Advice on iron filter

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edreher

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We've battled with iron filtration over a few years and can't seem to get to a point where we're happy with it consistently. Stained fixtures and particularly discolored hot water.

Well water depth of 350'
measured by lab:
Calcium 24.6 mg/L
Iron 6.27 mg/L
Magnesium 5.61 mg/L

I have a pH meter I trust and keep calibrated. Well water comes in at 6.3.

We have a neutralizing filter (10x54") with Fleck 5600 mechanical valve on it and filled with calcite. Upon new or replenished calcite, I get 6.8 after this filter. I'm not convinced I'm keeping the correct volume of calcite in it

Then we have an air-injection iron filter with a zeolite (that I can find very little information on) Tank is 12 or 13" diameter and 54" tall. Fleck 2510SXT injection valve. (Currently set to 10 min backwash and 40 minute BD/"brine draw" aka air regeneration as I understand it). only recently did I realize this BD step had been only 10 minutes and I've adjusted.

I had previously convinced myself the filters needed more backwashing and we've often run at backwashing both nightly, taking care they don't overlap. But I believe the 5600 takes several hours to complete and possibly I'm getting overlap.

In the past I believe we weren't' backwashing enough and one time I found the calcite had become concrete balls. and I was likely channeling.

It seems I need to check pH more often and replenish the calcite more often than I have ( has been 6 months or so). Maybe I'm backwashing it too frequently and prematurely diminishing it.

I question if I should try a different media in my iron filter. My original installer doesn't use that equipment source any more and I can find only a colorful 1-2 page selling brochure on it. I wonder if my pH is still too low for the zeolite?

I question if I should replace the neutralizer valve with something I can adjust the backwash on.

I can get iron down to zero for short periods of time, but most often between .25 and .5 mg/L. Similar related note, I installed a small RO unit for drinking and aquarium water only after to notice a requirement of < .2 mg/L of iron for proper performance.

(edit BTW, thanks for the forum. I've already learned by reading other's advice)
 

edreher

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Can I correctly conclude that backwashing my calcite neutralizer is prematurely using up the calcite? Current schedule is every other day. I'm thinking that should be more like 3-4 days.
 
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