Adding gravel to softener.

[Nicholasrellim]

I have a 1.5 cu ft twin tank softener and I’m getting a significant pressure drop at high flow rates. I know that there is no gravel. I’m pretty sure that’s what’s causing this. So, I’m thinking, if I were to add the gravel I need without emptying the resin out of the tanks, it would settle to the bottom on its own when I backwash. Sound reasonable? Or am I’m just going to create a bigger mess than if I empty out the resin first?

 

[Reach4]

So, I’m thinking, if I were to add the gravel I need without emptying the resin out of the tanks, it would settle to the bottom on its own when I backwash. Sound reasonable?

Definitely.

I am not confident it will help he pressure a lot. If the resin has deteriorated due to chlorination over time, that may be the reason for the high drop.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Nicholasrellim]

Definitely.

I am not confident it will help he pressure a lot. If the resin has deteriorated due to chlorination over time, that may be the reason for the high drop.

Resin is new. It’s on a well and never exposed to chlorine. It’s dropping about 10 psi at 8 to 10 gpm. Probably always worked this way and never noticed since I didn’t have a gauge after the softener. It didn’t have any gravel in it before so when I replaced the resin I just went back to the way it was. Should have known better. Learning as I go here.

 

[Reach4]

Thanks.

If you were motivated to do it, you could put gravel in one tank only, initially, take data, and then probably add gravel to the other side. However that increases the work to do the install a lot.

 

[Nicholasrellim]

Thanks.

If you were motivated to do it, you could put gravel in one tank only, initially, take data, and then probably add gravel to the other side. However that increases the work to do the install a lot.

Actually, that’s not a terrible idea! The second tank is very easy to disconnect and open. May be a good thing to try before disconnecting everything and opening the first tank. Really just dreading dumping all the resin out. Would like to avoid that. Thanks for that idea.

 

[Bannerman]

As you won't be able to observe when the bottom dome is filled to cover the bottom screen, you should then weigh the gravel. The usual gravel quantity for each 10" X 54" tank will be 15 lbs of 1/8" X 1/16" bedding gravel. Suggest rinsing and sanitizing the gravel with a weak chlorine solution before adding to each tank.

While there will be a flow restriction through any tightly packed media such as softening resin, the pressure loss for the flow rate you specified would be less in a larger diameter tank as the flow rate per ft2 of media cross section will be less.

 

[Nicholasrellim]

As you won't be able to observe when the bottom dome is filled to cover the bottom screen, you could then weigh the gravel. The usual gravel quantity for each 10' X 54" tank will be 15 lbs of 1/8" X 1/16" bedding gravel. Suggest rinsing and sanitizing the gravel with a weak chlorine solution before adding to each tank.

While there will be a flow restriction through any tightly packed media such as softening resin, the pressure loss for the flow rate you specified would be less in a larger diameter tank as the flow rate per ft2 of media cross section will be less.

That’s correct, 10x54 tanks. Not even sure what I should expect for flow restrictions. Just seems like a lot. So do you think adding gravel and letting it settle to the bottom without removing the resin first sounds like a reasonable plan? Would save an awful lot of work if I could do it that way.

 

[Reach4]

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/gravel-question.69389/#post-515017

 

[Bannerman]

Add gravel and regenerate each tank. The gravel is heavier than the resin so the gravel will settle to the bottom of each tank during the first few regen cycles.

 

[Nicholasrellim]

Add gravel and regenerate each tank. The gravel is heavier than the resin so the gravel will settle to the bottom of each tank during the first few regen cycles.

That’s pretty much what I was thinking. Going to give this a try, as I should have put gravel in in the first place! Love this site. Always great to get some good advice from knowledgeable folks.

 

[ditttohead]

The gravel will fall in the first few seconds of backwash. We have clear tanks we use for prototyping and it is impressive how quickly the resin and gravel separate.