Elements
General Questions
Add 1/8 teaspoon (10 drops) of artificial red food coloring (we recommend McCormick’s Red food coloring or any artificial food coloring) for every gallon that your Berkey® System can hold into the top chamber. Place a cup under each Black Berkey® Element in the bottom chamber to catch the water. As long as the water in the cups does not have a red or pink hue, the filter elements are working properly.
Ensure that you do not have the Berkey PF-2™ Elements installed in the system when performing this test. This test should be performed upon initial setup and every six months after that.
Black Berkey® Elements
If you are going to be leaving the system unattended for 3-4 days or less, remove the elements from the top chamber and drain out any water within them. Once drained, place them in a sealable bag while the media is still damp and force out any air in the bag. Store the elements in the front of your refrigerator to maintain freshness while not exposing them to the colder temperatures in the back of the fridge. Store the filters this way for no more than two weeks. Re-prime the elements before reinstalling them in your Berkey® System.
If you will be storing your elements for more than 3-4 days, remove the filters and thoroughly dry them. You can do this by either placing them on a windowsill that’s exposed to sunlight for 1-2 days, or by drying them with the Black Berkey Primer™. Once they are bone-dry, store the filters in a sealable bag at room temperature. The elements will have an indefinite shelf-life as long as they are stored this way. Re-prime the elements before reinstalling them in your Berkey® System.
We recommend replacing Black Berkey® Elements every 3,000 gallons (6,000 per set of 2 elements). Elements may require replacement sooner based upon the quality of influent water. You can estimate your usage by calculating how many times you refill your system a week and multiplying that by how many gallons your system holds.
You may be experiencing a stripped wing nut; please contact Customer Service to replace the Black Berkey® Element wing nut within warranty. All replacements are at the discretion of NMCL.
It can be normal for the Black Berkey® Elements to have a fast flow rate. Anything from a trickle to even a steady stream of water is normal.
We recommend replacing Black Berkey® Elements every 3,000 gallons (6,000 per set of 2 elements). Elements may require replacement sooner based upon the quality of influent water. You can estimate your usage by calculating how many times you refill your system a week and multiplying that by how many gallons your system holds.
It’s most likely that the filters need to be cleaned or primed properly. This can be done by scrubbing the elements with a Scotch-Brite pad (or something similar) under running water and then re-priming them.
Berkey® Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Elements
The Berkey PF-4™ Fluoride and Arsenic Elements should be replaced every 1,000 gallons or at six-month intervals (whichever comes first) under normal conditions. If your water is heavily contaminated with MTBE, fluoride, lead or arsenic, the filters should be replaced in four-month intervals.
Please note that high or low pH impedes the ability of the media to reduce fluoride. For maximum fluoride reduction efficiency, maintain the water being treated between a pH level of 5 and 7.
Under normal conditions, the Berkey PF-2™ Fluoride and Arsenic Elements should be replaced after 1000 gallons of use or after 1 year (whichever comes first).
Please note that high or low pH impedes the ability of the media to remove fluoride. For maximum fluoride reduction efficiency, maintain the water being treated between a pH level of 5 and 7.
Remove the elements from your Berkey® System and drain any water within them. Place the elements in a sealable bag and store them in the front of your refrigerator. Store the elements for no longer than two weeks. Re-prime the elements from both sides before reinstalling them in your Berkey® System.
This is most likely residual media being discharged from your Berkey® Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Elements. The media within them is inert and non-water soluble, so it is not a health concern. To resolve the issue, we recommend re-priming your elements from both sides for 20-30 seconds (each side). This should dislodge any remaining loose media within the element and leave clear water in your bottom chamber.
You should tighten your elements no more than 8-9 full rotations. This is to protect the screen within the filter that contains the fluoride and arsenic reduction media. If you can tighten the Fluoride and Arsenic Filter all the way up the stem for the Black Berkey® Elements, Super Sterasyl Ceramic Elements, or Berkey Earth® Elements without reaching 8-9 rotations, that is perfectly fine.
The most important thing is that you do not overtighten the elements, which may cause damage to the inner screen of the elements.
Re-prime your Berkey PF-2™ Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Elements from both sides to force out any clogging within the filters. Prime for no longer than 30 seconds per side.
Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements
This media formulation includes premium CTC 60 coconut shell carbon, which is activated in a controlled environment using high temperatures to develop millions of micropores. This process exponentially increases its surface area and absorption capabilities to enable the media to effectively absorb and trap a vast range of waterborne contaminants and impurities. The media mixture is then molded and sintered with precise compression and heat to fuse the media particles together into a dense, yet super porous filter for effective contaminant reduction with impressive water flow capabilities.
We are not making microbiological claims for Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements. Water that is questionable or suspected of being microbiologically unsafe should be purified or treated with known EPA/CDC/WHO approved disinfection methods (like chlorination and boiling), before filtering water using Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements to address the claimed non-biological contaminants that could be present in the water.
Are Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements NSF certified? If so, to which standard?
Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements are certified to NSF/ANSI 42 and NSF/ANSI/CAN 372.*
*NSF Certification and online listing PENDING. Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements are NSF certified (42 & 372) when included as a component in the complete gravity filter system. Because of the demand for replacement filters, we currently are not offering the filters in the gravity filter systems due to backlogged demand for replacement filters. Currently we are working to obtain the NSF certification for the filters themselves as a standalone component.
Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements are not designed to remove beneficial healthy minerals from your water supply. Because the natural filtration process leaves essential minerals like magnesium and calcium in the water, the filter does NOT alter the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS). Therefore, the TDS remains unchanged. For more information, read our article: “What a TDS Meter Can (and Can’t) Tell You”
Yes, Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements are shown to effectively reduce PFOA, PFAS and PFOS per third-party accredited lab tests.
We recommend replacing Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements every 2,750 gallons (5,500 gallons per set of 2 filters). Filters may require replacement sooner based upon the quality of influent water.
No. Activated carbon-based filters do not change the hardness of your water.
The flow rate of Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements is up to 4.2 gallons per hour per pair. Flow rate calculated with upper chamber full to top. Flow rate decreases as water level declines. Additionally, filtration rates increase when used in larger gravity-fed water systems such as Imperial Berkey® and Crown Berkey™ water systems.
Yes, the test is performed in the exact same way as you would with Black Berkey® Elements. Please follow directions found on the instructions sheet that comes with the filters and can also be accessed here. A more detailed article can be accessed in our Berkey Water Knowledge Base: How can I tell if my Berkey® Water System is working correctly?
Each Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Element measures approximately 9-1/2″ x 2-1/2″ overall, including stem.
Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements contain a dense and compact matrix of millions of microscopic pores. These pores create a “tortuous path” that traps silt, sediment, colloids (cloudiness), rust, etc., as well as the non-dissolved varieties of herbicides, pesticides, heavy metals, etc., preventing them from passing through the pores in the filter wall—a process known as microfiltration.
Additionally, the adsorption properties of the activated carbon adsorb and bind organic contaminants like volatile organic compounds (VOCs), man-made substances, compounds, and chemicals, such as perfluorinated “forever chemicals” (PFAS, PFOA, and PFOS), industrial and toxic chemicals (SOCs), disinfectants, pesticides, herbicides, pharmaceuticals, and chlorine; some inorganic elements and compounds are reduced, such as various heavy metals. This process is enhanced by extended contact time, where gravity gently draws water through the filter for prolonged media interaction and efficient contaminant reduction, resulting in removed or reduce contaminants and improved taste and odor of the filtered drinking water.
New Millennium Concepts, Ltd. selected a trusted international manufacturing partner—with whom we’ve maintained a longstanding professional relationship—to produce our Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements for use in Berkey® Systems in lieu of Black Berkey® Elements.
Our manufacturing partner is highly reliable and has decades of expertise in the water filtration industry, producing high-quality OEM products distributed worldwide.
Our factory partners and formulators for the Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements hold prestigious certifications, including ISO 9001 for quality management systems and the WQA Gold Seal for water treatment product safety and performance. These certifications mandate rigorous audits—such as internal audits, Stage 1 and 2 external certification audits, annual surveillance audits, and triennial recertification audits under ISO 9001, along with initial on-site facility inspections and ongoing periodic audits under the WQA Gold Seal program. These processes ensure thorough oversight of Quality Management System (QMS) elements, including production controls, risk assessments, supplier management, and compliance with standards like NSF/ANSI for materials and contaminants. They also require comprehensive documentation of manufacturing and inspection procedures, raw material specifications, and full traceability for every product to maintain consistency, safety, and continual improvement.
