Bath Ball Replacement Cartridge, round white cartridge with a six-section mesh face showing granular media
Bath Ball® Replacement Cartridge
Can you match single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes to your system label or manual?
- Worth considering for
- Existing system owners who can identify the exact Bath Ball cartridge in their installed configuration.
From $39.50
Archived USD price · Check today’s price with Crystal Quest.
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A documentation-based review of the manufacturer’s listing and specifications. How we reviewed it
Our assessment
This listing is a Bath Ball cartridge, not a complete water system. Its useful comparison is single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes. The minimum price can describe a smaller size or a single cartridge, while another option can be a different size or multipack. Match the variant and SKU in the configuration table before comparing it with another listing.
What the listing gives you
- Media temperature rating
35 to 212°F (1.67 to 100°C) influent, per the ERA media data sheet — as listed by Crystal Quest. Use this as a comparison point for the matching model.
- Specifications for your selection — Polypropylene End Caps
Minimum Operating Pressure: 30 psi (2.1 bar) — as listed by Crystal Quest. Use this as a comparison point for the matching model.
- Configuration choices are documented
Quantity: Single, Pack of 2, Pack of 4, Pack of 6
What deserves a closer look
- Fit comes first
Confirm single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes. Similar appearance or a shared product family does not establish fit. Where a SKU appears on multiple listings, confirm the connection style with the merchant.
- Look beyond the listed price
Use the maintenance instructions for your exact system and water conditions. Record the part and replacement date; do not assume every cartridge has the same rated life.
- Compare the same configuration
The source lists 4 configurations. Use the model and part-number table below so that a size, package or optional component is not mistaken for a different specification.
These are our reading of the published information and our buying considerations. They are not measured performance results.
The specifications, in context.
Values below are published by Crystal Quest. Specifications may describe different configurations; read the model labels and compare the complete source tables in the reference section.
- Media temperature rating
- 35 to 212°F (1.67 to 100°C) influent, per the ERA media data sheet
- Specifications for your selection — Polypropylene End Caps
- Minimum Operating Pressure: 30 psi (2.1 bar)
- Specifications for your selection — Polyolefin Inner/Outer Wraps
- Maximum Operating Pressure: 60 psi (4.1 bar)
- Specifications for your selection — Polyethylene Netting
- Minimum Operating Temperature: 40° F (4.4°C)
Specifications for your selectionOriginal technical table 1 of 3
| SKU | FLOW RATE | CAPACITY (<100 PPM HARDNESS) |
| CQE-RC-04052 | 4-5 gpm | 12-18 months* |
Specifications for your selectionOriginal technical table 2 of 3
| Construction Materials | Operating Specifications |
| Polypropylene End Caps | Minimum Operating Pressure: 30 psi (2.1 bar) |
| Polyolefin Inner/Outer Wraps | Maximum Operating Pressure: 60 psi (4.1 bar) |
| Polyethylene Netting | Minimum Operating Temperature: 40° F (4.4°C) |
| Buna-N Gaskets End Caps | Maximum Operating Temperature: 100° F (37.7°C) |
Specifications for your selectionOriginal technical table 3 of 3
| Cartridge type | Reversible Bath Ball replacement filter disk |
| Media | SMART Multimedia |
| Media temperature rating | 35 to 212°F (1.67 to 100°C) influent, per the ERA media data sheet |
| Primary targets | Chlorine, hydrogen sulfide |
| Also targeted | Iron, heavy metals, dirt and sediment |
| Not designed for | Hardness, bacteria and viruses, fluoride, nitrate, TDS |
| Replacement | 12 to 18 months; actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage |
All extracted specification rows 12 rows
| Published item | Manufacturer value | Source section |
|---|---|---|
| Construction Materials | Operating Specifications | Technical specifications |
| Polypropylene End Caps | Minimum Operating Pressure: 30 psi (2.1 bar) | Technical specifications |
| Polyolefin Inner/Outer Wraps | Maximum Operating Pressure: 60 psi (4.1 bar) | Technical specifications |
| Polyethylene Netting | Minimum Operating Temperature: 40° F (4.4°C) | Technical specifications |
| Buna-N Gaskets End Caps | Maximum Operating Temperature: 100° F (37.7°C) | Technical specifications |
| Cartridge type | Reversible Bath Ball replacement filter disk | Technical specifications |
| Media | SMART Multimedia | Technical specifications |
| Media temperature rating | 35 to 212°F (1.67 to 100°C) influent, per the ERA media data sheet | Technical specifications |
| Primary targets | Chlorine, hydrogen sulfide | Technical specifications |
| Also targeted | Iron, heavy metals, dirt and sediment | Technical specifications |
| Not designed for | Hardness, bacteria and viruses, fluoride, nitrate, TDS | Technical specifications |
| Replacement | 12 to 18 months; actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage | Technical specifications |
Multi-column comparison tables are preserved in full under Manufacturer reference.
