What are the differences between the various carbon filter systems?
The differences are primarily in the filters and sumps used. Cheap carbon filters use a couple of ounces of carbon sprayed on a wax-like paper that is rolled up and covered in netting. There isn’t very much carbon present, hence a short effective life. Granular activated carbon filters can channel (this is when the water creates a “channel” through the carbon particles, thus going untreated). The best type of filter available today is the extruded carbon block. The carbon is ground into a fine powder, then pressed into a block under millions of pounds of pressure. The pore size can be controlled to the micron level. When one pore clogs the water has thousands of other pores to travel through. This gives maximum water to carbon contact and maximum use of the carbon.
