Replies

1. 
   allaround_ | Oct 24, 2001 11:09pm | #1

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   Do the neighbors have the same problem with a better water source. Why not take the $ you're going to spend on fixing an ongoing problem and construct a new well for better water? How deep is the sand point? If it's fairly shallow, it's just a good place to get contaminated water.

1. 
   Nanuk_ | Oct 25, 2001 02:53pm | #2

   *allaround - the sand point is 25 feet, and she has it tested every year. The neighbor has a new standard well that's 85 feet, and his water is equally as rusty. And a new well is something she's not willing to do, so again, if you can offer me any advice on rust removal/water softener systems, it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. (more snow today, so I really want to get started on this inside project)

1. 
   Dale | Oct 26, 2001 05:17am | #3

   *I should begin with the disclaimer that I'm no expert, however, the solution varies depending on the amount and form of the iron. If the iron arives a suspended solid, that portion can be removed with a good (set of) sediment filters. If the iron appears after exposure to air, then an iron flocculation and preciptation system is called for. A pair of tanks is used between the pressure tank and the houses supply. In the first, water is mixed with air to precipitatie the iron as oxide. The second tank contains a sharp sand filter to collect the precipitate. It is cleaned periodically by automatic backflushing. The discharge from the precipitation unit can then be fed into a softener.There is a firm called Big Iron in the midwest that does a lot of this treatment. Be careful that any hardware has sufficient bore size to allow adequate flow. (3/4" is too small for all but the smallest demand) I would also avoid any system that introduces flocculation air with a venturi because that device causes a big pressure drop. You might have to run the pump at 80-100 psi in order to maintain 35 psi under flow at the discharge side. Check with a good well-drilling firm. They should be able to help you.

1. 
   Nanuk_ | Oct 27, 2001 08:29pm | #4

   *Come on everyone, isn't there any more advice out there? I was really hoping for more answers or suggestions than that. I'm beginning to think that you guys don't like me anymore. Everytime I post a question, no one answers. I'm feeling a little sensitive today, so help me out with this rust dilemna. Alone and sad in snow country...........Nanuk :)

1. 
   Nanuk_ | Oct 28, 2001 04:44pm | #5

   *Hello? Anyone out there? Anyone?

2. 
   Rich_Beckman | Oct 29, 2001 02:05am | #6

   *Nanuk,I have no expertise in this area, but...Our well water has a fairly high iron content. Once upon a time, just the softener did a very good job at getting the iron out. Maybe three years ago, the iron seemed to get worse. We added a string filter. Now we run the softener (when its working!) and use a carbon filter instead of the string. That works fairly well. Sorry I don't have any hardness numbers for you.By the way, did you do a search? This has been often discussed.A good friend of mine has a rental with water like you describe, only the hot water smelled to high heaven...the entire house smelled, inside and out. Culligan said there was nothing they could do to clear it up (maybe meaning within what he wanted to spend??). The tenant insisted on removal of the anode (sp) rod from the hot water heater. When that was removed, the smell went away.Rich Beckman

3. 
   Rich_ | Oct 29, 2001 02:15am | #7

   *Hi. I'll talk to you. Watcha wanna talk about? Oh yeah... Well, since this IS FineHB you're probably in the wrong place. Mebbe try something like Sorry I couldn't be of much help. Have a nice day.

4. 
   Dale_Wermenchuk | Oct 29, 2001 03:35am | #8

   *Nanuk - Don't be so sensitive. As far as your question goes I agree with Dale (no relation to me). One other possible is that it could be "Iron Bacteria" but its probably the same removal Dale described. I would start at HD or even a local hardware store for off the shelf solutions. Try particulate filters first and see what happens.

5. 
   wedgehead | Nov 01, 2001 04:59pm | #9

   *My well water is hard with a lot of iron. 24 gr hardness and 1300 ppm iron. Turned the toilets rusty a week after I finished the house. We got a softener from a company called Rayne. This was not cheap, but they checked the #'s from the lab test and said their system would do the job, or they would keep working until I was happy. So now I have a high capacity softener with an iron filter built in, and it does everything they said it would, with no complaints. Cost was about $2800 with a nice r.o. unit for drinking water. I'm sure you can get cheaper comparable units, but the service after purchase, etc, has made me forget all about the price. The best thing I can say about this unit, is that other than adding salt about every 6 weeks, I never know it's there. Oh, and once you have soft water, you'll never go back.

6. 
   Wayne_Law | Nov 02, 2001 01:12am | #10

   *I can only help a little. I'm a mechanical engineer who installed a potable water system in the factory of the company I work for. We have a slight iron problem. However, I'm not a water treatment guy.If you have iron big enough to see, then a filter will help. I think a cartridge filter will be effective, but will clog over fast. A sand filter, with an automatic backwash based on time or pressure drop would be less troublesome. A standard water softener will remove some dissolved iron, so if you need a softener anyway, it will help a little. There are several brands of salt with added substances that boost iron removal. It would need to be periodically treated with chemicals to flush the iron from the resin or its effectiveness will diminish. Some forms of iron are not removed by softeners. The next treatment would be a dedicated iron removal system. Generally what's used is a manganese greensand filter. It works like a combination sand filter/softener, but instead of adding salt you add potassium permanganate to regenerate the bed. Iron bacteria can complicate the removal process.None of these are particularly inexpensive, so I really think expert help is called for, because if you put in a system inappropriate for the conditions it won't do anything. If you are wary of contacting a salesman for technical advice, try cooperative extension, or hire an engineer with experience in water treatment. You will definitely need to spend the money for the proper lab testing to find out exactly what is in the water and in what chemical form. If there is a municipal system nearby, a visit to their operating engineer might give you some direction for free. Best wishes.

2. 
   Nanuk_ | Nov 02, 2001 01:12am | #11

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   I'm going to be putting in a new bathroom for my aunt this winter, but she wants to get her water problems solved first. She has a shallow sand point (it's grandfathered in) and has a horrible rust problem. You can actually see the flakes in clear glass. She has researched different systems such as Water Boss, Kinetico, Culligan, etc. Of course they all tell her what she wants to hear, but they all vary on price and method of rust removal. Some recommend also adding a water softner, and others say not to. Any input any of you would have on this would be greatly appreciated. Like to get it done and start the bathroom soon. It's snowing like crazy today, and I'm looking forward to some inside work. Thanks.