Blog | Oz Filter Warehouse - Water Filtration Guides & Tips

CTO vs PB1: Which carbon filter is right for your home?

Tue, 13 Oct 2026 23:00:01 GMT

Oz filter warehouse blog article

What we'll cover in this article.

In this guide, we compare CTO and PB1 side by side, explain the key differences and help you work out which option may be the better fit for your Crystal Series whole house water filtration system.

The main differences between CTO and PB1 at a glance.

The quick comparison

Find out when CTO may be a good fit for households looking for effective carbon filtration with lower relative flow resistance.

When CTO may be more suitable

When PB1 may be more suitable

Learn when PB1 may suit households wanting finer filtration and support for reducing additional contaminants.

Understand what the micron ratings mean and how filtration fineness can affect performance and flow.

5-micron versus 0.5-micron

FAQs

Get simple answers to common questions about CTO, PB1 and whole house carbon filtration.

What does each filter help reduce?

Compare what each filter is designed to reduce.

Better-tasting water throughout your home

Looking for a reliable home water filtration system?
Explore The Crystal Alpine Series range and find out which home water filtration system suits your household.

Simple, effective and built for Australian homes.

FAQs

If you're new to water filtration or considering a system for your home, the answers below cover some common questions we hear.

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 21:30:00 GMT

Oz filter warehouse blog article

What we'll cover in this article.

This article explains why chlorine is used, why it may be more noticeable at certain times and how activated carbon filtration can help improve the taste and smell of mains water.

Why chlorine may still be noticeable once mains water reaches your home.

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

How chlorine helps protect water as it moves through the public network.

Why is chlorine used in Australian tap water?

Why does the chlorine smell seem stronger at times?

Factors that can make chlorine taste or odour more noticeable.

How whole-house carbon filtration helps reduce chlorine, taste and odour.

How the Crystal Series reduces chlorine

FAQs

Common questions about chlorine and the solution.

Have you ever poured a glass of water from the kitchen tap and noticed a chemical taste or smell? Perhaps the water seems fine when it is cold, but the chlorine smell becomes more noticeable when you run a shower or fill the bath. Chlorine is commonly used to treat mains water across Australia. Its presence does not automatically mean there is a problem with your water supply. In fact, chlorine plays an important role in helping control microorganisms as treated water travels through reservoirs, pipes and public distribution systems. However, even when the water meets Australian drinking-water requirements, the remaining chlorine can still affect its taste and smell. Some households barely notice it, while others find that it changes the experience of drinking, cooking, showering and using water throughout the home. For households that want to reduce chlorine across more than one tap, a whole house water filter can treat the incoming water before it moves through the property.

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

Before mains water reaches your home, it is treated by the relevant water authority or local provider. The exact treatment process varies between locations, but chlorine is commonly added to help control bacteria and other microorganisms. A small amount of chlorine may remain in the water after the main treatment process. This is known as a disinfectant residual. The purpose of this residual is to help protect the water as it moves through the public distribution network. Water can travel through reservoirs, pumping stations and many kilometres of underground pipes before reaching individual properties. Maintaining a disinfectant residual helps reduce the risk of microorganisms growing within that network. The Australian Drinking Water Guidelines explain that chlorine is widely used in drinking-water treatment and may be maintained within distribution systems for this reason. This means a chlorine taste or smell at home is often a result of the treatment process rather than an indication that the water has become contaminated.

Why is chlorine used in Australian tap water?

However, there is a difference between water being considered microbiologically safe and water being pleasant to drink and use. Chlorine may serve an important treatment purpose, but some people still prefer to reduce the remaining taste and odour once the water enters their property.

Why does the chlorine smell seem stronger at times

Several factors can affect how strong the smell or taste appear:

How the Crystal Series reduces chlorine

The Crystal Series is designed for homes using microbiologically safe mains or treated water. Rather than filtering water at only one tap, the system is installed on the main incoming water line, allowing it to treat the water before it moves through the connected household plumbing.

Water first passes through a sediment cartridge, which helps reduce dirt, sand, rust and other suspended particles. It then moves through an activated carbon cartridge that helps reduce chlorine, chloramine and the unwanted taste and odour they can leave behind. Because this filtration happens where the water enters the property, it can improve the water supplied to connected kitchen taps, bathroom taps, showers, baths and appliances, depending on the installation design. This differs from a benchtop or under-sink filter, which generally treats water at only one outlet.

For households that notice chlorine when drinking, cooking or showering, whole-house filtration provides a more consistent approach. Instead of addressing the taste or smell at a single tap, the activated carbon stage helps reduce chlorine across the parts of the home connected to the filtered supply.

The Crystal Series is available in different sizes and configurations, allowing the system to be matched more closely to the household’s water use, flow requirements and filtration needs.

Better-tasting water throughout your home

Chlorine plays an important role in the treatment of Australian mains water, but the remaining taste and smell can still be unpleasant once the water reaches your home. A whole house water filter can help reduce chlorine before the water moves through the household plumbing, improving the water used for drinking, cooking, showering and other everyday purposes. The Crystal Series combines sediment and activated carbon filtration to help reduce chlorine, chloramine, unwanted taste and odour in microbiologically safe mains or treated water. For households that notice chlorine across several taps or fixtures, it provides a practical way to improve water quality throughout the home.

