Still have mineral buildup in toilets, what to do next?

[Brenda_MD]

We are in the process of redoing our bathrooms. Amazingly, my biggest problem is what toilet to purchase. Our current toilets are American Standard purchased back in the mid '80's when our house was built. We are on well water and have both an acid neutralizer and water softener. However, I still get a mineral buildup at the water line in the toilet bowl which can only be removed with a pumice stone. Are there some tried and true water systems that can be purchased to eliminate this problem? I know the Toto toilets are highly recommended on this site, but I hesitate to purchase one because I have read where the finish on them is no guarantee with well water problems. No doubt I need to have our water retested to get a good handle on what is happening. Also, I am wondering if one of the water treatment systems isn't contributing to the problem.

 

[Reach4]

Some have suggested a car product, such as NuFinish.

I don't know the solution.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[WorthFlorida]

After thirty years or even after a few, using pumice on porcelain you probably have scratched the glaze completely off thus lost the smooth surface to minimize minerals from sticking. I have two Drake II Toto toilets and the way the bowl is formed, right at the water line it looks like there is a ring but it’s the reflection of light making it appear there is one. It’s very slight anyway and not bothersome. Toto’s cefiontect maybe your answer but you’re right that you need to get your water treatment checked out and the water tested both before and after treatment. Depending how old your treatment Units are, they all have end of life. No matter which replacement brand you get, toss the pumice stone.

You might want to look at the “Pelican water softener”, a saltless type. They are here in Florida and do sell on line. I do not need one but I’ve talked to a factory rep at a home show. The claim is that the minerals in the water are altered and remain in the water. You’ll still get water spotting, not like a salt system, and perhaps a water ring but the minerals won’t stick and can be easily cleaned off. You may want to call Pelican or search if there is a dealer nearby.

https://www.pelicanwater.com/

https://www.totousa.com/people-first-innovation/peopleplanetwater/cefiontect

 

[Reach4]

I don't know if the ring is silica, or what.

After thirty years or even after a few, using pumice on porcelain you probably have scratched the glaze completely off thus lost the smooth surface to minimize minerals from sticking. I have two Drake II Toto toilets and the way the bowl is formed, right at the water line it looks like there is a ring but it’s the reflection of light making it appear there is one. It’s very slight anyway and not bothersome. Toto’s cefiontect maybe your answer but you’re right that you need to get your water treatment checked out and the water tested both before and after treatment. Depending how old your treatment Units are, they all have end of life. No matter which replacement brand you get, toss the pumice stone.

You can get the ring on a Toto with Sanigloss AKA cefiontect. It is not nearly as magic as people suspect.

You might want to look at the “Pelican water softener”, a saltless type. They are here in Florida and do sell on line. I do not need one but I’ve talked to a factory rep at a home show. The claim is that the minerals in the water are altered and remain in the water. You’ll still get water spotting, not like a salt system, and perhaps a water ring but the minerals won’t stick and can be easily cleaned off. You may want to call Pelican or search if there is a dealer nearby.

I am thinking you somehow misplaced your skepticism at that show.

 

[WorthFlorida]

I am thinking you somehow misplaced your skepticism at that show.

I was very interested in the Pelican unit. Two reasons, with a home on a slab you cannot run hard water lines to the outdoor spigots and to the kitchen sink. I had a water softener in my Illinois house because the water was 29 grams of hardness. After the install my wife noticed that when boiling macaroni, it turned to mush in a few minutes. From the basement I ran a pipe before the water softener to the kitchen sink and to the outside spigots except for the one to wash cars. When I mentioned to the factory rep that I like softwater for when washing your vehicles, there is no spotting. He immediately corrected me that with the Pelican system spotting will still occur, just that spots can easily be wiped away. It’s explained on there web site. The confusion is I think Pelican calls it a water softener when it is actually a water conditioner. No sodium is used for an ion exchange.

 

[Reach4]

I am skeptical of Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) AKA Nucleation Assisted Crystallization (NAC).

This is even in the face of http://softwaterspecialistsllc.com/...2011-ASU-Study-No-Salt-Water-Conditioners.pdf