Polyphosphates have been used for many years in municipal and industrial water systems to control hard water issues in water including iron and calcium. The manufacturing usually begins with mining minerals or plant extraction. They are available in liquid and solid form and come in a variety of forms to fit different application needs. The solid form is usually in the form of a small bead that resembles clear plastic graduals. These graduals can be used in water treatment products such as filters and dispensers. We use polyphosphate graduals in our Poly Hard Water Conditioner, and in specific filters like our Polyphosphate Filter Cartridge Kit. 
Our Poly Hard Water Conditioner uses a Hard Water Bullet, in conduction with poly-phosphate crystals to treat and sequester calcium, aragonite, and hard water minerals.
There are several forms and grades of phosphates. Most dry powders and liquid concentrates are safe to handle and store. Phosphate additives are either food quality grade or certified to ANSI/NSF Standard #60 drinking water treatment as approved for use in potable drinking water.
Poly-phosphates in liquid form is usually available in five to thirty-gallon barrels and used in dispenser injection systems. One such product we offer is our MCT501c descaling liquid. Our Dosing Softener is designed for residential applications and injects a small amount of polyphosphate liquid into the water stream and the results are nearly the same as using the granular form.
It dissolves very slowly in the water stream and changes how the calcium and iron react in the water. Phosphates are used in water systems to inhibit corrosion of water mains/plumbing (iron, steel, galvanized, lead, copper), sequester nuisance metals in the water supply (iron, manganese, calcium, magnesium).
The result and benefits will be:
- Prevent "red" (from the iron) and "black" (from manganese) water
- Reduce soluble lead and copper in potable water
- Clean or dissolve precipitated mineral scale already existent in water distribution lines
- Prevent and/or retard scale formation (from minerals depositing) and corrosion (from low pH and/or dissimilar metals) in the water distribution system
Poly Phosphate water conditioning can eliminate the use of an ion-exchange water softener in many cases and is usually more economical and environmentally friendly, not needing to regenerate, wasted water and salt purchases.