Dedicated quality control personnel oversee the filter production lines—ensuring strict adherence to our specifications at every stage. Each filter undergoes multiple inspections for defects during key production points, right up to final packaging.
Additionally, the factory features an in-house laboratory equipped with advanced scientific instruments and tools to monitor essential performance metrics—such as CTC values—for every batch. This lab also rigorously tests raw materials to maintain superior quality standards.
Complementing these efforts is a specialized quality assurance team focused on continuous improvement. They refine manufacturing methods, uphold consistency, and scale production to meet growing market demands without compromising excellence.
No, they contain none of these.
Lab tests show that Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements initially reduce fluoride in drinking water up to 75.5%. However, carbon-based elements that reduce fluoride typically begin to lose that ability rather quickly. This being the case, Berkey PF-2® Fluoride and Arsenic Reduction Elements can be used in conjunction with Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements to provide fluoride reduction for up to 1,000 gallons of use.
Yes, Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements effectively reduce chlorine and 200+ other common contaminants found in U.S. and global municipal water supplies.
A Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Element’s base is made from a super durable glass-filled polymer which is BPA free and NSF/FDA food contact compliant.
Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements and Black Berkey® Elements are designed to remove heavy metals, but will not remove mineral salts, which are added by a water softener. Using softened water in our systems equipped with Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements and Black Berkey® Elements will prematurely clog the pores and reduce the absorption effectiveness of the filter. We therefore recommend not using soft water with your Berkey system and/or these filters. Using soft water in your Berkey® system (with either of our filtration elements) will void the warranty.
If flow rate slows and or there appears to be debris, scale or mineral build-up on the outside of the filter elements, follow these instructions to clean them:
- Empty and disassemble the Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements from the upper chamber of the gravity filter system.
- Gently scrub the elements with a stiff brush or Scotch-Brite® pad under cold running water (never apply soap or other cleaning agents to your filter elements).
- Re-prime the elements and reinstall them in your gravity system.
- Lastly, fill your gravity system and perform a red food coloring test as described in the filters instructions to ensure your system has been assembled correctly, and that there are no internal leaks in your system.
For more information you can access the online version of the Phoenix Gravity New Millenium Edition™ Filter Elements instructions here. As that the same instructions apply for Black Berkey® Elements, you can also reference the following article for more detailed information and instructions: When and how do I clean the Black Berkey® Elements?
In theory, the shelf life of the Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements is indefinite. If you have already used your elements, the following applies: for longer-term storage, we recommend completely drying the elements first. Ensure they are bone-dry (zero moisture) before storing them long-term. Shake excess water from elements, then air-dry by leaving them on a windowsill or other sunny location for 1-3 days until completely dry. Once elements are bone-dry (zero moisture), store them in a sealable plastic bag (gallon-size or larger)—this prevents elements from absorbing odors. When you are ready to re-use your elements, clean them by scrubbing the outside with a stiff brush or a Scotch-Brite® pad under cold running water. Then re-prime the elements before putting them back in your system.
No, NMCL does not sell its filter products to residents of California or Iowa. For more information regarding why, you can read the following policy and articles:
To learn more about these filters, visit the Phoenix Gravity New Millennium Edition™ Filter Elements website.
Accessories
Climate, elevation and other factors can create a tighter fit, preventing air flow between chambers, which slows down or prevents water flow (a natural phenomenon known as vapor lock). To prevent vapor lock, create air flow by placing a vapor lock clip on edge of lower chamber, making sure that the long portion of the airlock clip is hanging inside of the lower chamber.
All systems may not include a vapor lock clip. If you experience vapor lock, please contact our Customer Service department to obtain a clip.
See if the leak is coming from the spout (where water is supposed to come out of), or from where the spigot meets the bottom chamber.
If the leak is coming from the spout, tighten the round pedestal underneath the lever clockwise.
If the leak is at the bottom chamber, ensure that the washers are set up properly. If so, tighten the spigot nut. If none of these solutions work Contact Customer Service to replace the spigot.