Choose the configuration carefully.
Confirm single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes. Similar appearance or a shared product family does not establish fit. Where a SKU appears on multiple listings, confirm the connection style with the merchant.
Model & part-number reference 4 configurations
This is a reference table, not an ordering form. SKU and option names are reproduced from the manufacturer snapshot.
| Configuration | Part number / SKU | Listed price (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Single | CQE-RC-04052 | $39.50 |
| Pack of 2 | CQE-RC-04900 | $76.49 |
| Pack of 4 | CQE-RC-04901 | $151.99 |
| Pack of 6 | CQE-RC-04902 | $225.95 |
Price snapshot from November 8, 2026. This is not a current offer or a stock confirmation.
Think beyond day one.
Use the maintenance instructions for your exact system and water conditions. Record the part and replacement date; do not assume every cartridge has the same rated life.
- Match the exact model or SKU before relying on an installation diagram or replacement schedule.
- Ask what the quoted package includes and what must be supplied separately.
- Keep the manufacturer’s operating instructions with your service and replacement records.
Documents & videos
Frequently asked questions
Can you match single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes to your system label or manual?Our reading
This listing is a Bath Ball cartridge, not a complete water system. Its useful comparison is single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes. The minimum price can describe a smaller size or a single cartridge, while another option can be a different size or multipack. Match the variant and SKU in the configuration table before comparing it with another listing.
Who is Bath Ball® Replacement Cartridge worth considering for?Best fit
Existing system owners who can identify the exact Bath Ball cartridge in their installed configuration.
What are the configuration constraints and installation requirements?Fit & plumbing
Confirm single CQE-RC-04052 versus the separate multipack codes. Similar appearance or a shared product family does not establish fit. Where a SKU appears on multiple listings, confirm the connection style with the merchant.
What are the ongoing maintenance and filter replacement considerations?Ownership costs
Use the maintenance instructions for your exact system and water conditions. Record the part and replacement date; do not assume every cartridge has the same rated life.
Go back to the source.
The full product information below is supplied by Crystal Quest, including its own descriptions and claims. We have reorganized the typography and tables for reading. This material is separate from Elorova’s assessment.
Product overviewManufacturer material
A hot bath should feel like a reset, not smell like a swimming pool. When city water fills a tub, the chlorine in it rises with the steam, and a deep bath puts a lot of that water against your skin. The Bath Ball filter treats the water as the tub fills, and this replacement cartridge is the part that does the work.
The Bath Ball Replacement Cartridge is a round, reversible bath filter disk packed with Crystal Quest ERA 6500 and ERA 9500 redox media. Every gallon that pours from the tub faucet flows through it on the way into the bath, so you get filtered bath water without changing a thing about how you run a bath.
