Water Softener

[SamSpade]

We're looking into replacing the water softener. Right now, we get water stains on everything, and it's this brownish red stuff. I'm thinking this is NOT iron stains, but I've never heard anyone with a filtration system for iron, and I've heard the salts for water softeners that claim to remove iron do nothing of the kind.

Suggestions?

 

[nutz]

You probably don't really need a water softener. Water softeners and some other things have been sold as catchalls to cure the reddish brown problem. Odds are pretty good you actually have iron related bacteria. IRB's can be destroyed by chlorinating. Chlorination can be done mechanically (pump, timer, holding tank) or by dosing the well itself periodically. Spend a few dollars to have a complete water test done before investing in anything.

Two good resources are: Iron-related, Sulfate-reducing, and Slime-forming Bacteria - Microbiology Laboratory Services / Bacteria

Water purification, replacement filter cartridge, iron removal system, Fleck control valve

 

[GWguy]

We're looking into replacing the water softener. Right now, we get water stains on everything, and it's this brownish red stuff. I'm thinking this is NOT iron stains, but I've never heard anyone with a filtration system for iron, and I've heard the salts for water softeners that claim to remove iron do nothing of the kind.

Suggestions?

Don't know if they are still in use, but we used a MicroMet filter with crystals in our very rusty well water in NY. It wasn't a softener, it was just for rust. Worked pretty well.

It's also possible you have a old piece of galvanized or iron pipe somewhere that's breaking down and introducing rust.

 

[SamSpade]

It's also possible you have a old piece of galvanized or iron pipe somewhere that's breaking down and introducing rust.

That's probably not the case, since the previous owners had the same problem with the water, and we've replaced pretty much every part of our system, including part of the well.
The buildup of brown - whatever it is - can be frustrating, and from replacing toilet plumbing, it appears to be like dirt. But the crap that builds up in the tub and faucets is murder to scrub off.

I suspect our old softener has finally gone kaput - if it ever did anything at all (it was here when we bought the house), but I am not sure what we will replace it with.
Still just hoping someone will know about St Mary's county well water and say "OH! What YOU need is..." and give an idea.

I'm going to check the chlorination idea - I guess it hadn't occurred to me that municipal water is usually chlorinated before it reaches the house, but well water -- isn't.
I also know that our pool is heavily chlorinated with spigot water - and this never happens.

 

[SamSpade]

Still haven't changed it yet.

Given the well water most of us have down here, our main problems seem to be lime scale, rust and dirt. Softeners take care of lime scale.
*Filters* do the rest. It seems to me that a combination of the two would be best, but I don't know if both working in tandem will actually work.

 

[migtig]

When we shocked the well, it removed the red stains for about a year. The pinky red colors are just now starting to come back. So I'd suggest bleach...aka chlorination.

 

[slotpuppy]

Still haven't changed it yet.

Given the well water most of us have down here, our main problems seem to be lime scale, rust and dirt. Softeners take care of lime scale.
*Filters* do the rest. It seems to me that a combination of the two would be best, but I don't know if both working in tandem will actually work.

If you are friends with BCP on FB, ask him. He has a lot of knowledge about that stuff.

 

[SamSpade]

When we shocked the well, it removed the red stains for about a year. The pinky red colors are just now starting to come back. So I'd suggest bleach...aka chlorination.

How do you "shock" a well?

 

[Ken King]

How do you "shock" a well?

http://www.water-research.net/shockwelldisinfection.htm

 

[SamSpade]

http://www.water-research.net/shockwelldisinfection.htm

Yikes. If I lived alone, I might try it, but with family I might consider hiring someone who's done it successfully.
I realize it more or less amounts to pouring a couple pints of bleach down the pipe, but I don't think I can sell the idea in my house.

By the way - have you heard of chlorinators for the house?

 

[Ken King]

Yikes. If I lived alone, I might try it, but with family I might consider hiring someone who's done it successfully.
I realize it more or less amounts to pouring a couple pints of bleach down the pipe, but I don't think I can sell the idea in my house.

By the way - have you heard of chlorinators for the house?

Yep, there seem to be quite a few variations of them out there. Used one while in GA (salt chlorination system) , but luckily I have "city" water out here in the mountains (quoted city because there really isn't one close by out here).

 

[nutz]

Still haven't changed it yet.

Given the well water most of us have down here, our main problems seem to be lime scale, rust and dirt. Softeners take care of lime scale.
*Filters* do the rest. It seems to me that a combination of the two would be best, but I don't know if both working in tandem will actually work.

A green sand filter using potassium permanganate is a rust remover (purple staining will occur if spilled). Chlorination can also work for rust and other "things".

http://www.inversand.com/maggreen.htm
http://www.advanced-water-systems.com/technical/faqs/faqs_greensand.html
http://www.nesc.wvu.edu/pdf/dw/publications/ontap/2009_tb/how_to_manganese_greensand.pdf
http://www.ohiopurewater.com/shop/customer/search.php?substring=green+sand

 

[nutz]

Yikes. If I lived alone, I might try it, but with family I might consider hiring someone who's done it successfully.
I realize it more or less amounts to pouring a couple pints of bleach down the pipe, but I don't think I can sell the idea in my house.

By the way - have you heard of chlorinators for the house?

Shocking the well only works temporarily. As the well regenerates the shock treatment diminishes. Dry pellet chlorinators "usually" do not work with deep wells because the pellets never reach the water. A very inexpensive, though not highly dependable, alternative would be to plumb in a pool chlorinator.

http://www.doityourself.com/forum/w...ge-systems/274569-well-water-chlorinator.html