Better Taste? Removing LimeScale? Installation details?
Final Result is 6 Stars for Good Tasting Water EDIT on TASTE After testing this filter installed on the existing kitchen faucet for two weeks... he taste dramatically improved over the "tap water" with has excessive levels of chlorine, chloramine, and other ingredients added by city. Then I added a new separate single line cold water faucet just for this Apec filter. Dramatically improved the taste and scale reduction. Likely down to having all new lines and new faucet and aerator. Be aware that this Apec does not remove the dissolved minerals so it will not affect the TDS readings . However in my case the existing minerals are still there and water tastes good. The hard water aspect of excess Calcium and Magnesium is "conditioned" by Apec filter to reduce scaling but not removed. If the "scale reduction conditioning" from the CS-2500P only lasts for the predicted life of 1000 gallons, the better taste should still be there for 5000 gallons by removing chlorine, I'll know for sure in 6 to 12 months. First Review after Installation + Installed to the cold water line on existing kitchen faucet. 10 minutes. Used teflon tape. + Opened the cold water faucet. No leaks. Let it run for 10 minutes to get air out of the filter and lines. Afterwards, slightly cloudy water, but cleared up in a glass less than a minute. It's just micro air bubbles. 2 days no cloudy, no bubbles. + Taste Test: Apec Filter VS Original City water. Taste like RO water, with a hint of mineral taste. No more chlorine taste. No more aftertaste. + Scale Inhibitor Works: see photos. Heated water in Microwave 3 minutes in two Completely Clear glass containers. Left Photo us original city water in 1 cup. On Right is Apec filtered water in large container + Hard Water Limescale accumulation occurs with heated water. The Apec 2000P is rated for 1000 gallons of scale inhibiting. 5000 gallons for removing Chlorine, Odor, Various Chemicals. + Better Tasting Water - What matters most to me, and it passes my test for my water supply. Secondarily it also works for getting rid of LimeScale inside my electric kettle, pots on stove, and microwave containers. How long the filter actually lasts time will tell. I did not test with a TDS meter. This filter will not remove calcium, magnesium or other minerals which are dissolved solids in my city water supply. With this filter removing he excessive chlorine, flouride, chloramine, it tastes 10 times better, with a slight mineral taste. For me taste is great and better buy than the Reverse Osmosis water I was buying in bulk for 35 cents a gallon which has TDS rating of 1 Initial Review before Installation Purchased (CS-2500P) but not installed yet, but will return to update this review; I do a thorough job researching all products I consider. Two items seem to flummox most buyers looking for a better water supply. Better Taste: The bad taste from tap water in most city water supplies is primarily from high levels of Chlorine and Chloramine, any filter with Activated Carbon removes most of it. Bad taste can also be from undissolved solids including algae/bacteria/organic solids, unlikely to see this is municipal water supplies. Activates silver components in some Filters can remove most of that if present. A Brita pitcher covers all this pretty well for better taste Hard Water: 90% of US water supplies contain dissolved minerals you cannot see. TDS meters show Total Dissolved Solids. "Hard Water" solids are primarily a higher % of Calcium and Magnesium creating Scale accumulation, aka LimeScale, showing up in plumbing pipes, fixtures, dishes, glasses, pots, and coffee makers, water heaters. Excessively high Calcium and Magnesium affects Taste factor for most people. Excessive levels shorten life of appliances. Water Softeners: These actually remove solids (TDS) including Calcium and Magnesium by using Ion Exchange flushing water through resin materials. Benefits for excessively hard water supply... no scaling, better taste. Negatives are high cost and large amounts of Salt used to back-flush the Resin particles to remove the minerals. All this salt water goes down the drain. Reverse Osmosis (RO): These also soften water by removing solids and removing sediment/bacteria/algae/etc with pre-filters. Water tastes like plain water with no mineral content. Undersink systems have various Pros and Cons. Water Conditioning for Hard Water: This concerns the (CS-2500P). And conditionin Filter contain a layer of polysulfate crystals which breaks apart the larger solids into micro-crystals still dissolved in the water. The claim is better taste and less scaling. This do not remove any solids, only changes the size. Your satisfaction will vary depending on the amount of Calcium/Magnesium in your water supply The Apec (CS-2500P) filter should: + Remove 97% of chlorine with its bad taste + Remove 95% of organic material including bacteria/algae IF that is in your water supply. + Condition the water with plyphospates or polysulfate. Which will inhibit/reduce scaling and potentially give better taste. NOTE: your Satisfaction from any filtration system depends on the composition and quality of your Water Supply Read more
