Tips on Buying a Water Conditioner, Filter or Softener

Water Filtration, Water Conditioning, Water Purification, Water Softening, what is the best water system for you?  With all the different options and claims in the Water Treatment Industry, many consumers can get extremely confused.  Hopefully, this article will get you started off on the right foot so you can be confident in your decision making process for a water system for your home or business.  This article is  not written to recommend what type of product you need, but to aid you in your decision making process.

So you can feel confident in the information provided in this article,  here are my qualifications and experience in water treatment:

I started out in the Water Conditioning Industry in 1978.  My experience stared out as a service technician, then moved on as service manager, sales manger and general manager for a well known water conditioning dealer for over 24 years. During that time, I became certified by the Water Quality Association as a Water Treatment Specialist and received my State Contractor's License in Water Conditioning and Purification.  I am currently the Managing Partner for a water treatment manufacturer, with a full service laboratory and research facility specializing in the designing and engineering of every type of water treatment from simple residential filters to complex laboratory grade commercial purification systems.  I am writing this article based on my experience, observations and knowledge of the Water Conditioning Industry. 


Preparing yourself  to shop for a water system:

Do you know the chemistry of your water?  Are you on a water supply from a municipality, private well water or another form of  natural water supply?  Before you can proceed with any shopping or product research, you should know the chemistry of your water, what is in it and what you want to change or remove to make it suitable for your needs.  A viable water treatment company will offer this service.  Some do it at no charge as a part of their service,  making sure they are offering you the right piece of equipment for your water chemistry.  Others will charge and credit off  the testing fees if you purchase product from them.  Water districts are required to publish detailed water quality reports for the public.  They are readily available on the internet for your review.

It is imperative you know what you want to do with your water.  Are you unhappy with the taste? Is your water leaving water spots on your plumbing fixtures and sinks?  Do you have health concerns? Is it all of the above?

Taste:
Taste of the water is very subjective and many factors effect the taste of your water.  Minerals, contaminants, chemicals all influence how your water is going to taste. 

Minerals:

High mineral content can cause water to taste very heavy.  Depending on the specific minerals in your water,  the taste will vary as well. Heavier concentrations such as iron can cause your water to taste extremely objectionable.  Many consultants or sales people will suggest you to leave minerals in the water as they are essential for your diet and nutrition while others will tell you you get more nutritional benefits from eating one baked potato compared to drinking a bathtub full of tap water. It is a known fact minerals in a solid state coming from foods you eat such as vegetables  that are digested and absorbed into your body are more beneficial than minerals dissolved in water.  Here is a perfect example of this: Our Chief Engineer recently had surgery and had a small portion of his small intestine removed.  He was unable to eat for several days and was fed intravenously.  He started showing symptoms which were indicative of low potassium.  Testing confirmed this and the head nurse was ordered to add potassium to his I.V.  After 3 bags of sugar water and potassium,  his level had not increased.  With his knowledge of mineral absorption, our Chief Engineer asked to speak to a Pharmacist.  Upon the Pharmacists arrival, it was agreed that it would be acceptable to put a potassium pill under his tongue so it would be absorbed sublingually in to his system.  His potassium level was up to normal within 15 minutes.  The discussion between him and the Pharmacist concluded only 5-10% of dissolved minerals will benefit the patient where as solid minerals dissolved naturally will offer 90% plus.  The theory:  You will be much better off removing minerals from water in order to remove harmful contaminants and compounds during the process of water purification.  They can always be added back in or supplemented in your diet. 

Mineral content in water is measured by Total Dissolved Solids or TDS.  It is typically measured in parts per million (ppm) but can be referenced in milligrams per liter as well (mg/l).  While other compounds, elements and contaminants can be  picked up in this measurement, it is a good indicator of your overall mineral content.
Your water should be tested for specific minerals as well that can affect taste and scaling.  Such minerals should include iron, calcium and magnesium.

Excellent article published on how minerals affect the water supply.

Water runoff carrying contaminants

Chemicals and contaminants in your water:
Rain falls to the earth in its purest form.  As it travels and ultimately ends at your tap, have you ever imagined what the water has come into contact with on its way to your home?  Boat exhaust, contaminant run-off, animal waste run-off, waste from fish and other living organisms within the water, poorly managed industrial wastes.  The list goes on and on.   With that being said, most municipalities do a pretty good job processing the water from rivers, lakes and reservoirs so it meets the EPA standards for drinking water. The major culprit causing bad taste from chemicals in municipal water treatment is chlorine added to the water supply for disinfection purposes.  Here again, if you choose to go one step further and continue treating your water for bad taste and improving your overall health benefits by removing chemicals and contaminants, there are several water treatment options to choose from as you will see below.  Because chlorine is an actual gas, many municipal water supplies will add ammonia to chlorine which is called chloramine.  Th chemical will not evaporate as readily as chlorine.  Fluoride has also been added to the water supplies for teeth and cavity prevention.  I urge you to research fluoride and make your own decision as to whether you want it in your water.  Fluoride, like radiation,  has a cumulative effect.  It has not been in our water supply long enough to determine the benefits vs. possible side effects to your health.  Recently, there has been a lot of concern about organic compounds in water as well.  These can range from insecticides to gasoline by- products.  Again,  having your water tested or analyzed and knowing what is in your water before you start shopping will help you make a decision on what type of water treatment you are comfortable with.

