Can A Halcyan Water Conditioner Actually Reduce Limescale Buildup & Corrosion
In Hard-Water Areas Of The UK
Read on to see if their products can protect pipework, boiler heat exchangers & kitchen appliances
Who Or What Is A Halcyan?
Halcyan Is Actually One Of The Top Three Manufacturers Of Water Conditioners In The UK.
They are a British company based in Bristol and claim to have exclusive UK rights to a unique and patented alloy-based water conditioning technology that is deployed globally. Now some may call that an unfair monopoly but I call it a shrewd business manoeuvre.
They also claim that their domestic water conditioning devices can reduce limescale build-up by over 80%, slowly dissolves existing deposits, help with skin sensitivity, reduce energy bills by hundreds, and, most importantly, eliminate that furry stuff at the bottom of your kettle.
Let’s explore further and see if these wild claims about kettles can be substantiated.
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Have a question about the differing limescale and corrosion protection technologies favoured by the top three manufacturers in this arena. Send us an email and we will get back to you within a day or so.
Halcyan H2o9 Water Conditioner Trying To Look Exotic
Halcyan Range Of Domestic Water Conditioners
Who Are The Other Two?
Aquabion And Advanced Hydro Are Also Respected Experts In The Field Of Limescale Control.
Halcyan, along with these two, have a great reputation in the commercial sector for their industrial-scale limescale control technology. And lucky for us homeowners the exact same technology is incorporated into their domestic products, obviously on a much smaller scale.
So, assuming you live in a hard-water area of the UK, and you have concerns about limescale build-up (which you should have) then the best long-term solution is to invest your hard-earned money in one of these devices. But none of them are cheap so do your research before taking the plunge – check out the comparison table and videos below, and definitely spend some quality time on each manufacturers website:
- Aquabion S15/S20 products.
- Advanced Hydro ACP15/ACP20 products.
- Halcyan H2o9 and H2o18 products.
Aquabion S15 & S20
Advanced Hydro ACP15 & ACP20
Halcyan H2o9 & H2o18
Do They All Do The Same Job?
Eliminating Limescale & Corrosion Is The Name Of The Game.
Domestic water conditioners serve one purpose only and that is to reduce the build-up of limescale throughout your home’s pipework, central heating system, and kitchen appliances, which in turn reduces corrosion as limescale loves to eat all things metal.
It also reduces nasty biofilm growth as bacteria, in turn, loves to eat limescale, and with no natural predator it thrives and multiplies in warm limescale-rich environments like the pipework throughout your home.
Imagine What Is Growing Inside
Extreme Case Of Biofilm Growth In A Filter
Biofilm Will Eventually Colonise Everywhere
Halcyan and Aquabion also claim, as a side effect, to reduce skin irritation by making soap products lather more and, therefore, making soap residue easier to wash away from your skin. Aquabion go a step further and claim that this will help your skin stay healthier and firmer, affecting the ageing process of skin.
I know quite a few people that have fitted an Aquabion water conditioner but I have not noticed any of them looking any younger over the years. But many have reported increased water flow in the shower and less limescale related problems such as appliance breakdowns, so not all is lost!
Halcyan Prices
Halcyan H2o9 ‘The Favourite’
15mm (½”) or 22mm (¾”)
£897.00
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Halcyan H2o18
£1,182.00
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So How Do Their Products Differ?
Non-Sacrificial Alloy Vs Sacrificial Zinc.
Halcyan water conditioners contain a unique alloy material that is made with a blend of 12 metals that have been forged (hopefully not like the forging in The Lord of the Rings) into a solid core with turbulence-producing fins and gateways. And through some scientific chemical process (a process I don’t fully understand) it causes a change in the molecular structure of the minerals in hard water, resulting in their ability to stick to metallic surfaces to be greatly diminished. The net effect of this is a claimed reduction of over 80% in limescale build-up and, just as importantly, a slow dissolving of existing deposits over time.
Unlike Halcyan, the other two manufacturers deploy an expendable zinc anode that will slowly deplete over a long period. The small quantity of zinc ions that are released into the water causes a chemical reaction with the hard water mineral ions by some scientific process called electrolytic action (yet another process I don’t quite understand). These zinc ions somehow latch onto minerals like calcium and magnesium and basically makes them combine into something that is less sticky.
Limescale Crystal Formation In Unconditioned Water – You Have Been Warned!
Aquabion vs Halcyan vs Advanced Hydro
| DESCRIPTION | AQUABION | HALCYAN | ADVANCED HYDRO |
|---|---|---|---|
| Limescale Prevention | Over 80% | Over 80% | Over 80% |
| Inhibits Corrosion | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Independently Tested | No |  Yes | See Results |
| Complete Household Protection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Lifespan | 7 Years | 30 Years | 10 Years |
| Manufacturer Warranty | 5 Years | 30 Years | 10 Years |
| Environmentally Friendly | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Chemical & Salt Free | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Includes Earth Clamp & Wire | Yes | Earthing Not Required | Yes |
| Easy Installation | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Zero Maintenance Costs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Country Of Manufacture | Germany | Australia | UK |
| Reduces Heating Costs | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reduces Appliance Repair Bills | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reduces Usage Of Cleaning Chemicals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reduces Risk Of Legionella | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Maximum Operating Pressure | 16.0 bar | 10.0 bar | 10.0 bar |
| WRAS Approved (For Drinking Water) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safe For Making Baby Food | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Retains Naturally Occurring Minerals | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Zinc Content (Depletes Over Lifespan) | x1 | N/A | x2 |
| Alloy Content (Does Not Deplete) | N/A | x1 | N/A |
| Small Domestic Unit Weight | 0.436kg | 0.24kg | 1.1kg |
| Small Domestic Unit Length | 120mm | 110mm | 150mm |
| Large Domestic Unit Weight | 1.64kg | 0.5kg | 3.1kg |
| Large Domestic Unit Length | 180mm | 188mm | 205mm |
What Size Unit Will I Need For My Property?
