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The AS001C10 filter does not filter out heavy metals, more specialised media is required for this. Our AS001K10 filter does remove heavy metals or our reverse osmosis systems could be used. This does however depend upon the level and type of heavy metals present.

Reduces or Removes: Sediment, Chlorine, Chloramines, Colour, Taste & Odour, Pesticides, Herbicides, Insecticides, THM’s, VOC’s, Cryptosporidium & Giardia, Asbestos, Bacteria, Algae, Fungi. NSF standard 42 certified with a capacity of 10,000 litres.

Shower filters do not have an absolute micron rating as they are not designed to filter out particulates or sediment only chemicals, in particular chlorine. I am not sure what certification you are referring to here. Perhaps you could explain this a little more for us.

We do have a bath filter however this involves removing the spout on the bath and screwing on the chrome 45013 shower filter with a spout attached. This system is not on the website, it has the part #45015 and a cost of $142.00.

Please let us know if we can be of further help.

It is possible to convert the AS200 into an AS280 by adding an additional filter housing and cartridge. This is a simple process and one done by many of our customers in the past. The cost of this depending upon the filters you already have in the AS200 unit. If you have the AS001K9/10 filter then it is only a matter of adding a fluoride removal filter AS001A9/10 and a filter housing. Please contact Aqua Safe for the latest cost of doing this.

The system dimensions are the actual physical size of the units. Extra room needs to be allowed on either side of the filter at the top to connect the inlet and outlet tubes. This needs to be 70-80mm unless John Guest stem elbows are used in which case an extra 10mm needs to be allowed.

Extra space of 30-50mm needs to allowed under the base of the filters for servicing and changing of the filter cartridges.

Changing the filters is quite simple, just a matter of turning off the inlet valve, releasing the pressure by opening the filtered water tap, anscrewing the filter housings, removing the old cartridges, clean the housings, insert new cartridges, screw housing back together and open the inlet valve and flush the cartridges ready for use.

The filter housing on the AS100 tends to become more difficult to undo and re-tighten as the system ages. To avoid this we suggest lubricating the o-ring every 1-2 years with a food grade lube. (can be purchased from Aqua Safe) This will prevent the 0-ring from gripping to the filter base making it difficult to get undone and difficult to seal when tightening back up. We would also suggest replacing the o-ring every few years to make the yearly service easier as well.

The AS100SL system uses a different all in one filter cartridge and housing making it is very easy to change the filter, does not need lubricating and does not get harder to change with age. This system is purchased by many elderly customers for this reason.

This kit includes everything that should be required for the average or most common installation on the unit. Included is 2 metres of ¼” JG tube, an Apex 350kPa pressure limiting/ non return valve and a ½” stopcock connection fitting. If any other fittings or tube are required please contact Aqua Safe.

The main difference between the two caravan filters is the carbon filter is designed to remove sediment and chemical, taste and odour from the water supply while the sediment filter will only remove sediment and suspended particles from the water. The KDF media removes chlorine, heavy metals and treat hardness. The thread type on the sediment filter is ¼” NPT/ BSP.

The shower filters are all very efficient at removing chlorine and are designed and built in a way to suit this purpose, the type selected depends upon if you have a wall mount shower rose or hand held shower rose.

This depends upon if you are looking at a bench top or under bench system. Either way we would recommend an AS100, AS150 or AS200 system type with a AS001K cartridge. This system is able to treat approx 4000 litres for chloramines removal. If a higher volume is required we can supply specialised Chloramines removal cartridges that will fit into either of the above mentioned systems.

Pseudomonas aeroginosa is a potential coloniser of water system networks and is similar in size to E-coli. Ceramic filters will therefore reduce this bacteria much the same as for E-coli. However, since this organism is rapid growing and may recover quickly, a <99.99% barrier maybe insufficient. A limited number of cells may pass through the filter which, unlike E-coli, may form colonies downstream of the filter. It would be best to combine filtration with a ultra-violet disinfection stage to ensure removal of Pseudomonas aeroginosa.

Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems in any configeration remove copper however it also depend how much is in the water. You may also look at the possibility of installing a whole of house system to remove the chlorine or chloramine from the water as this maybe causing the copper problems. The tank housing does not come into contact with the water only the inert neoprene bladder. The remainder of the components are also food grade mostly polyproperlene.

Hello,

Can you please confirm which RO system you are referring to so we can confirm the dimensions.The 8 litre storage tank is 23cm D x 39cm H while the 12 tank is 28cm D x 39cm H. Both can be laid on there side or placed in another cupboard. A 1 micron pre-filter provides enough protection for the membrane especially with town water anywhere in Australia. The pH of the water coming from the RO system is typically 6.8 but does depend upon the pH of the water going into the unit and this varies all over the country. We do however recommend the use of a remineraliser, alkaliser or Pi filter after RO to increase the pH over 7.

It is recommended to replace standard filters every 12 months. This is based on an average usage and water quality. Poor quality water or high usage may require more frequent filter replacement.

The 80055 along with all other 3 way mixer taps have Watermark certification. Some of these taps have only been recently certified so the certification does not appear on the box but no doubt will in the future. I would not expect this to be put on the tap though. Please let us know if you require the certification number or further details on this.

The AS200 system has filter housing with cartridges inside that are replaced every year. The housings need to be unscrewed, the cartridges removed, housings cleaned and new filters installed. The system is also a little larger than the AS2200.

The AS2200 has no filter housings to be removed, the filter and housing are all one, simply unscrew the filter, throw it away and screw in new ones. Changing filters is very simple and easy and takes all of 2 minutes. The unit is a little smaller than the AS200.

Both systems take various filter options however the AS200 system does have more filter options for removal of specific contaminants.

Pressure gauges are used to indicate when the filters are blocked however for this a gauge is required before and after each filter. The pressure difference between them when the system is under normal or design flow indicates the pressure loss across the filter cartridge or how blocked it is. If there is low flow at the time they are checked then the pressure loss will be less when in fact the cartridges may need to be changed. Most customers know when the water flow if the house drops its time to change the filters.

They are not necessary, have no effect on the performance of the system, they tend to get damaged, most customers have trouble knowing how to read them and make sense of it so we generally don’t promote them. We do offer the option to those who particualy want it.

Hello,

Cartridges to remove lead from water are generally 1 micron or less or reverse osmosis systems are used, either way water pressure is required for these systems to operate correctly. Gravity fed tank water systems will operate in some circumstances provided the tank is located at a high point and can provide around 100 kPa pressure at the required flow rate.

Aqua Safe reverse osmosis systems are certified to NSF standard 53. NSF standard 58 is a higher standard certifying the complete Reverse Osmosis system. NSF certification is expensive to obtain and then requires ongoing testing and auditing to maintain. Hence most products with NSF certification tend to be more expensive however customers also know that they have been tested and meet a level or standard of quality. NSF standard 58 certification is however completely different to WQA Gold certified to standard 58. Products with NSF standard 58 are tested and certified by NSF International. WQA or Water Quality Association certified does not mean it meets NSF standard 58; this is more a marketing use of words to promote sale of products. It can only be tested and certified by NSF to meet the standard. There are 3 tubes coming from the bench top reverse osmosis system. One white tube connects to the tap to supply the inlet water, the second white tube is used to fill jug or container while the black tube is the drain or membrane flushing and usually runs down the drain or can be used to fill a bucket to water the garden etc.

The remineralising cartridge is an inline 275mm long that is usually installed after the reverse osmosis filter process to raise the pH of the water. It can be installed as a final stage or installed before the last carbon filter to reduce the effects of the cartridge.

The cartridge contains a number of ceramic balls and mineral rocks that essentially add calcium into the water raising the pH to between 8-9.5 depending upon the incoming water. The cartridge also reduces the Oxygen Reduction Potential (ORP) of the water to between -25 to -180mv to assist the bodies metabolic functions.