Informative article on types of water pollution

Water spots and scale prevention. 

Water Spots

Calcium and magnesium are mainly responsible for most of the water spots on your plumbing fixtures and glasses.  They can cause scale build-up in plumbing as well.  Because of the physical properties of these minerals, they are able to attach themselves to the inside of pipes and fixtures.  As the water evaporates on your glassware and shower doors, they stay behind and leave those dreaded water spots that can sometimes be difficult to remove.  This dilemma is called water hardness.  Hardness is typically measured in grains per gallon.  To simplify this measurement,  take a look at an aspirin tablet.  It is 5 grains.  If your water hardness reading is 20 grains per gallon, you have 4 aspirin tablets of calcium and magnesium dissolved in every gallon of water that passes though your pipes, laundry and dishwasher.   Needless to say,  it does not take much for water spots or scale build up to occur.  The Water Quality Association states that anything over 2 grains per gallon is considered to be hard water.  In the areas where I live, the municipal water is between 17 and 22 grains per gallon.  I have seen wells in our area where the hardness is over 60 grains per gallon.  These poor people have commented they feel like they are "showering with rocks" the water is so hard.   The only way to eliminate or reduce water spots and scale is by the actual removal of calcium and magnesium or changing the physical properties of these elements so they are unable to attach themselves to other metals and fixtures.


What kind of water treatment system should I consider?
As I mentioned above, it all depends on what you want to do with the water.  Below are typical water treatment products and what they are capable of doing:

Point of Use Filter

There are two types of water filters or water purification systems for your home. The first is point of use. This term is used for systems that have a specific purpose at a specific location.  In most cases, these are used for water consumption including drinking water, ice cubes and drinking.  These are usually installed at the location where the water is going to be used such as a kitchen sink.  The second is a whole house water system.  These systems are designed to provide every tap in your home with treated water.  They are typically installed at your main water line coming into your home.  The water is treated before it enters your home, providing you with 100% of treated water.  You can count on spending more money for a whole house system compared to point of use.  Many homeowners choose both systems.  A water conditioner, filter or softener is installed at the main water line, then a more sophisticated point of use system is installed at the kitchen sink to further treat the water for consumption and cooking.  That is what I have in my home.  


Water Filters:

Whole House Conditioner

A good water filter will have a combination of filtration to remove sediment and turbidity along with a carbon style filter to remove chlorine, organics and chemicals.  The most important thing to consider is contact time on the carbon.  Make sure you purchase a carbon based filter that is large enough to come in contact with every molecule of water.  If the filter is too small, the water will pass through it a too high rate of speed and be totally ineffective.  These filters are typically two stage.  The first being a simple filter to remove sediment and second is carbon filtration.  Have you ever went to a restaurant where the water tastes really good and you wonder what kind of filters they are using?  You can bet a good quality two stage sediment and carbon filter is installed at all of their water stations and bar guns.  Remember, coffee, juices and beverages are 98% water.  Having good tasting water can really make or break a good cup of coffee.  Beware of water companies that exaggerate the term coconut shell carbon.  They lead you to believe this is the best thing going.  Many use the term coconut shell because it sounds earthy and organic.  Coconut shell is effective, but, in reality, it is one of the least expensive types of carbon.  There are other forms of carbon that do a much better job in the removal of organics, chemicals and contaminants.  If you are looking for fluoride removal,  coconut shell is not a recommended carbon.  It is very important carbon filters be replaced regularly

Remember, carbon removes chlorine and it is a harboring area for bacteria.  Good carbon filters are very effective, but can be a nightmare with bacteria if they are not serviced properly.   These systems can be purchased as point of use or whole house.  Keep in mind the systems need to be purchased based on the size of your home, the size of your plumbing and the size of your family.  An improperly sized system can be 100% ineffective in water filtration.

