Very High Iron with Low pH and Low Average Flow Rate

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CentralPaGuy

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I am hoping some of you can help me as I've ready many threads on here (and the past 5 days online) regarding clear water iron removal, none of which quite match my situation and it seems the posters on this website are the most objective clearing house of information I can find.

We have a fairly shallow well (about 40') that in the past 6 years iron has increased from 7 to 9ppm dug 40 years ago in a neighborhood on top of an old mine. Recently even our refrigerator filters are fouling in a month. Our iron is entirely clear water, 1 ppm manganese as well. Water at the pressure tank is 6.0 to 6.2 pH - 6.8-7.2 after the acid neutralizer (set to maximum although unsure what that mean - top off with calcite every 3 months). Then to a water softener (10 hardness a the pressure tank) set to regenerate every 2 days. Water tastes fine for a second then like licking a metal pole. Typical orange/red staining in fixtures. All tests negative for coliform. Had a small amount of iron bacteria about 3 years ago, replaced well cap and shocked with none detected since. No other contaminants.

Where I am concerned with the choices available for iron filtration are the amount of iron, our well flow rate of only 9 gpm, and low pH of sometimes only 6.8 which allegedly can reduce iron filter effectiveness. Additionally we have young children so would rather not add chemicals if possible. Finally, with the water softener regenerating every 2 nights, and acid neutralizer every 4 nights concerned about not having enough water available or overlap which would obviously be counter productive. I am a DIY and would appreciate any advice on how to do this properly as every company I contact online or call seems to have a different interpretation and goes to great lengths to badmouth other methods.

Thank you for your help!
 

CentralPaGuy

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Why a water softener and acid neutralizer, one takes hardness out the other puts it in?

Already in place from a prior owner and in good condition. From notes found they were treating the pH first then using the softener to remove iron and lower hardness. Since it is the equipment already in place we have continued to use it.
 

LLigetfa

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Have you considered a new (deep) well? What do your neighbors have and how does their water test out?

I've had neighbors tell me they ripped out their iron filter after getting a deep well drilled. If it didn't cost $15,000 or more I'd do the same.
 

Smooky

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A water softener may not work for your high levels of iron and manganese. A green sand filter sized correctly may be a better choice. Some may require the pH to be adjusted others may not. Adjusting the hardness below 30 will cause the water to be corrosive so that can contribute to the metallic taste if you have metal pipes.
 

CentralPaGuy

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Have you considered a new (deep) well? What do your neighbors have and how does their water test out?

I've had neighbors tell me they ripped out their iron filter after getting a deep well drilled. If it didn't cost $15,000 or more I'd do the same.

The entire surrounding area has very poor water quality. Most have their drinking water delivered and get by with water softeners. There are only two other families in the neighborhood (it is quite a bit older population) and I think they put up with it because they don't use as much water. My own iron count jumped when our next door neighbor "uphill" in elevation sold their house and while it was unoccupied for about a year the well went dry (? Not sure the correlation). When the new owners drilled their new well much deeper a little farther away and down slope from prior is when our iron problem became constant instead of "seasonal". Their water quality is much better than ours but still use a softener.

We had quotes for a new well of around $10,000 which not a realistic spend figure. I would prefer to make our existing well serviceable from not just a cost standpoint but also we are considering selling and trying to find a larger house for the family (and nasty water I'm sure is a turnoff. We bought this house six years ago as a fixer-upper so didn't mind as much at that time). I have been reading and evaluating the different iron filters, websites, independent education reading, etc. The impression I get is either the clear water iron count, pH level, or well output.... one of them always seems to exclude efficient use of a particular product. If we need to use chemicals I'd prefer chlorine over Potassium Pom but if possible would rather find a way to do it without either. A number of times I've nearly pulled the trigger on equipment on (insert many names.com) site but help off because something always just didn't seem right about the selection. Am hoping that the experts and experienced DIY's on here can look at this with fresh impartial eyes as I'm positive others have been in this same boat.
 

CentralPaGuy

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A water softener may not work for your high levels of iron and manganese. A green sand filter sized correctly may be a better choice. Some may require the pH to be adjusted others may not. Adjusting the hardness below 30 will cause the water to be corrosive so that can contribute to the metallic taste if you have metal pipes.

I agree with you regarding the water softener. When I posted earlier hardness of 10 that is in grains and I was told that is extremely high by our water contractor (good company. They only come in and clean it once per year, I don't buy supplies from them and they don't try to sell me equipment. Plus they stop by no charge every so often to test the water so we can keep track of changes).
 
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