1 Cubic Foot Katalox Light Iron Filter Media
Who it is for
- Owners of one of our AIO iron filters whose media is due: every 6 to 8 years, or sooner if iron or the smell comes back.
- Owners of another brand's iron filter with a strong backwashing valve, like a Fleck 2510, who want to switch to Katalox Light. Send Aidan the valve, the tank size and your water test first.
Not for anyone shopping for a whole iron filter. Our AIO iron filters already ship with their Katalox Light in separate bags, loaded into the tank at install, so you do not order media separately. See our iron filters for well water.
How much your tank takes
| Our iron filter | What to order | Cost today |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 cu ft10 x 54 in tank | 1.5 cu ft: one 1 cu ft + one 1/2 cu ft | $550 |
| 2.0 cu ft12 x 52 in tank | 2 cu ft: two 1 cu ft | $650 |
| 2.5 cu ft13 x 54 in tank | 2.5 cu ft: two 1 cu ft + one 1/2 cu ft | $875 |
| 3.5 cu ft14 x 65 in tank | 3.5 cu ft: three 1 cu ft + one 1/2 cu ft | $1,200 |
Another brand's tank: read the size on the tank sticker and leave about a foot of open space above the media. Text Aidan the sticker and he will tell you how much to order.
Will it work in my filter?
- Valve: it needs a valve with a strong backwash, like a Fleck 2510, with or without air injection. In Aidan's words: "if you put a regular twenty-five ten filter valve on it with just the Katalox, it would still work."
- Not for: a Fleck 5600 or a smaller valve (the media is too dense for it), or a greensand filter set up to feed potassium permanganate.
- Tank: every one of our mineral tanks is a Vortech tank, and no gravel goes in. Another brand's tank with a removable center tube may need a gravel underbed.
- Before you order: in someone else's tank, Aidan says plainly in his video, "you can try it. It may or may not work." Send him a photo of the valve label and the tank label, with your water test.
How a rebed goes
Replacing the media is owner maintenance. Aidan walks owners through it by phone, and a plumber can do it too. The tank and the valve stay; only the media changes.
- Put the filter in bypass and take the valve off the tank.
- Get the water out of the tank (a wet vac works), dump the old media into a trash bag and rinse the tank out.
- Sanitize the empty tank with a little household bleach and water, then rinse it.
- Tape over the top of the center tube so no media falls in.
- Pour the new Katalox Light in through a fill funnel ($35). Leave about a foot of open space at the top.
- Take the tape off, put the valve back on and open the water slowly until you have full pressure.
- Run a couple of backwashes to rinse the dust out of the new media.
After years of iron, the valve's piston and seals can wear; rebuild parts are sold separately and are optional at a rebed.
What it is and how it works
Katalox Light is made in Germany by Watch Water. It is a granular filter media: a zeolite base (Watch Water's ZEOSORB) with a manganese dioxide coating. It is the same media our AIO iron filters ship with. Watch Water states that it is certified to NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 for drinking water use and NSF/ANSI 372 for lead-free compliance.
The manganese dioxide coating oxidizes dissolved iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide into particles, and the bed filters them out along with sediment down to 3 microns. The backwash flushes them to the drain. In our AIO filters an air pocket at the top of the tank does part of the oxidizing first. Watch Water says no chemical feed is required. See how an iron filter works.
What it removes, and what it does not
- Iron up to 30 ppm, manganese up to 15 ppm and hydrogen sulfide (the rotten egg smell) up to 10 ppm. Above 30 ppm iron, Aidan puts two 2.5 tanks in a row.
- Works best near pH 8. If yours is lower, send Aidan your test before you order.
- It does not disinfect and it does not soften. A softener goes after the iron filter.
No test yet? Start with our well water test kit.
How long it lasts
6 to 8 years in most homes, depending on water use; with light use it can go longer. Watch Water rates it for 7 to 10 years. Aidan's tip: write the install date on the tank, and from year six test for iron once a year. When iron or the smell comes back, it is time. There is no warranty on filter media.
Watch
Aidan's 2-minute video Katalox Light: The Best Iron Filter Media covers how much iron it removes, how long it lasts and whether you can use it in a tank you already have.
Talk to Aidan before you order
Aidan reviews your water test and your tank and tells you how much media to order. Call 800-460-5810 or text Aidan at 443-277-2204, 7 days a week, 8 AM to 5 PM Eastern. We are an online store; support is by phone and text.
What ships
1 cubic foot of Katalox Light, about 66 pounds: one 1 cu ft bag or two 1/2 cu ft boxes. Not included: a tank, a valve, a fill funnel or gravel. Small orders go by parcel and larger ones by freight. Free shipping to the lower 48 states. Returns follow our refund policy; opened media cannot be returned.
| Media | Katalox Light, made by Watch Water |
|---|---|
| Amount | 1 cubic foot of filter media |
| Weight | About 66 lb (30 kg) per cubic foot |
| Packed as | One 1 cu ft bag or two 1/2 cu ft boxes |
| Composition | ZEOSORB zeolite base with a manganese dioxide (MnO2) coating, about 10% MnO2 |
| Removes | Iron up to 30 ppm, manganese up to 15 ppm, hydrogen sulfide up to 10 ppm |
| Filtration | Sediment and suspended solids down to 3 microns |
| pH | Works best near pH 8; send Aidan your test if yours is lower |
| Chemical feed | Not required |
| Valve | A strong backwashing valve such as a Fleck 2510, with or without air injection; not a Fleck 5600 |
| Our AIO sizes | 1.5, 2, 2.5 and 3.5 cu ft of media |
| Tank support | Vortech tanks take no gravel |
| Media life | 6 to 8 years in most homes (Watch Water: 7 to 10 years) |
| Certification | NSF/ANSI/CAN 61 (drinking water use) and NSF/ANSI 372 (lead-free), per Watch Water |
| Country of manufacture | Germany |
| Warranty | None on filter media |
| Does not | Disinfect or soften water |