Link to technical information on carbon

Reverse Osmosis

Point of Use Reverse Osmosis

Reverse Osmosis is very popular in water purification.  This process is used in many water treatment applications from residential  to very sensitive laboratory grade water.  Reverse osmosis filters for your home are offered from three stages all the way up to 12.  Most of the time, homeowners use this process as point of use.  There are others who put large whole house systems and have purified water at every tap. Regardless of size, they can be engineered to take everything out of the water, providing you with distilled water quality.  Others can be designed to remove everything from the water, then add trace minerals back into the water.  The water can be made alkaline or acidic.  Ultra violet disinfection can be added as one of the stages as well. Reverse osmosis is actually a water purification process. These systems use water to make water.  Make sure when you are considering a reverse osmosis system you check out the specifications.  Many of the discount warehouse systems are less expensive but waste a lot of water.  A good reverse osmosis system will use one gallon of water for every gallon of water they produce. This is called a product to waste ratio.  The less expensive units will have a product to waste ration of one gallon of product to 4 or 5 gallons to waste.  With the concerns over water conservation, these systems should not even be considered.  The waste water from reverse osmosis can be reclaimed and used for watering plants, gardens, etc.   Another specification is how much water will the reverse osmosis system produce.  These systems can be built to make anywhere from eight gallons per day for point of use to thousands of gallons per day for whole house systems or commercial applications.
More information on reverse osmosis process

Technical overview on reverse osmosis

Whole House Water Conditioners
These systems are typically designed to to multiple functions.  They usually contain carbon. The term coconut shell carbon applies here as well.  It is widely used as an earth friendly, organic compound.  It has been around for years so don't  be fooled.  It works, but there are other forms of carbon that is much more effective.  It is one of the cheapest forms of carbon on the market today. These systems are larger than the typical water filter.   Since these are whole house water conditioners, more contact time is needed on the carbon so more carbon is needed.  Some of these whole house systems contain a very expensive but very effective media called KDF.  This media is well known for heavy metal removal, chlorine removal, reduction of water hardness and anti-microbial (prevents bacteria growth).

Most whole house water conditioners claim they prevent scale as well, thus the term multiple function.  Some of these scale prevention devices are gimmicky and poorly constructed without any proof of effectiveness, no testing or no patents.  You will find other companies have documentation, clinical testing, patents and references showing their devices are extremely effective.   Beware of companies that use giant magnets or special tubes in their equipment.  Magnets cannot work alone.  They typically work well with in a process combined with a slight pressure drop which causes the hardness minerals to begin microscopic crystallization,  the water then passes through a catalyst (very similar to a catalytic converter in a car) and finally over a strong magnetic field which holds the hardness crystals in a suspended state for a period of time.  This process does not remove hardness minerals, but prevents them from attaching to plumbing and fixtures.  It is also effective in the spotting of glassware as the minerals to not attach themselves and is easily rinsed or wiped off.  These systems are effective in water hardness that is 25 grains per gallon or less and temperature does not exceed 130 F.  For that reason, they work well in residential applications, but are not recommended in commercial locations where high water temperature is required for sanitary reasons.    It is not classified as soft water.     

Beware of the following:

Magnets Zip Tied on Pipe

Some companies promote their magnets are the biggest in the industry.  Don't be fooled. Smaller neodymium magnets are much more powerful and effective.  These magnets are more expensive so the trend is to use larger, less expensive magnets promoting bigger is better.  Not in this case.  Remember, magnets do not work alone and must be combined with a catalytic process for them to have any effect on the water chemistry.

Other companies offer  Bio Tubes.  These tubes are made of PVC pipe, filled with a small copper wire and sand.  They are about 1.5" in diameter and 36" long.  The tube is dropped  into the water conditioner's media tank and claim this tube changes the chemistry of the water.  I have not seen any testing or proof these systems change the water in any way.

Some companies make claims their whole house system uses less water than a traditional water softeners.  Here is the reality: A residential water softener that regenerates once a week will cycle for about 90 minutes in the middle of the night. Flow restrictors have been installed on the drain line so the majority of the cycle is a slow process.  The typical water use through this cycle is 50 gallons. A whole house water conditioner requires a backwash / rinse once a week.  These systems will cycle for 15-20 minutes once a week.   Sounds like the water softener will use a lot more water doesn't it?  Not true. Truly effective whole house water conditioners have to be backwashed at a higher flow rate because of the activated carbon used in the system.  Whole house water conditioners or filters can use up to 100 gallons for a 20 minute cycle compared to 50 gallons of water for a traditional water softener.

Some companies will use a combination of KDF and carbon in their water conditioners.  Make certain the water process flows through the KDF first then the carbon.  You will find most whole house water conditioners have improper flow rates and the water passes over the carbon first, then KDF.  This is because KDF is heavier than carbon and settles at the bottom of the conditioner tank.   An up flow water conditioner is best suited for this combination, compared to the traditional down flow carbon treatment.

KDF Media

Very effective whole house water conditioners with KDF and anti-scaling devices are available that use no water, salt, chemicals or electricity (no backwashing is required).  KDF is anti-microbial so backwashing is not necessary.  KDF is also very heavy and for this reason back washing is not possible.  Most water conditioning companies will not use KDF alone as it very expensive media.  Retail price for coconut shell carbon sells for approximately $150 a cubic ft.  Compare this to KDF which can retail for close to $3000 a cubic ft.

