Only if your pH is below 7 and your water test shows iron above 0.5 ppm, or heavy sediment that clogs a sediment filter every day or week. The backwash rinses that iron and sediment out of the calcite, which a non-backwashing tank cannot do. With neither, the non-backwashing Clack 2.5 raises pH the same way with no drain line and no electricity, for $700 less, and it is what nearly all of Aidan's acid neutralizer customers buy. Text your water test to Aidan at 443-277-2204 and he will tell you which one fits.

We recommend one. Plumbing it in is an inlet and an outlet; the part that takes planning is the 1/2 inch drain line to a floor drain, standpipe or utility sink, with an air gap, plus a standard outlet for the valve. It is about 2 to 3 hours of a plumber's time, typically around $800, and Aidan supports your plumber by phone at 800-460-5810. If you'd rather do it yourself, you can; text Aidan at 443-277-2204 with any questions.

About 140 gallons go to the drain each time. The valve ships set to backwash every 3 days; with no iron, Aidan has it set to every 7 days, and with iron every 2 to 3 days. Your well needs to supply about 5 to 7 gallons a minute during the backwash; with a slower well, Aidan sets a longer backwash. Some owners on a septic system choose the non-backwashing tank to keep that water out of it.

The Fleck 2510 AiQ. Pentair, the company that makes Fleck valves, discontinued the 2510SXT and replaced it with the 2510 AiQ, and orders now ship with it. In Aidan's words, "It's easier to program and does the same job." It is a digital valve that plugs into a standard outlet.

Check the level once a year: hold a bright flashlight behind the tank and look for the shadow of the calcite. When it is about halfway down, add calcite with the included funnel, filling to about 10 inches below the fill port. How long that takes depends on the tank size: about every 6 to 12 months on a 1.0 cubic foot tank, 18 to 24 on a 1.5, 24 to 30 on a 2.0 and 30 to 36 on a 2.5. A calcite and FloMag blend does not change it. You never replace the calcite; it dissolves as it works.

Not noticeably. The Vortech tank has no gravel bed, and its distributor plate spans the whole tank. Pressure drop is not something our customers call about. Rated flow depends on the size (the 2.5 cubic foot non-backwashing tank is rated up to 17 GPM), and this model's number is in the specifications tab above.

The unit ships via freight truck with liftgate service. The driver will lower the pallet to your driveway or curb. You are responsible for disposing of the wooden pallet and cardboard packaging. The tank itself is lightweight when empty and easy to move into your garage or basement before filling it with the included media.