Your Cart
Your cart is empty.
Browse the store →Your cart is empty.
Browse the store →Title, summary, and primary media.
Description, long copy, and specifications.
Filtration media Redox
KDF-85 Balls are sold as a copper–zinc redox medium of the KDF-85 grade, the copper-rich grade made for well water with iron and hydrogen sulfide.
Made of: Copper and zinc, per the product name; branded KDF 85 is about 85% copper and 15% zinc
Form: Balls
Main job: Reduces hydrogen sulfide (rotten-egg smell) and dissolved iron
Used in: Waslix custom layered cartridges; also sold loose by weight
The copper-rich alloy reacts with substances dissolved in the water. Hydrogen sulfide becomes solid copper sulfide, dissolved iron becomes solid iron hydroxide, and free chlorine becomes chloride.
Reduces hydrogen sulfide: the maker states KDF 85 turns it into insoluble copper sulfide, which the bed then holds back
Reduces dissolved iron: the maker states more than 90% of iron from groundwater, in whole-house systems that are backwashed
Reduces free chlorine and dissolved metals: the maker sells a coarse KDF 85 grade for chlorine and heavy metals, and states its KDF 55, 85 and C media can remove up to 98% of soluble lead and mercury
Adds some zinc and copper: copper–zinc media release zinc and some copper as they work; in a published patent test, 5–20 g of KDF 85 ahead of carbon filters gave up to about 1.5 mg/L zinc in the first water after standing overnight, under the EPA's 5 mg/L taste guideline
Evidence: manufacturer data The reduction figures come from the maker of KDF 85 granules, mostly from backwashed whole-house systems. We have not found independent tests of how well KDF 85 works in cartridges, or any tests of these balls.
It belongs at the inlet, where it meets sulfide and iron first and protects the carbon layers that follow.
Layer position: Near the inlet, ahead of carbon; never the last layer before the outlet
Pairs well with: Activated or catalytic carbon after it
Keep in mind: Iron and sulfide become solids a cartridge cannot wash out, so only low levels suit it; maker's range is pH 6.5–8.5
Material | Copper–zinc redox media, KDF-85 grade |
|---|---|
Form | Balls |
Spec source | Product title |
Before first use: Rinse until the water runs clear, then run a new cartridge to drain for a few minutes
Storage: Keep sealed, cool and dry, away from food; avoid breathing dust and wear eye protection when pouring
Replacement: No service life is published for this form; on water with iron or sulfide, replace it sooner, or when the smell returns
Only low levels. The maker's whole-house guidance for KDF 55 and 85 covers up to 5 ppm of iron or hydrogen sulfide, with backwashing at least three times a week. A cartridge cannot be backwashed, so heavy iron or sulfide will clog it; that needs a whole-house system.
Not in a normal cartridge. In the maker's own cartridge test it took roughly 2 to 3 kg of KDF 85, about 20 seconds of contact and acid dosing to hold the pH near 7, and the ammonia stayed in the water. For chloramine, use a catalytic carbon layer.
KDF-55 is the half-copper, half-zinc grade for free chlorine and dissolved metals. KDF-85 is richer in copper and is the grade for hydrogen sulfide and iron.
No certification is claimed for this product. Filter media can be certified for material safety (for example to NSF/ANSI 61) and complete systems for performance (NSF/ANSI 42 or 53), but we have not found such a listing for this material.
How well any medium works depends on your water, the flow rate, contact time and the other layers in the cartridge. This page describes the loose medium, not a certified filter system.
A copper-rich copper–zinc redox medium, sold as the KDF-85 grade, for well water. That grade turns low levels of hydrogen sulfide and dissolved iron into solids the layer holds back, and also reduces free chlorine.
Waslix gathers, organizes, and researches a massive range of products across water, light, air, and energy. We demystify complex technologies to simplify your high-involvement purchasing decisions, making complete solutions easily accessible.
Edit this HTML block.