Replacing old system that came with the house. Need advice/opinion...

[mbg225]

So I have been observing this forum for a few months now and I must say what a great group of people/forum. So helpful in my decision making for a new softener to replace the old system that came with the house.

I pulled out the old system today. I thought it was two carbon tanks with a cartridge filter in between (there is no salt with this system). When I dumped it out I found on carbon system in a vortech tank and I have no idea what was in the second tank. The second tank dumped out white resin looking products, no more than a 1/2 cuft max and they were pure white. Any Idea what this was?

I am on city water and my hardness is 270ppm. What should it be after I install my new system? The new system is a 48,000 fleck 5800sxt with upflow carbon tank. Also, should I put a filter in between the carbon tank and the softener?

 

[Reach4]

I am on city water and my hardness is 270ppm. What should it be after I install my new system?

Under 17.

The new system is a 48,000 fleck 5800sxt with upflow carbon tank.

I expect that is downflow for the carbon tank in service, but backwashing itself is upflow.

Also, should I put a filter in between the carbon tank and the softener?

Some prefer one after the softener. I am not sure which is best.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

my hardness is 270ppm.

Did you obtain that number using a TDS meter?

Any Idea what this was?

Much of Florida experiences a Tannin problem so the media could possibly be for that issue. How old was the system and has the home always been on municipal water?

with upflow carbon tank.

Does the carbon tank utilize a backwash control valve, or is it a simple In/Out head that doesn't backwash?

 

[mbg225]

Yes, I used an electronic TDS meter....Not sure how old the system is....there is no backwash control valve, simply in and out bypass head/valve.

 

[Reach4]

Did you obtain that number using a TDS meter?

Good question.

Yes, I used an electronic TDS meter....

A tds meter does not measure hardness. A water softener will not reduce tds.

You can measure hardness with a Hach 5-B kit .

 

[HudsonDIY]

If you are in incorporated City of Tampa their harness report can be found here.

https://www.tampagov.net/water/how-do-i#hardness

If you are outside the city on the Hillsborough county system the info seems a bit harder to find but if you dig around here I think you'll find it.

https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/...ers-and-renters/water-and-sewer/water-quality

 

[mbg225]

[QUOTE="If you are outside the city on the Hillsborough county system the info seems a bit harder to find but if you dig around here I think you'll find it.

https://www.hillsboroughcounty.org/...ers-and-renters/water-and-sewer/water-quality[/QUOTE]

I am in ruskin specifically. I Purchased a hatch 5-b kit just to have though.

 

[ditttohead]

The white media was likely some sort of scale reduction media. This does not soften the water, it is supposed to help reduce the negative affects of hardness.

A true salt softener will work much better. I would recommend a backwashing carbon over an upflow. In general upflow carbon tanks are not as good as a downflow. Backwashing helps the carbon stay cleaner over time.

 

[mbg225]

So I tested my hardness with an 5b kit and it tested out at an 18. Isn't that already pretty low? Any idea what hardness level I should look at after I install the system?

 

[Reach4]

So I tested my hardness with an 5b kit and it tested out at an 18. Isn't that already pretty low? Any idea what hardness level I should look at after I install the system?

Less than one. One drop should turn it blue if not blue already.

18 is considered very hard. Not world record, of course.

 

[Bannerman]

There are two measurement scales commonly used for water hardness. Milligrams per Litre (mg/L) is often reported by testing labs. mg/L is equal to ppm.

A Hach 5B measures grains per gallon (gpg) total hardness which is the scale most water softeners will be programmed to use. 1 gpg is equal to 17.1 ppm hardness so your 18 gpg as measured is the same as 307.8 ppm hardness.

Your electronic TDS meter estimates the ppm of Total Dissolved Solids, not hardness specifically.

 

[Taylorjm]

Less than one. One drop should turn it blue if not blue already.

18 is considered very hard. Not world record, of course.

18gpg is considered very hard? I wouldn't have though it was too bad. Of course my lakehouse has a hardness of 55 gpg so I'd be thrilled with 18 gpg!

 

[Bannerman]

While hardness above 1 gpg is considered hard, a softener may be beneficial when hardness is above 3 gpg. Whether a softener will be used is often reliant on the person's background and experience.

My wife and I grew-up where our municipal water was obtained from Lake Ontario. Although I now recognize that water has a hardness of ~8 gpg, I was not aware of anyone who had a water softener and so it was never even considered.

When we moved to the town we now live in, we recognized the water was hard (~22 gpg) but we just accepted that is the way it was. I was routinely needing to de-scale our electric kettle every 6 - 8 weeks and our water heater contained an excessive amount of hardness scale and so had a shortened lifespan.

After more than 10 years, we installed a softener after we purchased a dishwasher and had all clear glassware turn white. Our current gas water heater was installed in 1997, soon after the softener was installed,

I am aware that a few of my neighbours have softeners, but most do not.

Since becoming accustomed to softened water, we now feel 'icky' when we shower while away on vacation. Our daughter after buying a house in another town, wanted a softener installed soon after she moved there.