10 Berkey Water Filter Mistakes to Avoid

[@ShelliG]

I wish you could’ve demonstrated some of the cleaning the filters, etc. while you discussed it.

[@Paula-ok9ib]

There is a great video on KZbin showing how to clean, do a quick search. We use it every time we need to clean them.

[@Mojo_3.14]

A good tip for those who like cold water and also like to completely fill the Berkey to filter over night is simply get a glass water pitcher. Empty the water you didn't drink during the day into the pitcher and place in the refrigerator then fill the Berkey. Best of both worlds for those households who have mix of people prefer the cold water vs room temp. Simply solutions are often best.

[@Hislittlelamb]

I just bought a Big Berkey for myself and my roommate plus my cat & pug. Judging by what we’ve been using I think 2.25 will be just about right, but I do like my drinking water ice cold so I’ve been saving bPha free gallons jugs to keep in the refrigerator. I really love the idea of draining off what’s left each night and putting it in a pitcher to cool overnight while the Berkey filters out a fresh new batch for the next day as well.

[@shs1592]

and not to forget - just fill your ice cube tray (yes, some of us remember those trays from days long ago) and ice ready to go!

[@Mojo_3.14]

@@shs1592 I still use trays as I was always told the model of refrigerator with the ice machine in the door is not energy efficient. I currently have a Brita filter pitcher and I always use filtered water for my ice. I never understood why people would put ice made of straight from the tap water into their filtered water or other beverages. Seems counterproductive.

[@oldladytoofast]

I prefer to drink refrigerated Berkey filtered water instead of adding questionably filtered ice to my Berkey room temp water. So filling containers at the end of the day and refilling the Berkey completely makes perfect sense to me! Ive owned Brita pitchers but they are nowhere near Berkey when it comes to removing contaminants. Also the replacement costs of their filters per gallon actually add up to more than the Berkey's do.

[@PapaP86]

@@Hislittlelamb How did that size work out for you? I just ordered the 2.25gal for myself and my 2 dogs (medium sized, husky and husky lab mix). It's winter now so they're probably drinking less than warm months, but I probably drink around a gallon a day and the two dogs combined probably do around 100oz, but they may do more like ~150oz in warmer weather. Debating if the 3.5 gal would be better, but the 2.25 seems like a better medium if I want to camp with it at all, 3.5 and up would probably get too big. I also know it's relatively easy to make your own with 2x 5 gal food grade buckets, a spigot, and Berkey filters, but it's not going to look nice sitting in the kitchen.

[@Smokey_da_Bear]

I have had my Berkey for years and use it to filter running water from a seasonal creek on my property. I have been using the filtered water all those years and am here to write about it. My only issue with the black filters is that the plastic stems that protrude through the top half and are secured by plastic nuts and tend to wear after a few rounds of filter maintenance and get stripped to the point where they no longer tighten enough for the rubber gaskets to prevent unfiltered water from the top half leaking into the bottom half. My fix is to use teflon tape as one would on any typical plumbing connection. The stand-up black filters should not be able to be wiggled when in place or there will be leakage of unfiltered water into the bottom reservoir. The fix on Berkey's part would be to make these connections out of stainless steel, but that would dramatically raise the cost of the units.

[@ilikemkrispy603]

Thank you, I’ve recently come across this problem with mine. And was wondering why they’re not filtering properly..

[@PARMYGUY]

THE BOTTOM BUTTER FLY NUT CAN BE PURCHASE AT HOMEDEPOT IN SURE ON GASKETS ALSO. I WILL BE BUYING TEFLON TAPE THX U.

[@Toddleoff]

Use canned air to blow out the muck from the filters.

[@bobr2959]

Put rubber grommets' on both sides of the filters to avoid breaking the stem to black media joint. It allows it to wobble freely when your handling it. I have saved some much money by doing this! I can now take the upper chamber over to the sink and scrub off the iron deposits and spray down the filters without breaking it. To me ,that's efficient. especially when it has to be done after 2 fillings. Remember the filters break so easy when moved to fast and hard inside the upper chamber.

[@Carrie15Joy]

Thank you for sharing your experience. It’s been very helpful to me! ❤

[@beckylekan1659]

great info. after using ours for 2 years I had two filters go bad- would not pass the red dye test after only 6 months use. Turns out on a few occasions we TIPPED the Berkey to get the water out. DON"T tip it it causes Stress on the filter where it is screwed into the chamber and puts cracks in it so it won't filter the water- the water will run down the upper chamber water straight through to the bottom chamber not filtering it. Never tip the Berkey.

[@Celeste-.-marie]

Uh oh.... I do this! Guess I'll stop! Thanks for the tip

[@gracecotton9819]

@@Celeste-.-marie So do I! I was reading through comments to see if it was natural for about half an inch of water to remain in the top chamber. After reading the two previous comments, I guess it is. I would say, though, that when I have tipped the top chamber, I hold the filters as best I can. Is it best then, to leave the water in there?

