Black manganese stains creep across your sinks, bathtubs, and toilets like an unwelcome shadow, leaving dingy, stubborn black or dark gray marks that refuse to wash away. These unsightly stains not only ruin the look of your fixtures but can also signal damaging manganese buildup in your water supply, leading to costly repairs and persistent irritation. Without the right treatment, these stains can darken your water, harm your home's plumbing, and diminish your family’s comfort and wellbeing.

The system that fixes it

The Autotrol Black Manganese Stains System is a powerhouse engineered specifically to banish black manganese stains from your home’s water. At its core, the system features the proven Autotrol 263 air-injection control valve, a genuine, serviceable valve designed for precision and reliability. This innovative valve draws in oxygen to supercharge the oxidation process, transforming dissolved manganese into solid particles trapped within the tank's media bed. The system’s tank is constructed around a robust air-injection oxidizing design, optimized to work seamlessly with Katalox Light manganese-dioxide media—the star player in chemically converting manganese into a solid that is then flushed away during backwash cycles.

• Autotrol 263 air-injection control valve enhances oxidation by injecting air into the water, ensuring efficient manganese removal.
• Durable oxidizing tank built to house the media and handle high-capacity treatment cycles.
• Katalox Light manganese-dioxide media specifically targets manganese, converting it into a solid for easy removal.
• Backwash cycle flushes trapped manganese solids, preventing media clogging and extending system life.
• Genuine, easy-to-service brand valve guarantees longevity and simple maintenance without costly downtime.

Pick your size

Select the size that matches your home’s bathroom count to ensure optimal performance and manganese stain removal without wasted capacity or expense.

What it does for your home

• Eradicates black manganese stains from sinks, tubs, toilets, and fixtures, restoring their original brightness.
• Prevents manganese buildup that can clog pipes and appliances, protecting your plumbing investment.
• Improves water clarity by removing manganese particles that cause discoloration and cloudiness.
• Reduces maintenance time and cleaning costs by eliminating tough-to-remove stains.
• Enhances the comfort of bathing and washing with clear, clean water free from unsightly discoloration.
• Safeguards your family’s health by limiting exposure to manganese accumulation in household water.

With this system in place, your home benefits from cleaner water, preserved fixtures, and peace of mind that manganese stains are gone for good.

How the media works

The secret weapon inside the Autotrol Black Manganese Stains System is its Katalox Light manganese-dioxide media. This specially engineered media acts like a magnet for manganese dissolved in your water, chemically oxidizing it from a dissolved state into solid particles. Once oxidized, these solids become trapped within the media bed inside the tank. During scheduled backwashes, the trapped manganese particles are flushed out, leaving the media fresh and ready to continue protecting your water. This process ensures continuous removal of manganese, preventing it from staining your plumbing and surfaces. The built-in air-injection valve feeds oxygen into the system, supercharging this oxidation reaction for maximum effectiveness.

Why buy this system from us

• We use only genuine, brand-name Autotrol valves that are fully serviceable, meaning you won’t face expensive replacements or downtime.
• Enjoy free professional sizing advice tailored to your home's needs—no guesswork required.
• Take advantage of free shipping anywhere in the United States, right to your doorstep.
• The system is a matched one-brand build—every component is designed to work flawlessly together for reliable performance.

Common questions

Q? How quickly will the Autotrol Black Manganese Stains System eliminate visible black stains in my home?
A The system begins oxidizing manganese immediately upon installation; typically, visible black stains fade within days as the manganese is removed from your water supply.

Q? Why is the Autotrol 263 air-injection control valve so important for manganese removal?
A This valve introduces oxygen directly into the water, accelerating the oxidation of dissolved manganese into solids that can be trapped and flushed away—without it, manganese removal is far less effective.

Q? Can this system handle manganese levels that cause severe staining in homes with multiple bathrooms?
A Yes, by selecting the appropriate tank size and media amount based on your home’s bathroom count, the system’s capacity ensures thorough manganese removal and stain prevention for even larger households.

Shop the Autotrol Black Manganese Stains System →

Prefer another valve brand? The same fix comes in Fleck, Autotrol, C-Series, Pentek and Pentair.