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