No More Guessing Games.
The main deciding factor will be the amount of water used in your property on a daily basis. A large household with multiple bathrooms in active duty will definitely require a larger water conditioner. Another important factor is that you do not want to reduce water pressure by fitting a smaller unit (eg 15mm) to a larger incoming mains water line (eg 22mm).
Aquabion mention one over-complicated configuration that involves fitting two water conditioners in parallel, where one is isolated and only manually activated when you have additional people staying over. Both Halcyan and Advanced Hydro did not recommend this configuration when asked anonymously (I did not want to appear stupid). I totally agree with them as you will end up paying more and not really knowing when the larger part time unit has expired and requires replacing – better to stick with a single Aquabion and not let anyone stay over I reckon.
Your best bet I reckon would be to use the Halcyan Sizing Tool just to get an initial idea, regardless of which manufacturer’s product you end up buying.
Now that is just showing off!
Why Does A Halcyan Cost More Than Others?
Long Term Relationships Are Always More Expensive.
They all do the same job and all kind of look the same from the outside so why does it cost almost twice as much as an equivalent Aquabion or Advanced Hydro water conditioner. It simply comes down to the lifespan of the device, with Halcyan offering a 30 year warranty compared to only 5 years for the Aquabion (although with a claimed 7 year lifespan).
And don’t forget about the cost of paying for an over-priced plumber to swap out the Aquabion every so often, although this can easily be achieved by anyone with an adjustable spanner or two.
Additionally, it has been scientifically proven that even a mere 1 or 2mm layer of limescale acts as an insulator, increasing the amount of energy required to heat the same amount of water. The net result is an increase to your energy bills, which will only get worse over the years as these troublesome limescale layers accumulate in your boilers heat exchanger and on heating elements. This one fact alone almost makes the upfront cost insignificant.
How Do I Know It Actually Works?
At These Prices We Demand Assurances.
Too right as well, and thankfully we have these assurances from all three manufacturers and here they are, all legally binding as I have checked the numerous clauses in their terms and conditions:
- Aquabion – All domestic customers have a 1-year satisfaction guarantee. If you are not satisfied you must return the product within 365 days of your purchase for a full refund.
- Advanced Hydro – We offer an no-quibble money-back guarantee for 12 months assuming you return the item clean and undamaged.
- Halcyan – We Offer A 12 Month Money Back Satisfaction Guarantee.
Are Halcyan Water Conditioners Eco-Friendly?
Connect With Mother Nature By Avoiding Water Softeners.
Halcyan water conditioners are totally eco-friendly when compared to something like a water softener, with no salt refills required and no automatic self-flushing of salt-laden waste into the environment. But this is not a unique Halcyan claim as the exact same thing applies to Aquabion and Advanced Hydro units.
I just came across the following on the web regarding water softeners (read full article here), something in my opinion that should bring about a law to totally ban both domestic and commercial water softeners:
- Aquatic Environments – Contaminated wastewater ends up in our rivers and streams. Freshwater has about 1% salt compared to 25% in saltwater oceans, but the percentage seems to be growing. The increased salinity harms the ecosystem and will eventually kill freshwater animals.
- Farming – A lot of farms irrigate with wastewater. The sodium in wastewater causes soil to lose its fertility, resulting in stunted plant growth and less yield of crops. The contaminated water effects can vary depending on the type of plants, soil, and exposure. But, we cannot afford to ignore its effects on our agriculture.
So either invest in a water conditioner or live with limescale problems, but please do not install a water softener at any cost – those freshwater critters will be forever thankful.
If that was not enough then there also seems to be an issue with corrosion caused by water softener waste discharge. Here is a an actual enquiry I recently received on this site:
I live in London and recently purchased a traditional salt based water softener, but i (sic) have since discovered the house has a foul water pumping station which the softener discharges into and as such, i (sic) am unable to keep the softener as it will corrode the pumps. I live in a 2 bathroom house with only 2 occupants, which conditioner would you recommend for our property and are you able to so provide (sic & sic again), disconnect the softener and fit the conditioner for us?
Prestigious Halcyan Commercial Clients
Halcyan Conclusion
They Must Be Doing Something Right To Earn A High Trustpilot Score.
Here’s hoping that Trustpilot reviews are more trustworthy than Amazon product reviews, which I think they are.
As a final note let’s assume that water conditioners from all three manufacturers do roughly the same job, then the main deciding factors on which unit to buy comes down to the initial cost and lifespan. Both Halcyan and Advanced Hydro devices have a great lifespan along with a comprehensive warranty. The 5 year warranty of the Aquabion units seems a few years too short to be honest, especially at this age when the years seem to fly by. But regardless of this, Aquabion do have a great reputation in the UK for limescale control – so choose your weapon against limescale wisely.
Halcyan Videos & More
Welcome to Halcyan
Halcyan Questions & Answers
How A Halcyan Water Conditioner Works
Why Choose Halcyan
Halcyan Commercial Customer Review
Halcyan Domestic Customer Review
Halcyan Installation Guide
Halcyan Installation Guide