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Forum: To Store or Not to Store

Genoa19 December 2006, 18:14

After much debate, and an even longer time spent saving, I finally bought the AquaRain water filter---very similar to the Berkey water filter. It has arrived and we’ve tried it out. I wanted to buy the smaller model, but I’m glad I went with the bigger one, in view of how long it takes to filter the water.

My initial plan was to keep the filter up and running after I received it, but because I went with the larger filter, it doesn’t fit on our cabinets or any other convenient location. Also, we have very good quality municipal water, so no one has noticed any taste difference in the drinking water or when using it to make coffee. I am now trying to decide whether to take it apart, let everything dry out, and then pack it away in a box until needed.

In favor of NOT packing it away is the feeling that I spent a lot of money for it and should be getting some use out of it now. Also, it takes a while to set up and then the first water put through the filter isn’t really good for drinking; so if it was packed up it wouldn’t be immediately useful when unpacked.

In favor of packing it up, its large size means wherever I put it is not convenient---in fact, it’s pretty much in the way. Under emergency conditions, I will just be glad to have it; but right now it’s a nuisance. Also, if I pack it away, then the filters will start out nearly brand new and should last longer when the water filter is needed.

Any opinions on which option would be better? Or does it matter?

Bronco Bill19 December 2006, 20:14

Dry it out and pack it away…even if it takes 2 days to set up and get the first water through it, muni water won’t stop flowing that quickly. Get an extra set of filters and keep those packed until you absolutely need them. The filters you have now may not absolutely, completely dry, and there’s a possibility of mold and bacteria attaching themselves to the filters you have now. JMHO…

Kim?19 December 2006, 22:35

I second Bronco Bill. Why use it now if you don’t really need it?

BTW, yes, the water will take a long time to filter thru when the filter is new… it takes quite a while for the filter to get fully saturated. Only the first full batch of water that goes thru the filters is “no good”, and that’s only because you are flushing out any fine ceramic or charcoal dust particles. I don’t think that first batch would hurt you, just may look & taste a little bad. Now that you have all that flushed out, your filters should be good to go. I’d let them air dry, out of the stainless steel unit, for a minimum of two weeks before storing them. When you get ready to use them next time, all of the “fines” will already be flushed out… but it may take almost a week of continuous use before your filters get up to full-speed filtering. If you keep the filter candles fully covered with water continously, it will help speed up the flow.

Genoa19 December 2006, 22:48

Okay. Thanks for confirming my first inclination. I will be sure to dry the ceramic filters thoroughly before packing away (I saved all the orignal packing material). I’m glad that if/when I set it up again I can use the water right away. I got this for any number of contingencies/emergencies, including some that might result in no municipal water right away. Of course, if the quality of our water should ever deteriorate, I wouldn’t hesitate to set it up immediately.

Edna Mode?20 December 2006, 06:57

Genoa, Check the mfg. directions for storing the filters you tested. On my Berkey, I was advised to store them in ZipLoc bags because they are so powerful they could absorb nasty stuff from the environment in which I store them.

Genoa28 December 2006, 22:05

Edna,

Thanks for the tip about the ZipLoc bags. Sounds like it would be a good idea.

BUMP?05 January 2007, 05:56

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