Well Water Treatment Help

[Rmelo99]

Former city boy has moved into the country and the new house has a well/septic.

We had a very good/honest well guy come out couple years ago when we bought the place. The pressure tank failed so we hade a new one put in. The sinks/toilets were all orange iron stained when we moved in. That's no longer the case. Turns out the previous lady who lived here had unplugged all the water treatment systems and wasn't adding salt to the softener. All the original equipment is back in service.

Fast forward and I want to improve a couple "issues" we have. I currently add about 3-4bags of salt per month.
I know we have iron but not really sure if we have hard water or not. I have 2 "tanks" w/ Fleck 5600 mechanical timers. They back wash every day or so and since it goes to my sump and outside I can see it's where all the RUST/Iron goes. I know i have a brine tank, but not really sure what the other tank is. The softner has a tag that says "This unit equipped" with a turbulator for rust & iron removal"

Problems:
1.) Sulfur smell in showers. Based on research this may be related to hot-water, but can't be sure as our indirect tank doesn't have an anode rod.
2.) We still get iron particle/specs in our master shower. Kind of like black pepper but brown/rust colored.

1.) What is the other tank that's not the softner?
2.) Is this the best way to remove iron/rust?
3.) How do I know it's working? It consumes the salt I put into the tank.

Pics

 

[oldVermonter]

It looks much like a chlorine injector we had in a house we owned a few years back. You maintain a strong chlorine solution in the polyethylene tank, and every time you run the water, the pressurized injector puts a bit of solution into the pipes. The chlorine reacts with the sulfur, eliminating the odor. (Of course, if you inject too much chlorine, your water smells like bleach....)

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

Without a comprehensive lab test report for the raw well water, all any of us can do is speculate. National Labs WaterCheck offer a 'Standard' well package that is recommended, but you may have an alternate lab preference. http://watercheck.myshopify.com/?aff=5

Both tanks use Fleck 5600's equipped with 12-day timers. The closeup photo shows that one is set to regenerate (or backwash?) every 2nd night. It's not clear if that controller is for the softener or the larger filter tank. While modern softeners now typically utilize demand activated controllers which use a flow meter to regenerate only after the programmed capacity has been consumed, most backwashing filters continue to use a timer activated valve.

While the smaller softener tank appears to be maybe 9" in diameter, the backwashing filter diameter is significantly larger. The maximum recommended tank diameter for a Fleck 5600 filter is 10" due to that valve's low maximum backwash flow capacity. It appears the 5600 is inappropriate for that diameter filter so depending on the purpose for that filter, that valve could be contributing to the iron and other conditions apparent at your home's faucets.

I do not see a chlorination system, but only what appears to be a sediment cartridge filter displayed in the photo showing the Blue well pressure tank and also shown located behind the softener.

 

[Rmelo99]

Thanks for the replies. The smaller tank is the one one with a line to the salt tank so I’m guessing that’s the softener one. The larger tank is probably a 12”+ diameter. They are both connected to the same backwash pipe that’s my well guy redid. I don’t know which is responsible for the brown iron sludge that gets dumped in my sump pit.

We had the water tested but it was after the treatment systems from the kitchen faucet. I guess another lab test is in order from the spigot after the pressure tank.

Since the larger tank is just a fiberglass tank with a standard fleck controller is there a more definitive way to know what it’s purpose is? Is it possible it’s an iron filter?

the sediment filter is the only other water treatment component. I bought it and my well guy installed it and put a GAC cartridge in it. I just replaced it after 6months

 

[Bannerman]

The larger tank is probably a 12”+ diameter.

If that is a 12" X 52" tank (2 cubic feet media cap), then I suspect the smaller will be 8" X 44" (0.75 ft3 media).

There are many types of media that may be installed in a backwashing filter depending on the condition of the water and the intended treatment. Most filter media is substantially heavier and will require a greater backwash flow rate compared to softening resin, so while 5600 can be utilized for a 12" diameter softener, the maximum 7 GPM backwash rate for a 5600 may not be suitable for even a 10" when containing media with a higher backwash requirement.

Obtaining a sample of the media from the larger tank may assist to identify which media is contained so as to determine the intended purpose.

A lab test is needed to identify the current conditions of the raw water so as to assist to determine which treatment methods, dosages and capacities will be appropriate.

Along with a lab test, also determine the flow capacity possible for your well pump.

 

[Reach4]

Thanks for the replies. The smaller tank is the one one with a line to the salt tank so I’m guessing that’s the softener one. The larger tank is probably a 12”+ diameter. They are both connected to the same backwash pipe that’s my well guy redid. I don’t know which is responsible for the brown iron sludge that gets dumped in my sump pit.

What is the order of water flow?

 

[Rmelo99]

What is the order of water flow?

water goes from pressure tank to the larger tank on the right and the output of that goes into the smaller tank and then the sediment filter last