[@debbiedavid4392]

I’ve had my Berkey for about 5 years. Wouldn’t trade it ! I recognized some of your mishaps, they have happed here as well. Bought my 4 sons a Berkey for Christmas I liked mine so much. Thanks for the video !!!

[@billhill3526]

We've had one for close ten years now. I notice a huge difference in taste even when our city water is rated as excellent. Coffee tastes a lot better too and I like my coffee..

[@michaelmeyer9527]

thats because it only removes chlorine that was added by the city to disinfect the disgusting tap water. make your coffee with purified water through reverse osmosis and compare it. itll blow your mind.

[@betsyvanweerdhuizen5316]

Thanks for these helpful tips. I’m fighting cancer and my doctors are absolutely insistent that I NOT drink our well water. My son and sister researched and bought a Berkey and I love it. My son set it up for me as I was very sick from my first chemo treatment. I wasn’t aware of some of these mistakes so I’m grateful you shared them so I could be aware. Thanks for sharing.

[@MihannahRock]

You ain’t suppose drink well water regardless you sick or not Damn

[@barbarawarren9443]

Thank you so much for your simple, clear, concise explanations. These are all of the things most people don't say in tutorials and take for granted that people know - but we don't.

[@CALTECH007]

One thing I do is if we don't use all the water in the Berkey I will take all the water out of the bottom container and pour it in the top filter container and add unfiltered water to fill the top container. That way all the filters are kept moist.

[@oldfaart7923]

Thank you for that comment, I don't use much water and have been just topping it off. Didn't think of having to keep filters wet. But this would be the solution for someone not using that much also.

[@goldiegirl6705]

What a great idea. It's just me and a dog and I got the Royal.

[@CALTECH007]

@@goldiegirl6705 Glad I was of some help. It's just me and the wife and we have the smallest Berkey and like you we don't use a lot of water so the filters last a long time even using the water for ice.

[@sonjah1913]

Just curious why there is no method rid the water of the more particulate matter. Would precleaning by pouring through a coffee filter remove some of that pond scum?

[@gelzad5899]

@@sonjah1913 there’s pond scum with the berkey filters??

[@jerryjones7293]

I have a Big Berkey and a beverage dispenser which I fill from the Berkey. I bought the Berkey at the beginning of the pandemic to avoid contact with the public. My system has served me well. I haven't had a kidney stone since I started using filtered water. That is good enough for me.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

That is amazing to hear Jerry! (That's my son's name!). I can't believe it made such a difference in your health. I've heard others with autoimmune diseases mention it made a difference too.

[@heatherberchtold6934]

We absolutely love our Berkey!! My husband made a stand for it with an adjustable shelf for filling up big pots or smaller kettles, but we have a 5 gallon water jug specifically for refilling our Berkey, and every night before bed we first drain anything left in the Berkey topping off the coffee pot, tea kettle, and a large water pitcher I keep by my stove for cooking. Then usually there’s nothing left but if we’ve been gone all day for some reason and there is we empty the rest into our water filling jug, then finish filling it up at the sink to fill the top tank. 😊

[@donmulvey9280]

That is a great idea. I just setup a travel size and immediately overfilled it. Couldn't quite figure out a good way to just put in enough water without overfilling. I really like your empty every night into kettles and such and refill. I'll give it a try. Tnx!

[@jaha5761]

I’m in central Texas. Today should be the last day of epic freezing weather. A boil- water order went out last night. Water pressure dropped across the region due to bursting pipes. I am so relieved and glad I have my Berkey light and several bottles of water in the fridge. The advice in this vid is spot on. I wish I had a smaller Berkey because it sometimes doesn’t get topped off for three days or so. The manual priming tool is also worth buying and learning to use well. I’m not able to prime filters under the faucet without making a big mess. Thank you for a well done presentation.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Oh my! My prayers are with you all in Texas! It has been heartbreaking to watch. If you know of a good place we can help best, please let me know. I did wonder if a Berkey would make it so you didn't have to boil the water. I would hope so! Thanks for your comment and hang in there!

[@wvbonbonqueen]

I have the small Travel Berkey, and we love it. I never scrub my filters when I clean them, I fill it removes too much of the filter and I use a method of reverse priming to clean them. I bought the Priming Bulb from Amazon and use it and when my Berkey is empty, I remove the top, wash the filters off in running water, then I push clean water thru the filters with my Priming Bulb and you can see the water, back-flush the filters out, and the dirt and yuck comes out of them. I have owned this Berkey for about 3 yrs, with no issues on needing to replace the filters yet. I do notice that when the filters get dirty, from our wonderful city water, it does really slow down the filtering. So when I notice it is getting slower, I just remove the top of the filter, attach the Primer Bulb to the bottom of the the filter, push water from a container into and thru the filters, it takes about a qt of water to clean each filter. About 1/2 hour and viola, you are clean to go, for a few more months, until they get dirty again. This helps me to conserve my money and my filters too. Just how we roll with our Berkey, we all have a difference of opinion on doing things, I just wanted to share how I keep my working well for us. Thanks for the great informational video on Owning a Berkey.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

This was such great information! Thank you for sharing with us. I've been thinking the travel berkey would be great to have. Sometimes you travel and the water is horrible!

