FAQ
1. How does Aqua Conditioners work?
Conditioner’s use is a combination of both physics and chemistry to change the electrical charge (zeta potential) of the minerals in water by a factor of almost 2.
PHYSICS:
- Water directly contacts the conditioner’s specifically designed and engineered patented alloy core.
- The core is figured to create a high degree of turbulence to occur in the water flow, and provides a more pronounced exposure and contact between the crystalline mineral particles and the metals in the alloy core.
- Nano sized crystals are formed.
CHEMISTRY:
- Each Conditioner’s patented alloy core is foundry blended with metals scientifically selected from both the cathode and anode end of the galvanic scale.
- On contact with water the Conditioner’s core creates an electro-chemical (galvanic) reaction between the crystalline minerals in the water and the catalytic alloy core and the mineral begin to be dispersed into a colloidal solution.
- Nuclei have been introduced into the system as a result of the cathode-anode reaction and provide a more positive site around which the mineral particles can attract, as opposed to precipitating onto the walls of piping or equipment. The scientific name for this reaction is more readily known as “epitaxial nucleation”.
- Colloids do not settle or precipitate (much like milk) therefor reducing problems associated with hard water.
- The patented catalytic alloy in the Conditioner generates an electro-chemical (galvanic) reaction causing the minerals to flocculate as a colloid. Colloids do not settle or precipitate (form scale) but always stay in solution. Milk is a colloid, with billions of nano sized particles which stay permanently in solution.
Raw hard water and calcium particle
UNTREATED WATER
Treated hard water and the changed calcium molecule
TREATED WATER
2. What happens to these very fine non sticking deposits?
These Nano size crystals will either flow through an open system in colloidal suspension, settle at the low point of a system (can be flushed by implementing a maintenance program) or can be easily filtered down stream of the Conditioner. Any residue left on a surface is easily removed.
3.Will existing scale be removed and how long does it take to clean the system?
Several factors need to be taken into consideration.
- The thickness, hardness and type of scale.
- The length of the scaled area from the Conditioner.
- The volume of water flowing through the system.
In many instances the thickness of scale in the water carrying system has taken a number of weeks, months and years to build up. Once installed conditioner will begin to work immediately in reversing the scale build up, however it may take equally as long or longer to remove the existing scale as it took for the scale to depositor build up.
4. After the water passes through the conditioner, nano colloid sized particles remain suspended and flow with the water, which is the easiest way to filter them out?
The only way that you can remove minerals from water is reverse osmosis which strips the water of all minerals and nutrients giving you essentially water that is good for car batteries.
5. In a steam generating boiler when we use treated water from one of these conditioners, what will happen to the nano particles?
In the first instance if the steam boiler is in a recirculating system you would always install the conditioner in the recirculating loop so that the water is conditioned every time it is circulated through the system. Doing this is better than only treating the water once. The more often the water is treated the better the result. The minerals may collect at the lowest point or they may flow through the system.
6. Will the Conditioner affect water pressure and flow rates?
No. It is important to select the correct size Conditioner for your application. Selection of a conditioner is simple! What you need to know is;
- The flow rate of the system where you would like to install.
7. Does a Conditioner soften water?
Yes, because of the definite change in the characteristics of the minerals (electrical charge), the surface tension of the water is reduced giving you softer, “wetter” water.
8. Does the Conditioner alloy core need to be replaced?
No, the alloy element is not a sacrificial anode and therefore does not need to be replaced. We still have conditioners working today that were installed over 30 years ago!
9. Does the Conditioner require ongoing maintenance?
No, once installed the conditioner does not require any ongoing maintenance.
10. Is it necessary to earth a Conditioner?
No, a conditioner does not need to be earthed and can be installed above or below ground.
11. Is a Conditioner easy to install?
Yes, simply remove the corresponding length of pipe and install the conditioner.
12. Is the location of a Conditioner in a system critical?
Yes.
