Does the carbon filter go first?

Author: Oscar Macejkovic  |  Last update: Thursday, January 22, 2026

You want to have the water go through a sediment filter first so it does not clog up the carbon filter, which is more expensive. The sediment filter will prolong and protect the carbon filter.

Should carbon filter go first or second?

One reason it can be good to have the carbon filters in front of the HEPA filters is they act as an extra prefilter to stop larger dust particles hitting the HEPA filter.

Does the carbon filter go in front or behind the filter?

Carbon filters, unlike HEPA filters, do not have a specific orientation they must be fitted into an air purifier. They can be placed either way round and their effectiveness at filtering VOCs and other chemicals will be the same.

What is the correct order of water filters?

Should carbon filter go before or after RO?

Many of the 5 stage RO systems are equipped with two carbon filtration stage before the reverse osmosis. This ideally is to help remove even more contaminants before the water reaches the membrane and help reduce the burden on reverse osmosis.

This is ACTUALLY The Method For Crazy Clear Aquarium Water...

What order should my RO filters be in?

A typical 3-stage RO system contains a sediment prefilter, carbon prefilter, and a reverse osmosis membrane. The first stage, the sediment filter, removes dirt and debris before water travels to the carbon filter and membrane.

Where should I put my carbon filter?

Carbon Filter Placement

As mentioned earlier, position the carbon filter at the top of your grow tent, near the exhaust fan. If possible, use adjustable hangers to suspend the filter from the tent's frame. This setup will ensure the expelled air travels throughely removing the entire grow space, effectivunwanted odors.

Should carbon filter go before or after UV filter?

For these installations, placing the carbon filter after the UV light can ensure that a problem does not develop at some point in the future.

Which water filter goes in first?

The water should first go through a sediment water filter to reduce sand, dirt, rust, and other sediment. You want to have the water go through a sediment filter first so it does not clog up the carbon filter, which is more expensive. The sediment filter will prolong and protect the carbon filter.

Does a carbon filter go before or after softener?

In general, if your water supply contains high levels of chlorine or sediment, then you need to install the water filter first. On the other hand, if your water supply has high levels of magnesium and calcium, then the water softener should be installed first.

Does a carbon or hepa filter go first?

A: As Colorful Life said, be sure to put it in front of the HEPA. That is, air should go through the charcoal filter first. Otherwise, you might end up with charcoal bits all over your room.

Should a carbon filter go on intake or exhaust?

To prevent clogging, we recommend using a simple intake air filtering mechanism to be installed on the intake side of the duct fan, which is connected to the filter.

What order should my filter be?

The water should go through the filter media in the following order: coarse mechanical, fine mechanical, basic chemical (carbon), specific chemical, biological. In filters that use both coarse mechanical and fine mechanical medias the coarse should always be first.

Where does carbon go in filter?

Carbon should be placed behind mechanical filtration within your filter because although a bag of carbon in your aquarium may absorb some contaminants, it will not be nearly as effective as it would if water was being forced through it within a filter compartment.

In what order should water filters be installed?

Sediment Filters: Place these first to prevent larger particles from reaching other filters. Activated Carbon Filters: These work well after sediment filters to remove chemicals and improve taste. Reverse Osmosis (RO) Systems: Install them after other filters to ensure high-quality water.

What is the order of the filter?

The order of a filter is equal to the number of poles or zeros, whichever is greater.The filter order is an important parameter because it determines the steepness of the filter's cutoff slope and its overall performance.

What is the proper order to layer your water filter?

Where is the best place to put a carbon filter?

The Most Recommended Location

We recommend installing your carbon filter at the beginning of your ducting route. That is, placing it inside of your grow tent where your ductwork begins. This is a common set up, especially among those who use metal halide or HPS grow lights with duct ports.

Does sediment or carbon filter go first?

The first stage of a two-stage system is a sediment filter. This removes any dirt particles that could otherwise block the carbon filter.

Should carbon filter go before or after pressure tank?

Installation after the pressure tank gives the best result and will insure the system works properly.

Should carbon filter go before or after UV?

If you are using a whole house point of entry activated carbon filter to reduce chlorine and other contaminates, then the use of a UV water disinfection device after the activated carbon filter is highly recommended as micro-organisms are known to colonize in these filter media.

Does the carbon filter go before or after the fan?

For best performance attach the fan to the filter, so that the dirty air is pulled through the filter and into the exhaust air duct. Sequence of equipment: Carbon Filter > In-line Fan > Exhaust Duct.

Do I really need a carbon filter?

Bottom Line: Do Carbon Filters Work? Test data showed that activated carbon filters effectively removed VOC gases compared to just a fan alone.