[@wvbonbonqueen]

@@TIDBITSandCompany Yes it is all different in every town you go thru. This will give you a better, more consistent tasting water. At least that is what I think about it anyway. You are very welcome with the information. I hope it helps you!!!1

[@wvbonbonqueen]

@@TIDBITSandCompany Here is a link to a person who has built his own water filter, using the filters in a Berkey just incase you don't want to buy one. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJjGeXagj9KEh68 He does a good job of explaining his filter. Hope you like him, he makes good sense to me. lol Have a great day!!

[@cutesybunny3360]

Hi. Can u please explain the priming. I have this priming bulb u speak of also. 😣 I pd 500.00 for mine and it's in basement BECAUSE I can not figure this out!!! 😢 It's rediculas. I'd if never bought unless this was explained to me. Notice others saying this very thing. They do not know how to do it either and we're never told of this step.

[@cutesybunny3360]

@@TIDBITSandCompany I notice your not responding to people who have bought this machine and ARE not using it due to not knowing how to do this PRIMING AND WERE NEVER TOLD OF THIS BEFORE PURCHASE.

[@debbiemize2269]

I recently bought a Berkey! I got up one morning to discover water all over the kitchen counter and floor; it took a few minutes to realize the Berkey had been overfilled the night before! Thanks for all the great tips!

[@teenabobina77]

I overflowed it once! Never again. Woke up to a water mess. I also filled up with the valve open another water mess! Thank you for your tips!

[@juliand2709]

Lucky to find your video after ordering my first "Big" Berkey today...such good info...I would have probably made multiple of these mistakes...I was wondering about the filters drying out because i only drink about a gallon a day plus other uses, ie coffee and cooking...2.2 gallons may me a bit much for one dude if I should use it all before filling...Also, thanks for clarifying no soap and tossing the sponges! Watched a lot of vids today but this answered the most questions I had by far! You rock!

[@harleyjanice1]

I know the previous reply is a year old but I wanted to address the concern of the filter getting old and drying out because I have just now started using my Berkey again after 2 years. Put a couple drops red food coloring in the top part of the Berkey. If the water is filtered clear, then the filters are working.

[@michaelrandall9465]

I was using a zero water filter system. But found that it was costing me alot of money. After watching many many videos and doing my own research. I finally ordered a big berkey. And after a few days. I finally understood why people that own one say. (It tastes like berkey water. To this day I cant drink bottled water. Love your show and now subscribed.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Haha! I love it! Yes, to have one is to love one!

[@youcantouchgrasstoo]

1. Buying too small of a Berkey. 2. Filling top chamber while bottom chamber is still full. Will leak and cause dismay. 3. Leaving spigot on. Children can be jerks. 4. Partially filling. Be a Boss and fill all the way. 5. Clean filters regularly. Make your momma proud. 6. Letting filters go dry. Stay moist. 7. Letting filters get old. Like most friendships , replace every 3 years. 8. Buying used without replacing filters. You want clean water or not? 9. Skipping the primeing protocol. Red dye test. No commies here. 10. Cleaning the filters with dirty or used pads. Stay fresh.

[@gjghudibelin6119]

Lol...Thanks 😄

[@BollYogi]

Thanks! Kg saves me 10mn le bla n'a with such an annoyi g voire..!😉

[@cvinkec]

Thanks. I hoped that someone will write this short

[@mfb6310]

Shortcuts miss the WHY's and HOW's. Why GUESS, instead of KNOW. And Attitude from you, the peanut gallery, JR, (ex 'children can be jerks') are Your issue, not the host's warning, in the least.

[@mfb6310]

@@BollYogi Yes - 10 mn of knowledge cut down to quick list of quick doing. And then guessing Why...instead of 10 mn of knowing.

[@Celeste-.-marie]

I wish I saw this before buying mine but I am glad that we made the right purchase! We are a family of 2, but we bought the royal Berkey. Believe or not, we fill it twice a day! We drink a lot of water, and we also give it to our pets. We use it to cook, and make coffee and tea, so we go through it pretty fast. For those of you who maybe don't get through your water quickly enough, use it for cooking! I take mine completely apart every month and give everything a good soapy scrub (NOT THE FILTERS, I don't use soap on those). I remove everything and clean. It's amazing the gunk that builds up around the bolts. I also use the white arsenic/flouride filters.

[@grekahg3938]

We’ve had a Berkey stored away for 30 years. (Just in case, I guess) I told my hubby I wanted to use it because it’s far better than our Pur faucet filters. I hope to convince him this weekend. Thanks for all the tidbits, great to know up front

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Yes! Get that baby out and use it! You will love it, but it is soooo good to have "just in case" as well.

[@SR-iy4gg]

Why do you need to "convince" him? It's just a water filter.

[@grekahg3938]

@@SR-iy4gg saving it for when the Crap hits the fan 🤷🏻‍♀️ But I think I e convinced him NOW is the time, and we will just stick up on the filters. I showed him all the facts of how long one/two filters lasted and how well it filtered the water for us to stay as healthy as we can get, so I believe we are good to go.