At a glance
- Redox media made for hot water: Crystal Quest rates ERA 6500 and ERA 9500 media for water from 35°F to 212°F
- Targets chlorine and the rotten-egg smell of hydrogen sulfide as the tub fills
- Reversible disk: flip it periodically to balance filtration and extend its useful life
- Long service life: 12 to 18 months per cartridge
- Tool-free change: pull the old disk up, push the new one down
What you are looking at
A round white cartridge with a six-segment steel mesh face. Behind the mesh sits a bed of filter media beads. The disk presses into the bottom of the Bath Ball housing, which hangs from your tub faucet by its handle. Water enters the ball, passes down through the disk and leaves from the bottom into the tub. The drop-down design holds a generous amount of media, which gives the water more contact time on its way through.
How a bath filter cartridge works
Redox, not just a sponge
ERA (Eagle Redox Alloy) is Crystal Quest's own high-purity copper-zinc granular media. As water flows across the granules, electrons move between the metals and dissolved contaminants. That oxidation-reduction reaction, redox for short, is how the media reduces chlorine. ERA 6500 is the chlorine specialist. ERA 9500 targets iron and hydrogen sulfide.
Why redox suits a bath
Most people fill a tub hot. Filter media that only adsorb, like carbon, depend on contact time, and a tub fills fast. Redox media react with chlorine instead, and Crystal Quest rates ERA for influent water all the way to 212°F, so the hot fill is exactly the job it is built for.
Why you reverse the disk
Water follows the easiest path through a media bed. Over time that path, a channel, carries more of the flow and the media beside it sits idle. Flipping the disk sends water the other way, balances filtration across the whole bed and extends the useful life of the cartridge.
Hardness and cartridge life
The 12 to 18 month life is estimated for water under 100 ppm hardness. Hard water works the media harder and can shorten that life, so in hard water areas plan on the shorter end.
What it reduces
Primary targets:
- Chlorine, the swimming-pool smell in a hot bath
- Chloramine
- Hydrogen sulfide, the rotten-egg odor
Also reduced: iron and rust-colored water, heavy metals, and dirt and sediment held back by the mesh.
Not designed to treat: hardness minerals (it is not a water softener), bacteria and viruses, fluoride, nitrate or total dissolved solids. For treated water at every tap, not just the tub, see Crystal Quest whole house water filters.
Why Crystal Quest
- Our own media. ERA 6500 and ERA 9500 are Crystal Quest redox alloys, the same family of media in our drinking water cartridges and whole house systems.
- A cartridge that lasts. 12 to 18 months per disk, and the disk reverses to get the most from every bead of media.
- Over 1,000,000 people served since 1994, under ISO 9001 quality management.
- Real help. If a new cartridge does not fit your ball, send our team a photo of your Bath Ball and we will match the right part.
Where it fits
This cartridge, part number CQE-RC-04052, is the replacement for the Crystal Quest Bath Ball Filter in every color, including the Bath Ball in the 2-in-1 Combo Shower Filter and Bath Ball Bundle. Crystal Quest shower filters use a different cartridge, the Shower Filter Replacement Cartridge (CQE-RC-04045). Single, Pack of 2, Pack of 4 and Pack of 6 all contain this same cartridge.
Common questions
How often should I replace the Bath Ball cartridge?
Every 12 to 18 months. That estimate is for water under 100 ppm hardness; harder water and heavier use shorten it. Actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage.
How do I change the cartridge?
Pull the used cartridge up firmly to remove it, push the new one down firmly until it seats, then run hot water through it for 2 to 5 minutes before your first bath.
Does a bath filter work with hot water?
Yes. Its ERA redox media reduce chlorine by reaction rather than adsorption, and Crystal Quest rates the media for water from 35°F to 212°F. Fill the tub hot, then let it cool to a comfortable temperature before you get in.
Why is there dark grit in the first water?
Loose media fines in a new cartridge are normal and not harmful. The 2 to 5 minute hot-water flush clears them; more than one flush may be needed.
Will the Bath Ball soften my water?
No. The cartridge is not a water softener and does not remove calcium or magnesium. Hard water also shortens cartridge life, so plan on the shorter end of the 12 to 18 month range.
Does this cartridge fit a Crystal Quest shower filter?
No. Shower filters, handheld shower filters and the 2-in-1 Combo use the Shower Filter Replacement Cartridge (CQE-RC-04045). This disk fits only the Bath Ball.
