| On private water systems, one of the most | | | | low pH. |
| common causes of corrosion is acidic water. | | | | |
| Water that has a pH value of less than 7.0 is | | | | How to Install Calcite Neutralizer Filters |
| considered to be acidic. The ideal pH for | | | | |
| most domestic supplies is between 7.0 and 8.0 | | | | Calcite neutralizer filters are easy to |
| on the pH scale. | | | | install. They need to be located in the |
| | | | piping after the pressure tank on a well |
| Signs of acid water are corrosion of | | | | water system, but before the copper household |
| fixtures, pinhole leaks in plumbing, and blue | | | | piping. If the pressure tank is piped with |
| staining (from copper pipes) or rust staining | | | | copper, it is best to remove any copper |
| (from iron pipes). Often these waters are | | | | piping before the neutralizer and replace |
| great for drinking or household use, but are | | | | with PVC, PEX, or stainless steel piping, in |
| low in buffering calcium minerals, and | | | | order to avoid the corrosive effects of the |
| contain dissolved carbon-dioxide gas, which | | | | acidic water. |
| can cause a low pH and acid condition. | | | | |
| Without treatment, these waters can be | | | | Neutralizer filter tanks for home water |
| contaminated with copper, lead and other | | | | systems typically measure 10 or 12 inches in |
| metals from piping, fixtures and appliances, | | | | diameter and 48 to 54 inches in height. The |
| turning good water into contaminated drinking | | | | tanks have a center tube about 1 inch in |
| water. | | | | diameter, called the distributor tube, which |
| | | | have a screen at the bottom of the tube. When |
| Treatment is accomplished by neutralizing the | | | | the neutralizer tanks are assembled, the |
| water with the use of an automatic | | | | distributor tube is first placed in the tank |
| neutralizer filter. These are water filter | | | | and some tape or a cap put on the top of the |
| tanks filled with a media blend of calcium | | | | tube to prevent media or gravel from entering |
| and magnesium carbonates made from naturally | | | | the tube when the filter is built. |
| occurring minerals. This media, one brand of | | | | Approximately 10 to 20 pounds of aquarium |
| which is called Calcite, slowly dissolves | | | | gravel 1/4 inch in diameter is first poured |
| into the water, raising the pH and making it | | | | into the tank to cover the bottom distributor |
| less corrosive. | | | | screen. The calcite media, which looks like |
| | | | white sand, is then poured in until the depth |
| More mineral can quickly and easily be added | | | | of the media reaches about two-thirds of the |
| as needed to the filter tank. This is | | | | tank. |
| typically done once per year for most | | | | |
| residential applications. No special tools | | | | The top one third of the tank is left as free |
| are required. This type of neutralizer also | | | | space. This free space allows the media to |
| acts as a filter removing sediment and small | | | | expand when the neutralizer is backwashed. |
| amounts of iron. | | | | |
| | | | Neutralizer filters need to be connected to a |
| Calcite Media | | | | drain to allow the filters to backwash. The |
| | | | backwashing is done automatically based on a |
| Calcite is a crushed and screened white | | | | simple timer typically once every one to two |
| marble media which can inexpensively be used | | | | weeks. This flushes out any sediment or iron |
| to neutralize acidic or low pH waters to a | | | | that the neutralizer filter has trapped and |
| neutral, less corrosive effluent. | | | | keeps the calcite clean and properly settled |
| | | | so it can filter and raise the pH in an |
| Calcite is a naturally occurring calcium | | | | optimum manner. |
| carbonate media. One of the advantages of | | | | |
| Calcite is that it will only dissolve until | | | | Up-Flow Neutralizers |
| the water reaches a neutral pH. It does not | | | | |
| over-correct under normal conditions. | | | | An effective neutralizer filter uses an |
| | | | automatic backwash control valve, which |
| Upon contact with Calcite, acidic waters | | | | allows the owner to have the neutralizer tank |
| slowly dissolve the calcium carbonate to | | | | be automatically cleaned every one to two |
| raise the pH which reduces the potential | | | | weeks. |
| leaching of copper, lead and other metals | | | | |
| found in typical plumbing systems. Periodic | | | | In some cases, no backwash control valve is |
| backwashing will prevent packing, reclassify | | | | used and instead of the water first flowing |
| the bed and maintain high service rates. | | | | down through the media and up the distributor |
| | | | tube, the piping is installed so the water |
| As the calcium carbonate media neutralizes | | | | flows down the distributor tube and up |
| the water, it will increase hardness and a | | | | through the media. This is called an |
| softener in some rare cases becomes necessary | | | | "up-flow neutralizer" and they are not |
| after the neutralizing filter. However this | | | | backwashed. |
| is unusual and only occurs on water that is | | | | |
| very low in hardness and alkalinity. Most | | | | There are some disadvantages to up-flow |
| homeowners rarely find they need a softener. | | | | neutraliers despite the lower costs. In some |
| | | | cases calcite media can wash out of the |
| Calcite can be effectively combined with | | | | neutralizer and enter the home water piping |
| Clack Corosex to combine the high flow | | | | system causing damage. If the water flow is |
| neutralization properties of Corosex, along | | | | not sufficient the media can become |
| with the slower reacting low flow properties | | | | solidified in places, causing the water to |
| of Calcite, increasing the ability to correct | | | | bypass the media. |