Lots of iron and calcium in my well water

[The motor guy]

My well water will turn stuff brown in short order. Toilet bowls, shower pan. Etc. Also, if you don't wipe down the shower glass, after about 3 showers you won't be able to see out due to the calcium deposits. Any idea on a good multi filter system vs just the basic 4"x10" single 20 micron filter that imo only filters out the sediment,

 

[Delta]

Might need a water softener in conjunction to the filters.

I've been using the iron fighter pellets in mine and it seems to do well. Although the softener after 24 years finally bit the dust last night and left my basement floor nice and wet...

 

[mrsilv04]

My folks were in the same situation. They were using the same well that had been on the property for decades, the well was so old that it was originally hooked up to a windmill and later converted to be pumped by an electric motor. The rod that went down the well shaft was made of wood, and the gaskets were made of real leather. Once the guy who serviced it (and understood it) for years and years passed away, it was a real issue.

It was a good well, but the water was hard and had lots of iron. They had a water treatment service (Culligan) bring two tanks on a regular basis to treat it successfully. Back then, it was $50 a month (definitely more $$$ now).

Finally, a nearby village hooked up to the local municipal water supply and the supply pipe ran right through their front yard. The village allowed them to hook onto it for a $1,000 fee. Compared to a new well, that's cheap. Plus, they were now in the country and on "city" water, with zero well or water issues.

 

[97prizm]

My water will turn stuff brown in short order. Toilet bowls, shower pan. Etc. Also, if you don't wipe down the shower glass, after about 3 showers you won't be able to see out due to the calcium deposits. Any idea on a good multi filter system vs just the basic 4"x10" single 20 micron filter that imo only filters out the sediment,

A multi-grade filter system that looks like a pool filter with uv treatment is recommended for wells with heavy calcium and sediment build-up.

 

[Pew]

*Subbed*

 

[Owen Lucas]

Check out:

https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/iron-and-manganese-filters-for-well-water.html

https://crystalquest.com/products/whole-house-water-filter-guardian

 

[doitmyself]

Go to the water softener section of the Terry Love plumbing forum and ask/study your concerns there. You need to have a good water test done, then determine your plan of action. I'm guessing that you need more than a filter system.

 

[Cujet]

From a technical point of view, softeners can remove some iron and heavy calcium. If you have tannin contamination like I do in South Florida (brown water from organics) , there are resins that work with that too. You could "make your own" in a way, by purchasing a conventional softener, and choosing the resins. I use a combo of high quality SAC resin (Cation) for calcium and other mineral removal. I then add in some SBA (Anion) resin to remove the modest quantities of tannin's I have.

In essence I made a 'mixed bed' softener myself. I used a Fleck conventional clock timer, no digital stuff to fry during a lightning storm.

Doing it yourself has advantages. Price is one of them, and real-world capacity is another, as is water flow rate. As you choose your parts.

There are online companies that will build you what you need, often for very reasonable costs.

 

[Cujet]

A basic suggestion: Go larger than the specs might indicate. Maybe a 64K, 2 cubic foot softener, there is no downside. Just fewer regenerations and the ability to handle higher rates of water flow and pull out more iron. Example: When running two showers running at once.

Again, I really like the old-school mechanical timers. Not only are they the least expensive, but they mechanically move the valves via the clock drive. They last 25+ years and are very well understood.

https://www.discountwatersofteners.com/water-softeners/fleck-5600-timered-water-softener/#compare

 

[loneryder]

You need a water softener hooked up behind a whole house water filter.

 

[Cujet]

You need a water softener hooked up behind a whole house water filter.

Correct. I neglected to mention that. I like the 20 inch big boy filters, for low restriction and long life.

Many rural hardware stores carry these: This picture is not exact, but the idea is there.

 

[brandon9715]

This is the whole-house water filter system I have installed. There are many other brands that are similar. About $500 for the kit and then the cost of some fittings, valves, and piping for bypass and you’re all set. I change mine once a year and they filter down to 5 micron. The filter size is standardized, so you could use any brand you want.

 

[andrew_j]

Just get your water tested professionally so you can determine best solution for your water quality issue.

No one here knows exact water chemistry of your well water so we cannot recommend anything.

 

[GON]

With the amount of iron in the water you state, a cartridge filter that removes iron will be clogged in 24-48 hours. A cartridge filter in not an option for your situation- not at all. The cartridge filter clogging results in zero water flow.

You will need two devices to remove the iron. Typically, an iron filter that uses potassium permanganate, and a water softener. The water will first go through the iron filter, and then the water softener.

A off the shelf solution is from Ohio made Water Boss.

WATERBOSS MODEL 900IF (IF stands for Iron Filter)​

In more severe iron water conditions, using the WaterBoss Model 900IF iron water filter may be necessary. The Model 900 IF* is a dedicated iron water filter with a maximum ferrous iron reduction of 15 ppm. The Model 900IF uses a greensand media. Greensand is one of the oldest and most effective oxidation technologies. Potassium permanganate is used to regenerate the greensand. In this application, potassium permanganate produces manganese dioxide on the surface of the mineral and when the water comes in contact with it any iron is immediately oxidized.

The iron is then filtered and cleaned away in the backwash cycle. The WaterBoss model 900 IF iron water filter can be used in tandem with WaterBoss Models 700, 900 or any conventional softener.

*Special order in store only

 

[The motor guy]

View attachment 266285This is the whole-house water filter system I have installed. There are many other brands that are similar. About $500 for the kit and then the cost of some fittings, valves, and piping for bypass and you’re all set. I change mine once a year and they filter down to 5 micron. The filter size is standardized, so you could use any brand you want.

I've seen these, but I do question what the water pressure will be after going through all of these. I guess I can also put whatever type I want too. Like iron and then sediment etc

 

[brandon9715]

I've seen these, but I do question what the water pressure will be after going through all of these. I guess I can also put whatever type I want too. Like iron and then sediment etc

The drop is next to zero. The filters are rated for 1/4 gallon per second, or 15 gpm.

 

[The motor guy]

With the amount of iron in the water you state, a cartridge filter that removes iron will be clogged in 24-48 hours. A cartridge filter in not an option for your situation- not at all. The cartridge filter clogging results in zero water flow.

You will need two devices to remove the iron. Typically, an iron filter that uses potassium permanganate, and a water softener. The water will first go through the iron filter, and then the water softener.

A off the shelf solution is from Ohio made Water Boss.

WATERBOSS MODEL 900IF (IF stands for Iron Filter)​

In more severe iron water conditions, using the WaterBoss Model 900IF iron water filter may be necessary. The Model 900 IF* is a dedicated iron water filter with a maximum ferrous iron reduction of 15 ppm. The Model 900IF uses a greensand media. Greensand is one of the oldest and most effective oxidation technologies. Potassium permanganate is used to regenerate the greensand. In this application, potassium permanganate produces manganese dioxide on the surface of the mineral and when the water comes in contact with it any iron is immediately oxidized.

The iron is then filtered and cleaned away in the backwash cycle. The WaterBoss model 900 IF iron water filter can be used in tandem with WaterBoss Models 700, 900 or any conventional softener.

*Special order in store only

View attachment 266304

Well I mean it's not like I have brown water coming out of the faucets

 

[GON]

Well I mean it's not like I have brown water coming out of the faucets

I read your description in your initial post. Go open up your toilet tanks and take a picture and post.

Wish I wasn't, but I am very fluent in iron from well water. And what it takes to reduce/ remove it. Would not be surprised if you cut open your horizontal water delivery pipes and a very thick layer of iron in the pipes.

Cartridge filter is not a solution based on the information you posted in this thread.

 

[Exhaustgases]

Iron and rust? At least in this area some years ago, all wells were either drilled with impact driving of steel pipe, or steel pipe partially and then rotary drilling open hole till the water was hit then pipe was hammered down to the water. So yeah that pipe rusts and it gets in the water. Been there done that 30 some years ago when on a well we had installed.

I suppose some places can use plastic pipe, but if the ground shifts like earth quake then you need a new well. Steel pipe is used to support the hole and not allow shifting.

 

[y_p_w]

I’ve encountered municipal well water that was pretty bad.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for any kind of metered water, but a whole home reverse osmosis system might work. Not sure how legal it would be to use the RO waste water to recharge the groundwater though. Water softeners just exchange sodium for calcium/magnesium. Some don’t like how “slippery” it feels when bathing or washing hands. I’ve used softened water in hotels and it feels like soap isn’t washing off, but it’s really just the water.