A remineraliser can be added as 5th or 6th stage to a 4 stage reverse osmosis system and can be installed after a resin cartridge although it is already included as standard os the ASRO4R unit.

The remineralising cartridge is an inline 275mm long that is usually installed after the reverse osmosis filter process to raise the pH of the water. It can be installed as a final stage or installed before the last carbon filter to reduce the effects of the cartridge.

The cartridge contains a number of ceramic balls and mineral rocks that essentially add calcium into the water raising the pH to between 8-9.5 depending upon the incoming water. The cartridge also reduces the Oxygen Reduction Potential (ORP) of the water to between -25 to -180mv to assist the bodies metabolic functions.

A remineraliser can be added as 5th or 6th stage to a 4 stage reverse osmosis system and can be installed after a resin cartridge although it is already included as standard os the ASRO4R unit.

Ultra-violet (UV) systems require power to operate. They are usually plugged into 240VAC power supply and then reduced down to 24 or 12 volt to supply the system. They can connected to 24 or 12 volt AC or DC however this will alter the cost of the system.

Yes it does however the flow rate from the filter system will drop as the water pressure decreases. This will also depend upon the filter cartridges used. Bore’s are generally always pumped so there should always be some pressure available. The finer or lower micron cartridges will reduce the pressure more. As long as there is at least 30-40 kPa pressure you will get water from the system with any combination of cartridges. Lower pressure than this will require higher 5-10 micron cartridges.

The slight increase in the pH of water passing through the ceramic filters is due to the presence of the mineral Wollastonite in the ceramic. Wollastonite is slightly soluble and alkaline, so may partly dissolve in the water as it passes through the filter causing a minor pH shift which is harmless. No health based guideline value for pH in drinking water has been proposed by the WHO, although accompanying notes to the guidelines state that the pH range is often in the range of 6.5-9.5.

Pseudomonas aeroginosa is a potential coloniser of water system networks and is similar in size to E-coli. FICL candles should therefore, in theory, show a similar reduction efficiency for Pseudomonas aeroginosa as E-coli 4.
However, since this organism is rapid growing and may recover quickly. Without physically testing FICL ceramic filters with this type of organism, it is impossible to predict a performance claim.
FICL are not prepared to attempt a prediction of performance, since the filters do not provide 100% barrier to E-coli, a limited number of cells may pass through the filter which, unlike E-coli may form colonies down stream of the filter. It would be more suitable to combine filtration with a disinfection stage to ensure removal of Pseudomonas aeroginosa.

There has been a limited amount of research into Oestrogen and Synthetic Oestrogen, and so we do not have quantifiable test data on the effectiveness of our products in removing it. Due to the chemical
properties of Oestrogen, we believe that activated carbon would be effective in reducing it. However until better test methodology is available, we are unable make a claim.

Since Legionella has a similar morphology to E-coli our ceramic filter elements should provide similar protection against Legionella. However, Legionella is capable of slow regrowth downstream of the
filter, so if just one organism passes through the ceramic it could eventually colonise the water delivery system. Therefore it is important to regularly disinfect downstream of the filter or fit a UV light just after the filter.

The Doulton and British Berkefeld range of ceramic water filters are only suitable for the removal of iron in particulate form; they are not proven as suitable for treating dissolved iron. To treat water containing soluble iron, the iron must be oxidised to induce precipitation prior to filtration. Alternatively distillation or reverse osmosis can be used.

The ceramic part of our filter elements will not take out any of these organic materials. The activated carbon in the Supercarb and Ultracarb filter elements will have some effect, however, to remove these type of materials requires much greater quantities of activated carbon and much longer contact time than our filters can provide.

Chloramine may be removed by passing through a bed of activated carbon, but requires much greater contact time with the carbon than chlorine, so a slow flow rate through the carbon must be ensured.
Unfortunately although the Doulton or British Berkefeld, Supersterasyl, Carbosyl, Supercarb and Ultracarb filter elements contain activated carbon, they may reduce levels but will not remove chloramine because there is insufficient contact time with the carbon.

