Arsenic has no color, no smell and no taste. The only way to know it is in your water is a test, and once a test finds it, you want a plan for the water you drink.
The SMART/Arsenic Removal Water Pitcher Cartridge is the arsenic water pitcher filter replacement for the Crystal Quest Water Pitcher Filter System. It pairs Crystal Quest SMART media with dedicated arsenic reduction media in one cartridge, designed to reduce arsenic along with chlorine, chloramines and their by-products, inorganic compounds and heavy metals. It also reacts with water hardness to enhance alkalinity.
At a glance
- Arsenic reduction media in a cartridge that fits the Crystal Quest pitcher
- SMART media on board for chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals
- Built around testing: retest the filtered water to confirm the result in your home
- Swap cartridges, keep your pitcher: the same pitcher takes all five Crystal Quest pitcher cartridges
What you are looking at
A slim cartridge with mesh inlet screens on top. It presses into the bottom of the pitcher's reservoir and seals, so all the water you pour in must pass through the media before it reaches the pitcher. Inside, SMART media and arsenic reduction media share the cartridge.
How an arsenic pitcher filter works
What makes arsenic hard to catch
Arsenic in drinking water is dissolved, not a particle you can strain out. It usually comes from natural minerals in rock and soil, which is why it shows up most often in groundwater and private wells. Ordinary carbon is not built to hold it.
Arsenic reduction media
Arsenic reduction media give dissolved arsenic a surface that binds it, pulling it out of the water as it passes. Binding takes contact time. A pitcher filters by gravity, so water moves slowly and spends that time with the media.
SMART media
The SMART blend handles the rest of the job: copper-zinc redox alloy reduces chlorine through an exchange of electrons, ion exchange resin captures dissolved metals, and activated carbon adsorbs the organic compounds behind off tastes and odors.
What it reduces
Primary target:
- Arsenic
Also reduced by the SMART media: chlorine and chloramines and their by-products, inorganic compounds and heavy metals. It also reacts with water hardness to enhance alkalinity. No arsenic capacity has been published for this cartridge, so retest the filtered water to confirm the result in your home.
Not designed to treat: bacteria and viruses, nitrate or total dissolved solids. Use it only on water that is microbiologically safe; a private well should be tested for bacteria as well as arsenic. To treat arsenic for the whole home, see Crystal Quest arsenic removal systems.
Why Crystal Quest
- Arsenic is a specialty of ours. Crystal Quest builds arsenic removal for whole homes, inline drinking water stages and this pitcher, so you can match the treatment to the problem.
- Straight talk. No arsenic capacity has been published for this cartridge, so we tell you to retest instead of promising a number. The linked test report covers the standard cartridge's chlorine reduction, and we say so.
- Made in the USA. Over 1,000,000 people served since 1994, under ISO 9001 quality management.
- Real help. Send us your water test and our team will help you choose the right treatment.
Where it fits
This cartridge, part number CQE-RC-04131, fits the Crystal Quest Water Pitcher Filter System in every pitcher color. Use it in place of the Standard/SMART Water Pitcher Cartridge when your water test identifies arsenic. Single, Pack of 2, Pack of 4 and Pack of 6 all contain this same cartridge.
Common questions
How is it different from the Standard/SMART cartridge?
It adds arsenic-reduction media to SMART filtration in a single cartridge, so it targets arsenic along with chlorine, chloramines and heavy metals.
How often should I replace it?
No fixed interval or arsenic capacity has been published for this cartridge. Replace it when taste, odor or flow changes, and retest your water if you rely on it for arsenic reduction. Actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage.
Is the linked lab report for this cartridge?
No. The IAPMO R&T Lab report covers chlorine reduction by the Standard/SMART pitcher cartridge (CQE-RC-04047) under NSF/ANSI 42. It does not test arsenic reduction or this cartridge, and it is not a product certification.
Which pitcher does it fit?
The Crystal Quest Water Pitcher Filter System, in any pitcher color. The pitcher manual calls for Crystal Quest approved cartridges only.
Can I taste or smell arsenic in water?
No. Arsenic has no color, taste or smell, so a water test is the only way to know it is there and the only way to confirm the filtered result.
Is a pitcher enough for arsenic in my well?
A pitcher treats the water you pour from it. If your test shows arsenic, many homes also add arsenic treatment for the whole house or a dedicated drinking water system. Our team can look at your test and help you choose.
Does it also reduce fluoride?
No fluoride reduction is listed for this cartridge. For fluoride, use the SMART/Fluoride Removal Water Pitcher Cartridge in the same pitcher.
Published cartridge specifications
| Cartridge type | SMART/Arsenic Removal pitcher replacement cartridge |
| Replacement for | Crystal Quest Water Pitcher Filter System, all colors |
| Part numbers | CQE-RC-04131 (single); CQE-RC-04909, CQE-RC-04910, CQE-RC-04911 (packs of 2, 4 and 6) |
| Media | SMART Multimedia and Eagle Arsenic Oxide |
| Targets | Arsenic, chlorine, chloramines and their by-products, inorganic compounds, heavy metals |
| Water temperature | Cold water only, 40 to 85°F (4.4 to 29°C) |
| Not designed for | Bacteria and viruses, nitrate, TDS, microbiologically unsafe water |
| Replacement interval | Not published for this cartridge. Actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage. |
Cartridge color is subject to change without notice.
What is and is not included
| Not included | Pitcher, lid and reservoir (they come with the Water Pitcher Filter System) |