Aqualux Upflow Carbon System Installation and Startup Instructions

A most sincere thank-you for your purchase of your Aqualux Upflow Carbon Filter System! We look forward to helping make this experience an excellent one for you.

The installation and startup of your carbon system involves the following steps:

• Assembly of the bypass valve and plumbing connectors
• Plumbing the system to your pipes
• Filling the tank with water and letting it sit
• Flushing the tank

Assembly of the Bypass and Plumbing Connectors

The Aqualux Upflow Carbon System uses the Clack in/out head assembly, which will already be installed on the top of the tank. We include a bypass and a set of 90 degree threaded elbows. When connected properly the assembly will look like this:

The bypass valve threads onto the in/out head by hand - no tools are necessary. The connection is made watertight by the integrated o-rings so overtightening is not necessary. The 90-degree elbows are hand-tightened in place also. There is no need for teflon tape or pipe dope for the connection of the bypass or elbows. Before attaching the elbows, be sure that the retaining rings and o-rings are in place:

Once the elbows are secured to the bypass, they are free to rotate 360 degrees to facilitate easy installation.

Plumbing To Your Pipes

The inlet and outlet on the Clack in/out head are labelled.  You will be connecting your raw household water to the "upflow inlet" side.  If you're looking at the system from the front, this means that your raw water will enter from the left, and treated water will exit to the right. This image shows the label:

Plumbing Steps:

• Ensure the bypass valve and elbow adapters have been installed on the system
• Turn off household water
• Ensure the handles of the bypass valve are in the bypass position. When the two handles are pointing towards each other, this is the bypass position:

• connect your home plumbing to the elbow adapters. A small amount of Teflon tape should be used on these threaded connectors
• make sure that you connect your incoming (raw) water to the elbow connector associated with the "UPFLOW INLET" side of the in/out head.
• Turn your household water back on
• Identify the bypass handle (red) associated with the UPFLOW INLET.  Slowly open this valve until you hear water slowly flowing into the tank
• Let the tank slowly fill until you can no longer hear water flowing
• Fully close the bypass handle
• Leave the system in bypass mode for 48 hours.  This allows the carbon media, which will have a tendency to float, to absorb water and sink to the bottom of the tank.
• Once 48 hours has elapsed you need to rinse the media of carbon fines
• Ensure that no household water is running anywhere in your home
• Open both valves on the bypass to the fully open position:

• If you have any water treatment equipment downstream of the carbon system (like a water softener) put it in bypass mode for the next steps
• Open a downstream cold water faucet.  Do not open the hot water faucet.  You are now drawing water through the carbon system and rinsing out the carbon fines. The water flowing out of the faucet will be black to start, and will eventually fade to grey, and then clear. If you want to accelerate the rinsing process, you can run two faucets at once - but cold water only. When the water runs clear, the rinsing process is complete. Carbon dust that has stuck to any surfaces can be easily removed with a cloth or paper towel
• If you had put other downstream equipment in bypass mode, you can now put it back in service mode
• Your Upflow Carbon System is now fully ready to use.