Water softener? Filter enough?

Cathleen Hahn

7 years ago

We've recently moved to a rural home on well water.

Situation:

2 adults + 1 baby (+ 1-2 more in the next few years)

2,000 sq ft home, 3 bathrooms

Private well & septic

Black staining in toilet tanks, red staining in bowls and in drum of washer and in dishwasher

Strong sulfur smell in both hot and cold water

Test results showed:

9 grains of hardness

1ppm of iron (clear water)

.15ppm of manganese

175 gpg total dissolved solids

Ph: 7.8

Currently the house has 2 20"x4.5" Big Blue filters, which are not really helping much (the filters definitely need to be replaced, but that clearly hasn't been cutting it for quite some time based on the degree of staining in the toilets). All of the plumbing is in the unfinished basement (which does not have a floor drain, so backflush water would need to be routed up).

We spoke with a Kinetico dealer: $6K, Culligan: $3K, then were looking at perhaps purchasing a Fleck water softener for more like $700 and installing it ourselves-- but were recently advised that we might not even need a softener but instead to get something like a Aqualux AIO System to handle the iron, manganese, sulfur content.

I am all for not having to lug salt and deal with all of that if we don't need to install a softener. However, I desperately want the smell and the staining to go away. I'm willing to pay what I need to pay to make sure the water is safe and pleasant (especially with babies in the picture) but hate feeling taken advantage of with some of the salespeople we've encountered.

THANK YOU!

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User
7 years ago
While I wouldn't want 9 ppm hardness, you may find that it doesn't bother you. Start with iron/manganese/sulfur removal. Then, if buildup/spots/etc. are bothering your, install a softener. . KInetico, Culligan, or an independent dealer can supply a non-softening iron/manganese/sulfur removal system. Here is some additional information for you:

A. Softener:
A softener with specialty resin is capable of removing dissolved
iron, up to 7 ppm (mg/L) but asking a softener to remove iron at
those upper limits is really pushing it so I do not recommend this
method. In addition, a softener will become fouled with particulate
iron. A softener will not remove sulfur compounds.

B. Oxidation/Filtration:
An oxidizer such as ozone, air, or chlorine may be used to react with
the iron and force it to become particulate iron that can then be
removed via filtration. This will also remove most sulfur
compounds. A typical setup would involve the oxidizing unit, a
holding tank, then a media filter. This type of system works quite
well, but takes some expertise in sizing - you would want a water
treatment pro that you trust to help you with this option. The Aqualux you linked operates this way, sort of. Holding time is very important in this type of treatment, so I am concerned that the Aqualux won't perform as it should.

C. Oxidizing
filtration media: This type of treatment consists of a sealed tank
filled with one of several media. Water passes through and is
oxidized and filtered by the media. Most will remove sulfur compounds
as well as iron. These are relatively easy to operate and what I
would recommend for the average homeowner. There are several
different media that can be used:
1. Manganese
  greensand: water runs through for treatment. The media must be
  regenerated with potassium permanganate. Care must be taken with
  dealing with potassium permanganate as it readily dies organic
  material, such as your skin, a purple-brown color. Some people are
  quite comfortable dealing with the chemical; others are not.
2. Synthetic
  greensand: This is essentially the same as option (1) but consists of
  a coating of greensand on a silica sand core so does not require as
  much backwash flow. Service flow rate is 2 - 5 gpm/sqft. Backwash
  flow rate is 12 gpm/sqft.
3. Birm:
  This media acts as a catalyst to force oxidation of iron. While it
  does not need to be regenerated, it does need fairly high dissolved
  oxygen in the water. If your water does not have adequate dissolved
  oxygen (and it probably doesn't since it is well water), air
  injection would be necessary prior to the birm. Additionally, birm
  requires a minimum pH of 6.8. Service flow rate is 3.5 - 5.0 gpm per
  sqft. Backwash flow rate is 11 - 20 gpm, depending upon water
  temperatures and desired bed expansion.
4. Pyrolox:
  an ore that oxidizes then filters the iron out. It does not need
  regeneration, but needs to be backwashed (to rinse out the iron) at a
  high rate. pH range is 6.5 - 9.0. This type of filter works very
  well, but backwash is critical. Service flow rate is 5 gpm/sqft.
  Backwash is 25-30 gpm/sqft. Backwash daily.
5. Terminox:
  Similar to Pyrolox, but a proprietary formula . It does not require
  as much backwash flow rate and is more resistance to a low pH. The
  particulars are only available from the company that sells it - this
  means you have to rely entirely on the vendor for proper sizing.
  Backwash daily.
6. Filox:
  Also similar to Pyrolox. pH range 5.0 - 9.0. Backwash flow 12-15
  gpm/sqft. Service flow 6 gpm/sqft. It must be backwashed daily.
7. Pro-OX:
  Essentially the same as the previous three. Requires 12-15 gpm/sqft
  backwash. As with Terminox, specs are lacking information so you'll
  have no way of knowing if the unit you get is sized appropriately.
8. Katalox-light:
  Similar in action to the previous four, but is comprised of zeolite,
  manganese dioxide and hydrated lime. It should be designed for 6 -
  12 gpm/sqft service flow atnd 8 - 10 gpm/sqft backwash. For well
  water, it's a good option as it requires lower backwash.
In
all cases, media ought to be replace somewhere between 5 - 10 years.
If any vendor tells you their media lasts forever, walk away - they
aren't trustworthy.
Cathleen Hahn thanked User
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Water softener? Filter enough?

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