The calcite and/or NS-Mix will diminish in volume over time as it raises pH and adds hardness to the water supply. Our maintenance instructions state that mineral (NS-Mix) should be added once a year. However, in some cases when the pH is especially low and more aggressive, the tank may need to be serviced more frequently. Also, after many years of service the mineral in the lower part of the tank becomes less effective because most of the more potent parts have been dissolved out. Therefore, it may be advisable to rebed the entire tank to increase the potency of the mineral. There is no general rule about when to rebed. It is suggested that treated water should be checked for pH performance.

Many acid neutralizers are used on low pH water that also has high levels of iron or sediment. In these cases the mineral, over time, may collect oxidized iron and sediment that can’t be removed during normal backwashes. The iron and sediment will coat the mineral and not let it dissolve normally or take up volume that is meant for neutralizing material. When this happens, rebedding the tank may be required. It is advisable to make sure that the well pump can deliver enough flow and that the installed backwash line can deliver the proper flow to drain. All of our spec sheets have the recommended flow rate and backwash rate for each of our systems.

Upflow neutralizers are designed for clear and iron/sediment water only. The flow of the untreated water is going down a pipe (inside the tank), then through a strainer at the bottom and then back up through the neutralizing media and out to the house lines. This flow direction is designed to keep the media loose and free flowing to minimize pressure loss. However, if any iron/and or sediment is allowed to enter the media bed, it will form a blockage at the bottom of the tank resulting in pressure loss. If this happens, it would be advisable to convert the tank to a downflow/back washable system.

It is very important that all Simplus filters are backwashed at the proper flow rate. Drain lines must be ¾” and hard piped to an open drain. Chlorine may need to be used in the chlorine tank periodically or all the time using well sanitizing tablets. It’s also possible that some sulphur residue is still remaining in the house piping or in the hot water heater. Chlorinating the downstream piping will solve this problem.

The softener contains thousands of cation resin beads, which are man-made and the size of a grain of sand. Each resin bead extracts hardness from the water in exchange for sodium or potassium. After a specific amount of soft water usage, a brine solution (sodium or potassium chloride) enters the softener and regenerates (renews) the hardness removing capability of the resin beads. All of the salt is rinsed out of the softener during the regeneration process, so you should never taste salt water at your faucet.

When the softener resin beads extract hardness from the water it adds a fixed amount of sodium or potassium into the softened water. This process is called cation exchange. The amount of hardness extracted from the water determines the amount of sodium or potassium added. For example: if your water hardness is 10 gpg, a liter of softened water contains 79 milligrams of sodium. That means consuming a liter of water increases your sodium intake by 79 milligrams. When comparing that to a quart of milk @ 508 milligrams of sodium or a slice of white enriched bread @ 161 milligrams of sodium, it’s a minimal amount of sodium. However, if your physician prescribes a sodium free diet, then using a potassium based salt might be a better option.

The brine tank holds fresh water that eventually dissolves the salt to make a saturated brine solution. The brine solution is used to regenerate (renew) the resin in the softener tank. Brine solution to a water softener is like laundry detergent to a washing machine.

No, the backwash and regeneration water does not cause any harm to the septic or wastewater system. This answer is based on a conclusion from an independent test challenging septic systems with water softener wastewater discharge.

Use only high quality solar or pellet salt that is designed for water softeners and completely dissolves in the brine tank. Do not use salt that contains additives.

Add salt whenever the water level in the brine tank is higher than the salt level. The brine tank is designed to be filled to the top. Our 18”x30” brine tank holds approximately 300 lbs. of salt and our 18”x40” brine tank holds 400 lbs. of salt.

That depends on the size of the softener and amount of salt in the tank. Normally levels are anywhere between 7 and 20 inches. The softener valve automatically controls the amount of water in the brine tank and it never needs to be adjusted.

Dirt in a brine tank is usually due to the quality of water entering the brine tank or the salt itself. The dirt will not affect the water softener’s performance.

Yes, if iron or manganese is present. We recommend using either Pro Rust Out or Res-up. Res-up is the preferred cleaner, but requires the installation of an inexpensive Res-up feeder in your brine tank.

Some control valves are designed with the use of rubber flappers or gates. These gates seal off a hard surfaced opening inside the control. They are opened by the cam shaft on the control, but when they need to close, the cam releases them and the water pressure in the supply line closes them quickly. This is normal operation, but unfortunately can make a loud noise during the regeneration cycle. As the gates age this action may create even more noise. Eventually the gates need to be replaced; the average lifespan is approximately 7 years.

Solutions for this problem can be found in the trouble-shooting guide in the installation instructions for all units. The most common occurrence is that the injector becomes blocked with sediment, but it can also be caused by a restriction in the drain line, or the flapper/gates need to be replaced.

First, consider whether or not the timer is automatically regenerating. With current technology and newer timers that can show history, you can see the last time the control cycled through regeneration. Next, the control should be put through a manual regeneration to see if the control can draw brine. Some of the same conditions could be present as above, in Why is my brine tank overflowing?.