Looking for a reliable home water filtration system?
Explore The Crystal Alpine Series range and find out which home water filtration system suits your household.

Simple, effective and built for Australian homes.

FAQs

If you're new to water filtration or considering a system for your home, the answers below cover some common questions we hear.

How to replace filters in your whole home water filter

Wed, 30 Jul 2025 20:00:01 GMT

Tools you'll need:

A filter housing wrench

This is used to unscrew the filter housings. One is usually included with your Crystal Series system.

You’ll need the correct sediment and/or carbon filters depending on whether you have a 3-stage or 4-stage system.

New replacement filters

This helps keep the housing O-rings sealed properly and prevents leaks. Use only a small amount if the O-rings appear dry.

Food-grade silicone lubricant

Handy for wiping out the filter housings and cleaning up any drips or spills.

A clean cloth or paper towel

Before you get started, make sure you have the following:

Access to the water mains and power switch

You’ll need to turn off both before starting to ensure a safe and smooth process.

A bucket or towel

Useful for catching any water left in the housings when you open them.

Video Step by Step

Video How-To

The Crystal Series is designed to make whole-house water filtration simple, helping improve the quality, taste and smell of the mains water flowing through your home. Like any filtration system, it needs regular maintenance to keep performing at its best.

The good news is that replacing the filters is a straightforward process. With just a few steps, you can help maintain strong water flow, effective filtration and consistent performance, without needing a plumber. In this guide, we’ll show you how to replace your Crystal Series filters so your system can keep delivering filtered water throughout your home.

Instructions

How to replace your filter

Turn off the water and power

Before you begin, turn off the water supply to your Crystal Series system at the mains or isolation valve.

This step ensures your system is safe to work on and prevents leaks or water pressure buildup during filter removal.

Step 1

Release pressure in the system

Before opening the housings, it’s important to release any built-up pressure. Start by opening a nearby tap that’s located after the system to help relieve the water pressure.

Then, press the red pressure release button on top of each filter housing. This step ensures the system is fully depressurised before you begin removing the housings.

Step 2

Remove the old filters

Once pressure is released, use the housing wrench to unscrew the filter housings. Carefully remove the old filters and set them aside.

Check the inside of each housing and rinse them out if there’s any visible sediment or build-up. Clean housings help your new filters work more efficiently.

Step 3

Check the O-ring

Before inserting the new filters, check the O-ring inside each housing. If it looks dry or worn, apply a small amount of food-grade silicone lubricant.

This will help to ensure the housings are sealed properly and prevent leaks.

Step 4

Install the new filters

Place the new filters into the housings, making sure they’re seated correctly. Screw the housings back into place by hand, then use the wrench to give them a final tighten, but be careful not to overtighten.

A snug fit is all you need to keep everything sealed and secure.

Step 5

Restore water and flush the system

Now that your new filters are in place, turn the water supply back on slowly. Once everything is running, open one or more taps in the house to flush the system. This helps release any trapped air and clears out fine carbon particles if you’ve installed a carbon filter. Let the water run for a few minutes until it flows smoothly and clearly.

Step 6

Safe water, made easy

Replacing your Crystal Series filters is a simple part of keeping your whole-house filtration system working effectively. Regular filter changes help maintain water flow, filtration performance and the fresh taste and smell of your household water.

With a few basic tools and a little time, you can replace the filters yourself and keep your Crystal Series performing as it should. Staying on top of filter changes helps ensure you continue to get the benefits of filtered mains water throughout your home.

FAQs

Here are some common questions homeowners ask about replacing filters and maintaining their Bug Buster system.

Blog | Oz Filter Warehouse - Water Filtration Guides & Tips

CTO vs PB1: Which carbon filter is right for your home?

What we'll cover in this article.

The quick comparison

When CTO may be more suitable

When PB1 may be more suitable

5-micron versus 0.5-micron

FAQs

What does each filter help reduce?

Better-tasting water throughout your home

FAQs

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

What we'll cover in this article.

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

Why is chlorine used in Australian tap water?

Why does the chlorine smell seem stronger at times?

How the Crystal Series reduces chlorine

FAQs

Why does my tap water taste or smell like chlorine?

Why is chlorine used in Australian tap water?

Why does the chlorine smell seem stronger at times

Several factors can affect how strong the smell or taste appear:

How the Crystal Series reduces chlorine

Better-tasting water throughout your home

FAQs

How to replace filters in your whole home water filter

Tools you'll need:

A filter housing wrench

New replacement filters

Food-grade silicone lubricant

A clean cloth or paper towel

Access to the water mains and power switch

A bucket or towel

Video Step by Step

Video How-To

Instructions

How to replace your filter

Turn off the water and power

Step 1

Release pressure in the system

Step 2

Remove the old filters

Step 3

Check the O-ring

Step 4

Install the new filters

Step 5

Restore water and flush the system

Step 6

Safe water, made easy

FAQs

Need replacement filters?

Get in touch to order service kits, filters, and UV lamps anytime.