Is it normal for the water to come out black at first? I figured the carbon or charcoal might come through a little, but there seems to be a lot...this is my first shower filter...not sure if I may have done something wrong
359493
Yes its normal. Just let the water run for about 5 mins and it should be good
1465423
Usually when water sits for long periods of time, it becomes stagnant, and in the case of your filter, it's been just sitting in that filter for a month. There is a possible build up of algae. Id buy a new filter cartridge and try that.
1857007
Have you soaked it in cold water for 15 minutes and then scrub it ? Thats what the directions say. Also I know there are some phony filters out there. Where did you get it ? You need to call the filter company if you have tried soaking it etc and they can send you a good one. Hope this helps you.
1857003
Is this the first time you've used the unit? If so, I wonder if you didn't install it correctly...? On the other hand, if you've been using the filter for some time, it probably needs to be cleaned. Remove the filter, let it dry, then scrub with sandpaper, rinse in plain water, then re-install. At least, that's what I do when the filter stops working. Eventually, I need to buy a new filter.
692651
Yes, fill the filter with water and let it drain until all the filter media is wet. This is important in order to release all the charcoal residue out before you install it. It will take a while to work through and you will have to keep topping it off as it works down.
1499966
I am assuming that this is a new filter. Mine took all night the first few times to fill up, but as it got used more it filled within a 3-4 hours. I always make sure to fill it at bedtime so I have enough water for the next day. I also have a lot of sediment in my tap water and have to scrub the ceramic dome about once a week now. I use a dedicated plastic scrubber to remove the sediment then it filters just fine. Don't give up, this is great tasting water and well worth the wait and effort. I hope this helps.
31678
I've never had this problem with mine. Did you rinse out the filter well before placing it? That's the only thing I can think of that might be the cause...
131767
have very hard water here.......its works to me I can tell a big different in the taste ....but with anything I can not tell you how much of a different it make since I'm not having it tested....water out of my tap w/ the little meter that came w/ pitcher avg 425-475...filter water 1st test was 0...and then it slowy move up as u filter water...got about 3 months off the first filter......hope this helps
1504061
I've never had that problem. Do you run lots of cold water through them before you use them for the first time? When I open a new one, I run cold water through it and lots of black stuff comes out. I assume there is charcoal inside and its charcoal dust.
1848048
Fine... I always squeezed/filtered the best water I could find. I thought the lake water might have a bad taste, but even that was palatable right out of the filter. That said, I typically keep a little lemon juice for my pack-bladder. After my trip, I back-flushed the filter and didn't see any particulates, so again, all the water I filtered was pretty clear. My $.02
2050668
I fill mine with water from my faucet, which is our city water. Also, make sure the filter is installed correctly. Carbon filters. I know when it's time to change the filter because the water starts tasting bad, when I drink from the gallon after distilling. When replacing the filter I run the first gallon and don't drink it ...I usually use that one to water my house plants. Hope this helps. Good luck.
156126
Yes. That happens when you filter water for the first time using a brand new filter. Just pour out the black water and filter the water again and it should be fine.
2231754
No, I don't think it's normal. Mine was clear first time. My guess is, if you use cloudy water, there is a leak there somewhere, most likely to be the filter elements or the plugs(holes - if you use 2 elements instead of 4) not tight enough. If you use clear water then I'm not sure...if you didn't clean the elements and primed them then may be dusts would have got int there and make it cloudy...I hope this helps
1504060
that's the charcoal used to filter the water. it must be a cheaper charcoal than other filters I have used. Another reason I gave this fountain to the thrift store.
1904288
I have seen mixed opinions about the water flow. I personally had this same issue. But I took the filter off the faucet then took unscrewed the filter out of its housing and made sure all the water was out of filter then did the reinstall steps like I was puting a new filter in. I then put the fu lter back on the faucet. Then very slowly turned the water on to slowly fill the filter with water. And behold I got my flow back I had before. I think there was a air pocket in the filter. Give it a try see what you think. i hope this helps let me know.
1314485
I have high iron as well as iron bacteria. The bacteria produce a biofilm that, with time, will cog any fixtures that have fine holes (like a shower head). This filter will become overburdened by the biofilm and the water coming through will have a weaker flow, so I have to change them out about every three months instead of six. Thankfully, it keeps the shower head from being ruined. Before I started using this filter, the iron bacteria would ruin a shower head every year with quite a few months of diminishing water pressure. I know this was not your question, but will perhaps inform others looking in to water pressure issues related to this filter. I have high iron as well as iron bacteria. The bacteria produce a biofilm that, with time, will cog any fixtures that have fine holes (like a shower head). This filter will become overburdened by the biofilm and the water coming through will have a weaker flow, so I have to change them out about every three months instead of six. Thankfully, it keeps the shower head from being ruined. Before I started using this filter, the iron bacteria would ruin a shower head every year with quite a few months of diminishing water pressure. I know this was not your question, but will perhaps inform... » Read More I have high iron as well as iron bacteria. The bacteria produce a biofilm that, with time, will cog any fixtures that have fine holes (like a shower head). This filter will become overburdened by the biofilm and the water coming through will have a weaker flow, so I have to change them out about every three months instead of six. Thankfully, it keeps the shower head from being ruined. Before I started using this filter, the iron bacteria would ruin a shower head every year with quite a few months of diminishing water pressure. I know this was not your question, but will perhaps inform others looking in to water pressure issues related to this filter. « Show Less
1479209
The cartridges that come with this are garbage as are the replacements. I bought some activated charcoal for $6 or so, popped the top off, rinsed off the fiber filter and refilled. I did that about a month ago and the water still looks good. I have enough charcoal for the rest of time.