Link to the KDF Manufacturer's website

Link to all KDF Water Conditioner


Water Softeners

Traditional Water Softener

The good old traditional water softener is very effective in doing one thing.  Removing calcium and magnesium from the water.  It is done through an ionic exchange process.  As hard water is passed through the water softener, the hardness minerals are retained and exchanged with sodium.  Do put it in simple terms.  For every calcium and magnesium ion that are removed from the water,  equal amounts of sodium are put back into the water.  The benefit is water spotting is reduced to a minimum, laundry is benefited and scaling is reduced as well.  Some people like the "silky feeling" soft water offers in the bath or shower.  Others do not like the "slimy feeling" because it feels like they cant get the soap off.  Whatever is your preferred way to describe the feeling, this is called from increased salt in your water as it comes in contact with the oils on the surface of your skin. (lanolin) You will not get this feeling with naturally soft water (rainwater for example).  It's a subjective preference to say the least.

Water softeners require more maintenance than a water conditioner. They need to be regenerated with sodium chloride or potassium chloride.  Salt Pellets sell for about $5.00 per bag compared to Potassium at close to $25.00 a bag.  If you choose a traditional water softener, there is no real benefit from Potassium use.  You get a similar end product of soft water.  Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride are both salts.  If you feel better spending an additional $20.00 per bag for the name Potassium before the word Chloride, its your call.

More information on the water softening process

Things to consider before purchasing a water softener.
1. Is anyone in your household on a low sodium (salt) diet?  Since water softeners add salt into the water it is recommended you consult your doctor before purchasing a softener.
2. Are you on a septic tank?  The term septic says it all.  Your septic tank requires bacteria for the breakdown of solid waste.  Concentrated salts used during the regeneration of a water softener could be detrimental to the biological environmental needs of a septic system.
3. Are you on municipal sewer?  Many municipalities have restrictions against traditional water softeners. Consult with a viable water conditioning dealer or your local municipal code enforcement department in your city offices. Some states have also put bans on water softeners as well.
4.  Many people find the taste of a water softener objectionable because of the added sodium. Again, this is subjective, but make sure it is not an issue within your household.  I have had complaints from customers commenting they could not even brush their teeth in soft water.

See our blog on water conditioners vs. water softeners

Before buying any kind of water system:


l. Make sure you are buying a system from a viable company.  Many so-called dealers work from a post office box and subcontract with outside sources for installation and service. Once the product is sold,  you may never hear from them again or when you call them you always get an answering machine.  Find a company that has an actual physical address, service and installation department and offers technical support as well.  If the company is local, don't be afraid to stop by and check them out.  You may be pleasantly surprised, hopefully, not very disappointed.

2. Ask for references.  Many companies offer testimonials which are okay but they can be skewed.  If the company you are dealing with has confidence in their products and services, they will be happy to offer references for personal contact.  I have found using email addresses as a very effective means of providing references and keeping my customers private.  Go to Google and type in the name of the company you are considering and type in their name and the word reviews.

3. While you are on the internet, check to see if they have a website.  Look under contact us and see if they are hiding behind a P.O. box or do they offer a real physical address here as well.  It will give you a real indication of what kind of company you may be dealing with.   Purchasing these type of products over the internet can be difficult.  It is imperative you purchase from a company with technical support and true knowledge of the water conditioning industry.  This purchase is not the shopping for shoes for the best price.
Finding a business with knowledge of water chemistry, water treatment products and customer needs are a very important factor when shopping for water treatment systems. 

Not always the best way.

4. Big name companies and discount  warehouses are not always better. Some of the larger well known water conditioning companies have gotten out of the actual manufacturing of water systems and are purchasing inexpensive systems from out of the country and putting their name on them.  Keep in mind that buying systems or components that are not manufactured or assembled in the united states are made with the cheapest materials and labor available.  The quality of your product will definitely be compromised. 

5. A salesman wants to come to my home is that okay? 
Salespeople are making a living like everyone else. Some of the high priced, high pressure companies remind you of buying an automobile.  A car salesperson does not want you to leave the dealership because he or she knows once you do, the odds of you coming back are slim. The same goes for a sales person that comes to your home.  They may try to sell you a system at retail and end up offering big discounts before they leave.  These typical sales people get paid on commission only and are paid well for what they sell.  They work off leads from direct mail coupons, home shows and other forms of lead procurement and solicitation.  Most of them know very little about the industry, water chemistry and water needs.  They are familiar with their product and its claims. Companies that use these type of sales methods do not offer a whole lot of products and very little service.  Maybe a free check up after the installation.   If spend some time looking, you will find a "water nerd" out there that sincerely wants to help you.  They will offer just about any type of water treatment you are looking for and offer guidance as well.  These type of companies are usually very concerned about their reputation and work mainly off referrals or leads produced directly from inquiries from customers who are researching water treatment products because they are in need of some type of water system.

Hopefully you can use this article this article to help you make the right decision on your water treatment needs.  If you have any questions relating water treatment, water chemistry or water products please feel free to email me with any questions or concerns. 

Good luck on your research and shopping!

