Acid neutralizer backflushing

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

I'm getting blue stains in my tub, so after some research... My well water has a pH of 5.74. So, before any further damage is done, I'm installing an acid neutralizer.
1) Why do these need to be backflushed? I have a whole house particulate pre-filter that will be installed before the neutralizer and I thought the media is sacrificial.
2) 5.74 is pretty low. I've read about people complaining about acidic water at pH6.5. Should I get a larger than usual neutralizer? Or use different media?
3) What is the order in which I should install these? Pre-filter -> neutralizer
-> surge tank.

Thanks all.

PEW · Nov 21, 2005

Pre filter first.

Depending on the make of neutralizer, it may need to be installed backwards, inlet becomes the outlet. In other words you want to introduce the inlet water to the bottom of the tank and feed the house off the top. This keeps the media from packing, which in time reduces the flow.

Paul

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

So the backflush isn't really to purge contaminants, it's to keep the media bed "un-packed". OK.
Most neutralizers I see have a backflush valve/timer. Who makes one without this?

Speedbump · Nov 21, 2005

We all sell filtration. Gary and I argue about the necessity of back-washing or not back-washing. I use an in out head and do like PEW suggested. Going in the out and out the in.

Water is different all over the country, so what works for Gary may not work for me etc.

The idea of your salesman telling you back-washing may be a matter of > opinion, greed or necessity. Your call there.

I would look into the stats on your well. I know the surface water wells in my area are around 15 to 20 feet deep, full of chemicals from farming etc. And the water is just plain nasty. I refuse to try to clean this water up for people. I recommend a new "deep well" for health reasons if nothing else.

bob...

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

speedbump said:
I would look into the stats on your well. I know the surface water wells in my area are around 15 to 20 feet deep, full of chemicals from farming etc. And the water is just plain nasty. I refuse to try to clean this water up for people. I recommend a new "deep well" for health reasons if nothing else.
bob...

I had a quality and quantity test done during purchase of the home. Nothing nasty in the water. It's >100 ft deep.

I just don't want to have to run a drain pipe to the other side of the basement to get to the septic pipe. Also, to backwash, would I have to run the pump if the surge tank is after the neutralizer? Sounds like I would.

Pump->Prefilter->Neutralizer->Tank->House

Speedbump · Nov 21, 2005

What is a surge tank?

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

speedbump said:
What is a surge tank?

Surge tank,
Well tank,
Not exactly sure what to call it. I have a well. The pump charges a tank that has an internal bladder. Pump turns on at 50 PSI and off at 70.

Speedbump · Nov 21, 2005

Now I understand, you mean the Bladder tank.

OK, the proper order should be: Pump > Bladder Tank > Neutralizer.
Notice I left out the prefilter.

The pump would have to run some when you are back-washing if you go that way.

With the in/out head, there is no back-washing.

bob...

PEW · Nov 21, 2005

Ionics is one we have had available on the east coast.

Paul

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

speedbump said:
Notice I left out the prefilter.
bob...

Bladder Tank. Gotcha.

Why no prefilter?

I see 1 cu.ft. and 2 cu.ft models.
Is the difference flow capacity or pH neutralization ability in very acidic water, or just longer time between re-fills?

Speedbump · Nov 21, 2005

They are more trouble than they are worth. If you have anything in your water that needs to be removed this is not the filter you need. Unless you like buying filter cartridges and having bad pressure all the time because of them.

The neutralizer we sell is a simple Structural Fibers 9" X 48" tank with In/Out head, 1" distributor tube and 100 lbs. of Calcite for just over $200.00 plus shipping. It is as easy to hook up as that prefilter you have but will actually do something.

The difference in 1 or 2 cu. ft. models would be flow rate and the amount of calcite you can put in the tank. Unless you have a bunch of teenagers and a lot of bathrooms, a 1 cu. ft. should be fine.

bob...

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

bob,
The existing whole house filter is just a sediment filter. I was going to retain it as a pre-filter to remove particulates before entering the neutralizer. If it's not really required, then I'll get rid of it.

Where are you located? $200 sounds awfully reasonable.

Thanks for all the help.

So far, just me, the wife and 2 daughters (more to come).
Perhaps the 2 cuft would do better.

Speedbump · Nov 21, 2005

I just edited my last post to finish answering your question that I previously forgot.

It's up to you what size you buy, but I would thing a 1 cu. ft. would be fine for your family, besides it's bigger than your original plumbing already. The plumbing should be 3/4".

I would truly get rid of the so called "whole house filter" that term just kills me. Unless you have a bunch of junk in your water that you can see floating around. And if that is the case, that "whole house thing" isn't going to last a week.

I am located in Florida, hear Tampa. You don't have to spend a lot of money on one of these as there is no head (backwash) no electric required and calcite is far less expensive than media for softening or iron removal etc.

bob...

Jimmym · Nov 21, 2005

OK, bob. Sounds good.
Could you email me directly with prices for both 1 and 2 cuft models
without the media?
I live in Massachusetts so shipping 100+ pounds of pellets and 25 pounds of fiberglass would be expensive.
I can just get the media locally.

Jimmym · Nov 22, 2005

I ordered one of your 1cuft neutralizers. I have a friend that was diagnosed with acidic water (blue stains, etc). So I asked him what he had done about it. Well, he and his wife had a system installed for "a couple of thousand dollars". I'll almost feel bad if I tell them I spent a couple of hundred.

If I plumb it in after the bladder tank, will the metal fittings at the tank suffer from the acidic water?

Speedbump · Nov 22, 2005

Anything metal will suffer from acidic water. But not at the rate that I would worry about it. The tank will probably experience a busted bladder long before the metal fittings will show any signs of wear.

The neighbor..... I wouldn't tell him.

bob...

Jimmym · Nov 22, 2005

Should I be using calcite or corosex or mixed in the neutralizer?
My pH is kind of low. 5.74.

Speedbump · Nov 22, 2005

I would mix them. 80% Calcite and 20% Corosex.

bob...

PEW · Nov 22, 2005

Would suggest you plumb in a bypass for those times you want to clean it out and recharge it, if it does not have that built into it.

Paul

Jimmym · Nov 23, 2005

Bob,
Should I mix them together? Or layer them?
Should I worry about the media "lifting" and blowing out the exit piping?

PEW,
I plan to do just that. I'll have unions on either side, isolation valves, and a bypass. Not to mention in and out pressure gauges.

Acid neutralizer backflushing

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