{"product_id":"pleated-cellulose-sediment-cartridge","title":"Crystal Quest 5 Micron Pleated Sediment Filter Cartridge","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThis 5 micron pleated sediment filter cartridge is built for the problems you notice first: sand settling in the toilet tank, grit catching in the faucet aerator, or a SMART or carbon stage that clogs up far too early.\u003c\/strong\u003e Rust, silt and dirt make water look murky, but the bigger issue is what they do further along, where they pile up inside the more expensive filters. Stopping them before they get there is the whole purpose of a sediment stage.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCrystal Quest builds this cartridge from pleated cellulose, folded into a large filtering surface over a polypropylene core. In its own equipment, Crystal Quest places it first in the triple cartridge systems and relies on it to pre-filter sediment for its whole house and whole house RO systems, so the membrane, carbon and SMART filters that follow stay protected. You can choose from four sizes, covering countertop, under-sink, whole house and Big Blue housings.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eKey features of this pleated sediment filter\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003e5 micron rating:\u003c\/strong\u003e holds back sand, silt, rust and similar particles floating in the water.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eMore room for dirt:\u003c\/strong\u003e the folds multiply the filtering surface, so it can collect more before you see the flow go down.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eA guard for later stages:\u003c\/strong\u003e sediment never reaches the SMART, carbon block or RO membrane filters behind it.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSolid build:\u003c\/strong\u003e a polypropylene core, with vinyl plastisol caps bonded to both ends of the media.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eAvailable in four sizes\u003c\/strong\u003e, with a usual service life of 12 to 24 months.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow the cartridge is built\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eLook closely and you see deep folds, evenly spaced around the whole cartridge. The cellulose sits on a stiff polypropylene core, polyethylene mesh holds every fold in its place, and vinyl plastisol closes off both ends, leaving water no route except straight through the media.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOver time the white folds turn brown or grey with what they have trapped. It is a clear sign of how much dirt never made it into your plumbing.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eHow pleated sediment filtration works\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eFiltration by particle size\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSediment filtration is purely physical. While water flows through the cellulose, anything larger than 5 microns gets stuck. No chemicals are released and nothing is added; the cartridge just stops particles that are too big to fit through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy pleats outperform a flat wrap\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the media is folded, a cartridge of the same dimensions offers far more filtering area. Water then moves through any single spot more gently, pressure loss stays small and the trapped dirt is spread out instead of concentrated. In practice that means steady flow and many months of use before the cartridge is full.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eDirt you can see\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMost particles collect on the outside of the folds, where you can check them by eye. One look tells you how heavily your water loads the filter, so you know whether to swap cartridges sooner when your supply is especially dirty.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eWhy a pre-filter is worth it\u003c\/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe media in carbon and SMART cartridges, and the membrane in an RO system, exist to change what is dissolved in your water, not to catch mud. Any grain the sediment cartridge stops is one that can't plug or cover those stages. Changing the sediment filter on time lets the rest of the system reach its expected lifespan.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhat this sediment cartridge removes, and what it doesn't\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt takes out:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSand, silt, dirt and rust particles (sediment)\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eSuspended particles as small as 5 microns\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIt does not treat dissolved substances.\u003c\/strong\u003e Fluoride, hardness, chlorine, VOCs, nitrate, pesticides and dissolved metals such as lead and iron go straight through, as do viruses and bacteria. Those jobs belong to the stages after it: reverse osmosis, specialty cartridges, the SMART Filter Cartridge and the \u003ca href=\"\/products\/coconut-based-5-micron-carbon-block-filter-cartridge\"\u003eCoconut Based 5-Micron Carbon Block Filter Cartridge\u003c\/a\u003e.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eAbout Crystal Quest\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eSpecified in Crystal Quest's own systems.\u003c\/strong\u003e Their own system manuals name this pleated cartridge as the default sediment stage.