[@grekahg3938]

We actually bought it over 21 years ago and never used it.

[@suzieqkrohn8313]

Yes we did too, no one knew what could happen with Y2K. May have to pull out now, living in Texas and our filters on our reverse osmosis cannot be serviced until 3/13 due to 1000’s of service calls

[@pastorsuzannetaylor5452]

Thank you for sharing your tips. I just bought a Berkey and already see the difference it makes in taste and cleanliness. God bless you and yours.

[@bugoutxj2001]

When I bought my Big Berkey I also purchased the spout with the sight glass. I took my old Brita water pitcher and marked fill lines in cups then filled my Berkey and marked the sight glass after it was done filtering. I see how many cups are in the glass and I can see how much I have room for and fill my pitcher accordingly to fill the Berkey. Great video by the way. I really enjoy my Berkey and also drink more water and prefer to have it at room temp.

[@joannehyduckhopkins6898]

They don't sell the glass sight spout any more...dang!

[@adrianotero7963]

@@joannehyduckhopkins6898 that would be a no brainer.....I wonder if they had problems with it ?

[@noramorin3765]

@@joannehyduckhopkins6898 I ordered one in aril 2020

[@maryrrr3830]

@@joannehyduckhopkins6898 I am new to Berkey and just ordered the sight glass spigot (probably April or May, 2022).

[@djb570]

@@maryrrr3830 Me as well.

[@23evolution]

This was super helpful. I have a travel Berkey, and have made some of these mistakes, and am grateful that you saved me from some others!

[@jillybean9071]

I just ordered my first Berkey earlier today. I am so glad that I found your video and watched! So very helpful! I would not have had a clue and we have laminate floors, so water all over would have been very bad for us. Thank you! Thank you!

[@mcdowell1953]

Thank you for all info. I have the travel Berkeley for my husband and I and realized that I need to clean filters. Thanks to you I know how to do it properly😊

[@womanoftheozarks]

3M blue scrub pads is what was recommended to clean and give new surface to charcoal filters. I highly recommend to use and keep the pad to only clean the filters.

[@davidbelt6262]

Great video and comments. I'm retired and a full timer in my RV. I've been using my Travel Berkey for 4 years with no issues. I boondock a lot and therefore get my water from streams. What a great product...

[@lovinglife3954]

I’m so glad I got the travel size Berkey that filters 1.5 gallons because that is about the amount I drink every day, some days not that much. Great idea to put the date the filters were installed on a piece of tape on the back of the unit. The smaller unit is small enough that I can fill the top unit at the sink and still carry it full back to the unit.

[@patriagirl7674]

When do you know to change the filters?

[@Dinnaa]

So glad I found this video!! I over filled my Berkey last night, woke up to a note from my older to not over fill or it seeps out and all over. Thankfully he cleaned it all up while we all slept! So proud to be part of the Berkey club!

[@littlehummingbird1015]

I've been doing #4....gotta fill it up all the way now and drink it all up before adding more water. Thanks for that information!

[@shs1592]

Thanks for your thoughtful review - I'm now re-setting my Berkey up - with more knowledge- I actually have the use of this until my son gets resettled into his new place and then I'll be replacing it - perhaps with the next size up to incorporate my cooking needs - thanks again and here's to our good health!

[@NerisLaces]

I have been wanting one for so long. I have a daughter with Autism and she loves her water but noticed a strange taste in our water even with our zero filter. Bottled water is was getting a bit out of hand. Thank you, I have purchased one this very moment! Thanks for the tips too! Many Blessings.

[@catherinerouse1319]

Love my Berkey! So do my cats! I was very fortunate to be given the Berkey from my brother! It was sitting around for awhile with someone who wasn't using it.My brother did the red dye test + working fine! Such delicious water! Am looking forward to a long future with my Berkey! Thanks for the tips!🥰Cathy

[@OriginalCosmicBabe]

I accidentally left the spigot open when filling my tea kettle, then made my evening tea, then filled the Berkey up without thinking to check the spigot, and went to bed shortly thereafter. It actually took me several minutes the next morning to figure out where all the water came from, after discovering the counter and floor were drenched! You can bet that's a mistake I'll never make again!! Thank you for all the tips; I've done the red dye test but didn't realize the filters needed a regular scrubbing.

[@dngarcia79]

This was such a useful video! I just got my Royal Berkey and all these tips will come in so handy! Very well explained! Thank you!

[@GinaKayLandis]

I purchased the clear observer tube and never overfill my Berkey 🤣 Also, purchased the stand which was a great option for filling coffeepots or cooking pots. One last thing, I bought the chlorine filters as well. They seem to need to be replaced sooner than the black filters. I use Berkey filtered water to make ice cubes. Thanks for the video!

[@Dani-tz6jz]

Just found your channel thank goodness! We just got our first Berkey, it's the Travel one as we are just the two of us. I also found out the hard way and found the Berkey was leaking water due to our zealous over filling! Fortunately my husband found it early so the mop up was quick and easy. I will make sure to fill every night and either reuse the lower tank or fill bottles for the fridge. Thanks for all the comments that had good advice also!! We love the taste of the filtered water, so good. I will definitely use the filtered water for coffee and cooking.

