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Help Me Choose a Berkey Water Filter System
In this article we’re going to walk you through 4 easy steps to help you choose the perfect Berkey Filter System to fit your needs.
Step 1: Understanding the Berkey Gravity Filtration System
Berkey filter systems take advantage of the extended time each water droplet is in contact with the filters and thus are able to achieve high performance filtration results that many other systems simply cannot match. These are countertop systems only, starting from the smallest 1.5 gallon size housing to the largest at 6 Gallons. The internal filtration elements like the black berkeys and the PF-2’s work in any of the system housing models we sell, allowing you to achieve the same desired filtration results for each size.
There are 6 system sizes in total (below), and all systems come standard with 2 of our newest generation black berkey filters in the upper chamber. Larger systems have the capacity to utilize more filters thus increasing the speed of filtration. See Flow Rate @ Full Expansion)
| System | Holding Capacity | Fully Expanded | Flow Rate @ Full Expansion |
| Travel Berkey | ~ 1.5 Gallons | 2 Elements(Filters) | ~ 2.75 Gallons / Hr |
| Berkey Light | ~ 2.75 Gallons | 2 Elements(Filters) | ~ 4.25 Gallons / Hr |
| Big Berkey | ~ 2.25 Gallons | 4 Elements(Filters) | ~ 7.0 Gallons / Hr |
| Royal Berkey | ~ 3.25 Gallons | 4 Elements(Filters) | ~ 8.0 Gallons / Hr |
| Imperial Berkey | ~ 4.5 Gallons | 6 Elements(Filters) | ~ 16.5 Gallons / Hr |
| Crown Berkey | ~ 6.0 Gallons | 8 Elements(Filters) | ~ 26.0 Gallons / Hr |
Step 2:Â Choosing a Berkey Water Filter Size
The golden rule for choosing a size is that bigger is usually better if you have the room for it. Put simply, the larger the system, the less often you need to fill it, which ultimately translates into convenience. In addition, the higher water volume in the upper chamber increases the pressure that is placed on the water helping to push it through the filters faster. The differences in cost between the various housing sizes is nominal when you consider that you will be using the same housing for 10-20+ years.
Here are some sizing guidelines:
Travel Berkey ~ 1-3 ppl
Big Berkey ~ 1-4 ppl
Berkey Light ~ 2-5 ppl
Royal Berkey ~ 2-6 ppl
Imperial Berkey ~ 4-8+ ppl
Crown Berkey ~ 6-12+ ppl
Step 3:Â Choosing Your Berkey Filters
Upper Chamber Filters
As mentioned above, all Berkey Water Filter systems require 2 upper chamber filters to operate and these come standard with each system purchase. Increasing the amount of filters utilized in the upper chamber will not improve filtration quality, but will increase filtration speed and the volume of water that can be filtered. For example, increasing from 2 black berkey elements to 4 black berkey elements will approximately double your filtration speed and double the amount of volume that can be filtered; 6000 total gallons to 12000 total gallons.
You can choose either Black Berkey Elements or Super Sterasyl Ceramic Filters for your upper chamber filters. These filters are comparable in terms of cleaning and price. However the Black Berkeys, being a newer design, are able to filter everything the ceramics do in addition to removing Lead and MTBE’s that the ceramics do not remove, and chlorine and bacteria (giardia, e-coli, etc) to higher degrees. The Black Berkey’s also meet high ANSI/NSF log 7 standards as water purifiers and show off their prowess by being able to remove food coloring from water. Read this article for more information on the differences between the black berkey elements and ceramic filters.
* Black Berkey last approx 6000 gallons for a set of 2
* Super Sterasyl Ceramics last approx 1200 gallons per set of 2
Lower Chamber Filters
The lower chamber filters are referred to as PF filters. PF = Post Filtration. There are 2 types of PF filters. The PF-2’s are specifically designed to work with the black berkeys, and the PF-4’s are designed specifically to work with the ceramic filters. The PF filters are easily installed by screwing them onto the stem of upper chamber elements so that they hang upside down in the lower chamber of any multi-filter Berkey Water Filter system.
