Need filter and softener for city water

[imran shafiq]

Hi,

Looking into water filtration and softening for my house and need advice on designing a solution. I will be getting a plumber to install it.

I am in Frisco, TX . Family of 2 adults, 3 kids under the age of 10. Water usage is low (4000 gallons / month) for 7 months and high (11500 gallons/month) for 5 months due to summer/sprinklers I assume.

• City Water treated with Ozone, Chlorine and Chloramine
• Residual Chlorine 3.35 mg/L
  
• TDS 360
• Hardness 8 GPG
• pH 8.26
• Iron 0.204 mg/L
• Manganese 0.0109 mg/L

Tap water has a smell and taste, we don't drink it. However the water from the fridge (internal) filter is OK.

I want to put in a whole house water filter and softener - I read that I need catalytic carbon for chloramine removal. The piping in the house seems to be 1 inch - I am assuming I need a system that gives a flow rate of >= 10 GPM and softener with 32K grain capacity?

Will the fleck 2510 sxt bakwashing catalytic carbon filter (10 GPM) + fleck 2510 sxt metered water softener (10 GPM 35K grain) work?

Should I add a 20x4.5 sediment pre-filter to prolong the life of the fleck filter and softener? or is it not needed due to backwashing capability of filter and softener?

Open to suggestions and education I just want to make sure I am not making any noob mistakes with the solution.

 

[ditttohead]

No real need for the Big Blue Filter in your area. Your water is fairly easy to treat. The 2510 is a great old valve, what size is your plumbing? How many bathrooms?

 

[Sponsor]

 

[imran shafiq]

2 adults, 3 kids under 10, 4 bathrooms.,1 inch piping so I am assuming I need a 10 GPM system?

No real need for the Big Blue Filter in your area. Your water is fairly easy to treat. The 2510 is a great old valve, what size is your plumbing? How many bathrooms?

 

[imran shafiq]

Are the flecks downflow or upflow? I read that upflow systems are more efficient?

 

[Reach4]

Are the flecks downflow or upflow? I read that upflow systems are more efficient?

Can be either if ordered that way.

 

[imran shafiq]

Before i started reading up, a local company recommended 12x52 tank with Clack WS1 valve (1 cf 8% resin AND 1 cf jacobi catalytic carbon in the same tank) $1700 + $1000 for installation and $450 to change media every 4 yrs? is it a good idea to do this with one tank?

 

[Reach4]

Before i started reading up, a local company recommended 12x52 tank with Clack WS1 valve (1 cf 8% resin AND 1 cf jacobi catalytic carbon in the same tank) $1700 + $1000 for installation and $450 to change media every 4 yrs? is it a good idea to do this with one tank?

Normally carbon is backwashed at about twice the rate of softener resin.

 

[Bannerman]

is it a good idea to do this with one tank?

Not recommended to install both in the same tank.

As the carbon purpose is to remove chloramine prior to softening, then the water should be flowing through the carbon before coming into contact with the softening resin. As each media have different weights and backwash requirements, much of the carbon will migrate to the bottom of the media tank below the resin, exactly the opposite to what is desired.

As chloramine is much more difficult to remove compared to plain chlorine, then the amount of Catalytic Carbon will usually need to be substantial, so unless the carbon system is separate, the quantity of carbon is likely to be minimal.

Recommend installing a separate backwashing carbon system prior to the softener. There are small tanks that may be installed 'piggyback' on top of a larger softener tank so that each media is kept separate while one control valve may be utilized for both. Alternatively, there are media tanks available where a partition is installed partway up, thereby keeping each media separated and in the proper order. Regardless of the separation method, the quantity of carbon will typically continue to be less whereas a separate system can be sized appropriately for your needs.

As softener resin's lifespan is usually considerably longer than carbon, keeping each media separate would allow the carbon to be easily replaced without the need and expense of also replacing the softener resin every time.

Edit: For carbon to perform most effectively, the service flow rate (ie: continuous flow rate) will typically need to remain between 1-3 gpm per ft3 of carbon. This is much less than a softener and so you may need to consider 1.5 or 2+ ft3 carbon system to satisfy the flow rate anticipated for your family's usage.

 

[imran shafiq]

@Bannerman As filter and softener are in series, the least flow rate of the two will apply right? so if I am looking for 10 GPM flow rate, I should be getting over 3 cubic foot of carbon filter?

 

[Bannerman]

How did you determine a 10 gpm flow rate is needed?

Unless equipped with multi-head showers or a hot tub, 10 gpm is higher than most average homes actually utilize in practice. (typically 8 gpm or less)

When the 3 gpm per cubic foot recommendation is exceeded, filtration will continue to occur, but some lower amount contaminants are likely to leak through.

Here is a link to various info you may wish to review:
https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/56

https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/48-49

See Service & Peak rating for each size carbon system below:

5810 Carbon Systems https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/44-45

5812 Carbon Systems https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/50-51

 

[Jdpboom]

HOPEFULLY you have not yet committed to a purchase....I would suggest you look up and call your local Kinetico dealer. You will be blown away at not only how simple it will make this process and put your mind at ease...it it the ONLY unit of it's kind available. THE truly NON electric self-reginerating twin tank softener, with options for carbon applications as needed.
Mine is now over 35 years old, original resin, tanks and main control parts. I have spent less than 50$s in parts and it only uses 3#s of salt per regeneration. Doesnt matter if you have 3 people or 30, it meters the water and regenerates as needed, switching to the other tank with zero interruption in soft water supply.