Water Woes

[Sheryl]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

[spacebass]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin  filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

To my knowledge and experience most water softeners soften the water by passing hard water through a resin chamber that removes the calcium etc.

After a while the resin needs cleansing as it becomes saturated by the impurities, this is where the salt comes in washing through the resin chamber and removing the impurities, then the cycle starts over again. Is it possible your softener requires salt?

Do a www.google.co.uk , UK search for ' water softeners', plenty of sites selling water softeners that utilise salt (and for export), with lots of supplementary information.

[roiet]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin  filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try to add soda ash in a separate water tank. Soda ash makes the water very soft and removes stains. It does increase the PH level from 6.8 to 7.4 in my case.

PS: sodium carbonate same as soda ash is used in soap to soften water(increase PH) and in bathroom, kitchen cleaners to remove stains.

[chuchok]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin  filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try to add soda ash in a separate water tank. Soda ash makes the water very soft and removes stains. It does increase the PH level from 6.8 to 7.4 in my case.

PS: sodium carbonate same as soda ash is used in soap to soften water(increase PH) and in bathroom, kitchen cleaners to remove stains.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yep, same principals as bath crystals I think.....only good for washing thigs though as it would taste like &lt;deleted&gt;

[toastwars]

Water softeners that are loaded with salt blocks are available in the UK, very effective and cheap to run after initial purchase. I have installed one and are very straight forward, anyone with plumbing knowledge and can follow simple instructions could manage it

Company here for info

Not sure about how easy they are to get here but I am sure you could get one shipped, domestic unit around the same size as a PC. buy a few spare salt blocks and then have a mould made here for cheap replacements

[Darknight]

/moved to housing forum

[Sheryl]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin  filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

Try to add soda ash in a separate water tank. Soda ash makes the water very soft and removes stains. It does increase the PH level from 6.8 to 7.4 in my case.

PS: sodium carbonate same as soda ash is used in soap to soften water(increase PH) and in bathroom, kitchen cleaners to remove stains.

Thanks! Where in Thailand can one buy it and what is it called in Thai? And how much to add? Do I add it to the main tank (the water post-filtration, in which case it will remain in the water that comes into the house) or do it pre-filtration, or do I add a 3rd filtration tank, or what? Appreciate advice!

[lopburi3]

The TMD filter should have salt added to the resin if you are not doing so. That may help if filter is large enough. In many places there is an iron problem and green manganese filter is used. If you live in a city there should be a water treatment store with local knowledge that may be able to advise you better than us.

[Sheryl]

Water softeners that are loaded with salt blocks are available in the UK, very effective and cheap to run after initial purchase. I have installed one and are very straight forward, anyone with plumbing knowledge and can follow simple instructions could manage it

Company here for info

Not sure about how easy they are to get here but I am sure you could get one shipped, domestic unit around the same size as a PC. buy a few spare salt blocks and then have a mould made here for cheap replacements

Thanks. They don't seem to be available here (that I can find) so I've emailed the company in UK to see if they can ship here.

In case not -- since I already have a resin filter, any idea if just flushing it with a homemade salt solution would work and if so how often and hoiw concentrated?

[Sheryl]

The TMD filter should have salt added to the resin if you are not doing so.  That may help if filter is large enough.  In many places there is an iron problem and green manganese filter is used.  If you live in a city there should be a water treatment store with local knowledge that may be able to advise you better than us.

It doesn't have salt and TMD had no clue what I was talking about when I called and asked them about it. I'm in the countryside 2 hours out of Bangkok, local shops know less than zilch. Any suggestions of a place in Bkk that might be better? Or how to add the salt myself (the filkter tank is large enough). Thanks

[lopburi3]

The TMD filter should have salt added to the resin if you are not doing so.  That may help if filter is large enough.  In many places there is an iron problem and green manganese filter is used.  If you live in a city there should be a water treatment store with local knowledge that may be able to advise you better than us.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It doesn't have salt and TMD had no clue what I was talking about when I called and asked them about it. I'm in the countryside 2 hours out of Bangkok, local shops know less than zilch. Any suggestions of a place in Bkk that might be better? Or how to add the salt myself (the filkter tank is large enough). Thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

All we have is an over the sink type carbon/resin/candle filter that is only used for drinking filter so don't bother but instructions for the American Filter which is the same as TMD was to put one packet of salt in the resin tank each time you back cleaned it. I never could get that much in however but perhaps they loaded too much resin in it.

There are two fairly large water tank/chemicals sales shops on the road in front of Siam Park

[roiet]

My water comes from a deep artesian well and is very hard, with a lot of lime/calcium that leaves chalky white residue on everything. I put in a dual carbon and resin  filter. This reduces the problem but still the water is hard and still leaving white spots, stains etc. I have read on the internet about special filtartion devices that employ a salt chamber for softening water but no-one I've spoken to in Thailand seems to know about this. The company that supplied my filter (TMD) tells me the only treatment is resin, which I already have, or reverse osmosis. Would appreciuate hearing from anyone else who has solved this problem, thanks

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Try to add soda ash in a separate water tank. Soda ash makes the water very soft and removes stains. It does increase the PH level from 6.8 to 7.4 in my case.

PS: sodium carbonate same as soda ash is used in soap to soften water(increase PH) and in bathroom, kitchen cleaners to remove stains.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks! Where in Thailand can one buy it and what is it called in Thai? And how much to add? Do I add it to the main tank (the water post-filtration, in which case it will remain in the water that comes into the house) or do it pre-filtration, or do I add a 3rd filtration tank, or what? Appreciate advice!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

They call it soda. You can buy it from Applied Biochemicals Bangkok Ph: 023625152 or Home and Pool Pattaya 01 8388042 or any other swimming pool supplier. Add 1 tea cup per day(it is harmless) in a 1000 lt water tank (pre filter) just after the well. The dirt can settle at the bottom and you open the valve at the bottom once per day. But the tank should be tall, about 2-3 meters.The outlet for the good water should be about halfway up.

PS: The Thai-Chinese in Isaan do it the same way. A water supplier here pumps up real dirty water infested with calcium, iron etc His first cement tank is 10 meter high, open on top. The water is exposed to air (Oxygen) and all the dirt settles at the bottom. The second tank is for storage.

[Sheryl]

They call it soda. You can buy it from Applied Biochemicals Bangkok Ph: 023625152 or Home and Pool Pattaya 01 8388042 or any other swimming pool supplier. Add 1 tea cup per day(it is harmless) in a 1000 lt water tank (pre filter) just after the well. The dirt can settle at the bottom and you open the valve at the bottom once per day. But the tank should be tall, about 2-3 meters.The outlet for the good water should be about halfway up.

PS: The Thai-Chinese in Isaan do it the same way. A water supplier here pumps up real dirty water infested with calcium, iron etc His first cement tank is 10 meter high, open on top. The water is exposed to air (Oxygen) and all the dirt settles at the bottom. The second tank is for storage.

Great, will do! Thanks.