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNo bypass around the media.\u003c\/strong\u003e The vinyl plastisol caps are fused to the cellulose, which keeps water from leaking past the folds.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eServing customers since 1994.\u003c\/strong\u003e More than 1,000,000 people have used Crystal Quest filtration. The company follows ISO 9001 quality management and has produced its water filters in the USA for more than three decades.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eWhere it fits\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTriple cartridge systems:\u003c\/strong\u003e stage one, ahead of SMART Plus and the carbon block\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhole house RO pre-filtration:\u003c\/strong\u003e housing one, ahead of SMART Plus\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhole house cartridge systems:\u003c\/strong\u003e fitted as the pre-filter for sediment\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eWhich size goes where:\u003c\/strong\u003e 2-7\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" (CQE-RC-04001) in countertop and under-sink systems; 2-7\/8\" x 20\" (CQE-RC-04015) in whole house cartridge housings; 4-5\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" (CQE-RC-04033) and 4-5\/8\" x 20\" (CQE-RC-04034) in the larger compact, whole house and whole house RO housings\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\n\u003ch2\u003eCommon questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat is this cartridge made of?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eFolded cellulose media on a polypropylene core for rigidity, with vinyl plastisol sealing off each end. It is rated at 5 microns.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhat makes a pleated sediment filter a good choice?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eFolding the media creates a lot of filtering area. That gives it room to collect plenty of dirt while flow stays strong, even at 5 microns.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003ePleated vs. spun polypropylene: which works differently?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith pleats, most dirt lands on one wide, folded surface. A spun polypropylene cartridge catches dirt inside a thick wound layer of fibre instead. For their sediment stage, Crystal Quest systems use the pleated cellulose version as standard.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWill it take out dissolved contaminants?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eNo. It only catches particles that float in the water. Nitrate, pesticides and dissolved metals call for a specialty, SMART or carbon cartridge.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eWhen should a sediment filter be replaced?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003ePlan on every 12 to 24 months; most homes land around 18 months. Swap it earlier if you notice a change in taste, odor, flow or pressure. The real lifespan depends on the quality of your incoming water, how your system is set up and how much you use.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n\u003cdetails\u003e\u003csummary\u003eHow do I pick the right size for my housing?\u003c\/summary\u003e\u003cp\u003eMeasure the diameter and length of the cartridge you are replacing: 2-7\/8\" x 9-3\/4\", 2-7\/8\" x 20\", 4-5\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" or 4-5\/8\" x 20\". They fit, in that order, 2.5\" x 10\", 2.5\" x 20\", 5\" x 10\" Big Blue and 5\" x 20\" Big Blue housings.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/details\u003e\n","brand":"Crystal Quest®","offers":[{"title":"2-7\/8” x 9-3\/4” \/ Single","offer_id":60202633101696,"sku":"CQE-RC-04001","price":22.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-7\/8” x 9-3\/4” \/ Pack of 2","offer_id":60202633134464,"sku":"CQE-RC-04001-2PK","price":45.9,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-7\/8” x 9-3\/4” \/ Pack of 4","offer_id":60202633167232,"sku":"CQE-RC-04001-4PK","price":91.8,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-7\/8” x 20” \/ Single","offer_id":60202633200000,"sku":"CQE-RC-04015","price":31.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-7\/8” x 20” \/ Pack of 2","offer_id":60202633232768,"sku":"CQE-RC-04015-2PK","price":63.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"2-7\/8” x 20” \/ Pack of 4","offer_id":60202633265536,"sku":"CQE-RC-04015-4PK","price":126.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" \/ Single","offer_id":60202633298304,"sku":"CQE-RC-04033","price":34.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" \/ Pack of 2","offer_id":60202633331072,"sku":"CQE-RC-04033-2PK","price":69.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 9-3\/4\" \/ Pack of 4","offer_id":60202633363840,"sku":"CQE-RC-04033-4PK","price":138.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 20\" \/ Single","offer_id":60202633396608,"sku":"CQE-RC-04034","price":44.5,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 20\" \/ Pack of 2","offer_id":60202633429376,"sku":"CQE-RC-04034-2PK","price":89.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"4-5\/8\" x 20\" \/ Pack of 4","offer_id":60202633462144,"sku":"CQE-RC-04034-4PK","price":178.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1004\/5564\/5568\/files\/2-7-8-x-9-3-4-pleated-cellulose-sediment-cartridge-crystal-quest-water-filter-cartridges-1263260594.webp?v=1792864288","url":"https:\/\/aquiowell.com\/products\/pleated-cellulose-sediment-cartridge","provider":"Aquiowell","version":"1.0","type":"link"}