Iron testing and what are the effects of iron on my softener and neutralizer

Users who are viewing this thread

Clydesdale6

Member
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
NY
ok. So, maybe I have to look into adding the Rescare dispenser. Otherwise, I don't think I will keep track of exactly when this thing is going to regen. It is based on water usage. The dispenser just drips it in and you forget it. But, to clarify, you would keep adding the citric acid in the salt as well? Thanks.
 

Aaroninnh

Member
Messages
146
Reaction score
20
Points
18
Location
NH
ok. So, maybe I have to look into adding the Rescare dispenser. Otherwise, I don't think I will keep track of exactly when this thing is going to regen. It is based on water usage. The dispenser just drips it in and you forget it. But, to clarify, you would keep adding the citric acid in the salt as well? Thanks.

Personally I would just do rescare and not worry about the citric acid.
 

Skyjumper

Member
Messages
213
Reaction score
8
Points
18
Location
Midwest
ok. So, maybe I have to look into adding the Rescare dispenser. Otherwise, I don't think I will keep track of exactly when this thing is going to regen. It is based on water usage. The dispenser just drips it in and you forget it. But, to clarify, you would keep adding the citric acid in the salt as well? Thanks.
if you have a Menards near you they sell a cheaper version of Rescare. same active ingredients. this is what I use. they have the kit with dispenser on sale right now
https://www.menards.com/main/plumbi...r-cleaner-kit-64-oz/hd11k/p-1504852084274.htm

I buy the 32oz bottles they are actually cheaper per oz. and I stretch one 32oz bottle over 4 months whereas it looks like the dispenser goes through 64oz every 2 months. I have never used the dispenser so I can't vouch for it.

Edit - yes I do both citric acid and Rescare (phosphoric acid).
 
Last edited:

Clydesdale6

Member
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
NY
I ordered 1 gallon of rescare for $14.28 and free shipping off of Amazon. No Menards here, but thank you. I am just not sure how to add this yet. The directions say to add 4 oz to the salt tank or brine well when the salt is low, or use their dribble dispenser. So, if I want to skip the dispenser, what is the best way to do this? Add 40z every month and hit the regen button? Or can I just add 4oz and not hit the button and it would just all "dribble" in at one time? I was given the impression that I really shouldn't let the salt run low. Drizzle it on the salt like salad dressing in between a couple of bags? It seems like the dispenser would add a small amount regularly and for each regen, whereas the idea of 4oz when the salt is low seems like it is a concentrated blast vs. the dribble. I am not nuts about drilling holes into my brand new salt tank until I know I really like this stuff. Thanks again.
 
Last edited:

Aaroninnh

Member
Messages
146
Reaction score
20
Points
18
Location
NH
Drizzle it on the salt like salad dressing in between a couple of bags? It seems like the dispenser would add a small amount regularly and for each regen, whereas the idea of 4oz when the salt is low seems like it is a concentrated blast vs. the dribble. I am not nuts about drilling holes into my brand new salt tank until I know I really like this stuff. Thanks again.

Thanks, I needed the laugh about the salad dressing!

Just open up the brine well, usually with just a little plastic cover. Pour 4Oz down there anytime before your next scheduled regen. When the regen happens the softener will suck it out along with the brine and do its thing.

Thats basically all the dispenser does, it just slowly does it in drips, but it doesn't do anything until the next regen. The dripping method with the wick is just a way of metering it cheaply. The 4Oz could be dumped in the well all it once, or slowly every day between regens. Effect is the same.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
Add 40z every month and hit the regen button? Or can I just add 4oz and not hit the button and it would just all "dribble" in at one time?
I would pour a dose down the brine well sometime between the precious regen and the next one.

Should you use a funnel with tube with tube to get around the safety float valve on the way to the liquid? Couldn't hurt. But now that I think of it, I think some kind of sloshing to let the acid mix with the bulk of the brine tank is in order.

If somebody says the mixing will happen on its own with time, I will be glad to refute that.

Maybe pouring down one corner of the rectangular brine tank would be better, so that the acid gets into the bulk of the liquid.
 

Skyjumper

Member
Messages
213
Reaction score
8
Points
18
Location
Midwest
I ordered 1 gallon of rescare for $14.28 and free shipping off of Amazon... The directions say to add 4 oz to the salt tank or brine well .

this is interesting. The Fitltermate product at Menards is made by the same company in Ft Wayne, IN but the maintenance dose is 1-2oz not 4oz. So I looked up the MSDSs and sure enough I believe it has changed. Rescare is now 10-30% acid whereas Filtermate is 15-40%. They don't tell you the exact amount, only a range, but I'm 95% certain they used to be the same. I also recall Rescare costing much more than $14/gal.

