Replacing Culligan Super S

[jreed]

So Im tired of messing with my Culligan Super S. It needs re-bedded, a new seal pack, and some other things.

Ive called around and have some people coming to give me estimates and test my water. From previous paperwork I have a ph of 6.4 and hardness of just over 3. My current setup consists of a super S followed by a medalist softener.

Ideally Id like to replace both with a single unit but I dont know if this is possible. Estimates Ive heard to replace the super s with something equivalent are $2500 and up but it seems like I can get a unit online for $1000 or a little more and install myself.

Can anyone give me a little direction on what might be an equivalent to the Culligan Super S?

 

[Reach4]

I think the Culligan S uses Centaur catalytic carbon with either an air pump or a chlorine solution regeneration cycle. It is used for H2S and iron treatment I think. Does your raw water have a sulfur smell that the Culligan S has been or was treating successfully? The Centaur Carbon is good for maybe 5 to 8 years. Maybe just new media would restore that. Do you own the Culligan system?

I have an H2S+iron filter that uses Centaur carbon, and it works well for me. I also have a softener. Katalox Light is another media that can treat H2S and iron. It uses a little higher backwash rate. Some have reported Katalox Light raising their pH. That effect does not seem to be predictable.

Centaur carbon will not raise your 6.4 pH. That would require another tank, usually with calcite neutralizer. Calcite would increase your hardness. 3 grains is not very hard, and most people would not have a softener for that. I don't know how much the calcite would raise your pH.

So treating your water is probably going to be a 2 or 3 tank solution. I don't think that was what you had in mind.

What is your iron level?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[jreed]

Hey, thanks for taking th time to reply! I don't believe we have a sulfur smell. As far as I can remember iron and a slight amount of manganese was my main issue. I don't have the exact iron reading but someone is coming in a couple of days to test my water. What I can say is that it's high.

We do own the culligan super s as well as the medalist. I'd be ok keeping the medalist if needed but I question if the need unless it was installed to remove trace amounts of iron.

 

[Reach4]

Those free water tests can be more expensive than the ones you pay for. I like kit 90 from http://www.karlabs.com/watertestkit/ About 2 weeks to get the result counting ordering, receiving, and mailing back the samples.

A softener can take care of some amount of iron. It is debatable where to draw the line. But a softener will not take out sulfur smell and it will not raise the pH.

 

[jreed]

By the way, I got my iron reading...it is 4.5.

 

[Reach4]

You might do some reading about Katalox Light. See KL calculator: http://www.watchwater.com/systems/kl_system.php Note that flow rate is important as to determining how much media you need. If you exceed the rate, nothing drastic happens, but there will be some iron leakage. Usually no big deal. Usually people don't run the outside faucets through that tank.

Your available backwash rate matters in how big of a tank you can use. Check Inbox later.

 

[ditttohead]

Your low pH and hardness may make iron reduction slightly more difficult without an oxidant injection system. I would recommend getting an iron and a good quality pH test kit so you can test the water yourself.

A Katalox Light system with a simple chlorine injection system ahead of it would probably work very well. You could add a softener to get rid of any trace amounts of iron that remain and to soften the water.