Hydrotech 2510 Valve Chemical Free Iron Filter Operation Manual - Manual (Page 3)

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Section 2: Before Installation
INSPECTION AND HANDLING YOUR CHEMICAL FREE IRON FILTER
Inspect the equipment for any visible shipping damage. If damaged, notify the transportation company and request a
damage inspection. Damage to cartons should also be noted.
Handle the filter unit with care. Damage can result if dropped or if set on sharp, uneven projections on the floor. Do not
turn the filter unit upside down. NOTE: If a severe loss in water pressure is observed when the filter unit is initially placed
in service, the filter tank may have been laid on its side during transit. If this occurs, backwash the filter to “reclassify” the
media (see Sec. 3, Step 11).
IRON (Fe)
Iron concentrations as low as 0.3 ppm will cause staining. The iron concentration, together with the flow rate demand
and the consumption rate of the water determines the basic size filter system. The higher these factors are, the larger
the required system. The Filter system is capable of filtering out the three main types of iron found in water supplies:
Soluble iron (also known as “clear water” or ferrous iron), precipitated iron (also known as “red water” or ferric iron) and
bacterial iron (also known as iron bacteria). There is no apparent upper limit of iron concentration for the filter, but spe-
cial care must be taken when selecting a filter model if your water has a combination of high iron, very low pH and/or
manganese.
MANGANESE (Mn)
The presence of manganese can be bothersome, even for a chemical free iron filter. As little as 0.05 ppm of manganese
can produce a brownish or black stain. The ability of the filter to remove manganese depends on its concentration and
the pH of the water.
Manganese tends to “coat” the filter media, rendering it incapable of increasing the pH, and therefore ineffective in
removing either the iron or the manganese. Manganese, however, will precipitate in the filter bed when the pH is
increased. To accomplish this a special “M” type media can be provided that contains additional quantities of the pH rais-
ing component (“MpH adder”). The use of “M” type media is for applications where the manganese is not more than 1.5
ppm, and the pH is 6.0 or higher (when the pH is below 5.0, the media should contain even greater amounts of MpH —
consult your dealer).
pH
The pH of water measures its acidity or its alkalinity. Water with a pH of less than 7.0 is acidic, above 7.0 it is alkaline,
and a pH of 7.0 is neutral. The lower the pH value is below 7.0 the greater the acidity, and the higher the pH value is
above 7.0 the more alkaline. Acidic water (pH less than 7.0) is corrosive to pipes, appliances, etc. A pH of 7.0 or higher
facilitates iron removal — which is why the filter is designed to increase the pH when it is less than 7.0.
The pH increasing component of the media is “sacrificial,” that is, it slowly dissolves during the process of increasing pH.
The rate this occurs is proportional to the pH increase and the water consumption rate (i.e., the greater the pH increase
and water consumption, the greater the sacrificial rate). Thus, when the pH is increased to 8.2 or more as is necessary
when manganese is present, the sacrificial rate is even greater. Under the most severe conditions, the MpH component
of the media may have been replenished two to four times per year. On the other hand, if the raw water pH is 7.0 or
above and no manganese is present, the sacrificial rate is very slight.
TANNINS (Humic Acid)
Tannins (also known as humic acid) which are present in some water supplies, are the result of decaying vegetable mat-
ter. If the tannin concentration is above approximately 0.5 ppm, it will form a sticky coating on the media, thus rendering
it incapable of filtering the iron. A chemical free iron filter is not recommended under this situation. If the tannin concen-
tration is less than 0.5 ppm, a chemical free iron filter may be installed.
HYDROGEN SULFIDE (H
2
S)
Hydrogen sulfide (often referred to as “sulfur”), is easily detectable by its objectionable “rotten egg” odor. Sulfur corrodes
iron, brass, copper and silver. A chemical free iron filter is not recommended when hydrogen sulphide is the only water
problem although it is capable of removing sulfur in concentrations of up to 2 or 3 ppm. Whenever hydrogen sulfide is
present, backwashing must be performed at more frequent intervals, and the pumping system MUST include a standard
air-to-water pressure tank with an air relief valve.