How does Reverse Osmosis Work?

In order to better understand the term Reverse Osmosis, let’s start out by defining Osmosis. Osmosis is produced by nature and  membrane technology by the passing of one solvent  with low concentration through a semi-permeable membrane into a solvent of  higher concentrate in attempt to balance or dilute the more concentrated side.

Typical Reverse Osmosis Membrane

There are different types of membranes.  Some are impermeable which means nothing  will pass through them.  Take Saran Wrap for example.  This is an impermeable membrane, nothing can get through it.   The other type of membrane  is semi permeable which means some atoms or molecules will pass through it.  One of the best examples of semi permeable membranes are in our own body, the lining of your intestines or cell walls. Osmosis occurs when a semi permeable membrane is placed between two levels of liquids that have different concentrates.  The liquid with the lower concentrate will seek out the higher concentrate in an attempt to equalize them.   This phenomenon frequently occurs naturally in animal life and vegetation.   This is why drinking salt water can literally kill you.  Drinking salt water at a high concentrate will cause your stomach wall to draw water through its membrane walls from your body in attempt to equalize or dilute the concentrate.  This could result in severe dehydration and ultimately death. 

In Reverse Osmosis, pressure is exerted on the concentrated side to force the water molecules through the membrane to the pure water side.   This is the opposite of Osmosis, thus the term Reverse Osmosis.

In water purification, Reverse Osmosis is commonly used  in residential and commercial applications.  Private boats all the way up to large ships use Reverse Osmosis for desalination of sea water as well.   Reverse Osmosis can also be used to purify other liquids with undesirable purity.

Many Sizes of Reverse Osmosis For Many Applications

For more information on Reverse Osmosis and Water Purification:
visit Vibrant Water Engineering

See our video of products and services.

Salt Free Water Conditioners

Aquafer Salt Free System

Salt Free Water Conditioners


QUESTION: What is a Salt Free Water Conditioner?


ANSWER:
A. It prevents the formation of hard water scale in water heaters and pipes.
B. It will stop the formation of hard water scale on shower doors and fixtures
C. It will prevent hard water "bathtub ring" and allow the use of less soap and detergent.
D. It removes chlorine  from the water to improve taste, odor and the unhealthy effects of chlorine.
D. Heavy metals such as lead are significantly reduced.

QUESTION: Does a regular softener use a lot of salt?

ANSWER: It depends on the hardness of the water and also the number of people in the home. Based on averages the savings would be over 700 pounds of salt a year. That's $75-$100 a year or almost a $1,000 over the 10 year life of a softener. Not to mention the inconvenience of of putting salt in the salt cabinet.

QUESTION: Are there other advantages of the salt free water conditioner?

ANSWER. Eco Friendly Salt Free Water Conditioners NEVER regenerate so there is no water discharged to the drain.

QUESTION: Do water softeners waste a lot of water?

ANSWER: It depends on the water hardness, softener design, and the family size. But the average would be about 7500 gallons a year.  That's  about 2500 extra flushes of the toilet a year.

QUESTION: It sounds like the salt free water conditioner is very friendly to the environment. Is this true?

ANSWER: Yes it is. Also in many parts of there are restrictions that make it illegal to discharge salt into municipal sewers. Salt raises the dissolved solids content of the water making it more difficult to treat at the waste water plants.

QUESTION: Are there even more advantages with a salt free system?

ANSWER: Yes there are. The unit has no valve mechanism and thus no need for electricity. Though the cost of electricity is quite low for most softeners, the cost of installation is often lowered because no outlet is needed. With no valve, there are no moving parts so service is eliminated.


QUESTION: Is carbon required to remove chlorine from my water?   Won't there be a need to replace the Carbon?

ANSWER: In the more effective, eco friendly water conditioners, carbon is not used.  A special material that will last for millions of gallons called KDF.  KDF is an extremely expensive media.  Many manufactures find it cost prohibitive to use KDF.  Carbon is inexpensive compared to KDF so it is used.   Expected life of KDF is over twelve years of normal use for a family of four.  Carbon replacement for a similar sized family is every two years.


QUESTION: How does the the Aquafer Salt Free System work?

ANSWER: The scale prevention process is quite easy. We use a patented combination of a slight temporary pressure drop,  a catalytic process (similar to the catalytic converter in a car) and final magnetic chamber.  This patented process changes the calcium (hardness) of the water from a dissolved material to sub microscopic particles that wash through the plumbing system without being able to attach themselves to the pipes or water heater. In this form they will not react with soaps or detergents either.  This patented proven process has published clinical testing with very impressive results.

Aquafer Installation with Fluoride Filter Added

QUESTION: Will the water test soft in the Aquafer?

ANSWER: No. Soft Water Test kits show the levels of calcium and magnesium removed from the water and they don't show the amount of salt that is added back into the water.  Since the calcium ions are not removed but changed, these kits are of no value.

