Iron Filter System - Katalox Light

[Dwaleke]

I am in need of a iron removal filter system for a private well.

I plan on using the following components from Ohio Pure Water and piece together a system. Any feedback is appreciated.

-12x48 Inch Fiberglass Mineral Tank w/Base

-Fleck 7000SXT 1-1/4 Inch Auto Backwash Filter (Carbon, Birm, Multi-Media, Sediment & Calcite) System Electronic Control Valve
Tank Diameter: 12 inch tank diameter
Tank Height: 48 inch tank height
Valve to be used: for Iron Filter
Valve connection: 1 Inch NPT PVC
Bypass Valve: Add Bypass Valve

- 32mm Standard Mesh Basket Riser for Fleck 7000 Valves Only (BD32MM + DT32MM-72)

- Fleck 7000 Valve - Only, 32mm Bayonet Style Top Basket, Standard Mesh Resin, TDB32MM-BS (FL40697-02)

- Garnet Support Bed (16 pounds) (Gravel bed)

- 2 CuFt Katalox Light media (from US Water Systems)

Is there anything that I may be missing?

Thank you.

 

[Bannerman]

Have you obtained a recent analysis on your water? If not, a water test is highly recommended so as to determine the most suitable method of treatment.

If testing has been done recently, it is suggested to post the results so as to obtain knowledgeable feedback on your treatment options and choice of equipment.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Also, what do you know about your pump and your static water level? The backflush load will probably be the only load being drawn at the time, but the pump must be able to keep up. If your pump pumps 7 GPM -- often enough for typical household use-- you could get 8.91 GPM/square ft of flow for backwash. A 12 inch ID tank would be .784 square feet cross section. I don't know if 12 inches is ID or OD. My calculations presume ID. The pump GPM we would use would be at about 30 PSI into the filter I think. It is not necessary that the pump be able to pump your number at 50 or 60 PSI.

12 x 52 tank size would be better for 2 cuft if the softener rules apply. A 10" x 54" is only good for 1.50 cu. ft. as a softener, but maybe the denser media needs less "freeboard". But the 10 inch diameter would give .545 sqft, so 7 gpm would give 12.8 GPM/sqft.


I might consider paying extra to get the demand driven controller. You can still set it up for a fixed time backwash, but it adds the metering to let you see your water consumption. So I think this would be primarily for curiosity, but maybe there would be some advantage to doing the backwash sooner if you had used a lot of water.

Interesting project. My comments are not based on experience.

The NTL Labs watercheck 1&2 would be a good test for this purpose, I think. http://www.ntllabs.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=NTL&Category_Code=Homeowner You could go for the well check, which adds bacterial testing. I am thinking you might re-sanitize after doing this work anyway. The tests are not cheap, and you will be paying shipping. If you don't have them test for bacteria, I am thinking that overnight shipping may not be needed.

 

[Dwaleke]

Thank you for the feedback.

I sent my water off for testing and got back these results today. I knew I had high iron because I could see it oxidize and turn to sediment in a jar fairly quickly.

Hardness - 20gpg
Iron - 8ppm
PH Level - 7.3
TDS - 400ppm (total dissolved solids)

I don't have access to the well currently (second home location). So I do not know my exact flow rate which I see is pretty much required to properly size an iron filter.

The well is 78ft deep and was drilled 30 years ago. The well pipe and pump were replaced about 5 years ago. It is a 220v pump and everything will be connected with 1" PEX pipe with an 86 gallon pressure tank with a 40/60 pressure switch. If the pump cannot keep up it can be replaced. If the well runs dry (is this common?) then I guess a deeper well is in order. The well is about 150 ft off of the shore of Lake Huron in Michigan (there should be plenty of water down there).

Reach4 I was under the impression the Fleck 7000SXT is a demand driven control unit. I have one at my primary home as a softener and it works excellent. I also bought another 7000SXT softener system for this location (12x48 - 2cu ft 8% resin - 64,000 grain capacity).

