Powerful Iron, Manganese, and Hydrogen Sulfide Removal Media
Filox is a very powerful catalyst media used for the removal of iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide. It is a popular choice for demanding treatment applications where high levels of these contaminants exist.
Filox is a natural mineral composed of roughly 75 to 85% manganese dioxide, the active ingredient in most iron filter media. Filox a solid media rather than a coated media. This gives it much more catalytic than most alternative media, and it is not subject to performance loss due to mechanical wear and tear from repeated backwashing and service cycles.
Filox is significantly heavier than many other iron removal media (about 114 lbs per cubic foot), although a little lighter than Pyrolox which is also a solid media. As a result, an equal amount of Filox would require more frequent backwashing and a higher backwash flow rate than coated iron removal media. However, because Filox is more potent, it is general possible to use a lesser volume of Filox media to perform the same treatment task. Due to the lesser volume, a smaller media tank and footprint is required. This reduces the backwash flow rate to a level that is generally comparable to a conventional coated iron removal media system sized for the same treatment job.
Comparisons to Other Media
| Media | % Active Ingredient | Relative Life Expectancy |
|---|---|---|
| Filox | 75 to 85% | 7500 |
| Katalox Light® | 10% | 1000 |
| Manganese Greensand | 3% | 50 |
| Birm® | 1% | 1 |
| Filox | 75 to 85% |
|---|---|
| Katalox Light® | 10% |
| Manganese Greensand | 3% |
| Birm® | 1% |
- Concurrent treatment of iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide (rotten egg odor)
- More active ingredient than all other iron removal media - 20 to 100 times the oxidation/filtration capability of other manganese-based media
- Less media is required to do a comparable job as compared to other iron removal media
- Almost indefinite life
- Effective over extremely wide pH range
- Excellent filtration capabilities
- Regeneration generally not required
- ANSI/NSF 61 validated
- High tolerance of oxidizers such as chlorine, hydrogen peroxide, and potassium permanganate (which can be used to boost performance in extreme treatment cases)
- Removal of arsenic and certain heavy metals possible through co-precipitation (see below)
Filox is a direct substitute for Pyrolox iron removal media.
Operating Conditions / Requirements:
| Service Flow Rate: | 6 GPM/ft3 |
|---|---|
| Flow Direction: | Downward Flow |
| Typical Pressure Drop: | <5 psi |
| Backwash Flow Rate: | 12 - 15 GPM/ft2 |
| Typical Freeboard: | 30-50% |
| Minimum Bed Depth: | 20 Inches |
| Recommended Bed Depth: | 30 Inches |
| Maximum Feed Temperature: | 100F |
| Recommended pH: | 5.0 to 9.0 |
| Weight: | 114 lbs per ft3 |
| Service Flow Rate: | 6 GPM per ft3 |
|---|---|
| Flow Direction: | Downward Flow |
| Typical Pressure Drop: | <5 psi |
| Backwash Flow Rate: | 12-15 GPM/ft2 |
| Typical Freeboard: | 30-50% |
| Minimum Bed Depth: | 20 Inches |
| Recommended Bed Depth: | 30 Inches |
| Maximum Feed Temperature: | 100F |
| Recommended pH: | 5 to 9 |
| Weight: | 114 lbs per ft3 |
A daily backwash is highly recommended, but not always necessary, depending on the water's chemistry. More freuquent backwash is required where the raw water contaminant levels are higher. Because of Filox's superior oxidation/filtration capabilities, it loads up much faster than other iron removal media. Daily backwashing is recommended to maximize Filox's removal capacity. Since Filox has such particle strength, it is able to withstand frequent backwashing.
Filox media is stable within a pH range of 5.0 to 9.0. However, it should be remembered that the generally acceptable pH range for drinking water is 6.5 to 8.5 pH. At extreme ranges of pH (both low and high), contaminant removal and bed stability are adversely affected. This should be considered in applications operating at the high and low ends of Filox's 5.0 to 9.0 pH range. Accordingly, we recommend pH correction where pH is less than 6.5 or higher than 8.5 to improve the performance of your iron filter and to prevent corrosion damage to your plumbing system.
Katalox Light® is a registered trademark of Watch Water.
Birm® is a federally registered trademark of Clack Corporation.
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