[@TexasScout]

You can solve number two by adding the visible water gauge spigot from Berkey Also, you can extend the life of your filters when they get plug by peeling off a layer with a vegetable peeler. This only applies to the black carbon block filter‘s. This tip comes directly from Berkey. You can do it up to three times before you have to replace them.

[@jlf6614]

No. Watch this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJOQm52GapVngsU And you can extend the life of your filters and never have to scrub or peel them again. His method works and made my older filters work like brand new

[@TexasScout]

@@jlf6614 Saw this years ago, doesn't work with MY well water.

[@sassytbc7923]

I read about this issue prior to purchasing my Berkey, and ordered the site glass along with the Berkey itself. Never had a problem since.

[@victorialove9104]

Unfortunately the sight gauge spigot is plastic. I want as little plastic as possible in my life. If they coupled the sight gauge with a stainless steel spigot I would be eager to buy it.

[@firedogg70]

@@victorialove9104 , On my sight gauge that I got two months ago only the handle on the exterior is plastic, the rest of the components are stainless steel.

[@veronicagratzie6066]

thanks for the discount code. I just purchased the Crown Berkey and just can not wait!!!

[@pattyann7803]

I just ordered my first Berkey. This video was very informative and helpful. I hope to avoid some of these situations as you would never know these 10 things unless you experience them. Thank you for saving me.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

I'm sooo soooo glad it was helpful!

[@michaelmeyer9527]

big mistake. you now have de chlorinated tap in a metal can. Your fridge filter could have done this. It really makes me sad how people buy into this stuff. for the cost of a berkey you could have bought a Reverse Osmosis system off amazon put it it under your sink and actually have clean drinking water.

[@omegajohnmac]

@@michaelmeyer9527 as long as you have power so better add in the cost of a generator

[@pax9864]

@@michaelmeyer9527 Buy the right size for your water use, and keep your filters clean. There are issues with reverse osmosis, and other whole house filters. I'm not saying don't use them, if you already have them. Just add the Berkey, have your water from tap and Berkey tested for comparison, and keep your Berkey filters clean to prevent contamination. God bless you and your family! ❤🙏❤🙏❤ Beth

[@kulaniwarner7262]

Thanks for the tips. I learned the hard way that the Berkey can overflow haha. After this happened twice, I decided to get the water level spigot from Berkey and it's worked like a charm!

[@amandak2625]

I have been wanting to invest in one of these for a while now. Thank you so much for taking the time to make this video and share it with us. It has been very helpful and I'm definitely going to purchase one now.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

You won't regret it! Promise! I am so very please to hear what I had to say was helpful.

[@chief5981]

Did you get it yet? Sometimes you just have to do it

[@dougg1165]

Use only the Scotch Bright abrasive pad to clean the filters... as recommended by Berkey. When cleaning you need to scrub the filters and this removes a very tiny layer along with particles from your unpurified water. As an added suggestion after scrubbing clean go ahead and use. Your priming method to further expell the particles. I have used my Berkey system for ten years with two replacement of filters just fine. I have never bought bottled water which contains nano plastic particles. I love and depend on my Berkey. I always keep a new set of filters on hand.

[@andreacahill7783]

If there’s a little water left in the bottom, I either fill glass bottles with hinged rubber stoppers (these can go in the fridge or on the shelf) and I fill my ice cube trays as well. Thanks for your content!

[@questioneverything1123]

Thank you for doing this video... I have worried about limited use and 'neglect' of my Filter... I have been a Big Berkey owner user for about 15 years... they are the very best... It reminds me of Fiji bottled water without the bottle or even the slight bottle taste. I have always been a "big water fan" drink a lot of quality water. The Berkey filter has even furthered this enjoyment of great tasting water. I have often told people the most commercial water water filters... simply polish the water (as an expression) that said, the Berkeys are quite different. I moved to the country 5 years ago... am now on Missouri Ozark Spring fed well water. I barely use my Berkey... that water is that pristine, the extra step to filter is only marginally worth the effort, virtually unnoticeable. I did not cycle enough water through mine to keep it working properly. Decisions - decisions.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

I loved your comment and so agree! commercial water isn't as great as they lead us to believe it is. You are so lucky to have a spring fed well water!

[@Viseguy2]

Have a new travel Berkey and love it. Quickly learned about mistake #2 (overfilling) "the hard way" 🤣Thanks for this video! Will try to avoid the other 9 mistakes! 😄

[@jewelciappio]

When you’re due for a new kitchen sponge use a new unused kitchen sponge to clean the filter properly and then use that same sponge for doing dishes afterward.

[@JoeBrommer]

That’s such a good idea. I was just thinking of the negatives of wasting scrubbers!

[@Jennibobenny]

That’s what I do

[@SunnyCarnivore]

I also put my sponges in dish washer to clean and disinfect

[@kathleenkelleher6632]

Actually, they should be thrown away. Bacteria will grow fast on them after cleaning the filters and chambers.

