Aqua Pour Water Filter Tips

I had a customer recently who was having some difficulty with a replacement component for his Aqua Pour, so I thought now would be a good time to share some tips that I have learned in the 4 years that I have had mine. This goes for both the Aqua Pour and the Aqua Pour Deluxe.

General Tips

Don’t fill the top tank up to the very top. The lid sits into the top tank by about an eighth of an inch and it floats. If someone pushes down on the lid, it will push the extra water out onto your counter-top.

Don’t put more water in the top tank than will fit into the lower tank. There is no rubber seal between the top of the lower tank and its lid and any excess water will find its way through there and onto your counter-top.

Any time that you replace the carbon filter or the mineral rocks, let water flush through the system a few times before you drink it. Otherwise you may taste some residue from the manufacturing of those components. My brother once had to flush his Aqua Pour through 7 times before the taste went away. It seems to have something to do with how shaken the carbon filter gets during shipping.

It’s also a good idea to wash out the two tanks every couple of months. The lower tank can get cloudy depending on how long the water sits in it. It also keeps the unit looking nice.

When to Replace the Components

The manual says to replace the microsponge pre-filter (if you use it instead of the ceramic filter) every 5 years or when it becomes permanently discolored. If you use the ceramic pre-filter, it needs to be replaced every 2 years. The carbon filter will last for 6 months and the mineral rocks are good for 1 year. I have been told by several other distributors that the carbon filter will really last for 1 year and the mineral rocks for 2 years for a family of 4. This is what I generally do. You need to make your own decision about which advice to follow.

Need a place to order them. The Nikken replacement parts are here.

Microsponge Pre-filter

The microsponge pre-filter is washable, so when it becomes discolored, which it definitely will, take it out and rinse it off under cold water. That is usually enough to take care of it. When it does get too ugly and it doesn’t get better with rinsing, then it is time to replace it. It only costs $10 so there really isn’t any point in not getting a new one. Just be aware that Nikken’s minimum shipping charge in the US is $8.50, which is a lot to pay for a $10 part. Do your best to try to combine orders or buy 3 at a time so that you don’t end up paying for 2 when you buy 1.

When you get a new sponge, soak it in cold water before you insert it into your Aqua Pour. When it is dry, it is too small for the opening, and it floats. It isn’t very effective at all floating at the top of your fill tank.

Any time that you put the sponge back in the tank, either when you have replaced it or have taken it out to wash it, air may get trapped underneath it. After it has been in for a few minutes, reach in and pull back one side to let the air out. The trapped air will prevent water from getting through. This will usually fix the problem any time that water isn’t flowing through.

Ceramic Pre-filter

Water flows very slowly through the ceramic pre-filter. It is intended for more questionable water supplies. If your water is supposedly drinkable, like a municipal water supply, then use the microsponge. It is easier to work with and water flows much faster through it. The best practice is to fill the top tank before you go to bed so that it has all night for the water to filter through. Don’t put more water in the top tank than will fit in the lower tank or you may find a wet counter-top in the morning.

If you find that the water doesn’t seem to be flowing through as well as it was, then you can try cleaning the ceramic filter. It is best to use just cold water and a soft sponge. Anything abrasive will scratch away the ceramic and eventually weaken the shell until it shatters.

When you go to install a new ceramic filter it is best to soak it in cold water overnight. Make sure that water is able to enter the filter through the hole in the bottom because a lot of air inside the dome can prevent water from getting through.

That’s everything I can think of for now. If you have any questions about your Aqua Pour or Aqua Pour Deluxe that I didn’t answer hear, then please add a comment below and I will get you an answer.

Wayne Woodworth

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10 Responses to Aqua Pour Water Filter Tips

  1. Ruth says:

    Hi my ceramic filter seems to be groing some fungus on it. How can I clean it and why is this happening?

