Filter change of pre-filter, activated carbon post-filter and mineral filter
To ensure consistently high water quality in your reverse osmosis system and water filter, the pre-filters and post-filters should be replaced regularly.
The recommended replacement interval for the pre-filter and post-filter in reverse osmosis systems and water filters is approximately every 6 months² for medium water quality (depending on the degree of contamination, pollutant load, and water hardness), or when the pure water value exceeds 60 ppm (93 µS). Whichever occurs first is relevant. This recommendation assumes normal household use , not industrial use , and not use with extremely high water consumption , e.g., for large aquariums.
- Recommended filter change: every 6 months² with normal household use and an average tap water of approx. 250 ppm .
- If you have a high water consumption, e.g. for water changes in a large aquarium, it is necessary to change the filters earlier and more often.
- In case of high usage (e.g. aquariums) or poor water quality on site, a filter change is recommended: every 3-4 months².
²The filter replacement interval depends on the water quality of the raw water. This factor influences the lifespan of the filters and the membrane. Therefore, recommendations are based on average drinking water quality in Germany.
Water hardness for reverse osmosis systems and water filters
The higher the dH value, the harder the water. There are uniform regulations in Germany regarding when water is considered soft or hard. Up to a measured value of:
- 8.4 °dH the water is considered soft
- from 8.4 °dH to 14 °dH as medium and
- from 15 °dH accordingly as hard
For reverse osmosis systems, raw water of medium hardness °dH is recommended.
Recommended filter change
- You can find new replacement filters in a set here.
- Of course, you can also purchase each filter individually from us.
- You can purchase Atlas Filtri replacement water filters here.
- You can also purchase mineral filters from us.
Disinfection of reverse osmosis systems and water filters
We recommend performing a thorough disinfection of the reverse osmosis system or water filter every time you change the filter. With knick'n'clean aqua, we offer a highly effective disinfectant for water filters, reverse osmosis systems in the home, boats, and caravans. knick'n'clean® aqua can also be used to directly disinfect up to 500 liters of drinking water.
Recommended membrane change
The reverse osmosis membrane is the heart of the reverse osmosis system, where the actual water separation process takes place. Our systems use only high-quality, long-lasting TFC membranes. The membranes should also be replaced regularly. The replacement time depends on the water quality and the flow rate already achieved.
- 50 GPD membrane: approximately every 12 months² (GALANT, Elegance 1, Elegance 2, Quella Nova or similar systems)
- 50 GPD - 75 GPD membrane: approx. every 12-24 months²
- 85 GPD membrane: approximately every 12-24 months (ROPOT, Elegance 3, Quella Viva or similar systems)
- 125 GPD - 200 GPD membrane: approx. every 12-24 months²
- 300 GPD - 400 GPD - 500 GPD - 600 GPD - 800 GPD Membrane: approx. every 36-60 months²
²Depending on flow rate and local water quality.
You can find new membranes here.
Depending on the model, a reverse osmosis system is equipped with a manual flush valve (optional). This flush valve allows you to flush the membrane and thus extend its service life. We recommend opening the manual flush valve every 14 days for approximately 10-15 minutes to flush the membrane. If your reverse osmosis system does not have a flush function, a manual flush valve can be retrofitted.
Maintenance of reverse osmosis systems
Wear parts such as the booster pump, power supply, solenoid valve, autoflush and flow valve have a limited service life and must be replaced or cleaned regularly.
Longlife Booster Pump - Service life of up to 10 years with normal household use and compliance with interval use of max. 60 minutes.
- Brushless booster pump - Service life: up to 2000 operating hours when used at intervals of max. 12 hours.
- Standard booster pump - service life: up to 2000 operating hours when used at intervals of max. 30 minutes.
- Ronda Booster Pump - Service life: up to 3000 operating hours when used at intervals of max. 12 hours.
- Passive booster pump - Service life: up to 1000 operating hours when maintaining a maximum water inlet pressure of 3 bar. The pressure can be adjusted using the system's pressure reducer at the water inlet.
- FLOW valve ( flow restrictor ) - If the clean water output decreases, descale the flow valve or replace it. Regular descaling is recommended (e.g., with lemon juice) to ensure proper wastewater flow. A reverse osmosis membrane must produce a certain amount of wastewater to flush the deposited contaminants from the membrane. This is the only way to avoid unnecessary stress on the membrane and thus maintain its long service life.
TDS meter or MicroSiemens meter
Testing your drinking water with a TDS meter is the best and easiest way to determine when a filter change is necessary. TDS meters are also available at our Water Shop24. If the value exceeds 60 ppm, the filters should be replaced. TDS meters, conductivity meters , and pH meters are also available at our Water Shop24.
What does GPD mean?
The designation GPD on the membrane indicates the pure water output per day. GPD stands for gallons per day and is an American unit for liquids. The water output/water quantity of a reverse osmosis membrane is generally specified in GPD. For clarity, this is converted from GPD to liters per day. For every reverse osmosis membrane and every reverse osmosis system, the water output is specified in GPD and liters for the daily output. In addition, a further conversion from GPD to liters per minute is performed. This quickly shows how quickly the osmosis water is produced and gives you a precise idea of how quickly it is produced. This allows you to determine and select the optimal reverse osmosis system based on your water requirements.
How many liters are in 1 gallon?
The conversion from gallon to liter is: 1 gallon = 3.7854100 liters
Determine the performance of a reverse osmosis system
The pure water flow is generally determined without the rinsing phase. You will need a 1-liter measuring cup and a stopwatch for this.
Proceed as follows:
- Open the osmosis faucet.
- Typically, an osmosis system begins with an automatic flush (integrated autoflush). This is a flushing phase lasting approximately 18 seconds during which the water flow is reduced.
- It is essential that you wait until this rinsing phase has completed before you carry out the time measurement for the volume quantity determination.
- The flushing phase is recognizable by the fact that during this time (approximately 18 seconds) only a small amount of water (stale water from the system) flows from the reverse osmosis faucet. The larger amount of water flows away through the drain hose during this time, since the flushing function is activated at the same time.
- The actual osmosis water production can be recognized by the increasing, stronger water jet after these first 18 seconds, and at the same time the pump can be heard more loudly.
- To ensure the rinsing phase is complete, start the timer when you turn on the faucet. After 18 seconds, stop the timer, let the water continue running, reset your stopwatch, and then start filling the 1-liter measuring cup, simultaneously restarting the stopwatch.
- When timing, stop the water supply after 30 seconds, as the osmosis system's output is given in liters per minute.
- Double the amount in the measuring cup and you will get your system's performance value.
Note: The performance and quality of the pure water produced by a reverse osmosis system depends on the water quality of the tap water, such as temperature (at 20°C), conductivity, hardness, and pH. With an average tap water concentration of approximately 250 ppm, pure water with a conductivity of approximately 5-25 ppm (8-40 µS) is possible (without mineralization). The cooler the tap water, the better the pure water quality can be achieved. However, the performance decreases by approximately 4% for every 1°C lower water temperature – and vice versa.