No, there are so many different species of bacteria of different shape, size and growth characteristics, which preclude the ceramic filter from being effective against all of them. The pathogenic bacteria that
FICL claim to be effective against have been qualified by test data from independent test laboratories or are extrapolated from test data, of similar microorganisms (please seek advice on permitted
extrapolated claims).
Also although the ceramic will filter all types of heterotrophic bacteria to some extent, it should be noted that any harmless bacteria of this type passing through the ceramic may multiply downstream of the filter. Since these heterotrophic bacteria are harmless, normally there are no problems and some heterotrophic bacteria are reported to be beneficial (see the section on Heterotrophic Bacteria pg 19).
However, if normal use of the filter is interrupted by holidays or vacations, growth of these bacteria may result in a ‘flat’ or ‘stale’ taste for a period of time when use of the filter resumes. This is especially true for the filter elements that contain activated carbon such as the Super Sterasyl (contains granular activated carbon), the Supercarb and Ultracarb (both contain an extruded activated carbon core). Any system containing activated carbon, which will reduce residual levels of free chlorine, will result in an increase in plate counts over a short period of time until a constant state of equilibrium is established. The UK Drinking Water Inspectorate water regulations call for the water to be regularly monitored for
consistency as used, therefore since an equilibrium point is reached in the filtered water, the filters comply with the regulations. The presence of this type heterotrophic bacteria does not constitute a health problem since the organisms present will be harmless and a suitable level of consistency would be established. Flushing the filter system for several minutes after any prolonged period of inactivity should eliminate the problem.

The Doulton and British Berkefeld range of ceramic water filters are only suitable for the removal of aluminium in particulate form; they are not proven to be suitable for treating dissolved aluminium. To treat water containing soluble aluminium, ion exchange resin, distillation or reverse osmosis must be used.

The ATS media used in our Ultracarb filters will adsorb lead, even in the presence of calcium and magnesium ions. This is proven in the NSF certification testing. One of the test protocols for metal(s) reduction calls for testing at high pH, high TDS conditions to simulate use in hard waters. Filter elements containing ATS have to pass this part of the test protocol before they can receive NSF certification.

Hardness caused by the presence of positively charged metal ions and total hardness is measured as the equivalent of milligrams per litre of calcium carbonate. There are two forms of hardness, temporary hardness which only contains metal carbonates and bicarbonates, the most typical being calcium carbonate. Temporary hardness is precipitated from water when heated and is responsible for the furring of heating elements and metal pipes. Permanent hardness consists of non-carbonate based metal salts, and does not
precipitate out on heating.

If normal use of the filter is interrupted by holidays or vacations, growth of harmless heterotrophic bacteria may result in a ‘flat’ or ‘stale’ taste for a period of time when use of the filter resumes. This is especially true for the filter elements that contain activated carbon such as the Super Sterasyl™ (contains granular activated carbon), the Supercarb™ and Ultracarb™ (both contain an extruded activated carbon core). Flushing the filter system for several minutes after any prolonged period of inactivity should eliminate the problem.

The filter housing is best cleaned by unscrewing the body or housing from the head and wiping the surface and the inside of the body with warm water and a cloth or sponge. Mild detergent can also be used although it is IMPORTANT – not to attempt to clean the filter head, which could cause contamination of the filtered water.

The ceramic shell of Sterasyl™, Super Sterasyl™, Supercarb™, and Ultracarb™ filter elements all contain trace amounts of silver to prevent microbiological growth. These elements have anti-bacterial properties and should NOT be sterilised after cleaning. This included placing them in boiling water as this will damage the internal filter elements and the end seals.

Ceramic Only
Once cleaning fails to restore the flow. Although, each individual candle does have a recommended capacity when used in normal conditions. The capacity for a specific element is quoted in within
the section dedicated to each filter element’s construction and performance.
Combination Filter Elements
In dual function systems cleaning the ceramic will not extend the life of the internal material. For example: the ‘life’ of the extruded carbon block in the Supercarb filter elements is determined by the concentrations of chlorine and/or volatile organic compounds in the supply water. In most cases, the filter element should be replaced after 6 – 12 months of daily use or 1000 US gallons. The particulate and turbidity concentration in the supply water governs the life of the ceramic, which may exceed or not achieve the capacity of the carbon insert. Whichever point is reached first governs when the filter element requires replacing – the six months usage or the ceramic becoming blocked to the extent where cleaning does not restore the flow.

