What is Garnet?
Garnet is a naturally occurring granular filter material used in a water filter system as the lower strata in a dual media filter bed. The chemically inert substance is a non-metallic mineral with a small grain size capable of trapping fine particles within the water. The reddish granular filter media is a high-density filter media that can provide stability and effective filtration of smaller particulates, either alone or paired with another filter media.
How Does Garnet Work?
Due to its high density, the granular filter media sits firmly within the dual media bed, allowing efficient filtration of smaller solids within the water. Since garnet occurs in either larger or smaller products, there are several ways to use the media in a water filter system. As the impurities pass through the filter chamber, the solids form a cake on the surface of the garnet media bed. Backwashing removes the caking of the solids on the media bed and helps increase the flow rate and performance of the filter system.
What are the Advantages of Garnet?
Because garnet comes in both smaller and larger sizes, you have the option to use both in a properly designed multi-media system. The granular filter media is a popular material used in unique filter designs thanks to its high specific gravity. If you want to achieve the best results, you can combine granite with other filter media. Pairing it with other high-density media as a support bed is also a great option. Unlike other filter media, garnet can last for years because of its high hardness.
What are the Conditions for Operations for Garnet?
A garnet bed must have a depth of at least 3 inches minimum and 5 inches maximum to get optimal performance. The recommended bed depth for its freeboard is a minimum of 40% to 50%. The backwash flow rate and service flow rate are at 15 – 20 gpm/sq. ft. and 3 – 5 gpm/sq. ft., respectively.
Is Garnet an Effective Filter Media?
Garnet is a hard, granular filter material capable of providing efficient water filtration for residential and commercial settings. As long as you follow the recommended operational specifications, the mineral is effective in reducing smaller particles found in your tap water.