 | One of the most common problems well water users face with standard water softeners is the occassional spike in iron or manganese in their well water source, which ends up plugging their water softener and decreasing performance. The Iron Eater is a specially built well water softener designed as a cost-effective and long lasting solution for home owners and commercial businesses alike that utilize ground water with hard water issues. This multipurpose system not only saves you from purchasing several systems but also prevents headaches with extra well water protection built right in! |
What is the Iron Eater, and how does it work?
The key to our Iron Eater series is the specially blended media which is designed to trap hard water minerals (calcium and magnesium) as well as iron and manganese. Basic water softeners contain a standard resin for the removal of hard water which is effective under strict operating parameters. The Iron Eater utilizes a combo featuring a finer resin than that of basic water softeners, which provides a surface area about 5x greater than standard resin. This greater surface area leads to greater effectiveness for filtration as water touches the resin more often and completely, allowing more contaminant removal. Combined with a final polishing media, the Iron Eater is productively removing multiple issues for soft, crystal clear water. This specialty resin also allows the brine to be used more effectively during regeneration so the resin cleans better and uses salt more efficiently. The Iron Eater's blended media is designed to remove hard water up to 1,881 mg/L (110 gpg), ferrous & ferric iron up to 25 mg/L, and manganese up to 2 mg/L. This system can also be customized to remove hydrogen sulfide gas up to 1 mg/L and sediment down to 3-5 microns.
Your untreated water source passes through the Iron Eater tank containing our specially blended media, trapping hard water minerals, iron, and manganese. These accumulated contaminants do not enter the outgoing water supply and they're automatically flushed away by regeneration to a nearby drain source. Regeneration is the cleaning of the media by using a small amount of brine (mixture of salt and water) from the brine tank as a rinse through the Iron Eater tank. Refreshed by regeneration, the media is again ready to remove the specific contaminants. For our Twin Iron Eater systems, two tanks are used for alternating filtration so you don't have to worry about downtime while one tank regenerates.
Regeneration typically takes place at 2am, but this can easily be changed to suit your lifestyle. The Iron Eater measures the daily water usage and statistically averages the last 7 days of consumption, ignoring very low or zero water usage. The computer on the system will determine if the Iron Eater has sufficient remaining capacity to supply the next days needs; if not it will initiate a regeneration. As water consumption changes the computer compensates and regenerates accordingly. This technical process allows the Iron Eater to utilize energy and salt most efficiently for less waste.
What makes our Iron Eater series so unique is its Dual Adjustable Backwashes. There is an initial backwash set at 10 minutes (adjustable from 1- 99 minutes in the field) that loosens the resin column and discharges any debris collected on the top of the resin bed since the last regeneration. We then draw in the brine and rinse it through the resin in a downward flow. Brine causes the resin to swell and this often causes iron collected on the outside of each resin bead to break free in fine particles. Left alone, these particles can and do remain in the softener and can accumulate, causing iron bleed through and sometimes a pressure drop. The Iron Eater, unlike virtually all other systems, has a second adjustable time backwash which is factory set at 5 minutes (and field adjustable 1 - 99 minutes) to rid the system of these particles for the ultimate in cleaning, softening, and iron removal.
Your untreated water source passes through the Iron Eater tank containing our specially blended media, trapping hard water minerals, iron, and manganese. These accumulated contaminants do not enter the outgoing water supply and they're automatically flushed away by regeneration to a nearby drain source. Regeneration is the cleaning of the media by using a small amount of brine (mixture of salt and water) from the brine tank as a rinse through the Iron Eater tank. Refreshed by regeneration, the media is again ready to remove the specific contaminants. For our Twin Iron Eater systems, two tanks are used for alternating filtration so you don't have to worry about downtime while one tank regenerates.
Regeneration typically takes place at 2am, but this can easily be changed to suit your lifestyle. The Iron Eater measures the daily water usage and statistically averages the last 7 days of consumption, ignoring very low or zero water usage. The computer on the system will determine if the Iron Eater has sufficient remaining capacity to supply the next days needs; if not it will initiate a regeneration. As water consumption changes the computer compensates and regenerates accordingly. This technical process allows the Iron Eater to utilize energy and salt most efficiently for less waste.
What makes our Iron Eater series so unique is its Dual Adjustable Backwashes. There is an initial backwash set at 10 minutes (adjustable from 1- 99 minutes in the field) that loosens the resin column and discharges any debris collected on the top of the resin bed since the last regeneration. We then draw in the brine and rinse it through the resin in a downward flow. Brine causes the resin to swell and this often causes iron collected on the outside of each resin bead to break free in fine particles. Left alone, these particles can and do remain in the softener and can accumulate, causing iron bleed through and sometimes a pressure drop. The Iron Eater, unlike virtually all other systems, has a second adjustable time backwash which is factory set at 5 minutes (and field adjustable 1 - 99 minutes) to rid the system of these particles for the ultimate in cleaning, softening, and iron removal.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What installation is involved with the Iron Eater?