In some water conditions, there is so much particulate or turbidity in the supply water that the candle becomes blocked much more quickly than in normal conditions. In these circumstances, it is beneficial to use a pre-filter upstream of the ceramic candle; – this prevents the candle from becoming blocked too quickly, minimises cleaning and so extends the life of the ceramic filter.

Use a scouring pad (similar to 3M ‘Scotchbrite). Ensure that the end of the plastic mount does not come into contact with unfiltered water and dirty hands. Rubber gloves are recommended to be used during cleaning and NEVER use soap or detergents!

This can be added as an option to the Reverse Osmosis system to indicate when the membrane or drainage line has blocked or failed so the membrane can be replaced and the high water quality maintained. Without this you are unable to tell when the membrane has failed or the unit is not operating correctly unless you test the water coming from the membrane with a TDS meter. A handheld TDS meter will test it at that point in time although you will need to disconnect tubing to get a reading from the membrane outlet rather than from the system as this will be after another carbon filter, pH balancing filter, re-mineraliser or Pi filter.

The water quality monitoring system displays the quality at the push of a button and monitors the membrane output 24 hours 7 days a week from day 1. It will also alarm you when the quality goes out of specification giving you peace of mind that you are always drinking purified water.

The ASRO4R system also has the option of a flow meter as the resin filter only treats a certain volume of water before it needs to be changed. This meter indicates the remaining volume left with filter and alarms when the volume of water has been treated. The filter can then be changed and the flow meter reset.

A water pressure gauge is installed on each Reverse Osmosis unit to confirm the unit is operating and running correctly with the required minimum pressure. They will also help determine if the sediment and carbon pre-filters are blocked and need replacement. A second pressure gauge can be fitted to the under bench units to let you know when the pre-filters are blocked while a third gauge can be added to show the storage tank pressure as this will need to be adjusted after a few years.

The simple answer is, No they don’t. Reverse osmosis systems filter down to 0.0005 microns, however many contaminants are smaller than this or are forced through the membrane due to design constraints or poor design. Some contaminants are removed by as much as 99% while many others are removed by only 30-50%. This can be seen by looking at membrane rejection tables.

The average contaminant removal by reverse osmosis filter systems is approximately 85%. This will vary depending upon the quality and number of contaminants in the water supply and the system design.

The performance of a reverse osmosis system can be checked by using a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) meter and should be between 7-10ppm.

To remove more contaminants an additional filtration stage is required. This involves one or more mixed bed DI resin filters that further purify the water removing 99.99% of contaminants. This Ultrapure water can be provided by the Aqua Safe ASRO4R system.

This is an additional cartridge filled with calcium and mineral rocks that is installed either after the last carbon filter or before the last carbon filter and adds in natural minerals mainly calcium to raise the water pH to between 8-9. Normal town water is around pH 7.0 as opposed to the water coming from the RO system at between 6.5 and 6.8 depending upon filter configuration.

The ASBTRO4 system is a 4 stage reverse osmosis system and includes 3 Omnipure US made cartridges and the Dow Filmtec US made TFC membrane.

The first cartridge is a sediment filter part #17420, the second is a 5 micron Carbon filter, part # 17679, followed by the membrane and another 5 micron carbon filter. The system includes a plastic case that neatly encloses the filters and components. Only genuine John Guest fittings and tube are used.

The slight increase in the pH of water passing through the ceramic filters is due to the presence of the mineral Wollastonite in the ceramic. Wollastonite is slightly soluble and alkaline, so may partly dissolve in the water as it passes through the filter causing a minor pH shift which is harmless. No health based guideline value for pH in drinking water has been proposed by the WHO, although accompanying notes to the guidelines state that the pH range is often in the range of 6.5-9.5.