QUESTION: I thought all equipment had to have a valve. Why not the Aquafer?

ANSWER: The Aquafer has a constant upward flow path that keeps the filter media always moving and not packing down or channeling.  Other whole house systems with carbon require back washing.  They are a downflow water path and are harboring areas for bacteria which require backwashing.   Aquafer Water Systems have KDF which is bacteriostatic which inhibits bacteria growth.

QUESTION: Can the Aquafer be used on all water supplies.

ANSWER: Before you purchase any water conditioner, you must know something of the chemistry of the water. In particular, the Calcium hardness, total alkalinity, and pH. From this we can establish the Langelier's index and apply it to our lab test data. We estimate that about 85% of all municipal water supplies can be treated with the above process.   If on a private well, we would encourage a test or an evaluation of existing test data.

QUESTION: Am I correct in summarizing by saying that the Aquafer uses no chemicals, has no valve, has no moving parts uses no electricity, discharges no water to drain, will prevent the problems of hard water and will stop chlorine taste and odor for up to 15 years?


ANSWER: Yes.


QUESTION: Is there anything special about the water from the Aquafer compared to water that has gone through a regular salt using softener?

ANSWER: Yes. First, there will not be the slippery feel on your skin when you shower or bathe. This "feel" comes from the sodium reacting with your body oils. Secondly, we add nothing to the water such as sodium mentioned previously. This could be important to someone on a low sodium diet.  A water softener only removes calcium and magnesium from the water and replaces these elements with salt.  You are taking things out of the water that are good for you and putting something in the water that could possibly contribute to health related issues for people that are on low sodium diets.  In addition to scale prevention, the Aquafer treats your water for heavy metals, chlorine, taste and odors and bacteria prevention.

QUESTION: Any other special things about the water from an Aquafer?

ANSWER: There is an unusual phenomenon that takes place. The surface tension of the water is reduced. This is often referred to as making the water "wetter or thinner". It simply means that the water can penetrate a plant more effectively and deeper so that the plants are more easily hydrated making them hardy and grow better. Watering plants with a standard salt type softener is not recommended.  That water is actually harmful to plants.

QUESTION: Is this all brand new technology, or has there been some experience in actual use?

ANSWER: We have employed pressure drop, catalytic and magnetic processes for the Aquafer since 1994. We have also used the KDF filter material for that period of time. We have over 3800 units placed worldwide in the first 15 years.

QUESTION: Has the performance been reliable?

ANSWER: Yes. We have had fewer than 1% field problems and without exception,  they resulted from situations where Aquafers were placed on water supplies that were outside of the limits that we have established through testing. Again, we strongly advise that we be consulted if there are any questions on the water.


QUESTION: Are there any general guidelines that can be used on the water chemistry where the use of the Aquafer would be O.K.?

ANSWER: We are a high tech firm and dislike to generalize, but Aquafers are usually safe on hardness up to 25 grains, pH of 7.5 or less, and a visibly clear water. This as stated before, would include about 85% of municipal water supplies.

For more information, go to Vibrant Water Engineering's website and check out the Aquafer Salt Free Water Conditioner

 

Well Water Filtration

There are several important factors to consider when preparing to filter the water from your well. Here are a few things to think about before purchasing any water filter device:

1. There are no wells that are the same. No single water treatment device or filter will treat every type of well. A viable water treatment company will offer many different types of well water filters to suit your specific needs.  IN MANY CASES, YOU WILL FIND A DEALER WILL OFFER THE SAME PRODUCTS FOR MUNICIPAL WATER AND WELL WATER SUPPLIES.  BEWARE THEIR KNOWLEDGE AND PRODUCTS ARE GOING TO BE VERY LIMITED.

2. Well Water Testing. Get a sample of your well water right from the source. Have your well water tested thoroughly by qualified well water testing engineer.

Variable Media Maxi-Cure Well Water Filter

 
Well Water Test results should include:

    A. Initial observation of any odor (rotten egg smell)

    B. Total Hardness (gpg)

    C. Sodium Content (ppm)

    D. Iron (ppm) 

    E. pH

    F. Alkalinity 

    G. Chloride (ppm) 

    H. TDS (ppm) 

    I. Oil 

    J. Bacterial Iron

    K. Langelier Satisfaction Index 

    L. Nitrate (ppm) 

    M. Color and Clarity    

3.Your well water quality may not be consistent. Typically, a shallow well will display inconsistent readings throughout the year depending on rainfall amounts, surface water runoff etc. When considering a well water filter, it is highly, recommended taking the depth of your well into consideration and what type of industry is around you (dairy, farms, creeks, etc.) If it is shallow (less than 100 ft) or there are areas with livestock (nitrate contamination) it is recommended to use a well water filter that will take care of any of these issues that could possibly develop.  This will assure you of excellent quality water coming into your home year round. If you are on a large piece of property, your well may be fine for irrigation, but may require a well water filter for your home or livestock. 

