Replacement Cartridges
Filters are the only part of a system that wears. Every cartridge for the AquaShield and for any 20 inch Big Blue housing is here, singly or as a kit, with the interval and the fit stated on each one. Change them on schedule and the system does exactly what it did on day one.
AquaShield RO filters, 10 inch
20 inch Big Blue cartridges
What the cartridges cost, and when each one is due.
Standard 10 inch cartridges and the 1812 membrane fit the AquaShield and nearly every five and six stage under-sink RO sold in South Africa. 20 inch Big Blue cartridges, 20 by 4.5 inch, fit the AquaGuard and any Big Blue housing, whoever moulded it; the slim 2.5 inch cartridges sold for some other units do not seal in one.
A year of an AquaShield on municipal water is two pre-filter kits plus the post-carbon and the re-mineraliser once: about R659. A year of an AquaGuard is two cartridge sets: R980. Economy courier is free from R1 500; below that the checkout shows the courier's rate before you pay.
The membrane comes as a 75 or a 100 GPD. The AquaShield ships with the 100; most other systems with the 75; the rating is printed on the membrane's label and both fit the same housing.
| Stage and interval | Cartridge | Price |
|---|---|---|
| RO stage 1, every 6 months | 10 Inch Sediment Filter, 5 Micron | R25 |
| RO stage 2, every 6 months | 10 Inch GAC Filter | R69 |
| RO stage 3, every 6 months | 10 Inch Carbon Block Filter, 5 Micron | R44 |
| RO stage 4, every 2 to 3 years | RO Membrane, 1812, 75 or 100 GPD | From R295 |
| RO stage 5, every 12 months | Inline Post-Carbon Filter | R79 |
| RO stage 6, every 12 months | 4-in-1 Re-Mineraliser with Adapter Kit | R340 |
| RO stages 1 to 3 in one box, every 6 months | RO Pre-Filter Kit, 6 Month | R120 |
| All six RO stages, the year the membrane is due | RO Full Service Kit, 6 Stage | From R751 |
| Big Blue three-cartridge set, every 6 months (3 to 6 on a borehole) | 20 Inch Big Blue Cartridge Set | R490 |
| Big Blue, a year of changes | 20 Inch Big Blue Cartridge Set, Two Sets | R940 |
Intervals are for municipal water. Borehole, tank and river water load the sediment stages faster; a pressure gauge either side of a whole-house unit shows the moment, at 0.7 bar of difference.
Read before you buy.
How often should you change water filter cartridges in South Africa?
Six months is the number for most cartridges on municipal water, and shorter on a borehole. The full table by stage and water source, and the signs that bring a change forward.
Which replacement cartridges fit my RO system? The 10 inch standard explained
Measure the cartridge, not the brand. Nearly every under-sink RO sold in South Africa takes the same 10 inch cartridges and the same membrane. How to check in a minute.
How to change the filters on a reverse osmosis system, in fifteen minutes
Three cartridges, one spanner, a bowl and fifteen minutes. The order they go in, the two things people get wrong, and the calendar that keeps the membrane alive.