Irrigation Well Iron removal system recommendations ***UPDATE***

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Brother Jack

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Been lurking here and reading up for a couple months now. Some great advice being tossed around it’s wonderful to have a place to turn.

Would appreciate some help trying to figure out a system to remove the Iron in my well water. The well is used for irrigation only. The Iron is staining the hardscapes, driveway, house, fences etc. Nothing you haven’t heard before. Moving the irrigation system is not an option and the staining is bad so I need to correct the water.

The well is a deep water artesian and provides plenty. It was drilled 12 years ago but I never used it because I had not yet installed irrigation due to limited funds over the years. Finally last Fall I was able to afford an irrigation system and lawn renovation and all came out great. This past Spring and Summer it has all worked flawlessly.

I have a 5 zone irrigation system that each zone is matched to my pump flow output via adjustable flow on each head. The pump runs steady at 50 PSI without cycling.

My GPM flow as measured with the timed/drawdown/measure/volume method at my pressure tank is less than 15GPM but more than 14GPM. (I checked it 3 times). Piping is 1”

Most of the Summer here in the Northeast (Massachusetts) has been dry so I have been watering 3X’s per day at 80mins per cycle. Doing out the math I am using 3600 gallons per day on most days. I know I could probably cut that back a bit but for now it doesn’t appear I am over watering and should probably have a system to handle that much volume rather that under size it. The system would be active for 6-7 months per year

I had my water tested at a local lab and have the following results:

PH 6.9
Iron 7.47 mg/L
Calcium 25.4 mg/L
Hardness 78.6 mg/L
Magnesium 3.69 mg/L

I did not test for manganese or TDS. Long story at the time of drop off that I won’t get into.
I can see no signs that I have any Iron Bacteria
I also currently have Lakos TwistIIClean to keep any sediment out of the irrigation systems. Very little ever collects in it but the bowl gets stained from the Iron of course.

SYSTEM

So after trying to learn as much as possible about this by reading other posts and talking to a couple online sellers I assume the best way to handle this is with a backwash system using Katalox Light. Or Pro-OX…Not sure how big of a system based on my parameters multiple tanks? Backwash GPM limits …what brands to look for or stay away from. Etc etc Would appreciate your ideas and recommendations. Thanks in advance..
 

ByteMe

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Katalox Lite
Tank Diameter
Flow Rate Backwash Rate
6" 1.8 1.8
7" 2.4 2.4
8" 3.2 3.2
9" 4 4
10" 5 5
12" 7 7
13" 8.3 8.3
14" 9.6 9.6
16" 12.6 12.6

Looks to me, a dual (in parallel) system will be needed. At 3600 gallons per day, I don't know how to size for capacity.

Others here will. Good thing you don't live in California, you would be labeled a water terrorist!
 

ditttohead

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Agreed, Moonbeam Brown will personally ride his tofu powered hybrid bicycle to your house and scold you in his senile old mans voice.

I would lean toward a duplex system or even tri-plex so as to split the load, increase capacity.
 

Brother Jack

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thanks for your replies so far...

anytime I can P**S of a moonbeam, it's a good day..
yes very curious how to size for capacity. While I'm beginning to understand the basics of these systems, the details are lacking.
looking forward to ideas and opinions.
 

Reach4

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I would be looking for a paint that matches the color of the staining. I'll bet that iron in the water makes for some really nice green grass.
 

ByteMe

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This is what I found;

Removal
Capacity
for Fe2+ alone 3000 mg/l
85000 mg/ft3 (aprx)
for Mn2+ alone 1500 mg/l
42500 mg/ft3 (aprx)
for H2S alone 500 mg/l
14000 mg/ft3 (aprx)

Using that, we should be able to design a system and figure backwashing times.

On my cell or I would calculate now.
 

ByteMe

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OK, using your 7.47ppm of iron and a removal capacity of 3000ppm per cu/ft and 3600 gallons per day (water terrorist!)... You need 8.964 cu/ft of katalox lite resin for a once a day back washing.

Holy batman!

So, I think ditto is correct in suggesting a tri-resin tank setup. Three resin tanks in parallel with 3 cuft of resin each. I think those would be 14" diameter resin tanks.

You would need to backwash one at a time with a max flow rate of 15 GPM.

BTW, I've never even seen a katalox lite back washing system in person, so my thinking is >50% likely to be wrong.
 

ByteMe

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Wait, should I of used 85000ppm/ cuft removal capacity?

7.47ppm * 3600 gallons = 26892ppm removal needed per day.

26892ppm * 7 days = 188244

188244 / 85000 = 2.21 cuft of resin

So, it looks like you will have to size for the 15gpm flow.

Two 13" tanks with 3 cuft of resin each.

Help me out people?!?!?
 
