How to Treat Lime in Water

Lime finds its way into water through the ground.

Treat lime in water by creating a reverse solution that will neutralize the chemical components and dissipate the harshness that lime can leave. Lime comes from limestone that is rock, occurring naturally. Filled with calcium or magnesium carbonate plus other minerals, limestone residue finds its way to water from the ground. Lime is not dangerous as part of a water supply but can stick to metal surfaces when warmed.

Instructions

Water Conditioners

1. 

   Lime buildup can damage industrial pipes.

   Suspend molecules in the water and change their identity by reversing polarity through magnetic fields using an electronic water softener. Instead of being attracted to one another, the molecules in the lime will repel the others. This method is used in industrial and commercial applications to protect large boilers from lime buildup. Specialized magnets installed on the outer pipes create the change in properties. Since there are no chemicals needed, this is a good method for green projects.

2. 

   Limescale leaves a dull and spotted appearance on finishes.

   Force an ion exchange through the use of sodium or potassium. Commonly known as water softeners, the water is cycled through the softening resin and exchanges hard water for soft. This is a chemical process that breaks down the minerals contained in the water in exchange for ions of sodium. The molecules of the lime are replaced with the sodium or potassium ions and removes the hardening ions found in lime and other minerals.

3. 

   Reverse osmosis is good for drinking water.

   Use reverse osmosis for small amounts of water to reduce high levels of nitrate, sulfate and sodium. The movement of water through microscopic filtered membranes flushes out minerals and impurities. Whole house reverse osmosis systems are not normally used because of the large amount of water that has to flow and not all lime is dissipated through the process. This process is good for drinking water.

References

• What is Lime: Graymont
• Water Conditioners: Green Building Encyclopedia
• How Reverse Osmosis Works: NDSU, AE-1047, June 1992
• Ion Exchange Process: How Water Softeners Work