All about Gravity Alkaline Water Filters

Topics:

1- About the Gravity Filters

2- Understand the Gravity Filters

3- Maintenance and Frequently Asked Questions

4- Where to buy

1 – About the Gravity Filters

What are gravity filters and how do they work?

Gravity Filters stand out as the safest filters in the world by using a natural filtration method through the use of candle cartridges. The cartridges wall is made of micro porous ceramic material that filters water by gravity, drop by drop, without addition of chemicals, reducing impurities and retaining solid particles, which guarantees a healthy and crystalline water free of microorganisms.

Gravity filters are water purifier systems.

What are the advantages of the BioSoil water filters?

  • They have INMETRO (National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology) certification;
  • Can easily be added on with your existing RO water filter.
  • Attractive cost–benefit;
  • Easy to handle and maintain;
  • Do not need electrical connection – the terracotta filters refresh the water up to 5ÂşC without the need of electricity;
  • Do not need boiling or chlorinating the water before use;
  • Easy installation.

Why to buy a terracotta filter? How long is its lifespan and why does it sweat?

Clay has as one of its properties the heat exchange with the external environment, which allows the water temperature to remain up to 5 degrees lower than the environment, in other words, always fresh. Therefore, sweating is quite normal on the external wall of the filter.

If its maintenance and cleaning are done correctly, following the instruction manual, the filter has an indeterminate lifespan. Its replacement is recommended after 3 years of use. The lifespan is related with the quality of the water that is filtered and the maintenance that is done.

What is the cartridge, which is its function and which are the existent types?

It is the filtering element of the water filter. Its function is to remove the impurities present in the water, making it clean and safe for consumption. 

2 – Understand Before Using

What should be done with the first liters of filtered water?

The first 4 liters of filtered water, for each cartridge, should not be consumed, as they are used to clean the filter and activate the candle.

After the first 4 filtered liters for each cartridge, you can start drinking clean and healthy water.

 

How does the water have a Freshwater river-like taste?

In the first liters of filtered water, it can present a characteristic taste of the ceramic filtering element (Cartridge) and that is why it must be done the discard of 4 liters of water for each Cartridge before consumption.

The earthen clay/terracotta filter present a characteristic flavor of its raw material, which is perfectly normal to the filters made with this material (terracotta).

What is the best place for the filter?

It is recommended to keep the filter in a cool place, away from sunlight and excessive heat to prevent stains on the clay wall. It should also be away from the stove because, in addition to the excess heat released, it can release fat in the air (according to the prepared foods) that can be absorbed by the porosity of the clay and give a strange taste to the water.

What is Durability and Longevity of BioSoil Gravity Alkaline Water Filters?

To ensure that Terracotta Products do not damage during delivery we use 2-Box Packaging Method. In this we keep Box packed product inside a 5-Ply Box and fill the gap with the grass and recyclable air bags and foam sheets which makes the products immovable within box. This allows us to deliver your desired terracotta products without any damage.
After that the Terracotta Jug can last forever depending on the care taken of it.

3 – Maintenance and Frequently Asked Questions

How the cleaning of the filter and the cartridge must be done?

We recommend a frequently cleaning of the product with a humid or dry cloth, without chemical products, to avoid the accumulation of dust on the filter humid surface.

TIP: Clay cleaning should be done at least once a month, whether it is a filter or other ceramic product that stores water, use only fresh and/or natural water and sponge or soft brush to sanitize the product to avoid to impregnate the clay (porous) with other substances, facilitating the presence of bacteria or taste.

Also use a damp cloth daily on the outside of the filter.

When cleaning cartridges, do not shake them or wash them upside down to prevent contaminated water from entering. Only use water and handwash, or use the soft part of the clean sponge (which has not been used before with some soap or chemical, to avoid to impregnate the filter with chemical residues).

NOTE: For very humid places clean the filter and its cartridges more frequently.

DO NOT CLEAN THE CLAY WITH: salt, sugar, dishwashing detergent, soap, baking soda, sanitary water (bleach) or any other chemical. Experts do not recommend.

For plastic parts (tap, float valve and plastic filters ) you can use neutral dishwashing detergent for cleaning. Do not use detergent on the clay.

What can I do to maintain the proper operation and lifespan suggested for the cartridge?

It depends on the quantity and quality of water that passes through the filter. The higher the degree of contamination and its use, the lower the lifespan of the cartridge. In metropolitan areas, the cartridge usually lasts around 6 months. To maintain the cartridge proper functioning you should:

  • Do preventive maintenance, evaluating the quantity and the quality of the water to be purified.
  • Clean the cartridges with your bare hands or with a soft sponge.
  • Do not use any chemicals to clean the cartridge.
  • When cleaning the cartridge with water do not turn it upside down so no contaminated water gets inside.
  • Do not use excessive force to clean it as their base can detach.
  • Write down the day the cartridge was installed for you to know when to make the replacement: every 10,000 liters (per cartridge) or 1 year of use.

The Cartridge is no longer filtering, why?

Replace each cartridge every 10,000 liters or 1 year of use. If the water that is being filtered contains particles in excess, the micropores of the cartridge’s ceramic wall can get covered and the cartridge can stop filtering, as they block particles, must therefore, be replaced.

There is a black dust coming out of the cartridge, is that normal?

In the Dechlorinating, Sterilizing and pressure cartridges, it is normal to find some grains of activated carbon in the lower chamber, as the activated carbon that is inside the cartridge is not compressed, but it is granular and it gets off the cartridges after the first liters filtered. Anyway, it is totally normal and it is not harmful for health. Cartridges must not be shaken, because the activated carbon that is inside can get even smaller making that more of it comes out of the cartridge with the water. If this happens, there will not be a problem, as it is not harmful to health and the purifying process will not be affected. However, the lifespan of the cartridge might reduce, as you will have less activated carbon inside of it.

Why sometimes, green dots appear on the wall of the ceramic cartridge?

These spots usually appear when:

  • The maintenance is not done properly;
  • The water that is being filtered contains algae and the cartridges ceramic wall retains them;
  • The water filter is exposed to sunlight;
  • There is a low amount of chlorine in the water to be filtered.

These spots are not harmful to health and they cannot be removed, because they do not pass through the ceramic wall of the cartridge, which retains particles.

Why did black spots appear on the filter clay?

These black patches occur in some regions and are directly related to local water treatment. When water is treated with ferric chloride and it contains manganese, for example, there is a natural reaction with chlorine and this reaction forms the black spots on the filter wall, but it is not harmful to health.

What is the white layer that forms on the outside of the terracotta filter?

This white layer is called efflorescence and occurs because the terracotta filter can only keep the water fresh, due to its porosity. The water passes through the clay’s pores and changes heat with the environment, keeping the water in the filter fresh. In this process, part of water evaporates and the minerals contained in it remains on the outside of the filter. The more minerals present in water, more efflorescence will appear on the filter. However, this is normal and does not bring any harm to health. To remove this efflorescence simply frequently clean the filter with water and your bare hands or with a clean humid cloth (remembering that cannot be used any kind of soap, detergent or chemical product because they may compromise the filter, and change the taste of water).

4 – Where to Buy?

You can purchase your gravity alkaline clay filter over here:

Gravity Alkaline Water Filter- 8Ltr

Enjoy!