Water Filtration for Well
- Thread starter montero1
- Start date
We just run a 2.5”x20” 5 micron sediment filter and a Kinetico softener. The filter comes out rust red, but everything else is fine assuming I don’t forget to put salt in the softener.
There are 2 types of iron in your water, insoluble ferric and soluble ferrous iron. Insoluble iron you can see right away as discoloration, soluble iron will look okay at first but can eventually start staining stuff like your toilet or shower.
There are 2 types of iron in your water, insoluble ferric and soluble ferrous iron. Insoluble iron you can see right away as discoloration, soluble iron will look okay at first but can eventually start staining stuff like your toilet or shower.
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I forgot to mention we bought a house last year that’s on a well and septic, I grew up on city water and sewer so I’m still learning myself!
This is basically what I have for the sediment filter, except mine is all black. As for the softener, you have to go through a dealer to get one as posted by earlyre. If we had an electric softener I’d have it replaced by a Kinetico, they only regen when needed vs on a schedule like electronic ones saving you money by not doing a regen unless it’s needed. I recommend the iron-out salt, it does help.
Also, if you notice your hot water has a funky/bad smell you probably have iron reducing bacteria growing in your tank...it’s harmless but can smell pretty awful. Crank your hot water heater to 150F to kill it off. I forgot who told me to do this when I asked about it here, but credit to them!
And a picture of what my filter looked like after 10 months. The black specks are chunks of carbon I had forgotten to clean out of the utility sink from my fish tank filter, not from the well.
www.uswatersystems.com
This is basically what I have for the sediment filter, except mine is all black. As for the softener, you have to go through a dealer to get one as posted by earlyre. If we had an electric softener I’d have it replaced by a Kinetico, they only regen when needed vs on a schedule like electronic ones saving you money by not doing a regen unless it’s needed. I recommend the iron-out salt, it does help.
Also, if you notice your hot water has a funky/bad smell you probably have iron reducing bacteria growing in your tank...it’s harmless but can smell pretty awful. Crank your hot water heater to 150F to kill it off. I forgot who told me to do this when I asked about it here, but credit to them!
And a picture of what my filter looked like after 10 months. The black specks are chunks of carbon I had forgotten to clean out of the utility sink from my fish tank filter, not from the well.
US Water Blue Commercial Filter Housing 2.5" x 20" | H-2520-B
20" Commercial-Grade Single Cartridge Filter Housing - 3/4" Inlet/Outlet - Black Cap and Blue Sump
www.uswatersystems.com
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Before we sunk a new, deeper well (original was 54 feet; new one is 105 feet), we used, and killed, a Kinetico water softener. That poor thing soldiered on for 10 years, and consumed more salt than a fast food franchise.
After it gave up doing a decent job, I got my mom a Morton combination water softener and whole house filter from Menards. We also added a GE water filter before the softener to take the load off. The water was a lot better. It is very good now, with the new well, but we still need both filter and softener since water in northern Minnesota is never going to be free of iron.
My new house going in will have the same setup. I’m not sure of the water quality yet, as it was just drilled yesterday. But the new well is 185 feet down, so I hope it’s good, clear stuff (and not the orange stuff we get from 50 feet deep).
After it gave up doing a decent job, I got my mom a Morton combination water softener and whole house filter from Menards. We also added a GE water filter before the softener to take the load off. The water was a lot better. It is very good now, with the new well, but we still need both filter and softener since water in northern Minnesota is never going to be free of iron.
My new house going in will have the same setup. I’m not sure of the water quality yet, as it was just drilled yesterday. But the new well is 185 feet down, so I hope it’s good, clear stuff (and not the orange stuff we get from 50 feet deep).
As suggested they sell iron out salt for a water softener. Avoid Culligan. They are driven to sell you as much as they possibly can. HomeDepot has free water testing. Let them tell you what they think you need. No cost so why not. You can buy the buy the softeners or filters you feel you need. Ask neighbors what they have. They are likely to have similar water.
That's a clean looking filter Skippy. I think I would get about 6 months out of a smaller one, maybe 12" long? and it'd be quarter way full up with black rocks. I always wondered how long the well pump would last, moving that much sediment, but knock on wood, it was doing that for at least 2 decades (and besides it's someone else's house now).
I never liked changing mine, IMO a couple extra ball valves would have have gone a long ways. I would turn the filter off, then go upstairs and crack a faucet so as to kill pressure. The I could remove the canister and not have it spray water at me. Luckily the prior owner had one water line that ran off, not filtered, to the outside so I could rinse the filter--only one shutoff, and it would kill the whole house, no bypass. I think if I were to plumb it, I would have installed a bypass valve and a valve so as to release pressure at the filter, and maybe put in a third valve at the filter so I could rinse the canister right there.
Don't remember what brand it was but mine had ON-OFF-Bypass(?) but bypass was not bypass--it would push water into the main line and into the canister. Only used that setting once...
I am leery about working on plumbing, so if you go that route, install more shutoff valves, that way you might feel more apt to do your own work in the future, without fear of making a mistake and having no water whatsoever in your house.
I never liked changing mine, IMO a couple extra ball valves would have have gone a long ways. I would turn the filter off, then go upstairs and crack a faucet so as to kill pressure. The I could remove the canister and not have it spray water at me. Luckily the prior owner had one water line that ran off, not filtered, to the outside so I could rinse the filter--only one shutoff, and it would kill the whole house, no bypass. I think if I were to plumb it, I would have installed a bypass valve and a valve so as to release pressure at the filter, and maybe put in a third valve at the filter so I could rinse the canister right there.