[@jonesguest9824]

Why would you use a contaminated sponge to clean dishes that you then eat off of them? That defeats the purpose of filtering water in the first place - to not ingest contaminants.

[@quietplace476]

A friend gave me their Berkeley Light to use while traveling in my RV. I made the over flow mistake only once 😟 It has given me great water as I traveled the country. I found, however, it is too big for my space so am going to give this unit to my daughter and buy the smaller one for the RV for my next travel adventure. I like the Berkeley Light because I can see the water level. My friends have a silver unit so have to keep checking the lower half by lifting the top. I’m getting the gauge for mine so I won’t have to do this. Thank You for you video information.

[@izziebon]

Had our Royal Berkey (in UK) many years now; constant use; brilliant. New kitten loves sitting on its lid also. The water taste is pure. The best drink.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Oh how cute! A kitty on a Berkey ;). It really is the best water to drink!

[@marthaleonard7662]

Thank you for your input. I am researching water filtration systems and I am liking what I am seeing with the Berkey.

[@lynneclark967]

On the water level in the bottom container: one of Berkey's accessories is the glass sight tube. There is also the idea of putting a "sock" over the filter, making it easier to clean.

[@lindapobuda4849]

This info is so helpful! I decided to buy a different size based on these tips. Thank you!

[@jameskrivitsky9715]

I purchased a new stainless steel coffee urn with site glass tube ( percolator stem and basket removed ) and placed a white "food grade bucket" on top of the urn. I drilled two holes in the base of the plastic bucket and placed the black / white combo filters with rubber gaskets similar to the top Berkey drum. It works good with the stainless lid on top of the white bucket . I pre-filter the Houston city water with a sink mounted ceramic filter dispenser to remove initial sediment and then pour the pitchers of water into the Berkey clone. I do notice about once a month that I need to rinse out the top bucket and charcoal filters due to very fine somewhat grey layer of particulates . I also soak the interior of the bottom drum monthly with white vinegar to dissolve very fine crystals which I assume comes from some calcium or minerals. If I pour some of the filtered water into plastic pitchers to chill in the fridge, a clear slightly slippery coating forms when the water stays in the pitcher for several days. Has anyone else noticed such fine crystals or "slime film" in their set ? JwgK in Houston , TX

[@ZuriDsWellness]

Don't know if you will see this, but I'm now on my Berkey Journey. I wanted one for about 3 yrs now but something always got in the way, at this point its about my health and that's the most important and I also recommend one to my girlfriend and she actually got one before me. But I'm not mad at her. Lol Thanks for all the Tips..

[@tlsnana9539]

We have the set of (4) boroux bottles and I fill them daily. Then I can just pour directly into pots or pitchers as needed. These are also helpful because I can empty the Berkey before refilling it. It also let’s me monitor my son’s water intake by seeing how many bottles he empties. When we have to go to hospital, i put the filters in the refrigerator in case we get admitted for a few days - in zip lock bag to protect from possible odors. This is something I couldn’t do with any other unit. I love it!

[@PA_Prepper]

Nice vid - thanks for the discount code. We just bought a newer, bigger Berkey and your code helped us save nearly $30 !!!

[@hansparam]

Very nice information. You can store the water from this filter in a copper vessel over night which purefies the water further. This will also allow you to refill so that you don't run out of water.

[@Thunderbird_Acres]

What copper vessel do you recommend?

[@bellamylittlegirl1029]

Such good points you have made. I just received my new Berkey today and my first experience with one. Thanks for all the points I needed to hear. 😊

[@estuchedepeluche2212]

Where I live, I have to boil the water before putting it in the Berkey to precipitate most of minerals. The top container collects a cloudy liquid with sediment that we pour out frequently.

[@davidseron1205]

Thank you Tidbits. I just received my Royal Berkey yesterday and your video is very helpful. Have a nice day

[@zenrvn4702]

Found a big Berkey with not a scratch on it at estate sale last year for $20!!! The black filters were inside it and busted. Wanted it originally for our RV but now we will be moving back to Korea where tap water is not potable. So I’ll stock up on filters to take with us.

[@shineon651]

Moved to extremely high iron content water. Have to clean filters weekly now. Basically using swamp water. Smells and tastes terrible. Berkey makes it possible to live in my location high in the Rockies. Got the Berkey shower filter because our hair turned orange from the iron. We’re all red heads now. Lol. Hopefully we will go back to our normal colors with time and the shower filter. Truly a must have product! Ty for all these tips. I learned that my filter’s just might be too old for what I’m now putting them through. 5 star tips! ✨✨✨✨✨

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

We lived in a rental home that was just like that for some time. The berkey was a life savor! I feel for you!

[@polarxena]

I wish they would design the filters to be flippable. Meaning, the top end could become the bottom end, thereby greatly extending the time between filter replacement. Its the bottom 1/2 of the filter that is used much more than the top portion. 🤷‍♀️

[@CRRBennett]

I wish the same it makes sense.

[@peachesfireside178]

I had the same thought.

