months depending on water usage and local water quality. The KDF upgrade cartridge provides additional chloramine and heavy metal removal beyond the standard carbon-only filter when local water quality testing reveals these contaminants at higher levels.

Pair the SmallBoy De-Chlorinator and Sediment Filter with the SmallBoy KDF Catalytic Carbon Upgrade cartridge for comprehensive water treatment, then combine with a TDS pen to monitor output water quality after filtration.