Will this fountain develop lime or mineral build up from the hard water where I live? The plastic fountain we use now gets a build up.
1580505
If you want your filters to last, you should be using distilled water or RO water. I have had mine running for 5 months now, filling it only from my water cooler and haven't had any problems with lime or calcium. It does get stinky after a week or 2 but that is because my cats are getting food pellets into the bowl. Regular cleaning is required.
1580506
We have hard water and have had this fountain for about a month now. I recommend using only filtered water in it and doing a thorough cleaning every couple of weeks, as I see the signs of hard water build up if I let it go any longer than that.
1580507
How easy is this to clean? Does distilled water give the proper nutrients cats need? My cat loves ice water from the fridge so will this device keep the water colder than a bowl on the floor? Also, is there an additive that will help cats teeth?
1580508
I don't know we have a filter system for our home. Our fountain so far stays clear.
1580509
the plastic ones I had got Lime build-up but this one does not. I clean it once a week cause one of my cats likes to dip her foot init and lick off her foot. Cats like their water fresh and they love this bubbling water. I like this too cause it is easy to clean however,I took the filter out as I use reverse osmosis water. Hope this helps you decide. I believe its the best cat water dish I have found.
1580510
Unfortunately, yes. The stainless exterior can be cleaned with a little elbow grease and you may have to change the filter more frequently. Despite very hard water, ours is still running fine since December.
308427
I live in a area where lime builds up fast. I use filtered water but it still builds. Once a month I run the tool to break up any build up. I unplug it then tilt the unit over the sink to drain it. I then unscrew the top two screws to clean the top container. I have used vinegar, and coffee cleaning products. Just be sure to run clean water to get it all out of the tanks. Most of the country doesn't have this problem but if you live in the south you may have to use bottled water if you don't want to really clean it. It makes great coffee I had mine for about three years.
1543342
If it had a good flow when you purchased the unit it is most likely mineral build up. They are similar to a water heater in that heated water sets in a tank and the minerals form in the tank. You can lift the tank off of it's bracket and feel if there is mineral buildup. These tanks are quite light when installed. The mineral build up breaks loose and gets in the line and faucet clogging/slowing flow. A plumber most likely could no repair for the price of a new unit. If you replace with same type unit labor would be minimized if tank can use old bracket and faucet should easily fit old hole - all lines should attach similarly. If it had a good flow when you purchased the unit it is most likely mineral build up. They are similar to a water heater in that heated water sets in a tank and the minerals form in the tank. You can lift the tank off of it's bracket and feel if there is mineral buildup. These tanks are quite light when installed. The mineral build up breaks loose and gets in the line and faucet clogging/slowing flow. A plumber most likely could no repair for the price of a new unit. If you replace with same type unit labor would be minimized if tank can use old bracket and faucet should easily fit old hole... » Read More If it had a good flow when you purchased the unit it is most likely mineral build up. They are similar to a water heater in that heated water sets in a tank and the minerals form in the tank. You can lift the tank off of it's bracket and feel if there is mineral buildup. These tanks are quite light when installed. The mineral build up breaks loose and gets in the line and faucet clogging/slowing flow. A plumber most likely could no repair for the price of a new unit. If you replace with same type unit labor would be minimized if tank can use old bracket and faucet should easily fit old hole - all lines should attach similarly. « Show Less
217113
I do not have a hard water problem here, but having loved in Arizona previously, from Experience with hard water there, I would not use this unit unless I had a water softener system installed and functioning prior to installation.
1236854
Yes. The charcoal filter does protect against Ca+ build-up, but is not required for operation. At the office we typically use Spring Water (Deer Park) with the included filter and we've had no scale or hard-water related issues to date. Very nice, customizable machine.
577765
We have a lot of calcium in our well water. The heat from the hot water tank is what causes the minerals to form scale. We placed this on the cold water side of the hot water tank and noticed a big improvement in water quality, especially on shower doors and dish washer. I have changed it twice now. The first time at 3 mos because the info says it can clean up existing scale in pipes and fixtures. The bottom line is if your water is very hard that will affect how much benefit you get from this product. So will you be happy with a 50% improvement in quality? I know I am cleaning faucet screens a lot less. Still have a jug of vinegar around though! Hope this helps.
1110036
the whole thing is plastic. It might last longer if you got a soft water filter to keep from the hard water deposits from building up. Also if you dont have very good water pressure its not worth it
703618
It really depends on where you live, and the source of your water. Different areas have different levels of calcium minerals (calcite and gypsum), or magnesium minerals (dolomite and epsomite (and over 100+ others). The combinations cause different colors of limescale to develop. Hope that helps! :)
1118915
No, the water is not in touch with plastic at any time. I don't know about liquid minerals, but I do know that if you drink plenty of fresh juices this should not be a problem. If water is your main hydration, then probably the answer is yes, you'll need the extra minerals.
974484
yes it will. I had the same problem and once i got this water dish the problem was solved. One suggestion, if you have hard water i would filter it first otherwise the mineral buildup can be a bear.
1620102
Yes it has a cylinder of material that takes out the hard part of water. If you live in an area with hard water, you really need to use bottled water or the filter will soon get overloaded. That means uing a lot of bottles, about one a day. Changing out the material is a bit of a pain, but the problem I had was with the electrical sensing system. The filter unit gets taken in and out every time you add water, and somehow this triggered the breakdown in the electronic sensor.
705726
It would depend on how often and how many square feet you use it on. Generally when you notice a build up that is visible thru the plastic. Water type will also determine how often to change it. If you use clean distilled water it will last much longer.
2237650
If you have any mineral content in your water it will slowly plug your machine and you will have to decalcify more often. Also removes any mineral taste you might have.
325857
regular water is fine but all mine is reverse osmosis. If you don't i would watch for lime build up.
280023
No rust, however if the water is hard in your area you could possible see hard water calcuim build up on the portion that is the the water line. Remeber with this unit make sure you unplug it while still in the water, wait a couple of second the take it out. Mine shows a bit of melting on the portion that the plastic meets the metal props (just a little) because i tend to leave it in the water for longer than usual.
962286
I use my monster at least twice a week. And ive owned since the summer. I live in central Texas and we have hard water so I have to use distilled water and an every so often use vinegar for build up.
1202171
I checked mine monthly and used judgement on calcium build-up. A lot depends on hardness of your water. I never used more than two per season but, only ran it for 6 months per year since I live in the Northeast(another factor to consider).