[@sheilahenderson3182]

Perhaps the flippable filters would slow down refill purchases.

[@dougg1165]

You are not consistently completely filling the upper chamber so the filter will filter evenly. That is why the bottom half is clogged before the top....

[@DA-mf4db]

@@dougg1165 I am guilty of this

[@conniehenderson2173]

This was timely and great information. We just ordered a Berkey which arrives tomorrow.

[@alancarter4270]

We were so thankful for our Big Berkey during the (Alaska/Polar storm) that hit us in DFW Texas. Many town here had boil water order because of loss of power to treatment plants.

[@petrakolar9811]

I'm in Texas too, and though I've been wanting a Berkey for years anyway, that experience helped me convince my husband that we should pull the plug and get it now. Ntm we plan to go offgrid in another year or two, so we'll need this for collected rain water!

[@alancarter4270]

@@petrakolar9811 I am soo proud of you!! Your moving in the right direction. We need to provide our own infrastructure and restore our independence as our ancestors had.

[@navybluejacket4401]

Thanks TIDBITS. I have a Berkey but have not used it. I am a great believer in listening to (Good) advice before doing something new that I do not know about. Keeps me from doing stupid stuff which I have already done enough of. Thanks again. I Subscribed.

[@reneelancaster8714]

Living with well water, the Berkey is a life changer. Going on 6 months and just loving it!

[@clarissalapinski3131]

Do you put your well water in it?

[@billhesford6098]

Yep had a few taps left on. One would think I would learn. My Royale never leaks from the middle for some reason, so I don't have to worry about that one. Thanks for the video.

[@iraurda3672]

Thanks the Coupon Code was a nice perk. We will buy the Travel version for use in a Class B RV ( Coachman Nova 20C/Li3 ) with the optional fluoride filters. We did get the sight -line faucet just a quicker check on the water volume. The Berkey will also be essential for us since we will travel with an African Gray parrot (Ira) and safe water is even more vital for him. He does grace us with plentiful dry dander and light feather fluff so be able to see water level externally will help immensely. Stay safe.

[@noeldeal8087]

How do you like RVing?

[@erinreese984]

Hey! So crazy, I just bought this system and was watching another tutorial and then your video popped up! We played Sky View Volleyball together. This is Erin Reese, I was a year younger than you! Nice to see you on video!

[@lyngruen8607]

Odd that I JUST got my travel Berkey and this TIDBITS pops up!!🤔 I DO appreciate the info tho. Learned the prime procedure today. Will get red color tomorrow and test it. Thank you young lady 👍💕🌹 P.s. gonna subscribe to you today 😁 Texas Nana 🤠 PSALM 91

[@mjbh31joh]

Just gifted myself one and found this video very helpful, thanks.

[@cheryljames1695]

One of the best things we bought when we moved to Arizona. We purchased the biggest one. I love my Berkey!

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Awesome! They are wonderful to have.

[@KT-bf8iu]

We have the big Berkey... I want to keep the filters wet so I fill it at least every other day, sometimes every day. I take the top part off, pick up the bottom part and pour any remaining water into a pitcher, put the top part back on and fill. I know it will be full using 4 of my pitchers filled to the top, so I add to that leftover water- filling to the top, then 3 more pitcher's full. I figured that out after the overflow all over my countertop, as well. Thanks for your video!

[@laurabennick]

Get the Berkey gauge so you can tell how much water is in lower chamber. Well worth it.

[@myrandomvideosdotU]

Thank you for a great informative video. I have made many of the mistakes you mentioned 😅

[@jerryseeley3110]

Please do a video on the priming the Berkeley before use thanks

[@Zoe-si2cl]

Returning 2nd batch of messed up filters. Tried everything! Switching to ProOne Traveler+ Stainless-Steel Gravity Water Filter System, 2.25-Gallon Water Capacity, Countertop Water Dispenser for Home, Camping, and Travel w/ 5-inch Filter & Wire Stand. No prepping elements and removes fluoride without Berkey's insane extra fluoride filter.

[@sixpackbinky]

You may do best with a reverse osmosis system.

[@jadedoptimist6364]

Always have an extra set of filters to have on hand just in case they become unaccessible.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

That is a really great idea!

[@mohammeds7438]

Yes. Where I am it doubled in price since Covid. Unacceptable and unnecessary.

[@privateprivate8366]

My thoughts, as well.

[@ThePaPappy]

@@TIDBITSandCompany I've mentioned this elsewhere, if you have well water consider a "Well Bucket". If your power goes out you lower them down the open well and bring up fresh water. Lehman's sells a Amish made one but you can even find instructions to make them yourself.

[@joannehyduckhopkins6898]

Me too!

[@Khloe1376]

Great video! Purchased a Berkeley and used tidbits code. Saves 18.00 dollars! TY!

[@kristenurbanec903]

Looking to re start using Berkey for my plants vs distilled, since I already own one. Thanks!

[@garrball9205]

What a great video. Thank you... I just set up my new Berkey tonight... I wish I had watched this video first! One thing I don't know yet is if a gasket is required between the black filter threads and the Flouride filters underneath. Or... if the white filters just screw on 8 turns on the black threads! Make sense?? THanks again.

