Aquarium Water Quality: Tap Water Filter

*	Give all your aquarium pets a healthy home in deionized water
*	Set up easily in no time - just hook up to any faucet (no tools needed!)
*	Easily remove impurities and dissolved solids from your tap water

Features super activated carbon and color-changing ion-exchange resin. The filter gradually changes color as it's working - proving effective filter performance and illustrating remaining filter life. Comes fully assembled and attaches to any faucet. Produces an average of 25 to 125 gallons of perfect aquarium water, depending on the mineral content of your tap water, before a new cartridge is needed.

The tap water filter uses a disposable, easy-to-replace cartridge to remove sediments, chlorine, chloramine, heavy metals, organic chemicals, and inorganic ions from tap water - creating contaminant-free deionized water for reef, saltwater, freshwater, and planted aquariums.

Complete with universal faucet adapter, extension tube, connector, Electro-Right, and pH adjuster.

Please click on "More Information" for installation instructions and how to change the filter cartridges.

The Tap Water Filter makes approximately 10 U.S. gallons (37.8 L) of contaminate-free deionized water per hour. Tests of the filter showed an average yield of 50 U.S. gallons (190 L) of purified water and a typical maximum yield of 150 U.S. gallons (570 L), depending on the level of minerals and contaminants in the tap water source.

Installing the Universal Faucet Adapter to your faucet:

Faucets with External Faucet Threading:

Unscrew the aerator from your faucet. The adapter has a built-in aerator.
Screw the Universal Faucet Adapter to your faucet – hand-tighten only.

Faucets with an Internal Faucet Threading:

Unscrew the aerator from your faucet.
Select the threaded adapter that fits inside your faucet.
Screw the threaded adapter to the Universal Faucet Adapter. Be sure to place the washer inside the top of the adapter before connecting it to the faucet.
Screw the Universal Faucet Adapter to the faucet – hand-tighten only.

Removing the Caps and Installing the Tubing:

Twist the cap while applying an upward pulling motion. A gentle twist and pull with a small pliers may be used, but be careful to avoid squeezing the cap too hard.
Attach one section of tubing over the inlet barb located on the bottom of the unit.
Attach the other end of this tubing from the Tap Water Filter to the outlet barb on the Universal Faucet Adapter.
Attach the other section of tubing over the outlet barb located on the top of the unit.
Direct the flow of water either through the aerator or the outlet barb by gently sliding the diverter plug to the left or right.

Using the Tap Water Filter:

The Tap Water Filter is easy to use. Just place the filter on a level surface (the kitchen sink or counter is ideal).

Collect the deionized water in any clean plastic container.
Using a measuring cup, slowly increase the water flow through the filter to 1 cupful (8 fl oz./240 ml) in 25-30 seconds. This flow rate is equal to about 10 U.S. gallons (37.8 L) per hour. The Tap Water Filter is designed to work efficiently at this rate.

Changing the Filter Cartridge:

Unscrew the Tap Water Filter top from the exhausted cartridge. DO NOT remove the pad. Save the compression spring (if used). Rinse and save the gasket.
Unscrew the top lid from the new cartridge and remove the protective seal. DO NOT remove the pad.
Screw the Tap Water Filter top onto the new cartridge, making sure the compression spring and a rubber gasket are in place.
Screw the lid onto the top of the exhausted cartridge.
Turn the new cartridge upside-down; remove the bottom lid and protective seal. DO NOT remove the pad. Rinse and save the gasket.
Unscrew the Tap Water Filter base from the old cartridge; making sure a rubber gasket is in place.
Put the lid onto the exhausted cartridge.
The Tap Water Filter is now ready to continue making perfect water for your aquarium.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.	How many gallons of water will the Tap Water Filter make?

Q.	My original cartridge made 75 gallons of deionized water, the second cartridge made only 50 gallons. Why?

Q.	Can I run reverse osmosis water through the Tap Water Filter?

Q.	The Tap Water Filter makes pure water. Why can't I drink the water made with the Tap Water Filter?

Q.	Will a water softener help more gallons of deionized water?

Q.	Sometimes I get an open space just above the carbon bed. Why?

Q.	When I make saltwater water the pH never stabilizes to 8.2-8.4. Does deionized water lower pH?

Q.

How many gallons of water will the Tap Water Filter make?

A.