PF filters are optional. If your municipality adds fluoride to your water, or you are concerned about arsenic seepage into your well, then the PF-2 Filters as an add-on to your black berkeys are what you’re looking for. PF-4 Filters also remove fluoride and arsenic in addition to other chemicals that the upper chamber SS ceramics do not remove.
* PF-2 Fiters last 1000 Gallons or 2 Years, whichever comes first
* PF-4 Filters last 6 months
Step 4: Understanding the Berkey Assembly
Watch this video of the Big Berkey
Begin Choosing Your Berkey Filter System HERE
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Hi,
My wife and I get Elgin Il water that has Floride.
I also own a pond, which I’d hate to think about it, but what might be the best for us as an option in a crisis….
So any ideas what us…..
John
Oh, and thanks for supporting truth.
Hi John - You best setup would be to choose any of the available systems with the black berkey elements. You also should choose the PF-2 filters as the free item to remove the fluoride from your water. You can use this system on a daily basis to meet your water requirements, and if you ever had to use your pond water in the event of a crisis, this system will purify that water also with no adjustments required.
Dan
Hi there.
Great website, more organized than other Berkey dealers.
I have already made up my mind about purchasing a Big Berkey from this site with 4 black filters and 4 PF2 filters. I only have two questions though, the site says black filters need to be replaced after 3000 gallons per filter, whereas some sites say at least once a year under light use.
For a family of 2 consuming 2 gallons a day, the black filters would only need to be replaced every 16 years (12,000 gallons @ 2 gpd), given the set up above….is that right?
Also, with the ceramic filters it’s easy to see when to clean them b/c of the light color. However, the black color makes it almost impossible to see when to clean them. It’s also hard to tell when the flow is reduced b/c it’s an enclosed system…how can we tell when to clean the black filters?
I’d really appreciate any feedback. Thank you.
Hi Nelson -
Yes, the black berkeys last 3000 each, so your math is accurate. There can be occasions when the black berkey filters last for a shorter duration and this in entirely proportional to the levels of chemicals and contaminants in the water. 3000 / berkey filter is based upon a typical municipal/well water source, but if the source water contains very high levels of heavy metals, pesticides, or the like, this can decrease the life of the filter since the berkey media is like a sponge and can become saturated more quickly.
As for cleaning, with both the ceramic filters and the black berkeys, the goal is to reopen the pores on the outside of the filter. Once the water enters the berkey filter the filtration begins to occur, so by cleaning, you are allowing the process to continue efficiently. Over time, you will become familiar with how quickly your berkey water filter processes the water for you. You will know it’s time for a cleaning because the slow down should be evident enough to you to recognize that something’s not right. Some customers need to clean their filters once every 2 months, and then there’s some customers who never have to clean their filter even once over it’s entire lifetime. Again, it will depend on your source water and what it contains.
Hope this helped.
Thanks - Dan
We live in an apartment but planning on relocating within the next year and a half. we have 2 children living in our home at the time. which berkey system would be right for us? and can i take it with me when i move?
Hi Nelli -
A good fit for you and your family would be the big berkey water filter (2.25 Gallons). If you fill the upper chamber once per day, this would make available at least 1/2 gallon per day for each family member. The big berkey, like all the berkey water filters, can sit on your countertop and can be used in any future home you desire to live in. As an alternative, customers short on counter space buy three/four legged plant stands for their berkey and sit the system in a corner or another part of the kitchen.
Thanks - Dan
I would like to say that I love my Berkey water filtration system. I have compared it to every water filter but this is best ever,
Can a water filter be over-filled or will the water stay in the upper chamber until space in the lower chamber is available?
Hi Anna -
If the water in the lower chamber of the berkey is at capacity, you will not want to fill the upper chamber. The system is not airtight as air needs to be able to flow in and out of the system for the gravity filtration to take place. Thus, if the lower chamber is full, water will keep filtering from the upper chamber and eventually overflow out the side seam where the lower and upper chambers meet.
Thanks
Dan
Hi,
The information you have is very thorough, but after sifting through the internet for two hours trying to make a decision, it is all very overwhelming. We live in an area where fracting is common. Our water, though city water, OFTEN REEKS of chemicals–smells like lawn fertilizer. We have been buying bottled water for almost 2 years and we are tired of it.
