Reverse Osmosis Systems-
Myths Explained

Are smaller micron pre-filters (1 micron) better than 5 or 10 micron prefilters?
Smaller is NOT better in this case! The prefilter's (filters before the r.o. membrane) function is to pre-treat the water so the membrane can most effectively remove the contaminants. In other words, the reverse osmosis membrane is the hero, not the pre-filters. Using a 1 micron pre-filter will very quickly clog up your system before the dechlorinating ability is used up- so you have to change your pre-filters very frequently!

Secondly, a 1 micron pre-filter before the membrane would cause a big drop in water pressure before water reaches the ro membrane. As we all know, the higher the water pressure, the better the contaminant rejection ability of the ro membrane. So if you want your water to be pure, don't pick a system that's designed with a 1 micron pre-filter. We recommend a 5 micron sediment pre-filter partnered with 5-10 micron carbon filters to provide the maximum lifetime of the pre-filters and ro membrane.

Are plastic pressure tanks better than steel tanks?
NO. Simply put, all first class pressure tanks are steel (metal) pressure tanks. (F.Y.I. water in the tank does not touch the steel. Water is enclosed in a soft bladder, surrounded by air, then enclosed in the steel housing of the tank. Therefore there are no rusting problems.) Metal tanks are superior due to that their air pressue is not easily lost (creeps out) like ecomomic plastic tanks. The only advantage of plastic tanks is that they are light in weight.

Are systems build using ALL inline filters (filters built into filter housing) better than those using big, permanent canister filter housings ?
Absolutely not. These are just untrue advertising claims. Those systems which use cropped-down-sized inline pre-filters should be only used as a portable countertop unit, or used where space is a real issue. They are not designed for heavy duty usage.

The life time of inline filters are much shorter than the classic type filters. Just compare their sizes. The classic type carbon filters has a 3 inch diameter, while the inline type has only less than a 2 inch diameter. The carbon volume in the classic type of filters is much more (almost 2-3 times as much) than those of the inline filters. This makes the classic filters dirt-holding ability and lifespan to be 3-6 times more than those of the economical inline filters.

Proportional size of filter cartridges

Inline filters		Classic carbon filter	Classic filters' housing
1.8 inch diameter		3 inch diameter

Therefore, the all-inline-filtered systems will be very problematic if they are used to treat well water or worse water quality homes. Those filters will clog up prematurely. We have seen those inline filters clogged up in just 2 months under heavier sediment conditions- disregard of the advertised capacity. If the prefilters are exhausted, the reverse osmosis membrane will fail shortly after. Owners of such systems need to constantly monitor and maintain their systems.

Again, the inline filters' advantages are their compact sizes and cheaper costs. So they are still the preferable choice for small/ portable countertop systems.

Some suppliers advertise a 90% inlet water pressure shutoff valve to pair up with their permeate pump- so to allow the highest shutoff pressure in the tank (so the output pressure from the tank is nice.)
Is this needed?
No, it is definetely not needed- a useless feature (if you understand how the permeate pump works.) The permeate pump itself already has a build-in shutoff valve that will shut off the system after the tank reaches its maximum possible pressure (about 95% of the inlet pressure). Adding a second shutoff valve on top of a shutoff valve is of no meaning.