Water Pressure Issues due to tank

[nasonjo]

I have been having water fluctuating water pressure issues for the past 1.5 years. I have a water softener and another filter for Iron, Manganese, and Sulfide that was installed in 2014 (before I owned the house).

I finally had a plumber come out and we actually worked through the issue step by step. At first he thought a bad well pump but then he put the iron/manganese/sulfur water filter in bypass (I have a water softener and also another one that filters iron, manganese, and sulfur) and apparently there is an issue with it because bypassing the cylinder fixed the pressure issues. I called the original plumber that installed the system and he said he used 100% katolox light to pack it. He said it might be clumping up and he would repack with a 50/50 aeration mix/katolox light. He told me that the repacking will cost $600 which seemed a bit expensive for a 1/2 hour job.

I watched a few videos and it seems pretty straight forward as long as I have the right amount of mix in there. I just wanted a little advice.

I reached out to him and told him I would like to try fixing it myself so he told me for a 9" tank when I fill back up mix 1/2 cube of each Kalotox Light/Aeration mix with gravel at the bottom to cover the basket. Leave 18" freeboard.

Tank with the issue is the smaller green tank on the right.

My questions are:

1. Is that all I put in there then the rest is water 18" below the lip of the tank? I though from many videos I have seen these things are filled 3/4 of "mix" but maybe that is just water?

2. Katolox Light is VERY expensive... is there anything else I can use that effectively filters out iron, manganese, and sulfur? Do I need to use the same stuff?

3. Can I find a plumber to do this for cheaper or is $600 the going rate to repack a filter?

 

[Reach4]

. I called the original plumber that installed the system and he said he used 100% katolox light to pack it.

1. What are the dimensions of the tank? 9" x 48" or what?
2. Is the KL tank the one on the left?
3. What is the backwash rate? Timing how long the backwash takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket is one way to measure that. You could also look at the molded numbers on the DLFC. If the backwash is too low, that could cause the media to clump up I think. With a 9 inch tank in Maine, I would think you would want about 5 to 6 gpm of backwash.
   

1. Is that all I put in there then the rest is water 18" below the lip of the tank? I though from many videos I have seen these things are filled 3/4 of "mix" but maybe that is just water?

2/3 media is about par.

2. Katolox Light is VERY expensive... is there anything else I can use that effectively filters out iron, manganese, and sulfur? Do I need to use the same stuff?

Let's think about that.

After your pressure tank, you have a micronizer to add air. Then you have a tank, that may have an AVC (air volume control) to release air. So ideally the air has oxidized the iron and manganese to solids.

Have you adjusted or cleaned your micronizer? Micronizer adds air. AVC removes the excess air.

What pressure is your pressure switch set to? 40/60 psi, or what?



Do you have any indication as to how much air vs water are in the contact tank? You may be able to knock on the tank to tell. The paint would keep you from shining a light through.

You could shine a light through the KL tank. The media should fluff up during backwash. I suspect yours is not doing that.

 

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[nasonjo]

1. What are the dimensions of the tank? 9" x 48" or what?

Yes.

1. Is the KL tank the one on the left?

No the smaller one on the right

1. What is the backwash rate? Timing how long the backwash takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket is one way to measure that. You could also look at the molded numbers on the DLFC. If the backwash is too low, that could cause the media to clump up I think. With a inch tank in Maine, I would think you would want about 5 to 6 gpm of backwash.

I have no idea how to tell or what to d/c to get the backwash rate. I know every Friday or Saturday it goes off at around 10PM but I have no idea how to interpret the control head on this machine (YET) even though there are 3 buttons.

What is DLFC?? and what do you mean by "an inch tank in Maine" ...are you referring to the size of pex? that is 3/4" not 1" on mine...

Let's think about that.

After your pressure tank, you have a micronizer to add air. Then you have a tank, that may have an AVC (air volume control) to release air. So ideally the air has oxidized the iron and manganese to solids.

My micronizer is between my well pump and pressure tank. I just looked at it a few months ago and it was set to 30°.. and it made me recall every time the water tank cuts in and starts drawing water it sounds like a jet plane taking off. I put it back to fully open just recently (not sure if that is ok but it seemed like 30° would stress out the pump)

Have you adjusted or cleaned your micronizer?

Yes, adjusted it...but it was about a year after the issue started and everything works PERFECT when I put the smaller green tank in bypass.. I just don't want Iron, Manganese, and Sulfur in my water for too long

Do you have any indication as to how much air vs water are in the contact tank? You may be able to knock on the tank to tell. The paint would keep you from shining a light through.

You could shine a light through the KL tank. The media should fluff up during backwash. I suspect yours is not doing that.

The small green tank is the KL tank... cant really see into it but it seems 2/3 full by knocking on it.. more or less



Can I just d/c everything and clean it out and repack it with gravel up to the base and the 1/2 cube each of aeration/KL then fill with water with 18" freeboard (which seems like the media will be right at that mark anyway.. so just soak the aeration/KL?)

I want to do it myself.. just dont want to do it wrong and screw up my system.

 

[Reach4]

I presume the water path is KL before softener.

My micronizer is between my well pump and pressure tank. I just looked at it a few months ago and it was set to 30°.. and it made me recall every time the water tank cuts in and starts drawing water it sounds like a jet plane taking off. I put it back to fully open just recently (not sure if that is ok but it seemed like 30° would stress out the pump)

That makes sense.

Can I just d/c everything and clean it out and repack it with gravel up to the base and the 1/2 cube each of aeration/KL then fill with water with 18" freeboard (which seems like the media will be right at that mark anyway.. so just soak the aeration/KL?)

Gravel should fill the bottom dome. 1/2 cuft of media should bring you up to about that 2/3 level.

I would try reviving that KL by a strong bleach or H2O2 treatment. Also see if you can get that to fluff up. If there is no sign of the media expanding, I would pull the DLFC out, and backwash. That should try to put about 7 gpms thru the media. Maybe unstick clump that. I am not a pro, and what I would do may not be best.. Maybe there will be contrary opinions. That would be good.

What is DLFC?? and what do you mean by "an inch tank in Maine" ...are you referring to the size of pex? that is 3/4" not 1" on mine...

I was missing the 9. It should have read a 9 inch tank in Maine. I was referring to the tank diameter.

DLFC is a drain line flow control. The dlfc washer/button is under where the drain line connects on the valve. It's a flow limiter. I think "500" is molded into a 5 gpm dlfc button.

In this picture, the drain line is connected with a worm gear clamp. The DLFC is is inside, under where the big white label is.