Don't remember what brand it was but mine had ON-OFF-Bypass(?) but bypass was not bypass--it would push water into the main line and into the canister. Only used that setting once...
I am leery about working on plumbing, so if you go that route, install more shutoff valves, that way you might feel more apt to do your own work in the future, without fear of making a mistake and having no water whatsoever in your house.
Note that many modern water softeners only regen in exactly the same manner as a Kinetico model does. Ours has been extremely reliable and effective on a fairly high level of iron in our water. There are specific types of salt for these issues, too.
If your water is at manageable levels a WS is usually adequate, but wells are highly unique as each one can be very different quality water.
If your water is at manageable levels a WS is usually adequate, but wells are highly unique as each one can be very different quality water.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I have a 600 ft well and I suggest putting in a bypass to whatever filter you get.
Why? No matter the micron filtering level when you need to wash your car or power wash your house the filter can't keep up.
It kills water output. So I run my big 5 micron filter but when I need a high volume of sustained water I turn a few levers and go around the filter.
When I'm done I switch back to filtered water.
Why? No matter the micron filtering level when you need to wash your car or power wash your house the filter can't keep up.
It kills water output. So I run my big 5 micron filter but when I need a high volume of sustained water I turn a few levers and go around the filter.
When I'm done I switch back to filtered water.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
A well should be shocked yearly although I don't do that- maybe every 5 years
New to you it should have been shocked. A good time to shock your well is just before power washing- kill two birds with one stone. Good luck!
Never had anything but a well and septic- country folk
I'd put outside water pre filter. Why filter stuff going out to the garden? Although I guess some of you wouldn't use anything but the finest filtered water for washing cars. 
I've heard of shocking wells but so far, so good. We'll see on this new to me system. But the prior house, nearly 15 years and I never touched the system, and it tested just fine when we sold it (and when we bought it too). Maybe it's a regional thing, some areas need it, some don't. YMMV, as they say.
I've heard of shocking wells but so far, so good. We'll see on this new to me system. But the prior house, nearly 15 years and I never touched the system, and it tested just fine when we sold it (and when we bought it too). Maybe it's a regional thing, some areas need it, some don't. YMMV, as they say.
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
I'd put outside water pre filter. Why filter stuff going out to the garden? Although I guess some of you wouldn't use anything but the finest filtered water for washing cars.
I've heard of shocking wells but so far, so good. We'll see on this new to me system. But the prior house, nearly 15 years and I never touched the system, and it tested just fine when we sold it (and when we bought it too). Maybe it's a regional thing, some areas need it, some don't. YMMV, as they say.
That said if you get into your well for a pump replacement etc. your well should be shocked.
I don't do it often but before you sell I'd do it a few weeks before inspection to avoid any possible drama
Most people put the outside faucets before the filter,
Zee09
$200 Site Donor 2023
Yeah but here they did everything filtered. Everything. Huge filter but very restrictive. I think because they had numerous outdoor animals.
power washing house should be under 5gpm. (my residential gas model is around 2.5-3gpm) maybe run 2 filters in parallel?
I would suggest a whole house filter to remove sediment, whatever is needed for the iron removal, and possibly a RO filter system for your drinking water and fridge (icemaker/water dispenser)
if you dont know anything find an expert.. preferably one that doesnt benefit from selling you as much gear as possible.
I would suggest a whole house filter to remove sediment, whatever is needed for the iron removal, and possibly a RO filter system for your drinking water and fridge (icemaker/water dispenser)
There are iron filters (oxidation units) that use sand plus Potassium Permanganate (chemical additive to oxidize the iron) or "Pyrolox" brand ( a manganese dioxide-based media) that does so via a catalyst action and needs no additive. Both have limitations. There are also ways to use hydrogen peroxide and effectively oxidize iron (possibly the best way)
A conventional water softener can remove iron in relatively small quantities. Especially when configured and sized for the task. I use both "Cation and "Anion" resin in my single softener. It removes minor iron and tannins effectively.
A carbon filter, mine is a very large unit, with coconut shell carbon can also be used to clarify water and oxidize very minor amounts of iron (and of course odors) that can get through a softener or iron filter, as long as chlorine is used, as the chlorine is to some extent captured by the carbon and will continue to reduce odors for some time (in my case over a week)
All of the units need regular backwashing.
NOTE: If you know what your needs are, online sources for water treatment products can be a fraction of the cost of "professionally installed products". My suggestion is to go larger than you think you need. Both for flow rates, for less frequent recharges, and far lower chances of the filter media being overwhelmed. A very large sediment filter, as a first step, is a great thing. I have one called a "big boy" and it uses a 20 inch x 4 inch spun element.
A conventional water softener can remove iron in relatively small quantities. Especially when configured and sized for the task. I use both "Cation and "Anion" resin in my single softener. It removes minor iron and tannins effectively.
A carbon filter, mine is a very large unit, with coconut shell carbon can also be used to clarify water and oxidize very minor amounts of iron (and of course odors) that can get through a softener or iron filter, as long as chlorine is used, as the chlorine is to some extent captured by the carbon and will continue to reduce odors for some time (in my case over a week)
All of the units need regular backwashing.
NOTE: If you know what your needs are, online sources for water treatment products can be a fraction of the cost of "professionally installed products". My suggestion is to go larger than you think you need. Both for flow rates, for less frequent recharges, and far lower chances of the filter media being overwhelmed. A very large sediment filter, as a first step, is a great thing. I have one called a "big boy" and it uses a 20 inch x 4 inch spun element.
I would like to add a water softener. I dont have a drain available where it would need to be, how much salt does the regen put out, i would not want it to harm my yard or trees in the woods .
My water is very hard with lime.
My water is very hard with lime.