The amount of deionized water produced by the Tap Water Filter depends entirely on the level of minerals, heavy metals, phosphate, nitrate, etc. that is in your tap water. Each cartridge has a fixed ion exchange capacity. In New York City for example, aquarists can produce up to 300 gallons of pure water with a single cartridge. An aquarist in northern New Jersey, however, made 15 gallons of water. An analysis of the NJ water showed very high levels of copper, zinc, phosphate, nitrite, and nitrate in addition to the normal hardness minerals. A heavily polluted water source will use up a cartridge much sooner than a water supply low in minerals and pollutants. Most aquarists produce somewhere between 50 and 150 gallons per cartridge.

Q.

My original cartridge made 75 gallons of deionized water, the second cartridge made only 50 gallons. Why?

A.

The level of dissolved minerals and pollutants in tap water can vary daily. The level of these dissolved substances is measured as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). The tap water in our laboratory varies from 200 to 400 ppm TDS on a daily basis. Our Quality Control Department pulls Tap Water Filters off the production lines and tests them with our tap water. They have to know the TDS of the tap water the day they test the cartridges. Why? A jump in TDS from 200 to 400 ppm means that a cartridge will produce only half as much water as the day before. It all depends on the quality of the incoming tap water. It would be unusual if you did get exactly the same number of gallons out of every cartridge!

Q.

Can I run reverse osmosis water through the Tap Water Filter?

A.

Yes. Reverse osmosis systems can significantly reduce TDS levels if properly maintained. RO, however, is not nearly as pure as deionized water. Many aquarists run their RO water through the Tap Water Filter to scavenge out the traces of nitrate, phosphate, silicate, etc that the RO lets through. Running RO water through the Tap Water Filter will give you pure water and extend the life of the cartridges. DO NOT connect the Tap Water Filter in-between an RO system and a pressurized storage tank. The Tap Water Filter is a low-pressure system and cannot stand the pressure of a closed RO system. Simply let the RO water pass through the Tap Water Filter and collect the water in a bucket or storage container.

Q.

The Tap Water Filter makes pure water. Why can't I drink the water made with the Tap Water Filter?

A.

We state on the package that the Tap Water Filter is not intended for human consumption. No doubt you've heard about bacterial and parasitic contamination of drinking water. The Tap Water Filter does not remove or kill bacteria or parasites that may contaminate drinking water. If your drinking water was contaminated with bacteria or parasites, the Tap Water Filter would not produce safe drinking water. Recent studies have shown that tap water filtration systems sold for making drinking water very quickly become contaminated by bacteria. This is especially true of reverse osmosis filters. Any tap water filter used to make drinking water need to be disinfected every six months. This includes the filter housings and tubing. Therefore use the Tap Water Filter only for your aquarium.

Q.	Will a water softener help more gallons of deionized water?
A.	No. Water softeners simply exchange sodium ions for calcium and magnesium ions. The softener is just trading a calcium (+2 charge) for two sodium ions (+ 1 charge x 2). The resins in the Tap Water Filter do not distinguish between sodium ions and water hardness ions ... it's all the same to the resin. The two sodium ions use the same amount of resin capacity as the single calcium ion.

Q.	Sometimes I get an open space just above the carbon bed. Why?
A.	The open space forms as the resin compacts in the cartridge. We strive to pack the resin as tightly as possible to avoid the compaction space. An open space is not detrimental to water quality. You might also see some of the resins settling down into the open space. A small amount of resin swirling in the open gap is acceptable. The entire resin bed, however, should not separate.

Q.

When I make saltwater water the pH never stabilizes to 8.2-8.4. Does deionized water lower pH?

A.

No. Deionized water has no pH adjusting properties. The pH of your marine aquarium is regulated primarily by the buffer system created by the synthetic sea salts. If the salt manufacturer does not properly blend in the buffer salts the final solution will have a pH other than 8.2-8.4. Some synthetic sea salts consistently run "low" or "high" depending on the manufacturer's formula and blending techniques. Tap water may contain a significant amount of carbonate hardness (KH), which boosts the pH of "low pH sea salts". When you start using pure water, you might need to use a pH buffering product to raise the KH of the saltwater and increase the pH.