A: Installation has never been easier with our pre-loaded Iron Eater tanks! On select Iron Eater systems we pre-assemble and pre-load the softening tank so as soon as you receive your system all you have to do is screw on the control valve and plumb it in. When tank components are shipped separately the customer has to assemble and fill their tank with heavy bags of media, and if something goes wrong, you have to dump the entire tank and start all over again. We leave the assembly to the experts so our customers can enjoy their new filtered water without the experience of working on a filter assembly line. For our larger commercial Iron Eater systems whose parts cannot be shipped pre-assembled, we include detailed loading instructions and can walk you through step-by-step if needed to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Q: What maintenance does the Iron Eater require?
A: The Iron Eater simply requires the user to occasionally add water softening salt pellets to the brine tank for the regeneration process. You can use standard sodium salt pellets or potassium (sodium free) pellets. The Iron Eater media is designed to last 8-10* years depending on your water chemistry and usage and is easily removed and replaced when needed. *Some applications may require a more frequent replacement interval. Note: The Iron Eater will not treat tannins, iron bacteria, sulfur reducing bacteria, colloidal iron, or organic iron.
Q: Can I still use the Iron Eater if I don't have iron?
A: Yes! Although it's cleverly dubbed the "Iron Eater", this system is designed as a high performance well water or city water softening system that provides dual treatment for hard water and any iron, manganese, rust, or suspended solids that may suddenly appear in your water, which ends up fouling water softeners not designed to handle these contaminants. For any water source, extra protection for a long lasting investment is highly recommended!
Q: If I already have a water softener, do I still need the Iron Eater to remove my iron?
A: If you're looking to add iron treatment to your existing water softener, consider our maintenance-free Iron Max system to go before your softener, not only to treat your iron problem but also to prolong the life of your existing softener. Of course, if you don't want the hassle of multiple systems, the Iron Eater is a great replacement for standard water softeners not built to handle the fluctuating chemistry of well water!
Q: I live in a salt-banned area. Does the Iron Eater have a salt-free alternative?
A: For those living in an area where salt-based water softeners are banned, consider our Iron Max-FX water conditioner and iron filtration system. Like the Iron Eater, this multipurpose system is capable of treating high levels of iron and manganese and also provides conditioning to reduce the effects of hard water scale. Unlike the Iron Eater, the Iron Max-FX will not remove your hard water minerals, which provides a great alternative for those who do not enjoy the "slimy" feeling of soft water or live in salt-banned areas.
A: Installation has never been easier with our pre-loaded Iron Eater tanks! On select Iron Eater systems we pre-assemble and pre-load the softening tank so as soon as you receive your system all you have to do is screw on the control valve and plumb it in. When tank components are shipped separately the customer has to assemble and fill their tank with heavy bags of media, and if something goes wrong, you have to dump the entire tank and start all over again. We leave the assembly to the experts so our customers can enjoy their new filtered water without the experience of working on a filter assembly line. For our larger commercial Iron Eater systems whose parts cannot be shipped pre-assembled, we include detailed loading instructions and can walk you through step-by-step if needed to ensure everything goes smoothly.
Q: What maintenance does the Iron Eater require?
A: The Iron Eater simply requires the user to occasionally add water softening salt pellets to the brine tank for the regeneration process. You can use standard sodium salt pellets or potassium (sodium free) pellets. The Iron Eater media is designed to last 8-10* years depending on your water chemistry and usage and is easily removed and replaced when needed. *Some applications may require a more frequent replacement interval. Note: The Iron Eater will not treat tannins, iron bacteria, sulfur reducing bacteria, colloidal iron, or organic iron.
Q: Can I still use the Iron Eater if I don't have iron?
A: Yes! Although it's cleverly dubbed the "Iron Eater", this system is designed as a high performance well water or city water softening system that provides dual treatment for hard water and any iron, manganese, rust, or suspended solids that may suddenly appear in your water, which ends up fouling water softeners not designed to handle these contaminants. For any water source, extra protection for a long lasting investment is highly recommended!
Q: If I already have a water softener, do I still need the Iron Eater to remove my iron?
A: If you're looking to add iron treatment to your existing water softener, consider our maintenance-free Iron Max system to go before your softener, not only to treat your iron problem but also to prolong the life of your existing softener. Of course, if you don't want the hassle of multiple systems, the Iron Eater is a great replacement for standard water softeners not built to handle the fluctuating chemistry of well water!
Q: I live in a salt-banned area. Does the Iron Eater have a salt-free alternative?
A: For those living in an area where salt-based water softeners are banned, consider our Iron Max-FX water conditioner and iron filtration system. Like the Iron Eater, this multipurpose system is capable of treating high levels of iron and manganese and also provides conditioning to reduce the effects of hard water scale. Unlike the Iron Eater, the Iron Max-FX will not remove your hard water minerals, which provides a great alternative for those who do not enjoy the "slimy" feeling of soft water or live in salt-banned areas.