Since Legionella has a similar morphology to E-coli, our ceramic filter elements should provide similar protection against Legionella. However, Legionella is capable of slow regrowth downstream of the filter, so if just one organism passes through the ceramic it could eventually colonise the water delivery system. Therefore it is important to regularly disinfect downstream of the filter or fit a Ultra-Violet light just after the filter.

The Doulton® range of ceramic water filters are only suitable for the removal of iron in particulate form. They are not proven as suitable for treating dissolved iron. To treat water containing soluble iron, the iron must be oxidised to induce precipitation prior to filtration. Alternatively distillation, reverse osmosis or mixed bed resin filters can be used.

Fluoride salts are soluble in water and will not be removed with standard filtration or Doulton filters. To remove dissolved fluoride Aqua Safe AS280 filtration system or reverse osmosis system is required.

The ceramic part of our filter elements will not take out any of these organic materials. The activated carbon in the Supercarb™ and Ultracarb™ filter elements will have some effect. However, to remove these types of materials requires much greater quantities of activated carbon and much longer contact time than these filters can provide.

The Ultracarb filter can remove some chloramines or monochloramine, however it is only able to reduce it for a few hundred litres depending upon the level in the water. A different type or more specialised filters are required for this.

The Doulton® Ultracarb ceramic water filters are only suitable for the removal of aluminium in particulate form. They are not proven to be suitable for treating dissolved aluminium. To treat water containing soluble aluminium, ion exchange resin, distillation or reverse osmosis must be used.

The ATS resin media used in the Ultracarb™ filters will adsorb lead and other heavy metals, even in the presence of calcium and magnesium ions. This is proven in the NSF certification testing. One of the test protocols for metal(s) reduction calls for testing at high pH, high Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) conditions to simulate use in hard waters. Filter elements containing ATS have to pass this part of the test protocol before they can receive NSF certification.

Ceramic and carbon filtration does not remove hardness (calcium and magnesium ions) from water so these filter elements will not affect the hardness in drinking water. The resin contained in the filter is also not designed to remove calcium ions from the water.

If normal use of the filter is interrupted by holidays or vacations, growth of harmless heterotrophic bacteria may result in a ‘flat’ or ‘stale’ taste for a period of time when use of the filter resumes. This is especially true for the filter elements that contain activated carbon such as the Super Sterasyl™ (contains granular activated carbon), the Supercarb™ and Ultracarb™ (both contain an extruded activated carbon core). Flushing the filter system for several minutes after any prolonged period of inactivity should eliminate the problem.

The filter housing is best cleaned by unscrewing the body from the head and wiping the surface and the inside of the body with a soft cloth dampened with warm water. IMPORTANT – DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CLEAN THE FILTER HEAD, WHICH COULD CAUSE CONTAMINATION OF THE FILTERED WATER.

The ceramic shell of Sterasyl™, Super Sterasyl™, Supercarb™, and Ultracarb™ filter elements all contain trace amounts of silver to prevent microbiological growth. These elements have anti-bacterial properties and should NOT be sterilised after cleaning. This included placing them in boiling water as this will damage the internal filter elements and the end seals.

This depends on the type of ceramic filter being used: Sterasyl™ Should be replaced once cleaning fails to restore the water flow. The level of sediment and contaminants in the water will dictate the filter life. However, the manufacturer recommends that Sterasyl™ filters are replaced after 10,000 litres of water have passed through the filter, to guarantee optimum performance.

Super Sterasyl™, Supercarb™, and Ultracarb™
In combination filter elements (ceramic shells with internal filter media) cleaning the ceramic will not extend the life of the internal material. For example, the ‘life’ of the carbon block in Supercarb™ or Ultracarb™ filter elements is determined by the concentration of chlorine and/or volatile organic compounds in the water supply. This means that the life of the ceramic might or might not exceed the capacity of the carbon insert, depending on the water quality. Whichever point is reached first – the six months usage or the ceramic becoming blocked to the extent where cleaning does not restore the flow – governs when the filter element requires replacing. In most cases, the filter element should be replaced after 6 – 12 months of daily use. The following flow guidelines can be used to guarantee optimum performance:

Super Sterasyl™ 2,000 litres,
Supercarb™ 3,800 litres,
Ultracarb™ 2,300 litres.