Testimonial By:		Testimonial:
Fred New York, NY		I live in NYC and get a ridiculous amount of water out of each filter. I stopped keeping track, but at least in the city the cartridges last practically forever and provide perfectly clean water.
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Adam D Funkstown, MD		The Tap Water Filter is pretty easy to use. I bought the filter to remove nitrate from my tap water. In my area there is about 40 ppm of nitrate in the water. The filter removes all of the nitrate and all other elements very well.
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Michael E Pearl River, NY		I live in the NY/NJ border area and average about 25 gallons per cartridge. The water quality produced is great, and it's cheaper than buying DI water.
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William J Terre Haute, IN		Great product. My water has a higher KH, pH, and GH than any of the 3 test kits I bought could read and I still get 15 gallons per filter. That brings it to about $1 a gallon, but because of the simplicity it is so much more worth it to use this than to buy RO water from the store. The water is almost entirely pure when it comes from this, it actually comes out cleaner than reverse osmosis water. DI water, at least from this unit, is some of the cleanest water you can use. It does not use salt for ion exchange, so it isn't an overpriced "water softener pillow." It removes everything - nitrates, chlorine, sediments. Water comes out with 0 hardness, 0 nitrates, 0 chlorine/ammonia, 0 calcium, 0 phosphates. The system even includes pH adjuster and RO/DI water treatment so you don't starve your fish of what they need (water can be too clean for an aquarium). The best part is the simplicity. It takes two seconds to hook up to your faucet, you then run a tube similer in size to an airline tube directly to your aquarium and let it fill. Great product that has saved me a lot of money. My fish and my plants are so much more healthier than they were before I found this product.
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Matt S Jacksonville, FL		I live in an area where the tap water is very hard. I use the Tap Water Filter to do weekly 20-25% water changes in my Discus aquarium. It works wonderfully, and the water actually comes out softer than if I were to use an RO unit.
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Matthew H Taylorsville, MS		Great product! I use this for the weekly water changes on my 55 gallon reef tank, and it perfoms admirably. My tap water is extremely hard, and the pH is above 9.0 all the time. After filtering with the Tap Water Filter, the water is extremely soft, allowing easy adjustment for the proper pH and hardness.
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Gina S College Place, WA		I just purchased this filter and used it for the first time. So far, it's everything it's advertised to be. It was incredibly simple to set up and use. I especially appreciate the fact that I can make water that is the correct temperature for putting directly into my tank. And it's great that they include the Electro-Right and pH Adjuster. My tap water is very hard and has a high pH. I purchased two long- finned Gold Ram cichlids at my local pet store - whose water is very similar to mine. Although they weren't dying in the water at the store or in my water, they weren't very happy either. And they had little to no color - one of mine actually turned white. Research told me that I needed to change their environment. I started making water changes with the water from the Tap Water Filter. I now have water that is registering as "soft" with a pH of 6.2 . My Gold Ram cichlids have transformed to bright yellow with reddish orange noses, they have orange tinges along their long fins, and their opalecent face markings are absolutely glowing! They finally look like the pictures on the internet! They went from looking droopy at the bottom of the tank to swimming happily and eating for the first time in a week. Additionally, it looks like I'll get more than the minimum 50 gallons of deionized water even though I have very hard water. The Tap Water Filter was the answer to my water issues!
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Joe Y Pittston, PA		Great product, tested tds straight from tap. Reading was 170 ppm. Tested filtered water from tap water filter and tds reading was 0. Use the water for my 90 gallon reef tank. Water is crystal clear and no algae problems. Highly recommend this product for great water for your aquarium.
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Mark S Superior, WI		The Tap Water Filter works well in my area with the capacity at about 200 gal.Our water is from Lake Superior and has a high mineral content and a pH. at 7.8. I was using neutral regulator and acid buffer to keep levels at 7.0.The water would hold pH and drift up after a few days. Now I start with clean water, add trace elements, and flourish for my plants and my water is 6.8 and holds steady. This is my target pH for the fish I have but with this filter, you can set any pH and not worry about it.
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Dina P Springs, CO		I love this filter. Simple to use and no waste water. Very effective. I use it for my 55 gal. reef, instead of an RO unit.
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Brent S Livermore, CA		This product is fantastic, does exactly what it says and I was sceptical until I got it. Lately, I've been running it directly from my household R/O unit to prolong filter life since my tap water (SF Bay Area) is so hard.
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Harrison Clint Vinton, LA		AMAZING is all I can say about the Tap Water Filter. I just got it today and I am still filling up my water containers. I tested my tap water before using the filter and the hardnes and pH were almost off the chart and now they are at the lowest. Thank you Drs. Foster and Smith for selling such great products. Moreover, it's nice to hear a real person answer the phone when I call for an order or questions.
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Kristin S Minnetonka, MN		I just bought this and my tap water went from 8.4 PH to 6.4 and my GH went from over 300 to 60ppm. My water hardness dropped from hard to soft and I feel that this is probably the best investment that I have ever made concerning aquariums. Only a full R/O system would be better, and those are expensive and not very easy to set up. This takes a whole two minutes to set up.
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