Clack 1.5 Cubic Foot Non Backwashing Acid Neutralizer (no calcite)
Need the calcite too? ▾
Clack 1.5 Cubic Foot Non Backwashing Acid Neutralizer (no calcite)
Need the calcite too?
What ships
- ✓1.5 cubic foot Vortech tank, 10 x 54 inches: about 58 inches tall with the valve, almond and semi-translucent, with a side fill port. It ships empty; no gravel goes in.
- ✓Clack C1190 control valve: non-backwashing upflow; no electricity or drain line needed.
- ✓Clack bypass valve, included.
- ✓Clack 1 inch male threaded connections, reducible to 3/4 inch.
Not included
- ✕Calcite: you supply 1.5 cubic feet, three 50 lb bags.
- ✕FloMag, needed below pH 6.0.
- ✕Fill funnels: sold separately as the Filter Media Funnel ($35) and the Acid Neutralizer Domehole Funnel ($99).
- ✕Pipe and fittings: your plumber supplies them. No drain tubing is needed.
What a working neutralizer costs you
- ✓Buy the complete system: $1,295. Order the complete Clack 1.5: three bags of calcite and both fill funnels are included ($1,495 with FloMag added, for pH below 6.0).
- ✓Buy this tank and our calcite: $1,490, plus funnels. This tank + our three-bag calcite supply.
- ✓This tank with local calcite: about $1,230 to $1,320, plus funnels. Three 50 lb bags from a plumbing supply house (about $45 to $75 a bag, in Aidan's experience).
- ✓You already have the calcite and funnels: $1,095. Just this tank.
| System type | Whole-house upflow non-backwashing acid neutralizer, tank and valve only |
|---|---|
| Media included | None |
| Media needed | 1.5 cubic feet: three 50 lb bags of calcite, with FloMag mixed in below pH 6.0 |
| Tank | Vortech composite tank with an internal distributor plate, 10 x 54 inches, almond, semi-translucent |
| Installed height | About 58 inches with the valve |
| Fill port | Side fill port for calcite top-offs |
| Control valve | Clack C1190 non-backwashing upflow valve |
| Bypass valve | Clack bypass valve, included |
| Connections | 1 inch male threaded, reducible to 3/4 inch |
| Service flow, once filled | Up to 10 GPM; no minimum flow |
| Backwash, drain, electricity | None needed |
| Best for, once filled | 1 to 2 people at pH 6.0 and up, or a spot where only a 10 inch tank fits |
| pH | 6.0 to 6.9 with calcite alone; below 6.0, calcite with FloMag mixed in |
| Hardness added by calcite | About 3 to 6 grains per gallon |
| Iron | Not for iron above 0.5 ppm (use a backwashing acid neutralizer) |
| Calcite upkeep | Check once a year; top off at about halfway, about every 18 to 24 months |
| Not included | Calcite, FloMag, fill funnels, pipe and fittings; drain tubing not needed |
| Installation | Licensed plumber recommended, about 2 hours |
| Warranty | 10 years on the tank, 5 years on the control valve |
| Origin | Clack valve and Vortech tank made in the USA |
| Shipping | Free to the lower 48 states |
Who the 1.5 fits, once filled
- ✓1 to 2 people with a pH of 6.0 or higher, or a spot where only a 10 inch tank fits. In Aidan's words from his sizing video: "If there's only two people and your pH is six, you can use the 1.5 cubic foot unit."
- ✓3 or more people, or a pH below 6.0: Aidan points people to the 2.5: the Clack 2.5 Non Backwashing Acid Neutralizer (no calcite) is $1,295, and the complete Clack 2.5 with calcite is $1,495.
- ✓Only a 10 inch tank fits and your pH is below 6.0: the 1.5 can still do the job with FloMag mixed into the calcite.
FloMag and upkeep
- ✓Below pH 6.0, FloMag is mixed into the calcite, never used on its own, and Aidan sets the blend from your water test. FloMag pH Booster is $225 for a 50 lb bag; see how to use FloMag in your acid neutralizer.
- ✓Check the calcite level once a year with a flashlight behind the tank, and top it off when it is about halfway down: on a 1.5, about every 18 to 24 months. Calcite is never replaced, only topped off.
- ✓Calcite adds about 3 to 6 grains per gallon of hardness as it dissolves. This is not a water softener.
- ✓Iron above 0.5 ppm? Choose a backwashing acid neutralizer instead.
Loading the calcite
- It takes 1.5 cubic feet: three 50 lb bags. Aidan's note to a buyer who loaded only one cubic foot and saw no change in his pH: "You need to have 1.5 cubic feet of media in the tank and make sure it's not bypassed."
- No gravel goes in. The plate at the bottom of the Vortech tank does that job.
- The first load goes in with the valve off: tape over the center tube so nothing falls in, set a wide funnel in the tank opening and pour the bags.
- Later top-offs go in through the side fill port.
Installation
- ✓We recommend installation by a licensed plumber. It is about a 2 hour job, and plumbers typically charge about $600 to $800 (some quote $1,200 to $1,500).
- ✓Your plumber brings the pipe and fittings and connects the inlet on the side marked UPFLOW; the calcite is loaded at install.
- ✓Aidan supports your plumber by phone: call 800-460-5810 or text 443-277-2204, 7 days a week, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern.
Video Guides
Aidan on picking the right acid neutralizer size.
↔ Sizing Guide
Clack 1.5 Acid Neutralizer Tank and Valve, Sold Without Calcite
The 10 x 54 Vortech tank and Clack C1190 valve, empty. You supply 1.5 cubic feet of calcite.
This is our Clack 1.5 cubic foot non-backwashing acid neutralizer without its media: the empty 10 x 54 inch Vortech tank with a side fill port, the Clack C1190 non-backwashing upflow valve, the Clack bypass valve and 1 inch male threaded connections. It needs 1.5 cubic feet of calcite, three 50 lb bags, loaded at install. No gravel goes in. Once filled, well water flows up through the calcite, the pH rises toward neutral (about 7), and the blue-green stains and the corrosion behind pinhole leaks in copper pipes stop. No electricity, no drain line and no backwash, and up to 10 GPM with no minimum flow.
It is the right buy if you already have the calcite, if a plumbing supply house near you sells it for less than ours, or if you are replacing an old or calcified 10 x 54 neutralizer tank (the tank maker ships this tank only with its valve on top). Plumbers and pump installers with their own calcite buy it too. If you need the calcite from us, the complete Clack 1.5 is the better buy at $1,295, with three bags and both fill funnels.
Once filled, the 1.5 suits 1 to 2 people at pH 6.0 and up, or a spot where only a 10 inch tank fits; below pH 6.0, FloMag is mixed into the calcite. Check the level once a year and top it off about every 18 to 24 months. We recommend a licensed plumber, and Aidan supports your plumber by phone.
| Feature | This tank (no calcite) | Complete Clack 1.5 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1,095 | $1,295 ($1,495 with FloMag) |
| Calcite | None: you supply 1.5 cu ft | Three 50 lb bags included |
| Fill funnels | Not included | Both included |
| With our calcite | $1,490 (+ our three-bag supply) | $1,295 |
| Tank and valve | 10 x 54 Vortech tank, Clack C1190 valve | Same tank and valve |
| Warranty | 10 years tank, 5 years valve | 10 years tank, 5 years valve |
| Best buy if | You already have calcite, or are replacing a tank | You need the calcite |
✔ Support by phone and text
Call or text about loading the calcite, FloMag, top-offs and sizing. Mid Atlantic Water is an online-only business that ships nationwide; we do not install, and Aidan supports your plumber by phone.
Frequently Asked Questions
30-Day Returns + Manufacturer Warranty
Tell us within 3 days of delivery if the item is damaged, missing or wrong. For shipping damage, you file the carrier claim and we help with it.
Call 800-460-5810 within 30 days of delivery for approval before you send anything back. New, unopened, uninstalled items can be returned. A 25% restocking fee applies (waived on an exchange of equal or greater value), and you pay the return freight.
Before you order, tell me your pH, how many people live in the house and what calcite you already have. If the complete system is the better buy for you, I'll tell you.
"I had well water with over 20 ppm ferrous and 7 ppm of ferric iron, plus manganese and some sulfur. Local water companies rejected me, said they couldn't help. I purchased two Fleck 2.5 cu. ft. 2510AIO iron filter tanks with Katalox-Light. Problem solved."
"New house, brass fittings on my Pex were all corroding. Tested the water, acidic at 5.5. Found Mid Atlantic Water YouTube videos which were very helpful, ordered the non-back washing 2.5. Easy install, water tests great now."
"Straight forward installation. In, out, and the drain. Ran a back wash cycle then put it online and it works GREAT. Cleaned out the iron and raised the pH to 7.5. Culligan tried to sell me something twice the price."
"Three contractors and two other suppliers reviewed my well report. Quotes ranged from $5,000 to $10,000. Then I found Mid Atlantic. Aidan reviewed the report and recommended a complete system. Same equipment, fraction of the cost, and the support was real."
"Easy, bullet-proof installation. No moving parts. Raised my pH from 6.8 to a perfect 7.6. I had previously installed the same unit in my daughter's water system. Her pH was 5.2. Following Aidan's videos, both installs went smoothly."
"Super easy install. Shouldn't have to service it for approximately 24-36 months based on my water usage. Tank is solid, fittings are clean, no leaks. Exactly what was advertised."
Want a real human to walk you through whether this is right for you?