Automatic Water Softener recommendations for hard WELL water.

[MJCM]

Even we have lots of Storage Tanks for Rain water, we are quickly running out of water.

 

We have a well but that water is very hard, so what kind of Water Softener Device would you recommend?

 

Sediment filters are already in place so we are only looking for a Water Softener Device (preferably Automatic)

 

Please note: The flow rate of the Well pump is approx 20-100 liters per minute so approx (1200 - 6000 Liters per hour) (Why the big deviation, it's powered by Solar ????

 

edit: forgot, this water will NOT be used for Drinking 

 

Edited March 14, 2023 by MJCM

[Encid]

Ruben Van Beek from H2O Water Systems in Buriram should be able to advise you.

 

I'm talking to him about a similar filtration system for our place... domestic usage only, NOT for drinking.

 

Check out his FB page.

 

/Edit - your water softener should only be on the discharge side of your house water supply pump, so it is working on demand and not softening ALL your well water.

Edited March 14, 2023 by Encid

[MJCM]

1 hour ago, Encid said:

/Edit - your water softener should only be on the discharge side of your house water supply pump, so it is working on demand and not softening ALL your well water.

That is softens all my well water is NOT an issue because that water is only used for the HOUSE (Washing, Dishes, etc (but not drinking))

 

Unfortunately NO Room near that HOUSE Pump as the discharge pipe comes out approx 50cm out of the PUMP and then goes straight into the floor INTO the house.

 

Bad design from my Builder.

 

I can put it in 2 places

 

1- Discharge side from my Well Pump (which feeds the holding tanks (operated manually)

2- Discharge from my Pump that pumps water from the holding tanks to the tank that feeds the house (that tank is connected to the pump above)

 

As said Pump that feeds the house is in a bad place so not possible there.

 

#1 or #2 is the preferred location as we have LOTS of room there.

 

Pump #2 is on a Timer (12pm-12:30pm 10pm-10:30pm) but usually it's done in 5-15 mins so that would a great location

 

We are now on a 50 / 50 rotation. Which means 50% Rain Water and 50% well water, which is still oke.

[degrub]

50 cm is plenty of room to route 50mm or less diameter piping to where the  salt tanks might be and then back again to tie into the house entry.  You give up a small amount of pressure drop for the ells is all.

[Muhendis]

18 hours ago, MJCM said:

We have a well but that water is very hard, so what kind of Water Softener Device would you recommend?

A resin filter would be the first choice however the are only good for 10% of the problem.

 

If you don't mind spending Mega bucks you could get a CDI unit like this;

https://www.lenntech.com/processes/capacitive-deionization-cdi-.htm

[unheard]

@MJCM

Have you run a test of your well water?

[Encid]

17 hours ago, MJCM said:

I can put it in 2 places

 

1- Discharge side from my Well Pump (which feeds the holding tanks (operated manually)

2- Discharge from my Pump that pumps water from the holding tanks to the tank that feeds the house (that tank is connected to the pump above)

 

As said Pump that feeds the house is in a bad place so not possible there.

 

#1 or #2 is the preferred location as we have LOTS of room there.

 

Pump #2 is on a Timer (12pm-12:30pm 10pm-10:30pm) but usually it's done in 5-15 mins so that would a great location

Option 2 would probably be the best location for a resin filter that would soften your water before filling your house storage tank.

 

Your holding tanks (21 of them IIRC) also act like sediment filters so if it's only softening (removal of calcium) that you want to do, then you need a resin filter.

If you want to remove other organic matter and chemicals then you might want to consider an activated charcoal filter too. 

 

It all really depends on your water test results.

 

You can get automatic systems too, like this Mazuma product which are available at most hardware stores (Global House, Thaiwatsadu, Homepro etc.)

But they are not cheap...

 

[Will B Good]

Don't know the first thing about it but installed this Mex unit.

 

I have to admit I was amazed at how effective it was.

 

 

[Encid]

Just now, Will B Good said:

Don't know the first thing about it but installed this Mex unit.

 

The Mex units are significantly cheaper than the Mazuma or Pentair products... see here for example.

Look for a product that has an accompanying Salt Brine tank to regenerate the resin beads.

[Pedrogaz]

We have hard well water....sadly, after many attempts to make it softer, we have given up. We get a granite like limescale deposit on all surfaces the water touches, whether it has been through the filter or not. The stuff will simply not come off with rubbing.....it has to be scraped off using a metal blade. I'm not impressed whit water filters available in Thailand not with the service provided by the brand company or their sellers in home stores.