    • Wayne says:

      Hi Ruth, this sometimes happens when your Aqua Pour receives direct sunlight. I’ve experienced it myself, too. It’s usually algae and all it needs is sunlight and water. Take off the top tank, remove the ceramic dome, and clean them both. You may need to order a new ceramic dome. They should be replaced every 2 years anyway. Take a good look at your filter cartridge to make sure there isn’t any algae growing in there too. If so, you will need to replace it. When you put everything back together make sure it is in a place that doesn’t receive any direct light. Use any of the links above if you need to order new parts.

  2. Dwight says:

    Ben,

    I recently relocated to Phoenix, AZ from South Carolina. My Aqua Pour worked fine in South Carolina but in Phoenix the Aqua Pour system leaves a funny taste in the water. I replaced the ceramic and carbon filters, the spout and the rocks, washed both tanks to no avail. Do you have any idea what may cause the funny taste in the water?

    Thanks

    • Ben says:

      Hi Dwight. There are two possibilities that I can think of. 1) Some of the filtration material in the filter cartridge came loose during transport between SC and AZ. This is common when you receive a new filter cartridge in the mail. The water can taste really bad until the cartridge has flushed out. I run the full capacity of the Aqua Pour through the filter cartridge 3 to 5 times and that is usually enough to take care of the problem. 2) What chemical do they use to “treat” the water in Phoenix? Some areas have switched from chlorine to chloramine. The Aqua Pour does a good job removing chlorine, but doesn’t work as well for chloramine. That is one of the reasons that the Aqua Pour was discontinued and replaced with the PiMag Waterfall a few years ago. Contact your provider (county, city) and see if they will tell you which chemical is used in your area.

  3. Latifah says:

    I’ve had my Nikon Aqua pour for 4 years. I changed location last year, I’m on a new water supply and I have started to see algae in both tanks. What can I do to clean the components (rocks, etc) to prevent this. The system generally gets cleaned every 2-3 months and the parts get replaced on schedule. Please help. With gratitude latifa

    • Ben says:

      Hi Latifah.

      Your Aqua Pour must be getting some direct sunlight at some point during the day. I have experienced that too. Take your unit apart and clean the tanks real good. As long as there isn’t any algae growing inside the filter cartridge you can clean off the outside and it will be fine. See if you can clean off the rocks. They are somewhat porous so you may have to just replace them.

      When you put your Aqua Pour back together make sure that it isn’t near a window or anywhere that it will get a lot of sunlight. Healthy water for us is also healthy water for algae.

      Ben

  4. Charles Jennings says:

    We have had very good success with our aqua Pour until recently when it all but quit working. From the beginning we have use the cermic prefilter and so today we decided to replace it with the Micosponge that came with the filter system but we had never used. The Sponge seems to be too small and floats when we add water. Are there more sizes or what are we doing wrong?

    • Hi Charles. I’m glad you like the Aqua Pour and I will help you get passed your current challenges.

      First the sponge. When it dries, it shrinks and floats. Give it about 30 minutes to absorb water and it will expand, then you can press it down into the hole and it will stay there.

      The ceramic dome can be a pain. I quit using it in my Aqua Pour too. There are two reasons why it can stop letting water through.
      First, if you haven’t disassembled your Aqua Pour in a while and it has been filtering fine until now, then you probably just need to clean the ceramic dome. Take it out, hold it under cold running water and scrub it lightly. I would just use my bare hand and rub it. You could use a mildly abrasive pad and go over it once or twice. Don’t scrub hard or you will take off too much of the ceramic material and significantly shorten its life.

      Second, if you have disassembled your Aqua Pour recently to clean it or replace the filter cartridge, then the problem may be air trapped inside the ceramic dome. Take it out, turn it upside down, and fill it with cold water, then re-install it without dumping out too much of the water. If it is a new ceramic dome then you might want to fill it with water and soak it in a bowl of water overnight to soften the ceramic material.

      I think this is the main reason that the new PiMag Waterfall doesn’t have a ceramic pre-filter.

      I hope that helps. Let me know.

  5. Dan Keener says:

    How do you “wash out” the containers system. Can you use soaps, hot water ??

    • I use dish soap and hot water to wash out the two tanks. Just be sure to rinse them out really good, especially the bottom tank. Be sure to use only cold water to rinse off any of the filtration components.

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