This week we performed our first water change using the new Hydro-Logic Small Boy filter.  All said, it worked out pretty well.  Here are our quick observations on it:

• It does filter chlorine and chloramine pretty quickly.  It keeps equal output pressure as input pressure, but it does decrease your flow rate.  We fill our hydro systems from a high grade (potable water) hose, which runs at standard household pressure.  We've put the filter in-line with the hose.  The filter uses 1/4" tube for it's inlets and outlets, which is a big reduction compared to the straight hose.  Admittedly, it does decrease flow rate, but I'm unaware of anything that operates any faster.  Secondarily, it's "fast enough" for our needs, so no harm done.
• We really don't have any way to evaluate it's filtering effectiveness, as we don't have the special tools required.  I'm considering taking a sample to a water place for a proper analysis.
• Here's an odd item about the Small Boy filter:  It includes a hose-thread to 1/4" tubing adapter.  This adapter is very helpful, and we use it.  The odd part is that they include only one...  I built a second one from plumbing fittings at Home Depot.
• We've hooked the filter up with a set of our quick connectors, and it's connected in-line with the fill line.  The water comes from the tap, connects (optionally) to the filter, then to the hose.  We can remove the filter from the chain at any time.  Why remove the filter?  Because we empty our tanks in the exact opposite of how we fill them... We use the pumps to pump the water "back out" the fill hose (and down the drain).  We don't want the pump in place when dealing with waste water. 

Things are moving slowly in the aeroponic TurboGarden.  The eggplants are growing, but not as rapidly as before. We've added several more support strings to the eggplant, as the fruits are really weighing down the branches.  I'm glad we have the large and sturdy lightstand.

We've picked our first strawberry, and lots more are forming.  We're getting lots of flowers and lots of baby berries.

This week's overview photo: