Well Water - iron filter?

[KathyBC]

Anyone have experience with removing iron or any other water softener experience? Was it expensive to maintain? I'm wondering about electricity and salt, as well as longevity.

[datgh]

We have a water softner for our well. We probably put about twenty dollars worth of salt in it a month. I don't think it takes much electricity to run. When ours was down for a bit, we had iron stains in the sink, toilets, etc. all the white wash started looking pretty grungy and the water tasted horrible. The cost of the salt is cheaper than bottled water, new clothes and iron stain remover. With the system working we have great tasting water and all the other problems are gone. Hope this helps.

[Beth in OH]

Yep--I lived in the country on a farm for about 20 years (moved to the city 3 years ago). We lived in an exceptionally heavy iron area of the state. We spent a lot of money on a good softener system (Kinetico). It was a conitnuous cycle system, rather than one that was set to soften at certain times. We also installed a reverse osmosis drinking system. $$. Our experience was that you get what you pay for in the area of iron control, and consequences were damaging if the softener didn't work (pipes, fixtures, laundry). It was simply an added cost of living in the country for us.

[BBarnes]

We have the Kinetico and haven't had any problems with it. It doesn't run on electric, the water just flows through. We fill it with about 4-5 bags of salt every 4 months or so. I want to say the bags are around $5.00 each, but my dh buys them so I'm not completey certain about that.

[KathyBC]

Okay, sounds like electricity won't be an issue or not much of one. Salt probably won't be much more expensive than refilling bottled water and taking some of the laundry in to the laundromat.

 

 

We have a water softner for our well. We probably put about twenty dollars worth of salt in it a month. I don't think it takes much electricity to run. When ours was down for a bit, we had iron stains in the sink, toilets, etc. all the white wash started looking pretty grungy and the water tasted horrible. The cost of the salt is cheaper than bottled water, new clothes and iron stain remover. With the system working we have great tasting water and all the other problems are gone. Hope this helps.

 

I wonder how often this would happen? Where repairs expensive?

 

Thanks for all the responses.

[Liz CA]

Just moved and noticed heavy calcium build-up on the fixtures and greenish stains in the tub. Is this an iron issue?

[6packofun]

We have well water in our rental home and an old water softener. We use a "red out" iron control pellet for the softener and it helps a bit. I, personally, can't drink the water here, though. We only have a PUR filter and it barely helps. We've never lived out in the country before so had no idea that we should take into account the cost of DRINKING water. I almost gag when I brush my teeth because we don't have a filter for the bathroom sinks. Thankfully, our landlord pays for the salt pellets.

[Beth in OH]

Just moved and noticed heavy calcium build-up on the fixtures and greenish stains in the tub. Is this an iron issue?

 

It's definitely a mineral issue, but probably not so much iron. Iron stains fixtures and laundry yellow---orange----reddish brown (increasing levels of buildup).

[Capt_Uhura]

You need to have your water tested. We just did. Our iron levels are so high on occasion, that a water softener would not do any good. There is a specific ratio of iron to water hardness that softeners need to work. For our iron levels, we need a chem-free iron system. it's about $1700 but completely maintenance free. Everything else in our water is quite low so we don't need a softener and I don't like them anyhow. The iron is not a health issue. But since we've been in this house, about 9 months, we've had the well belch up loads of iron for about 24hrs then run clear again. the well may take a year to settle down so we might wait it out and test in a few months. It's just an esthetic issue from what I gather. I think it can color your clothes. This last time, I had to clean the toilet bowls daily and the kids don't like taking a bath in orange water.

[Hyzenthlay in Pa.]

Just moved and noticed heavy calcium build-up on the fixtures and greenish stains in the tub. Is this an iron issue?

 

The calcium is from hard water, a softener will cure that. The green stains are from copper, if your water is too acid it will leach your copper pipes amd make stains. Not good for the pipes either. If you own your home have the water checked, replaceing pipes is expensive.

You can rent water softeners & reverse osmosis for you drinking water.The filter and chemicals for the acid water is less than a softener.

 

The savings on cleaning products( for crud & stains) and laundry soap, can pay your rental & salt costs.

[Hyzenthlay in Pa.]

You need to have your water tested. We just did. Our iron levels are so high on occasion, that a water softener would not do any good. There is a specific ratio of iron to water hardness that softeners need to work. For our iron levels, we need a chem-free iron system. it's about $1700 but completely maintenance free. Everything else in our water is quite low so we don't need a softener and I don't like them anyhow. The iron is not a health issue. But since we've been in this house, about 9 months, we've had the well belch up loads of iron for about 24hrs then run clear again. the well may take a year to settle down so we might wait it out and test in a few months. It's just an esthetic issue from what I gather. I think it can color your clothes. This last time, I had to clean the toilet bowls daily and the kids don't like taking a bath in orange water.

 

I wonder if you have what we have? It's not a disolved iron in the water , but an iron eating bacteria ? We don't have iron stains on clothes or fixtures , but an iron colored slime in the potties and it dries a fine red/brown dust on shower walls? After a heavy rain, our water will turn brown with the stuff. No taste, not harmful to drink, just looks cloudy in tub or drinks.It clears in a few days.

I was thinking you are from not far from my area and may suffer the same thing.

My husband has investigated the cure for the well.

You are going to VF if I remember, right?

If so we can talk there.

It's a self done cure, not selling anything.

[Capt_Uhura]

WEll, the guy who tested the water said it was not iron eating bacteria b/c there is no slime anywhere. It's not dissolved iron but the other kind, the name is escaping me. THe iron exists in clumps. I look at it under the microscope and yep, it was clumps of particulates.

 

What does the slime look like? He said it would be a slime on the surface of the water in the toilet tank. We don't have anything like that but I'll keep checking to make sure.

 

Yes, I'll be at VF!

 

Capt Uhura

[Hyzenthlay in Pa.]

WEll, the guy who tested the water said it was not iron eating bacteria b/c there is no slime anywhere. It's not dissolved iron but the other kind, the name is escaping me. THe iron exists in clumps. I look at it under the microscope and yep, it was clumps of particulates.

 

What does the slime look like? He said it would be a slime on the surface of the water in the toilet tank. We don't have anything like that but I'll keep checking to make sure.

 

Yes, I'll be at VF!

 

Capt Uhura

 

The slime is not on the water surface.When you look in the bowl or tank there is a brown rust deposit up to the water line. It looks like we haven't cleaned the potty in years, after just a few days. There is no mark above the water line.There is a deposit under the rim also.It wipes right off, doesn't stain.

On surfaces that dry it is a dusty brown powder, looks like a stain but a sponge without cleaner wipes it away.

In the drains it builds up and looks like pond/frog scum.A gelatious clear slime with clumps of brown in it. The clumps I assume are the dead bodies, the egg white material around them I assumed where concentrated live bodies.After a hard rain the water runs rust coloured and you can see tiny bits floating in it.

 

I never thought of looking at it under the microscope.I try to clean the potties every other day so I don't have to see it, cause then I think about what is in our water. The water tastes great and it's only after a heavy rain it runs cloudy from the spigot.The inside of my washer stays clean & nothing lingering on our clothes.

It's become progressively worse over the 7 years we have been here. I did not see this when looking at the house to buy.The owners were on vacation a month before we saw it, so it should have been grossly obvious. We had the well tested during the home inspection and water as soon as we moved in.There was no mention of it then. The bacteria come from contaminating the well from equipment not cleaned from a infected well. I wonder if the guy who tested the well infected us.:glare:

[Capt_Uhura]

Would the iron eating bacteria be detected when they test for E. coli? We've had two tests for bacteria and they were negative. I've looked in two tanks. I don't see any slime. THere is a ton of rust-colored sediment and rim at water level as well as some flocculent stuff floating. I checked it under the microscope and I see nothing moving. WE've had no slime in drains.

 

It sounds like we have soluble iron...on the day of the test w/ clear water, the iron was at 0.5ppm. I put some water in a container on the day it came out reddish brown and it was a whopping 2ppm. That was insoluble iron. Our water is odorless. There is no odor from the toilet tanks or the tap.

 

If you can look at under the microscope, that would be great.

 

We are planning on getting the chem-free iron system installed once our basement is finished in a few weeks.

 

The first two times we had the reddish water it was during a snow melt and a heavy rain. This last time when it was the worst, the weather was great. Go figure.

[Hyzenthlay in Pa.]

Would the iron eating bacteria be detected when they test for E. coli?

I will have to ask my husband, he takes care of that stuff.

We've had two tests for bacteria and they were negative. I've looked in two tanks. I don't see any slime.

I don't get slime in the tanks, just drains.The tanks are covered in rust like deposti .I now on looking closer , see floaties on edges of tank water.

THere is a ton of rust-colored sediment and rim at water level as well as some flocculent stuff floating. I checked it under the microscope and I see nothing moving. WE've had no slime in drains.

 

It sounds like we have soluble iron...on the day of the test w/ clear water, the iron was at 0.5ppm. I put some water in a container on the day it came out reddish brown and it was a whopping 2ppm. That was insoluble iron. Our water is odorless. There is no odor from the toilet tanks or the tap.

I don't know how much iron in our water,odorless for us too.

If you can look at under the microscope, that would be great.

I'll be in touch.

We are planning on getting the chem-free iron system installed once our basement is finished in a few weeks.

I'd like to hear more about that. Do you have a link? My Dh has been swamped & not keeping up, moving forward with a solution.He talked about a bleach the well thing he read online.Science is not my thing.He is an engineer but used to much larger systems than are sand mound & well.

The first two times we had the reddish water it was during a snow melt and a heavy rain. This last time when it was the worst, the weather was great. Go figure.

 

This is not good advertising for holding a WTM seminar at our homes. LOL

[Capt_Uhura]

LOL!

 

http://www.problemwater.com/if_cfpump.html

 

How do you find the slime in your drain? Do you take the pipes off?

 

'm assuming once we remove the iron, the iron eating bacteria won't have anything to feed on, if we do have them but I'll have to ask. The technician seemed to think we didn't have the bacteria though.

Edited May 19, 2011 by Capt_Uhura