In addition to the chemicals that are surely in our water, I am also interested in something that will be portable in the event we have to quickly evacuate. In addition, something that kills viruses and e-coli. Can you please email me back and help. I am ready to purchase, but can’t make a decision. BTW, thanks for the AJ discount
Kaydee
Hi Kaydee -
The berkey water filter using the black berkey filters will remove e-coli and other bacteria from the water at 99.99999%. This is considered water purification by NSF standards. Test results can be viewed on the black berkey water filter page.
The filters have also just been tested for the MS2 and Fr Coliphage viruses this summer. Click here for berkey virus removal test results.
Thanks
Dan
We live in an area with chemical manufacturers and there are reports that our ground water is or will be contaminated with multiple chemicals from petroleum, and other chemical plants. How much and which chemicals will the Berkey filter out? Thanks.
We are a family of two and have a rainwater collection system that is pumped back into the house for our water use. What is the best Berkey water filter to use to reduce/eliminate aluminum in our water supply (the rainwater is collected from a metal Galvalume roof)?
Hi Pat -
Any of the berkey water filter systems using the black berkey filters will be effective at removing aluminum up to 95% as well as purifying out bacteria that may have collected on the roof and washed into the system. You just need to decide what size of a system you would like in your house. For only 2 people, you could choose a Travel Berkey, Berkey Light, Big Berkey, or even a Royal Berkey if you’d like some extra capacity storage.
Thanks
Dan
Hi Angela -
For a listing of what chemicals and petroleum products the Black Berkey filters will remove, please refer to the black berkey page. The PF-2 filters only remove fluoride and arsenic.
Thanks
Dan
We are looking into getting a Berkey for our family. I understand what it draws out of the water - but does it also remove the essential minerals?
Thanks.
Hi Camille -
The black berkey filters will leave in the essential minerals such as calcium, pottasium, magnesium, etc.
Thanks
Dan
We have a brackish pond by our house. Will the Berkey remove salt content?
Hi Ed -
No, the Berkey filters do not remove salt, so they would not help in this regard.
Thanks
Dan
HI
My mother is 76 and still living alone, She has a shallow well which tested safe by district standards but it leaves a terrible brown stain on everything from the dogs dishes to the toilet bowl. Also it has a terrible odor, like rotten eggs sort of. Will the Berkey filters help with this issue? I would like to buy her one for her birthday.
Hi Heidi -
This is most likely sulfur and possibly some high iron levels. The berkey water filters will reduce both sulfur and iron to a significant extent, but will not eliminate it completely.
Thanks
Dan
Hello, I’m an Alex Jones listener in the middle of a SERIOUS budget crunch right now, and need the most affordable option to remove fluoride from the tap water at my apartment.
Thanks,
Jason
Hi Jason -
The travel berkey that comes with the black berkeys is our least expensive system. You would need this berkey filter system and then the PF-2 fluoride filters that go in the lower chamber. Use the code “alex jones” during checkout.
Thanks
Dan
Dan:
If the filters in the top chamber are vertical, does a small amount of water left at the bottom of the top chamber (when most of the water has flowed down into the bottom chamber) get less filtration than water flowing down when the top chamber is full?
Thanks,
John
Hi John -
No, the water tests are based upon all the water that is filtered from the upper chamber. It does not decipher between water filtered from the top and/or bottom.
Thanks
Dan
I love your site! Its very informative and well thought out. Thank you!
I am a little confused though, Is the difference between the Berkey and the Imperial is the size? The filters and reduction of everything is the same?
Thanks!
Hi Wendi -
The imperial berkey is a 4.5 gallon version of the berkey model. There are a total of 7. All the berkey systems use the black berkey filters standard, and thus quality is the same regardless of system chosen.
Thanks
Dan
Hi there- I would like a very effective filter that I don’t need to replace, but can maintain by cleaning (ceramic) and a system that does not use plastic (stainless steel or ceramic). Do you carry anything like this. Thanks.
Hi Mandy -
All filters need to replaced at some point as the media will reach a level of saturation. We have both black and ceramic berkey filters that you can get in a stainless chamber. A set of black berkeys last 6000 gallons and a set of 9″ ceramic filters last 1200 gallons. Both can be maintained by cleaning the outside of the filter until full saturation is reached.