I think Summit Brands/Pro Products has repositioned these two products. It seems Filtermate may now be the more concentrated "heavy duty" version. I don't know that for fact, but given the label directions and the apparent price drop in Rescare... That's not to say Rescare is a bad product. $14 for enough cleaner to last 5-6 months is a good deal. The 32oz filtermate is $3.80. I wish they would publish the exact composition.

In any case, follow the label directions 4oz per regeneration.

rescare.JPG
filtermate.JPG
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
It would be good if somebody who has both, dilutes a test sample, and compares the pH.
 

Clydesdale6

Member
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
NY
Great info guys, thanks. Reach 4, can you clarify the funnel and tube idea? My inclination is to just pour the maintenance dose down the brine well and skip the dispenser. The dispenser just pours it down the brine well slowly, correct? So, it doesn't accommodate for any safety float, correct?
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
flotool-fluid-extractors-05034mi-64_145.jpg
image_12516.jpg

The liquid in the brine well does not mix with the brine as well as you would think. If it did, the level of the liquid in the brine tube would be the same as the level of the brine in the rest of the tank.
 

Bannerman

Well-Known Member
Messages
4,795
Reaction score
768
Points
113
Location
Ontario, Canada
A simple process that does not need to be overly detailed or complicated. Since almost all brine will be drawn into the resin tank during each regeneration, almost all of the acid cleaner added into the brine tank will be drawn in with the brine into the resin tank.

Because the brine pickup assembly is located in the brine well, if the acid added to the brine well remains more concentrated in the brine well, less cleaner should then remain in the brine tank following each Brine Draw.
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
38,795
Reaction score
4,413
Points
113
Location
IL
A simple process that does not need to be overly detailed or complicated. Since almost all brine will be drawn into the resin tank during each regeneration, almost all of the acid cleaner added into the brine tank will be drawn in with the brine into the resin tank.

Because the brine pickup assembly is located in the brine well, if the acid added to the brine well remains more concentrated in the brine well, less cleaner should then remain in the brine tank following each Brine Draw.
I was thinking the cleaner may get drawn in largely first first. So rather than a longer even concentration, the dosing would be first-loaded more. Problem? I don't know.
 

Treeman

Active Member
Messages
235
Reaction score
34
Points
28
Location
Michigan
this is interesting. The Fitltermate product at Menards is made by the same company in Ft Wayne, IN but the maintenance dose is 1-2oz not 4oz. So I looked up the MSDSs and sure enough I believe it has changed. Rescare is now 10-30% acid whereas Filtermate is 15-40%. They don't tell you the exact amount, only a range, but I'm 95% certain they used to be the same. I also recall Rescare costing much more than $14/gal.

I think Summit Brands/Pro Products has repositioned these two products. It seems Filtermate may now be the more concentrated "heavy duty" version. I don't know that for fact, but given the label directions and the apparent price drop in Rescare... That's not to say Rescare is a bad product. $14 for enough cleaner to last 5-6 months is a good deal. The 32oz filtermate is $3.80. I wish they would publish the exact composition.

In any case, follow the label directions 4oz per regeneration.

Hey gang,

I LOOOOOOVE ferreting out technical information! I use ResCare. skyjumper, you are correct that the older SDS's for both products showed 15-40% phosphoric acid. The Filtermate SDS on the Menards site is an older version. If you go directly to Summit's web page, the newer SDS for Filtermate is now also 10 -30% acid.

Exactly the same: 2020 SDS's
Filtermate SDS .. https://summitbrands.com/wp-content...ftener-Cleaner-English-GHS-Rev.10-05-2020.pdf
ResCare SDS .. https://proproducts.com/wp-content/uploads/PRO-ResCare™-English-GHS-Rev.-10-05-2020.pdf

In this case, I believe the Pro Brands Rescare and Summit Brands Filtermate products are exactly the same. Pro Brand ResCare is aligned to professional water companies and Summit Brand Filtermate is the consumer line. Both are available online, but only the Summit products will be on store shelves.

The dosage rate difference is hard to figure out. Both recommend 4 oz. for initial cleaning. Why does Filtermate only recommend 1-2 oz. for maintenance vs. 4 oz maintenance for Rescare????

To stir the pot: also be aware that the rescare feeder comes in 2 versions: 1/2oz. per day and 1 oz. per day!

Finally - I believe it would be easy to fabricate a coat hanger to avoid drilling holes in the brine tank - someone expressed concern about that.
 
Last edited:

Clydesdale6

Member
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
NY
Lol, I like the Duff example.
So, the Rescare gallon says 1/2 cup per cubic foot of resin. I found a chart that shows 1.25 cubic feet of resin for my 1048 tank. So, a little over a cup and half ought to do it, correct?
 

Clydesdale6

Member
Messages
119
Reaction score
0
Points
16
Location
NY
BTW, I checked pH again and it is still 8.4 and iron looked the same color at the well. The water at the tap was clear in color when testing iron. Thanks again.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks