water treatment

archibald tuttle

sorry, this is not strictly a heating topic although my concern for treating water extends to preserving the life of heating equipment.



I figured folks here might have links to similarly capable forum on water systems that might address whole house water treatment with similar expertise and real world experience -- and I feel like that experience might also exist on the Wall.



So here goes,



Have acid well water [it's rock water, drilled well, not too deep but in the ledge].  It is not hard in terms of other mineral content but it erodes copper pipes leaving nice green stains at faucet outlets for tubs and other fixtures and it eats brass fixtures from the inside out.



It is great drinking water. Has a PH of about 5.9 last test, i.e. between neutral and coke (or beer, the standard reference in my book) which come in around 4 (some tests of Coke suggest that it is even under 3 but I can't confirm that and in the mid 3s seems to be the consensus.



So my friend da plumber likes the soda ash treatments. my friend the water systems seller (who just gave me a sweetheart deal on a new fiberglass expansion tank with replaceable bladder) says you got to go with Calcium.



My plumber is attracted by the simplicity of soda ash systems, low consumables cost and a tank and pump.  But I'm not really sure the Calcium systems are so much different in terms of infrastructure. And I'm not opposed to spending more for consumables if the result is theoretically more desirable. I imagine that you have to get some sodium content from the soda ash system but I haven't really looked into the operational chemistry and how finely such systems can be tuned to minimize this.



He is also convinced that it is easier to treat larger volumes with soda ash. We have several buildings and water animals. It is quite possible to not treat the water going to the animals, it is running in PE and pex systems. Obviously it does eat hydrants so I wouldn't mind treating it, but even with the water we have, I get 10 or 12 years out of hydrant installation, so it's not so vexatious.  Come to think of it, I wonder why you can't get a plastic hydrant. MAybe you can and I just haven't location one yet.



Thanks for any direct ideas, or for directing me to a forum where I can be set straight.

(like that is a possibility)



brian

Unknown

look into Water Right

Look into Water Right water treatment... they have equipment that can remove hardness, iron AND raise the ph all in one pass within ONE unit.. Using only regular salt. Do not use rust removal or other chemical salt.. Expensive at first but the money saved on labor piping additional units and chemicals, etc

Jamie Hall

Having had

a very similar problem -- rock well with low pH and very low hardness, and a bunch of critters (horses) never mind us...



We had a very simple system which involved a fiberglass tank through which the water ran, filled with a dolomite/calcite mixture.  I think Cuno, but almost any good domestic water treatment outfit (e.g. Calgon, Water Right, etc.) has similar equipment.  There was a small running cost, as the dolomite/calcite mix had to be replaced from time to time, depending on usage, but it wasn't a big deal and it was dead simple (which is the way I like them) -- no pumps, no controls, no power, just the tank.  It does raise the hardness slightly, but does not add sodium.

archibald tuttle

critter treatment

got those horse critters usselves.



was your through treatment tank like these:



http://www.aquascience.net/ph-neutralizers/





Brian



PS -checked out water right and it seems like virtually all their offerings are multi-faceted.  I really don't need anything but acid treatment. maybe they are still economically competitive and it just depends on how you run their equipment.

Jamie Hall

Very like indeed, Brian

and worked just fine.  Initial water pH was around 3.5 (!); final was right about neutral.  Nothing else wrong with the water at all -- just pH (but boy did the untreated water do a number on copper pipe!).  Ran a family of 4 humans, variable cats, two dogs, and three to 8 horses just fine.

Unknown

Interesting topic,,,,

How about the "clamp-on" deals ME praises so much?

Not sure how you would raise the PH, but I`m sure he`ll have some kind of an answer!



PS- ME is NEVER at a loss for words,,,,, good or bad,,,, right Mark?