After this amount of water has passed through the filter element, the filter will need to be replaced to guarantee optimum performance although the filter capacity can be up to 8000 litres in Australia due to the lower chlorine and chemical levels.

In some water conditions, there is so much sediment or bacteria and algae in the water supply that the filter element becomes blocked much quicker than in normal conditions. In these circumstances, it is beneficial to use a pre-filter upstream of the ceramic filter or try and eradicate the bacteria and algae through the use of a suitable sanitiser or Ultra Violet system. This prevents the filter from becoming blocked too quickly, minimises cleaning and extends the filter life.

Use a scouring pad (similar to 3M “Scotchbrite”). Ensure that the end of the filter do not come into contact with unfiltered water and dirty hands to avoid contamination. Rubber gloves are recommended to be used during cleaning and NEVER use soap or detergents!

This depends upon how you measure the chlorine levels and if you have a high quality filter. To test whether a shower filter is working or not, you need to measure free chlorine level not total or combined chlorine levels. For this you need to use a common DPD test kit or similar not and OTO kit as these test combined chlorine.

Shower filters cause free chlorine to combine and become a harmless salt which affects the combined or total chlorine levels.

The filters are NSF Certified (Contact Aqua Safe for details on manufacturer & certification) to standard #177 for shower filtration. This is considerably higher standard than NSF Certified Filtration Media.

Free chlorine is converted to harmless chloride (salt) as it passes through the filter. Iron oxide or rust/ brown water on the other hand deposits onto the filtration media, where it will remain until the next shower. It is recommended to flush or run the shower filter with warm water for a minute or two at the beginning of each shower to “reset” the media and flush away the ions. If there is a high concentration of iron oxide in your water, a whole of house filtration system designed specifically for iron removal may best suit your needs.

The KDF and Chlorgon filtration media contained within the filters removes;

  • Free Chlorine
  • Combined Chlorine
  • Hydrogen Sulfide
  • Iron oxide (rust) and some other heavy metals
  • Coarse Dirt and sediment
  • Odours

They also pH balance the water between 7 and 7.3 if the pH is low.

To give added quality assurance the filters have been NSF Certified to Standard #177 for free chlorine removal.

Parts of our filtration media are thin and brittle, meaning they can break down into smaller pieces through the mixing process, transport and use. It’s not uncommon to notice that some of the fines have escaped through the filter cartridge screen; this is normal, harmless and not a faulty filter. This is also more noticeable if you reverse the filter cartridges more often.

The filters in our reverse osmosis ASRO4 (underbench) system have an effective life of 12 months and the replacement cost is $92 ($46 AS2001-carbon + $46 AS2101S sediment) although the sediment can be replaced every second year.

The filters in our reverse osmosis ASBTRO4 (benchtop) system have an effective life of 12 months and the replacement cost is $99.00 ($49 sediment,part # 17420 + $49 carbon, part # 17679). These are high quality K series Omnipure Cartridges. Prices effective August 2016. Check replacement cartridges for current pricing.

The main difference is the performance or ability to remove chlorine and other chemicals. The Pure-cool filter is manufactured in the USA under quality control standards with samples from each batch tested to ensure adherence to the NSF standard and filter specifications. The unit is tested to remove greater than 99% of chlorine, taste and odour along with chloramines, chemicals and other contaminants.

The Aquanet filter in made in Australia, has no NSF certification and medium to low removal rates of chlorine, chloramines and other contaminants based on independent testing.

