Rust Out Water Softener Cleaner?

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Jaylivi

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Does Rust Out work, and is it safe to treat softener resin? I'm on a well and deal with hard water, and I drink this water and am not sure about introducing more chemicals into my system. I already have a KL filter with H202 backwash, but want the softener's help too.
 

Reach4

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I use Iron Out, the original brand AFAIK, but very similar.

The IO should rinse out as the brine is rinsed out. This is a very common treatment. I doubt that it is particularly harmful, or I would have heard about it.

It does have an odor, so if for some reason it does not flush out, I think a good nose would pick up on it.
 

LLigetfa

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I use Iron Out, the original brand AFAIK, but very similar.

The IO should rinse out as the brine is rinsed out. This is a very common treatment. I doubt that it is particularly harmful, or I would have heard about it.

It does have an odor, so if for some reason it does not flush out, I think a good nose would pick up on it.
I used to use IO with the first of two manual (back-to-back) regens but found that it would never rinse out completely. I could smell it in the shower and the IO would liberate iron from the water heater. I now use softener salt that has citric acid.
 

Jaylivi

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I used to use IO with the first of two manual (back-to-back) regens but found that it would never rinse out completely. I could smell it in the shower and the IO would liberate iron from the water heater. I now use softener salt that has citric acid.
Is that the salt that is marketed for iron treatment? I have a bunch of food grade citric acid, would adding that to the brine tank do anything for me? I don't see using the citric acid, so even a small change would be useful.
 

Reach4

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Is that the salt that is marketed for iron treatment? I have a bunch of food grade citric acid, would adding that to the brine tank do anything for me? I don't see using the citric acid, so even a small change would be useful.
Yes, yes.
 

Jaylivi

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I use Iron Out, the original brand AFAIK, but very similar.

The IO should rinse out as the brine is rinsed out. This is a very common treatment. I doubt that it is particularly harmful, or I would have heard about it.

It does have an odor, so if for some reason it does not flush out, I think a good nose would pick up on it.
Interesting. I used it once, and my dog got sick and seemed reluctant to drink the water. Don't know if they two are connected, but it's the most logical explanation.
 

LLigetfa

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Is that the salt that is marketed for iron treatment? I have a bunch of food grade citric acid, would adding that to the brine tank do anything for me? I don't see using the citric acid, so even a small change would be useful.
I use salt marketed for iron but some folks will use ordinary salt and add food grade citric acid.

I would not drink water that has been exposed to IO nor would I let my dog drink it.
 

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Some softeners may be better at rinsing than others. Some noses are less sensitive to that smell than others.

I would especially use IO for a remedial treatment, where you make a stronger solution, and then stop the flow at the right time (bypass can do that). Then let the IO solution sit with the resin.

Later, take the unit out of bypass, and do an extra regen.

Experiment for you: when the salt is way down, look at the water level in the brine tube by shining a light down the tube, and seeing where on the translucent tube the water level is in the tube. It is usually higher than the liquid level in the salt area. Mark that level if you can.

Then gently stir the salt, which will mix the upper layers with salt. Wait two hours. Has the water level risen? If no, the water was saturated with salt before you stirred. If the level rises, the salt was not saturated before stirring. In that case, stir again, and see if you can see another rise.

Experiment
 

Jaylivi

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Some softeners may be better at rinsing than others. Some noses are less sensitive to that smell than others.

I would especially use IO for a remedial treatment, where you make a stronger solution, and then stop the flow at the right time (bypass can do that). Then let the IO solution sit with the resin.

Later, take the unit out of bypass, and do an extra regen.

Experiment for you: when the salt is way down, look at the water level in the brine tube by shining a light down the tube, and seeing where on the translucent tube the water level is in the tube. It is usually higher than the liquid level in the salt area. Mark that level if you can.

Then gently stir the salt, which will mix the upper layers with salt. Wait two hours. Has the water level risen? If no, the water was saturated with salt before you stirred. If the level rises, the salt was not saturated before stirring. In that case, stir again, and see if you can see another rise.

Experiment
This is interesting, I'll try it today as I'm going some work on the system. Thanks!
 
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