The type of media needed depends on water usage, pH, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) and CO? levels. We can test the quality of your water and make a recommendation through a distributor near you. The media should be checked at least annually since it is a sacrificial media.

The multi-media is not a sacrificial media like an acid neutralizer, and should last for many years before a rebed is needed. The key to its lifespan is to make certain the unit is regenerating once a week and that the volume required to backwash the media is met.

If properly maintained, by always keeping salt in the brine tank, and in cases of iron bearing water having a res-up feeder installed, twenty years or longer is possible.

Reverse Osmosis is the process in which water is forced by pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. The membrane traps minerals and metals as small as 0.0001 microns in size. The membrane allows treated water to pass through the membrane while the dissolved minerals and metals are left behind and rinsed to drain. Water temperature and pressure affects the amount of and the quality of the treated water.

The PURO-35T pre-filter and post filters should be changed every six months, and the membrane should be changed once every three years. The PuroPro 1200 pre-filter and post filters should also be changed every six months while it is suggested that the membrane be replaced every two years. Please note that the life expectancy of the filters and membrane are affected by the amount of contaminants in the feed water, the feed water pressure, and the volume of water treated.

The PURO-35T Water Quality Monitor compares the Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) of the water entering and leaving the reverse osmosis membrane. You simply press the button on the front of the monitor to test the percentage of performance. A green light indicates that the reverse osmosis membrane is reducing the TDS of the water by at least 75%. An amber light means the water quality is less than that, and it’s time to contact your installing dealer to inspect the system.

Yes, as long as the ice maker and water dispenser components are made of plastic or non-corrosive materials designed for reverse osmosis water. You have to purchase a Compression Tee Fitting and install it in the treated water tubing going to the PURO faucet in order to supply water to the ice maker or water dispenser.

The EPA has listed Lead and Nitrate as Primary Health Concern Contaminants, which means consuming water ladened with either Lead or Nitrate could adversely affect your health.

Begin by pressing the Clock button on the front of the panel. The screen will show the time of day in blinking numbers. To change the time, use the UP and DOWN arrows to set the hour. Press the Clock button again to change the minutes, then use the UP and DOWN arrows to set the minutes. Press the Clock button to set. CHECK FOR PROPER AM OR PM MODE.

The invisible radiant energy in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum (254 nanometers) is lethal to microorganisms. This energy is supplied by the UV lamp, which is made of quartz glass. The lamp is protected from the water by a tube made of quartz glass. Quartz glass is used because it allows 90% transmission of ultraviolet light. The water is exposed to the energy when it passes through the 304 stainless steel chamber around the quartz tube.

The UV lamp should be replaced annually. The quartz tube should be removed for cleaning when replacing a lamp. Never look at a UV lamp when servicing the unit because eye exposure to the lamp can cause serious injury if protective goggles are not worn.

The green light indicates that the power supply is working properly. If the green light is out, the UV lamp or power supply has malfunctioned.

Each unit has a 9000 hour alarm clock built into the unit. It is designed to start chirping 30 days prior to the end of the lamp cycle, which is 9000 hours or once per year. Replace the lamp and reset the alarm and they will be good for another year.

Please note that the alarm can also indicate that the lamp is not working properly. Other than replacing the bulb and cleaning the quartz, the power supply may be defective and need to be replaced.

The lamp has a 9000 hour life cycle. As time goes on the lamp gets weaker and needs to be replaced to continue kill the bacteria. If the lamp remains well past the 9000 hour cycle there could be potential harm by drinking the water.

There is no simple test that the consumer can read or do. A water sample must be taken by a certified lab to test the water for bacteria. Every year the consumer should get the water tested to make sure the system is working properly.

No, we do not test for bacteria. If bacteriological safety is a concern, please contact your local health department for a testing facility nearest you.

Ferric Iron is oxidized iron, often referred to as colored iron, or rust. This form of iron needs to be filtered, and will not be removed by a water softener alone.

Ferrous Iron is clear water iron. This form of iron (to a certain level) can be removed by a water softener.

Compensated hardness is the hardness setting used with your water softener. To calculate the compensated hardness, follow the following guidelines:
Tested water hardness + 2.5 grain per gallon (gpg) for every 1 ppm of iron + 4.0 gpg for every 1 ppm of manganese.
For more information about your water, check out Taking the Test and Understanding Your Water

Which multiport valve system provides the least pressure drop?"] If the brine tubing is 3/8-inch, then it is a model 1600. If the brine tubing is ½-inch, then it is a model 1700.

The MCA system provides the least pressure drop (i.e., the highest Cv spec) at each valve size, from 1.25” to 3”.

The most common malfunction cause of failure is due to loose brine fittings.

Yes, put the valve timer into Brine Draw, disconnect the brine tube at the valve, place your thumb over the valve opening, and feel for suction. If there IS suction, then the malfunction is in the brine line or brine tank; if there IS NOT suction, then the malfunction is inside the valve body.