5. Have your water engineer provide you with well water test results and recommend a well water filter that will meet your specific needs. Remember, every well is different and you need to be certain the well water filter will remedy your requirements and it's not simply a "water conditioner" that will cure everything. A knowledgeable well water technician is essential in making recommendations for well water.

For more information on well water treatment, visit our website at:

www.vibranth2o.com

Water Conditioners vs. Water Softeners

Water Conditioners vs. Water Softeners
Hard water is the calcium and magnesium in your  water which is responsible for scale build up, water spots, premature failure of appliances and plumbing fixtures. How do I know how hard my water is?
Here is an easy way to explain the measurement of water hardness:
Hard Water is measured in grains per gallon.
Let’s say your water has 20 grains per gallon of water hardness.  This is a very average measurement found throughout the United States. The volume measurement of an Aspirin Tablet is 5 grains.   Instead of Aspirin,  replace it with calcium and magnesium.   Since your water has 20 grains per gallon of hardness, this is the equivalent of 4 for tablets of calcium and magnesium the size of an Aspirin tablet dissolved in every gallon of water that comes into your home or business.   Water with a hardness of 2 grains per gallon or more is considered “Hard Water”

Traditional Mechanical Water Softener

Detailed information about Water Softeners:
Water softeners mechanically soften the water by exchanging the hardness minerals (calcium and magnesium) with sodium.  This process has been around since the early 1900s.  Inside all water softeners is a petroleum based product called resin.  As your water passes over these tiny resin beads, calcium and magnesium ions are removed from the water in exchange for sodium ions.   Depending on the hardness of your water, these resin beads will soften a pre determined amount of water before being exhausted.   Once this occurs, the water softener must regenerate and bring more salt to rejuvenate the resin.  During this cycle, the exchange process is reversed. The water softener draws a very strong salt solution into the resin bed.  The resin then releases the hardness minerals and retains the sodium for the softening.  The hardness minerals that were taken from the water are then sent down the drain along with residual salt.  The process of regeneration typically occurs about once a week for a family of 4.  On an average 50 gallons of water is sent to the drain during this process.   These types of mechanical water softeners are called Automatic Water Softeners.

Exchange Tank Softener

Exchange Tank Water Softeners: 
Many states, municipalities and counties have banned automatic water softeners.   Since waste water is now being reclaimed for irrigation, the brine discharge is not wanted in their sewer systems.Water Conditioning dealers have been given Discharge Permits to do this process at their plants. Exchange tanks are dropped off at customer’s homes or businesses and their exhausted tanks are returned to their plant for regeneration.   Truckloads of exchange tanks are returned to their plant.  All of the exhausted resin from these tanks are dumped into one large vat where a strong brine solution is rinsed over the resin.   The salt solution is then rinsed and the empty exchange tanks are refilled and returned to another customer for softening their water.
 
There are major considerations in this type of water softening:  Exchange tanks come from many different areas with different types of water quality, different business applications and homes.  As previously mentioned, the resin is dumped into large vats for regeneration. You as a consumer have no control over where the resin you are now using has been before coming to your location.   In addition, there can be a marked increase of heavy metals in the product water from the use of galvanized metal, zinc and brass from the exchange tank itself.   There are no regulations regarding the construction and quality control over exchange tanks.

Salt used for exchange tank water softeners: 
The salt which is used for the regeneration process is produced from ocean water or salt mines.  This salt is taken directly from the production facility and trucked to the dealer.  There are no regulations on the quality of the salt used to regenerate exchange tanks.   Something to consider when these exchange tanks are connected to your water supply and they have been regenerated with un-treated salt. 

Aesthetics of Mechanical Water Softeners:
Based on your personal preference, water that has been mechanically softened with salt will feel slippery, silky or slimy when washing with soap.  Some people like it and others do not because it feels like they cannot get the soap completely off.   Customers are told that silky, slimy, feeling are the natural oils they feel.  This is not true.  It is excess salt coming in contact with the lanolin which is a protective layer for your skin.  Salt is used in many detergents, liquid soaps as a filler because it increases the foamy, sudsy appearance which is more desirable to the consumer, but not necessarily the most beneficial.   If you look at the ocean as wave breaks, you will see white foam from the high salt concentration and oils from bacteria and other ocean life in the water.  Mechanical Water Softeners will prevent scale build up in water heaters by removing hardness.  The sodium from softened water will combine with soaps and limit bathtub ring, allows better results with laundry and dish washing.   Most laundry and dish washing soaps contain a lot of sodium.   Sodium causes the suds, but soap suds do not clean.  Salt softened water can cause spots depending the amount of sodium in water.    A common complaint of soft water is the etching of glassware in dishwashers.  This is caused by too much soap (with added salt filler) combined with soft water (added salt to the water).

