Gravel question

[Jtg7330]

Hi everyone-
I recently bought a Fleck 7000SXT on the internet for a self-install planned for this weekend (48K capacity). I've gone ahead and bought 15 lbs of gravel since that wasn't part of the purchase. I was surprised to find the resin pre-loaded (and with further researching realize I shouldn't have been). Is it recommended to dump out the resin first and the load the gravel? I thought I read you can put it in later but can't seem to find the reference again. I also noticed the distributor tube is now angled off center in the resin, no doubt from shipping. Is there any easy way to correct or any to leave it alone. thanks in advance.

 

[Reach4]

I am not sure what you mean when you say "I also noticed the distributor tube is now angled off center in the resin, no doubt from shipping." Is the tube sticking out higher than the tank, or is the top just off-center.

The displaced tube is the harder part. You can flow water down the tube with a hose to push the tube back into place, from what I remember reading. I am not sure how you will deal with the water coming back up. Maybe if you siphon the water down to the resin, you will be able to get the distributor basket in place before the tank fills with water.

After the distributor tube is in place, you add the gravel. The next backwash brings the resin up and the gravel down. https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/gravel-in-residential-softeners.55222/#post-404915 is one reference for that part.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jtg7330]

Thanks Reach4, I've uploaded a couple off pics for the distributor tube question to give you a visual and see if you advise that I should fix it. The cap that was on the tank when it shipped kept the top of the tube centered until I removed it.

 

[KPS water]

No concern with the distributor. More than likely it shifted a little bit during shipping but it's really not a concern. Just lubricate it was some silicone and reset the control valve you'll be fine. In my opinion there's no need to put a gravel bed around the distributor basket in a water softener.

 

[Reach4]

How much force does it tank to center that tube? If not much, as I suspect since the cap kept the tube centered, I think no problem. Put the tank into place. Level it up. Add the gravel. Put on the controller. The first backwash will take any stress off.

However I don't know that tube sticking out 3/8 inch is a problem or not. I suspect not. I don't know what the limits are. I am not a pro. So I guess you should wait until you get an OK on that.

 

[ditttohead]

Gravel is highly recommended period. I don't want to get into a long discussion again about the pros/cons of gravel, but to put it simply, the pros far outweigh the cons in the vast majority of system designs. We ship the systems both with and without gravel (the companies trying to save a few dollars in shipping...) and my 30 years of field experience in primarily commercial/industrial and a bit of residential will be my guide.

Adding gravel on top of the resin is just fine. The medias will instantly reclassify during the first backwash. The riser tube... you will have some difficulty getting the top screen to stay on while installing the valve since it is sitting like that.

I will try to stress this again. Buying from the lowest cost company online... from a guy who works out of his moms garage or from a parking lot in Florida, or from a UPS store, or from a guy who also has websites selling candles, off road lighting, and phone cases as his other businesses is probably not a good idea. You will get a lot of headaches. Many of these companies use a Fleck valve but stick them on a Chinese made lowest cost tank, lowest cost resin, lowest cost brine tank etc, all in an effort to be $1 cheaper than the next guy.