What is an oxidizing iron filter?
What is an oxidizing iron filter? This is a question we hear often. An oxidizing water filter that removes iron and/or sulfur smells. And it usually has an oxidizing mineral (sometimes called media) inside the tank. The tank is a backwashing tall, slender water filtration device with an electronic control valve (brain). Which tells the filter when to backwash (Clean) itself.
Well water filter and softener controls
Normally you would want the sort of brain that is on a clock type schedule based timer as opposed to a “Metered” control valve. Metered valves are most commonly found on a traditional water softener. Please be sure to note that you should never use a water softener as an iron and sulfur removal filter. Water softeners need a “METERED” electronic controller for cleaning (regenerating) themselves. Backwashing filters MUST have a schedule based controller (Timer). Be very wary of companies selling products at the residential level, that do not follow these simple, but imperative guidelines.
Using a backwashing filter to oxidize iron, sulfur and manganese
An oxidizing filtering tank either has some sort of air injection to oxidize water. Which is much older type of technology. Or it has an oxidizing mineral inside the tank which “Naturally” oxidizes. No need for the old air injection type marginal systems. This is the newer technology. The water is oxidized by using oxygen (air) to turn substances in the water to a sedimental state or form so that is can remove the sediments by filtering them through a mineral bed that catches the oxidized substances. The filtering device’s electronic control will then send the water backwards through the unit. This backwashes the unwanted substances down some form of drain.
Two types of iron are removed by Terminox® Oxidizing Iron Filter
The most common substance you will normally see oxidized is iron. Clear water iron is iron in the water you normally can’t see well. For instance, if you fill a water glass with water that has clear water iron in it, the glass will appear relatively clear and then begin to show color after spending enough time in the glass for air to oxidize it and change it to a color you can see. That color is usually a shade of orange or red.
Red water iron is iron that has already oxidized. Either from air in the water. Or air in the water well or spring that feeds water to the home. If you put red water iron into a drinking water glass, you can usually see a noticeable color if there is a fair amount of iron in the water. Most water we see has a bit of BOTH types of iron. Using a water filter that only removes one type of iron is a very marginal approach.
Sediment type filters are marginal at removing all iron
If you use a sediment type filter you only remove the red water iron. And if you use a filter for only clear water iron. Such as water softener. Then the red water iron remains. If you first “Oxidize” the water with an oxidizing filter. And that will turn the clear water iron into a sediment form. That makes it now red water iron. Then the sediment filter can remove it.
Or, if you have a sediment filter with something that oxidizes the water naturally. Then you effectively now can remove all the iron with one device. The most advanced all in one type device is Terminox®. As there are no air injectors, potassium permanganate (Pot perm), salt or other chemicals, this device is virtually maintenance free. In the event you have organics or iron bacteria issues as well, it also removes the chlorine left in the water to treat those symptoms.
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