I did not see too many options to get a 7000SXT with the proper 1.25 riser at 52". I could only find 48" and 54" and other systems that use the Fleck 7000SXT are all 12x48, 13x54, or 14x65 (that I could find). Perhaps a 12x48" tank should only use 1.5 cu ft of Katalox?

However I did see this Katalox system here (pricey) with the same dimensions as my plan:
http://store.afwfilters.com/iron-su.../2-cu-ft-digital-kl2000-system-fleck-2510sxt/

This location is a vacation home for the family. Soon my parents will live there 6 months out of the year. So primarily 2 people will be there drawing water (including dishwasher, clothes washer, etc). However on weekends and long holiday weeks there could easily be 10+ people there drawing water (including 2 kitchens, clothes washer, and 4 full bathrooms). Regeneration will take place at night when no other water is being consumed.

The plan is to have well->Katalox Iron Filter->Softener->.

Thank you for the feedback and advice.

 

[Reach4]

1. Your 86 gallon pressure tank will have a drawdown of about 23 gallons. If your pump goes on and you suddenly stop using other water, and it take a minute to click back off, your pump is putting out about 23 GPM. So with an 86 gallon pressure tank, it is highly unlikely that the pump will not deliver much more than the 7 gallons I was using in my example. I think you are safe. However you can time a fill. If it takes 2 or more minutes, you would measure/calculate more carefully.

2. My filter uses the Fleck 5600SXT. It does not have the metering device.

The Fleck 7000SXT has variations. Is omitting the turbine meter assembly one of them as it is on my 5600SXT? In the filter configuration, it might have a different valving piston assembly. It might skip the ability to do some functions. I am not sure. I am pointing this out, including my uncertainty, so that you can seek more info. But I expect that they will not include the flow measuring turbine or paddlewheel. If you ask, they will say that timed backwash is the right way to regen a filter. Probably that is usually correct. However that is also going to cost less for them to not provide the metering device.

In http://waterpurification.pentair.co...000sxt-service-manual-current-42775-rev-f.pdf page 12 item 2, you will see various options for the piston.
I expect it can do the filter operation with a softener piston.


3. Some filter system, like mine, will draw solution from a solution tank. (the filter is set for brine draw, but no brine refill) In mine, with a different catalytic media, it regenerates every 3 nights. During the cycle draws from a 15 gallon solution tank that I add a gallon of bleach to, and then top off with water. That needs to be done every 36 days, but I use 35 days for easier scheduling. Now will your system benefit from a little solution draw and rinse? I don't know. In my reading, Katalox Light does not need a solution if the dissolved oxygen more than xxx. This solution is said to help oxidize something, but it might also be used to kill off beasties? My bleach is all rinsed out before the filter goes back into service.

 

[Dwaleke]

1) Thank you for this. I will measure a fill when I go there next time.

2) Good call. I did order the unit that says for Backwash Filter and it is not metered. I can swap it out so I will have to do more research on this.

3) I was hoping to not have to use a solution. I want this to be as simple as possible with the least amount of parts and maintenance because I am not always at this location. From reading about Katalox it seemed based on the amount of Iron in my water that backwashing with another solution would be unnecessary. But thank you for sharing your system setup.

I see in the manual there are different part numbers for DLFC. Does DLFC matter in a backwashing valve control? On the 7000SXT that just showed up today the values for BLFC and DLFC are blank (I assume because they are not used in this application).

 

[Reach4]

DLFC value is very important. That determines the backwash rate. That "button" is not hard to change. You will probably want about 15 GPM/sqft based on what may be preliminary data from Ditttohead. This is more than the maker's literature says is required (10 GPM/sqft). BLFC would only matter if you were using a solution.

15 GPM/sqft would correspond to a 11.76 GMP flow. The manual says there is a DLFC , 12.0 gpm that is 1" dia. I don't know what you do to insure that your unit takes the 1 inch instead of the 3/4 inch buttons, other than to talk to the seller.

The rate calculation is per square ft -- the cross section of the tank.

 

[Dwaleke]

I was able to locate and acquire the 12 GMP DLFC button. It appears both 3/4 and 1" fit. The button is the whole DLFC connection and the size refers to the size of the threads at the output.