Salt is very corrosive.  Mechanical Water Softeners use the same salt that is used on icy roads.  That salt is extremely corrosive to the undercarriage of vehicles, it literally destroys them.   Ocean going boats and homes located near the ocean require constant service just to keep the corrosiveness of salt under control.  Many consumers with galvanized pipes have discovered after purchasing a salt based water softener to prevent scale build up came up with leaks in their plumbing due to corrosiveness of salt. Homeowners with mechanically softened water will find they go through more water heaters because of the corrosive effect of salt on the tank and heating element.   Swimming pools and spas should never have mechanically softened water.  Homes with septic tanks should never have automatic water softeners due to the damaging properties salt has to the bacteria which breaks down waste.

Aquafer Water Conditioners or Whole House Water Filters:
With the concern over water waste, electrical use,  salt and chemicals, many consumers are considering whole house water conditioners over mechanical water softeners.   Water conditioners like the Vibrant Aquafer System do a multitude of processes to treat your water.   

Aquafer Water Conditioner

How a typical Aquafer Water Conditioner process works:
The untreated water enters the conditioner.  From there, the water is processed through a scale prevention device which renders the hardness minerals harmless for up to 72 hours.  This is done by producing a slight pressure drop in a chamber.  The water then passes through a catalyst which further enhances the process.  From there it passes over a strong magnetic field which forces the hardness minerals to be held in suspension for 72 hours.  During this time, water hardness minerals are unable to attach themselves to any plumbing, appliances or fixtures.  The next step is the passing of the water through a media called KDF which removes harmful chlorine, bad tastes, heavy metals and prevents bacteria growth in the water.    The result is water that has been treated for many purposes, scale prevention, much improved water quality for bathing, consumption and general cleaning use.

Conditioned water will tend to sheet.  If the water is left to dry, it will leave a residual behind.  The advantage is it will wipe clean very easily without the use of any chemicals or scrubbing.  There are fewer suds with a water conditioner because there is no salt added to the water.   You should not use more soap to get more suds.  Clothes will get cleaner without excess soap.  Your laundry and dishes will rinse off and dry easier.    In your shower, the water soap rinses of easily and quickly and cleaner.   Just like mechanically softened water, you will still need to clean our kitchen surfaces and toilets.

Water Softener or Water Conditioner? 
A true whole house water conditioner will remove sediment, chlorine, chemicals and will treat the water hardness in a way it will be unable to form scale with glass or metal.  A mechanical water softener does not treat the water for anything but hardness. Mechanically softened water requires continued maintenance of the dumping of salt and monitoring of equipment for performance of valve and meters.  Expected annual cost for salt for a family of 4 would be:  $120.00

Water Conditioners such as the Aquafer will provide consumers with approximately 2,000,000 gallons of conditioned maintenance free water.  Equivalent to 18 years.

Both systems are effective when it comes to treating hard water issues.   They will produce water that feels different.   Conditioned water by such products as the Vibrant Aquafer feels like water that has been softened naturally, similar to spring water.   Mechanically softened water will feel slippery or silky because of the added salt in the water.

When it comes to making a final decision on water softener vs. water conditioner, consider the following:
What results do I want with your treated water?
Do you want more than just soft water?
How do I want my product water to feel?
Am I concerned over the ecological effects of mechanically softened water?
Will my location work with a water softener?  Do I have a water supply, drain and electricity available?
Are there restrictions against water softeners in my area?
Do I want to improve the taste of my water?
Am I willing to properly maintain my system or would I prefer maintenance free?

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Commercial Water Softeners

 Commercial Water Softeners

The Commercial Water Softening process is primarily designed to remove calcium ions from the water. The calcium hardness of the water causes scaling in heaters and pipes, soap scum on dishes as well as laundry, and creates unwanted precipitates in many water based products. In addition, calcium removal water softeners will remove magnesium, ferrous iron, and traces of metals such as copper, aluminum, zinc and radium. During the removal process, these ions are exchanged with sodium if sodium chloride (salt) is used and potassium if potassium chloride is used. By their nature, neither sodium or potassium will cause scaling or interfere with soap or detergents. When a water softener is regenerated, there are normally four steps used; backwash, brine draw, slow rinse, and rapid rinse. The backwash discharge is chemically the same as raw water. The brine draw and slow rinse steps contain the ions removed during the softening process, plus some sodium or potassium which are high in chlorides. The final rapid rinse is softened water.
Full knowledge of the chemistry of the water to be softened as well as the application of the softened water (laundry, water heaters, boiler feed, process water, condensate polishing, etc) enables us to fine tune the design for maximum salt use efficiency, minimum pressure drop, minimum regeneration waste water discharge, and lowest capital cost.

Custom units utilizing special meter controls, brine water diversion valves, high flow resins, high kinetic resins, mixed media and special tank construction are the specialty of Vibrant Water Engineering. We have supplied soft water for boilers, car washes, hospitals, laboratories, laundries, food processors, chemical manufacturers, cosmetic firms, farms, and paper processors to name a few. 

 For more information on commerical water softeners click here to visit our website