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ditttohead

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Katalox lite is a granualar hybrid media. It is manganese dioxide ore (similar to pyrolox) coated onto a clinoptilolite ore media (similar to Nextsand, micro-Z, turbidex, filterag+, etc). It is not a resin based media.

Your calculations are pretty good. Daily backwashes of a tri-plex system would probably work just fine.
 

Brother Jack

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Sorry for the delay in responding here. I really appreciate the responses so far and fascinated by the subject in trying to solve this issue.

ByteMe...I appreciated the attempts at the calculations but you lost me sorry..But if Ditto says your in the ballpark then I guess I need to look and plan somewhere around those numbers.. I've seen the spec sheet on Katalox and I only begin to understand what they are talking about but it does have pretty pictures and graphs. But from what you have calculated it seems that's about what will be needed. Either a duplex or tri-plex setup depending on amount of media needed. Big question is how much media then back those into the tank sizing based on backwash ability. It looks like it going to be 8-9cf needed. I guess that's step one and figuring duplex or tri-plex then decide on brands of controllers?

My demand needs that I mentioned are really peak needs. I am probably going to use 2/3rds of what I said on average . and then for only 6 months of the year. Still I think it has to be sized for the 3600 GPD since I could have that demand in a hot/dry spell that could easily last a month. Then other times I could go a week with zero need during the season. So really I probably don't qualify as a water terrorist (damn) but certainly a criminal and that's ok. at least I'm doing something wrong and selfish... i will beready if the EPA comes calling..gonna buy a high end water gun.

Reach4...have you seen the price of paint and stain lately??? Getting a filter system is probably cheaper than repainting with a color change... and your right...the grass is nice and green from the iron. Think of the Irony that I going to remove the iron from the water and will end up havig to add Iron to the soil. A lawn care guy did tell me that too much iron is not good for the grass/soil. I think he said water >5ppm is not a good idea. I like to use milorganite as a fertilizer supplement and that has iron in it so I'll be fine there.

Gary...any system I get will be installed in my basement. I have plenty of room and a very good plumber who should be able to handle the connections.

That's it for now hoping for more input..
 

Brother Jack

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is this really considered a lot of water? It's my first year of a lawn from seed and wasn't suppose to dry out. We had a very dry Summer here in the Northeast. My very accurate scientific tuna can test figures I was supplying about 2" of water per week based on 5 days watering. I know I have to adjust my watering to avoid over watering the grass but some days it does require 3x's a day and that is the amount water I need to size for..otherwise i will have bleed thru of the iron on those days and nullify the system...so Ive been told...

I spoke with one online company before I wrote here and they recommended a duplex setup with 16" tanks with 4cf of katalox in ea tank. I didn't really feel confident in their system or the conversation because they couldn't tell me why and how they came up with that sizing plus I have heard and read on this board that their equipment isn't of the highest quality. I'm sure they know a lot more than I do but there was something in my gut the said keeping looking. I know this isn't an exact science and there's lot's of variables. Everyone I talk to has a completely different answer and solution. Youz guyz so far have been great...thanks
 

ByteMe

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From my perspective from living in the Southwest (ie desert) for 30+ years (in Ohio now), 3,600 gallons a day is insane! Households that used over 10k a MONTH would be penalized with higher rates for being excessive users.

My first set of calcs should be spot on... And take into consideration max flow and back washing needs (backwash one at a time, everyday)

8cuft of katalox is not enough... I calculated 8.964
 
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Reach4

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is this really considered a lot of water? It's my first year of a lawn from seed and wasn't suppose to dry out.

I don't know what the normal gallons per 1000 sqft of lawn should be should be. If you have a sprinkler system, you can have zones that let you run different zones at different times. If you have hoses running to sprinklers, there are cheap battery-operated timers that can turn on different hoses in a programmable time and sequence. http://www.homedepot.com/s/water%20timer?NCNI-5

I do suggest fescues for shade and bluegrasses for sun.
 

Brother Jack

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Not keep in mind, I would never be allowed to use that much water from my municipal system nor could I afford it. But 100' below my property I have all the water I want. the driller told me I could draw 80GPM if i wanted.....although he didn't put that in his drilling report to the town. (can you say eminent domain?)

I was in Scottsdale AZ once 25 years ago....not many lawns...but lots of golf courses...how do they do it.


I should probably focus like you (ByteMe) and Ditto said...on a triplex setup with 3cf of media....
Looking at the katalox spec sheet that I'm sure you all have seen....they have some sample vessel listings....something like the 1465 tank with 3.5cf would deliver a service flow of 8.7 gpm and would require a backwash flow of 10.9 gpm....so well within my specs...when set up in a triplex
What I don't understand is how much water and consistently pass through the media before it needs backwashing of gets saturated (is that the right term?? ...is there an answer to that?
 
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