[@julieten2774]

Love my Big Berkey. I would like to suggest one of the things I made sure I purchased with my Big Berkey was the Sight Glass Spigot because I was warned by a friend how it is easy to over fill without one.

[@SR-iy4gg]

I've had mine for 2 or 3 years and have only done that once. Once you've had it for a while, you can tell when the water is running low from the sound and speed it comes out of the spigot. Plus, you can lift the top section off to peek at the water level in the lower section. I always do this to confirm the water level. Then, just put in the same amount you always put in. Once you have it a while, you'll know how much water to fill it up with. It's not hard at all.

[@DChristina]

@@SR-iy4gg - thanks, appreciate your comment. I was figuring I’d get the hang of it...didn’t want to spend another $50 on another accessory.

[@cathygenereux2656]

I've had my Berkey for over 10 years and absolutely have loved it. Great tasting, clean water. Only need to prime the filters every couple months, and it really doesn't take too long. However, the last filter I bought in 2021 was a huge headache. It had to be primed every week. After priming it would filter and drain very well into the tank below, but within a couple days it would slow down and by a week or so it would barely drip at all, so I had to reprime. I eventually completely removed the flouride filters because those made it even slower. After a year and a half of this, I couldn't stand it any more and got new filters. I generally replace filters every 2 years, but was done with all the messing around and just wanted to start fresh. I have no idea why, but I'm having worse trouble with these new ones. I only get good flow for one day, maybe 2, then it slows down considerably. I have to reprime twice a week, and in the meantime my family is drinking from plastic water bottles because the Berkey will not produce anymore. This is VERY frustrating and I can't figure out why this is happening. Like I said, they worked great for the first 10 years, now it's a struggle. The only answer I get is prime for longer and scrub the filters for longer. Done this, it doesn't help with anything. Does anyone have any suggestions???

[@pcfriese4570]

Great video and insights! We just received our Berkey Royal yesterday and are so looking forward to using this product. We drink between 1-2 gallons of water per day and are looking forward to having fresh, filtered water on our counter top. Thanks for sharing!

[@BearClawAK47]

My parents love in Houston and the municipal water is awful. The chlorine smell is overwhelming that your clothes get whiter just standing near a sink. To keep from abusing the expensive filters we purchased a cheap Britta filter pitcher and pre filter before adding to the Berkey. This has work wonders.

[@GailM11]

Thank you for the tips. I just began using the Royal Berkey. I did not do the red dye test. So thank you for highly recommending to do so!!!

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Highly recommend it. If the filters arn't cleaning all the way, you definitely want to know and reach out to Berkey.

[@evelynmariayeshua]

From UK 🇬🇧: Thank you, so helpful as I enter the world of filters 🙏

[@lilliandease3499]

Perhaps you would want to show us an example of the 'scrubbing' sponge. Thank you.

[@Karen-jp1ns]

Scotch Brite pad

[@gwenjackson4362]

Great review! I, too, learned some of those things the hard way! I learned more from you today. Thank you!!!

[@gregmiell3037]

You did a great job and have helped many people. God bless you.

[@judyv6105]

I live alone so I bought the Travel Berkey. I originally decided to buy one because where I live continually is fixing broken water pipes. When the water is turned on again its suggested that we leave an outdoor hose running for a few minutes!! So I use my Berkey all the time at home and when I go camping in my RV.

[@DChristina]

What a great video, thanks! Getting ready to set ours up. You explain things clearly and calmly, it’s appreciated:-) God bless you and your family, and congratulations on your new home 🏡

[@Bogie3855]

We have the Travel Burkey which provides enough for 2 adults. Gets filled twice a day or so. FWIW Burkey says that the filters should last 2yrs. Ours are that old now and have never been cleaned. I will do that today. Thanks for that.

[@werejustapassinthru574]

I have the smallest Burkey for two in our RV home and LOVE IT! Thank you for sharing.

[@lydiaschumann3945]

I had to giggle all the way through the 10 months mistakes! Pretty sure I’ve experienced all 10! The craziest one was having a counter full of water the next morning! And it was me who caused it! Thank you for the (comedy) and reminder! 😊

[@elizabethpeterson8597]

I've used a Berkey for years and sometimes drink the water straight from it at room temperature. But I still really prefer drinking ice water so I just manually fill my ice trays with water from the Berkey.

[@TIDBITSandCompany]

Love it! That is a great idea too if you like cold water. I can't hardly drink ice water any more after getting used to room temp.

[@cutesybunny3360]

Can u tell me how to prime this machine?? I have the black filters and mine cost me 500.00!!!! 😢

[@SR-iy4gg]

@@cutesybunny3360 It should have come with directions. Mine did.

[@richardanderson6874]

Just recently bought the system, and you presented good information for a novice such as me. Thank-you, I will look forward to using it for many good years to come.

[@MsPants1632]

I have my Berkey in the dining room (hard wood floors) and overflowed the top and it leaked too! Thankfully my husband caught that before we went to bed 🤪