FCCST-STO Aquafilter foam softening cartridge

10-inch cartridge for softening and mechanical filtration

The Aquafilter FCCST-STO model has been designed for use in 10-inch standard filter housings and casings. Its design makes it possible to combine two important tasks in one cartridge: basic mechanical filtration and water hardness reduction.

This solution is particularly useful wherever water causes scale buildup on fittings, connection components, and devices that come into contact with water. Thanks to the combination of a filtration layer with a softening section, the cartridge can be an effective solution even when the installation provides only a single filtration stage.

Application

The cartridge is intended for mechanical filtration and water treatment through softening at single points of use.

Its capacity qualifies it for use upstream of a single water outlet. It works well wherever simultaneous protection against solid contaminants and reduction of limescale deposits are needed.

This model can be used, for example, in:

• the standing countertop filter of the FHCTF series,
• inline housings of the FHPRx-B series.

Due to its two-stage filtration, the cartridge is sometimes the only solution for hard water treatment in a single-stage setup, i.e. in a system with one filter mounted on the pipe.

How does the Aquafilter FCCST-STO cartridge work?

Stage 1: mechanical filtration

Pre-filtration takes place on polypropylene foam, also referred to as polypropylene nonwoven fabric. At this stage, solid contaminants undissolved in water are retained, such as:

• sand,
• rust,
• silt,
• sludge,
• other similar mechanical contaminants.

The polypropylene layer performs an important protective function because it extends the service life of the softening media by reducing its load from mechanical impurities.

Stage 2: water softening

After passing through the polypropylene layer, the water flows into the section filled with efficient softening media. The media holds a PZH certificate for drinking water treatment.

In the upper part of the cartridge, the ion exchange process takes place. Calcium ions present in hard water are exchanged for sodium ions, so the water flowing out of the cartridge does not cause scale, film, and similar deposits to build up to the same extent as before.

Why is water softening important?

Hard water promotes limescale buildup, especially in installation connection components and fittings. In practice, this means faster deposit formation, more difficult surface cleaning, and a greater burden on devices that come into contact with water.

Reducing the content of compounds responsible for water hardness helps decrease the formation of film and scale. This matters both for everyday comfort of use and for the protection of the installation and accessories.

Consuming water with a high calcium content contributes to the formation of kidney stones.

Key user benefits

• combination of mechanical filtration and water softening in one cartridge,
• compatibility with 10-inch standard housings,
• retention of contaminants such as sand, rust, silt, and sludge,
• extended operating life of the softening media thanks to the polypropylene layer,
• reduction of scale and film buildup,
• application at a single water outlet,
• possibility of use as an effective solution in a simple single-stage water filtration system.

Use in household filtration systems

Aquafilter FCCST-STO can be used wherever a compact improvement in service water quality is needed at a single point of use. In practice, the cartridge fits well into simpler filtration setups, as well as serving as a supporting element in a more extensive water filtration system.

Although this is not a cartridge intended for membrane-based solutions such as reverse osmosis, it can serve as a useful preliminary stage in installations where reducing hardness and protecting fittings against deposits are important. Unlike solutions such as an RO filter, reverse osmosis filter, or a complete reverse osmosis system, this model is designed to operate in classic 10-inch housings as a replaceable water cartridge.

Technical specification