Technical specificationsManufacturer material
Specifications for your selection
Single
- SKU
- CQE-RC-04052
- Diameter (width)
- 3.8 in
- Length (height)
- 1.6 in
- Replace every
- 12 to 18 months
- Cartridge type
- Bath Ball replacement filter disk
- Dimensions
- 3.8" D x 3.8" W x 1.6" H
- Weight
- 10.88 oz
- Replacement for
- Crystal Quest Bath Ball Filter, all colors
- Part numbers
- CQE-RC-04052 (single); CQE-RC-04900, CQE-RC-04901, CQE-RC-04902 (packs of 2, 4 and 6)
- Filter media
- Multi-stage filtration media blend
- Replacement interval
- 12 to 18 months. Actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage.
- Operating pressure
- 30 to 60 psi (2.1 to 4.1 bar)
- Disk care
- Reverse periodically to balance filtration and help prevent channeling
| SKU | FLOW RATE | CAPACITY (<100 PPM HARDNESS) |
| CQE-RC-04052 | 4-5 gpm | 12-18 months* |
| Construction Materials | Operating Specifications |
| Polypropylene End Caps | Minimum Operating Pressure: 30 psi (2.1 bar) |
| Polyolefin Inner/Outer Wraps | Maximum Operating Pressure: 60 psi (4.1 bar) |
| Polyethylene Netting | Minimum Operating Temperature: 40° F (4.4°C) |
| Buna-N Gaskets End Caps | Maximum Operating Temperature: 100° F (37.7°C) |
Media and filtration
| Cartridge type | Reversible Bath Ball replacement filter disk |
| Media | SMART Multimedia |
| Media temperature rating | 35 to 212°F (1.67 to 100°C) influent, per the ERA media data sheet |
| Primary targets | Chlorine, hydrogen sulfide |
| Also targeted | Iron, heavy metals, dirt and sediment |
| Not designed for | Hardness, bacteria and viruses, fluoride, nitrate, TDS |
| Replacement | 12 to 18 months; actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage |
*Capacity is an estimate only and is dependent on influent water contaminants and filter usage.
Media used
Maintenance & careManufacturer material
- Replace every 12 to 18 months. Actual life depends on feed water quality, system configuration and usage, and hard water shortens it.
- To change it, pull the used cartridge up firmly to remove it and push the new one down firmly until it seats.
- Before the first bath, run hot water through the new cartridge for 2 to 5 minutes to flush loose media fines. They are normal and not harmful.
- Hang the Bath Ball over the tub faucet by its handle, and let the bath cool to a comfortable temperature before you get in.
- Reverse the disk periodically to balance filtration and help prevent channeling.
- With infrequent use, bacteria can grow on or inside the housing in rare cases. Clean it with hydrogen peroxide or mild dish detergent.
- On hard water, wipe a chrome Bath Ball after each use to protect its finish.
Mark your calendar, or let us do it. Choose Subscribe & save above and a fresh disk arrives on the schedule you set.
CompatibilityManufacturer material
This cartridge, part number CQE-RC-04052, is the replacement listed for the Crystal Quest Bath Ball Filter in every color. Single, Pack of 2, Pack of 4 and Pack of 6 all contain this same cartridge.
If a new cartridge does not fit your ball, contact Crystal Quest with a photo of your Bath Ball and we will match the right part. The shower filters use a different cartridge, the Shower Filter Replacement Cartridge (CQE-RC-04045).
What this review is based on.
Elorova researched the public Crystal Quest product listing, its published configuration data, source photographs and linked documents. The source page was checked on .
We have not purchased or installed this product, conducted a laboratory evaluation, or independently confirmed the manufacturer’s treatment and certification claims. We do not copy retailer star ratings into an Elorova rating.
Original Crystal Quest product listingOur research is a snapshot. Check the merchant’s current documentation, warranty, configuration, price and delivery terms before deciding. Read our editorial policy.