The AS001C10 filter has a similar performance to the Multipure filter with a lot lower cost. Both filters are manufactured in the USA and both are NSF standard 42 certified. The AS001C10 filter however is not NSF 53 certified for Giardia, Cryptosporidium and Cyst reduction although it will remove most if not all due to the sub-micron rating of the cartridge. The AS001C10 is also not designed to remove heavy metals although it can filter up to 10,000 litres as opposed to the 1500 litres for the Multipure.

These cartridges are the same, both manufactured by Omnipure with the same manufacture part number. They are both NSF certified (Contact Aqua Safe for details on manufacturer & certification) to standard 42 and are great for chlorine and chemical removal.

A 9” and 10” filter refers to the length of the filter cartridge. The 9” cartridge is 9” or 227mm in length while the 10” cartridge is 9 ¾” or 247mm in length. The 10” cartridge size is more commonly used in bench top and under sink systems however the 9” size is standard for most Aqua Safe systems.

The filters will last 6-12 months on tank water. As a general guide we suggest changing them every 6 months due to bacteria build-up being higher with tank water than town water. The cost varies from $32.00 to $90.00 depending upon the type of filter chosen.

The AS280 system needs a separate tap on the sink to dispense the water or a 3-In-1 flick mixer would be required instead of the existing sink flick mixer, or it could be installed under the sink with a valve on the outlet, however you would only be able to fill up jugs from under the sink. While the flick mixer could be swapped out on a temporary basis and an AS280 installed most clients either use a bench top filter or a QC350 system or an ASBTRO4. However only the AS280 and the RO system will reduce or remove fluoride.

The AS100 filter comes standard with a 1 micron filter that requires some pressure to push the water through the filter. Low pressure from a water tank would result in the water coming out very slowly and may take a minute or two to fill a glass. In cases like these it maybe more feasible to either use a 10 micron filter or consider using a ceramic bench top urn.

Part of the water that flows into a reverse osmosis (RO) system flows through the membrane and comes out as treated water. The rest is used to wash away the rejected contaminants down the drain as waste.

If not properly designed, RO systems can use large quantities of water to produce little treated water or use small quantities of water and produce low quality treated water while shortening the membrane life.  Most domestic RO systems are designed for a 20-30% recovery up to 50% recovery, i.e. 2-5 litres of water produced for every 10 litres of water used. This can also be expressed as a ratio of 1:4 down to 1:1. Higher recovery rates can be obtained but doing so will shorten the membrane life.

RO membranes are easily fouled if contaminants or concentrated impurities are not washed away quickly enough. The higher the contaminant or TDS level the lower the recovery rate of treated water or the more wastewater required.

The performance & efficiency of a Reverse Osmosis (RO) system depends upon the membrane type, flow control, feed water quality (contaminants & quantity, pH, turbidity, total dissolved solids; TDS), pressure & temperature.

RO systems require a reasonably high pressure in order to function properly. Most domestic RO systems require 400kPa (60 psi) to operate efficiently and maintain performance. A minimum operating pressure of 350kPa is recommended however the units will operate down to 240kPa although this will affect the quality of water produced. If the water pressure is too low the RO will not be able to overcome osmotic pressure (the bonding between water molecules and the dissolved impurities). The higher the contaminant or TDS level, the higher the osmotic pressure. If the water pressure is too low the treated water production will be less efficient and the contaminant rejection rates much lower resulting in poor quality treated water.

A boost pump can be added to an RO system to increase the pressure and improve the quality and quantity of water produced.

Bench top RO systems are able to operate at lower pressures than under bench systems due to the fact that they do not have to work against back pressure created in the storage tank as it fills with water and compresses the air in the tank.

We have a 10 year warranty on our systems and use pressure housings for our bench top water filters so they can be converted to underbench systems in the future if the customer wanted and therefore we have never experienced any leaking or cracking from the units.

The rated capacity of the filters is generally based on chlorine removal under NSF certification or testing however many of our filters have been de-rated or the capacity reduced to allow for different conditions around the country. The 4000 litre capacity of the K9 & K10 filters is based on chlorine and needs to be reduced to 1800 litres for Chloramine, higher than a normal GAC due to the cartridge design and KDF media.