Thanks
Dan
Are there things that the combination of (Black+PF4) eliminates that the combination of (Black+PF2) would not?
Thanks,
Sam
Hi Sam -
The PF-4 filters only work with the berkey ceramics as they are designed specifically for those filters. The PF-2’s only work with the black berkeys. The PF-2/Black Berkeys are the best filtration combination.
Thanks
Dan
Hello,
I want to purchase the Big Berkey with 2 black filters and 2 PF-2 filters. Will that work? Plus, how long would it last before I change the filters? Thanks!
Hi Alex -
The black berkeys would last 600 gallons of water and the PF-2 filters would last 1000 gallons or 2 years, whichever came first.
Thanks
Dan
We are a family of 4 looking for a water filtration system to use in case of emergency. We are at the base of a mountain and have a stream that runs off the mountain, the length of the property. There are just one or two houses above ours. What system would make the stream water safe to consume in the event of an emergency and interuption to our water supply. 2 adults and 2 children. We are currently at the end of the city water line and would be interested in filtering our city water supply as well.
Hi Tonia -
Any of the systems with the black berkeys will fit your needs for both the stream water and the city water. Given the size of your family I would recommend the big berkey, royal berkey, or the berkey light. Any of these systems equipped with 2 or 4 black berkey filters will perform as desired.
Thanks
Dan
I plan to buy a Berkey filter unit but I have a question. In one of your posts you recommended specific units and also recommended “equiped with 2 or 4 black berkey filters”.
My question is: Say I buy the Big Berkey, how many black berkey filters do I need?
Hi Charles -
2 black berkey filters will work just fine. You can purchase 4 if you would like faster filtration and the longer life that comes with 4 black berkeys.
Thanks
Dan
Hi Dan,
Would the black berkey filters work in a whole house pressurized system? If not, do you have any recommendations for a whole house filtration system? I have well water and want to set up something to filter the water before it hits the tap. I plan on purchasing a berkey system for the times when the power goes out. No water equals third world status very quickly. Also, if I have to use pond, lake or river water through the system is there any special cleaning or sterilization needed of the system once we return to a cleaner source of water? Would it be recommended that we replace the filters once we have used the system with obviously contaminated water or do we just go back to every day use without any concern?
Thanks,
Richard
Hi Richard -
No, the filters are only designed to work in a gravity filter system. As for water becoming third world status, in the events of hurricanes, flooding, water would be become third world status very quickly as the clean water distribution systems and other potable water supplies become contaminated. The filters are designed to be used in this regard, so, there is no need for cleaning the filters or replacing them post a filtration of contaminated water. If you feel tentative in doing this, you can perform a red food coloring test on the black berkey filters to confirm they are operating as designed.
Thanks
Dan
Hi,
I am interested in the Berkey filter system. One question I have is, do the systems filter out sulphur content? The water in our area has a multitude of gas wells which, from my understanding, have allowed sulphur to seep into the water system.
Regards,
Benjamin
Hi Benjamin -
Yes, the filters will reduce sulphur conten however because it is a competing comtaminant, it cannot be guaranteed to remove it completely.
Thanks
Dan
I’m sensitive to both coconut and corn, and am wondering if the black filter uses charcoal with coconut as the source for it. Will the ceramic filters be corn and coconut free as well?
Hi Joyce -
The filters do use coconut shell charcoal as one of the ingredients, so we would not recommend using these filters given your allergies.
Thanks
Dan
Are you saying the Berkley Black filters will make harvested rainwater drinkable? I’m in the process of starting a harvesting system for my home in SW Florida and one knows not what the future holds and water is precious.
Hi Wayne -
Many customers use the berkey system for rainwater harvesting, but we cannot make a blanket statement that this will work for all setups. This is because if it it being collected from a roof, the roofing shingles can contain chemicals that the filters have not been tested for. We can only speak to what the filters have been tested for and in many rainwater collection systems, the water is only coming in contact with plastic, aluminum, etc; and in these cases we know the system is sufficient.
Thanks
Dan