I can't say which brand of filter we use in case I get sued for defamation. 

[Will B Good]

13 minutes ago, Encid said:

The Mex units are significantly cheaper than the Mazuma or Pentair products... see here for example.

Look for a product that has an accompanying Salt Brine tank to regenerate the resin beads.

Yes have the brine tank......all works like a dream....regenerates automatically ever 30 days.....not sure if we should extend that.....but would highly recommend this system based just on our one experience.

[Encid]

Just now, Pedrogaz said:

We have hard well water....sadly, after many attempts to make it softer, we have given up. We get a granite like limescale deposit on all surfaces the water touches, whether it has been through the filter or not. The stuff will simply not come off with rubbing.....it has to be scraped off using a metal blade.  

I just came back from staying with the in-laws in their house in a village in Isaan which has no filtration either, and all their pressurized water outlets (shower heads, bum guns, kitchen and bathroom taps etc.) were heavily scaled up.

 

I took them all off, scraped as much scale as I could off them with a small screwdriver, then soaked them in a mix of white vinegar and baking soda... left them for a few hours then rinsed them clean before reinstalling them.

 

The difference was remarkable, and they were all most impressed.

 

I do intend to install a filter for them one day, then replace all their pressure outlets... the only thing I worry about is how badly the pipes are already scaled up... and will I have to replace that as well... 

Edited March 15, 2023 by Encid

[Encid]

Just now, Will B Good said:

Yes have the brine tank......all works like a dream....regenerates automatically ever 30 days.....not sure if we should extend that.....but would highly recommend this system based just on our one experience.

How long have you had it operational Will?

[Will B Good]

21 minutes ago, Pedrogaz said:

We have hard well water....sadly, after many attempts to make it softer, we have given up. We get a granite like limescale deposit on all surfaces the water touches, whether it has been through the filter or not. The stuff will simply not come off with rubbing.....it has to be scraped off using a metal blade. I'm not impressed whit water filters available in Thailand not with the service provided by the brand company or their sellers in home stores.

I can't say which brand of filter we use in case I get sued for defamation. 

That is weird.......our system is, as I have said above, amazing.

[Will B Good]

1 minute ago, Encid said:

How long have you had it operational Will?

Just coming up to a 10 months.

 

[Muhendis]

8 hours ago, Will B Good said:

Yes have the brine tank......all works like a dream....regenerates automatically ever 30 days.....not sure if we should extend that.....but would highly recommend this system based just on our one experience.

Mine also works like a dream although there's nothing automatic about it. I need to spend maybe half a day back flushing the sediment tanks and rejuvenating the resin.

I will be changing one of the sediment filter tank media to a turbidity reducing media. No problem in the last ten years but the extra rain in 2022 produced a whole load of suspended particles which pre storage tank filters can't do much about.

The plus side is that my wife can see how hard I work to keep the house systems in order which she seems to find comforting.

Edited March 15, 2023 by Muhendis

[Muhendis]

7 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Mine also works like a dream although there's nothing automatic about it. I need to spend maybe half a day back flushing the sediment tanks and rejuvenating the resin.

I will be changing one of the sediment filter tank media to a turbidity reducing media. No problem in the last ten years but the extra rain in 2022 produced a whole load of suspended particles which pre storage tank filters can't do much about.

The plus side is that my wife can see how hard I work to keep the house systems in order which she seems to find comforting.

I should add that I don't use my bore hole water except in an emergency.

That water causes a lot of damage particularly in the solar heated hot water system.

My bore hole water calcium carbonate reading is way off the scale at over 2,000 ppm.

I almost exclusively use a surface water well which, after passing through the resin filter, is so soft it feels like the soap is never completely rinsed off.

[MJCM]

23 hours ago, unheard said:

@MJCM

Have you run a test of your well water?

Yes, but that is already a while ago and it was (as said) very hard, but can’t find the results anymore and also we are not at home.

 

Back home early next month and will then look again for the results 

[Will B Good]

11 hours ago, Muhendis said:

Mine also works like a dream although there's nothing automatic about it. I need to spend maybe half a day back flushing the sediment tanks and rejuvenating the resin.

I will be changing one of the sediment filter tank media to a turbidity reducing media. No problem in the last ten years but the extra rain in 2022 produced a whole load of suspended particles which pre storage tank filters can't do much about.

The plus side is that my wife can see how hard I work to keep the house systems in order which she seems to find comforting.

555.....yes my wife hasn't a clue what I am doing out there.......usually I'm sat in the shade behind the water tanks......but she thinks I'm slaving away.