13. If the conditioner do not require any maintenance, this is for how long?
Selected correctly they will never require maintenance.
14. Do water softening plants and RO plants require maintenance?
Yes and they would also require replacement parts or if a salt softener they would require regular filling with bags of salt.
15. What major advantages does one have by installing a conditioner compared to softening plants and RO plants besides space?
Chemical free, salt free, maintenance free, no moving parts, most important no electricity cost and drainage water through this is ECO-FRIENDLY. The conditioners could also be installed as a pretreatment to softeners or RO systems improving their performance.
16. What happens if the water flow rate is increased or decreased through the conditioner?
If the flow rate would drop dramatically the conditioner may work at reduced efficiency. With an increased flow rate at input the only sacrifice would be a decrease in water pressure at the outlet.The harder the conditioner works the better the result.
17. Does the change in pressure affect the flow rate of water passing through the conditioner? For eg: if with an X pressure pump the flow rate is 34lpm(liters per minute) then with the Y pressure pump can this lpm value change?
If the pressure dropped from 75 PSI to 10 PSI then there may be a difference. Generally pressure has not been a concern in conditioners functionality; conditioners that are installed on gravity fed systems too are working. Ideal situation would be to have a flow rate with pressure. The harder the conditioner works the better the result.
18. If ‘with an increased flow rate the sacrifice would be decrease in water pressure’ but will the conditioner continue to do its function still? Will the water at the outlet still be conditioned?
Yes, as the flow rate increase the water being forced through the conditioner will make the conditioner more effective. The downside is that if you put 60l/min through a conditioner that was designed for a flow rate of 20l/min the sacrifice would be a pressure drop on the outlet side of the conditioner. There would be a higher pressure on the inlet side pushing the water through the system. In the first instance we would not select a conditioner with a flow rate of 20l/min for a 60l/min application. Selecting the correct conditioner is critical and that’s our job to help you do that.
19. If the flow rate is between 18lpm or 34lpm then which conditioner could be ideal for them?
If pressure was not critical you should select the Model AC18 with an average flow rate of 18l/min. The advantage to you would be;
- 1. The conditioner would work harder at the higher flow rate.
- 2. The conditioner would be cheaper for the customer.
If pressure was critical you would select the Model AC34 which would still work at the lower flow rate.
20. Is there a separate conditioner available for submersible pump?
No, our conditioners can be installed on any system.
21. If the water is very hard 1000 + ppm... Washing hair or utensils is very difficult.. Even stainless steel doesn’t last for very long...it becomes kind of brittle and starts cracking over time... Can the conditioner make a difference even if the mineral contents are same after treating?
The conditioner would certainly work in this situation, that’s what it is designed to do. We have our systems installed on underground mining equipment where the TDS of the water is over 400,000ppm. So no matter how hard we know that our system will make a difference.
22. Are there any elements in natural hard water which cannot be conditioned by the conditioner? If yes which ones and how do they affect the use in general?
The alloy will make a difference to all the minerals found in the water. We are not aware of any that have been extremely troublesome.
23. Can the conditioner remove odor or color from natural water?
We have had customers who have just used our conditioner only in high iron content bore water. They still had some staying but what was there was more easily wiped away. We have used drinking water systems in the USA incorporating our conditioner and filtration to reeve odor and some color from the water stream. Installing a conditioner only may have an effect on its own.
24. Why crops/plants/trees would grow better if conditioned water is used and the water still contains the minerals in it in Nano particles?
First up just like our bodies, plants and crops need the minerals in water to survive. Give plant RO water and it won’t be healthy. Conditioning well water for irrigation does the following;
- Makes the water softer
- Softer keeps minerals in solution
- Minerals do not form a crust on the soil surface which causes runoff of irrigation water
- Softer water is more easily absorbed into the ground
- Softer water penetrates the soil deeper encouraging deeper root growth and more feared roots
- Better root stock improves plant health
- Fertilizers mix better with softened water