Advice on system replacement DIY

Users who are viewing this thread

AJW

New Member
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Central Florida
I have a 25 year old water treatment system hooked up to a Central Florida well. Some issues have come up - softener tank sprung a leak and is bypassed. The jet pump bearings have gone out and it is loud (and right outside a bedroom window), one of the aerator nozzles is stuck, and I'm just generally tired of cleaning it. :)

I've done a lot of DIY. I installed a new pressure tank, valve piston, etc. and I've done plenty of sprinkler and plumbing work.

At first I was just going to replace the softener with a new 48,000 grain 10 x 54" tank with a Fleck 5600 SXT metered valve and new brine tank. Then I thought maybe I should just go ahead and replace the aerator/pump/pressure tank with a filter to make less maintenance.

I found a company in Indiana ships what I think I need (local suppliers not looking to sell to the public). As well as the softener it would be same size tank, same metered head, and an air injection system to treat sulfur, iron, etc. I also want to add a simple sediment filter cartridge as I don't have one.

What do I need to look out for that might give me problems doing this myself? Are the sulfur block systems that are sold in Florida any different from out of state? I want to make sure I'm not missing something obvious that the pros would know replacing this system, so I'm not stuck with a system that won't work as well or better than I have now.

Cheers!
 

Attachments

  • image0.jpeg
    image0.jpeg
    131.3 KB · Views: 34
  • image1.jpeg
    image1.jpeg
    108.4 KB · Views: 30
  • image2.jpeg
    image2.jpeg
    96.9 KB · Views: 31
  • image3.jpeg
    image3.jpeg
    128.2 KB · Views: 31

Valveman

Cary Austin
Staff member
Messages
15,360
Reaction score
1,499
Points
113
Location
Lubbock, Texas
Website
cyclestopvalves.com
You could put a submersible in the aerator tank, which would be much more quite than a jet pump. But you might also look into the Sulfur Eliminator. It aerates the water in the well and should make the aerator tank unnecessary as you could then pump water to the house directly from the well.

Cistern Storage Tank with Submersible Booster Pump .png
 

Bannerman

Well-Known Member
Messages
5,175
Reaction score
925
Points
113
Location
Ontario, Canada
Most iron, manganese and Sulphur in well water, will be in an ferrous state (fully dissolved), so those elements can't be removed by simple filtration. Oxidization with air, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide or ozone, will cause them to becomde converted to a ferric state, allowing the resulting solid particles that precipitate out from the water, to be easily removed by filtration.

Adding air or chlorine into the well, will cause oxidation within the well, so solid debris may become an ongoing issue in the water supplied from the well. Oxidizing and filtering out the debris after the water has exited the well, will usually be the better option.

Often, iron, sulphur etc, will be oxidized and removed by iron removal media such as Katalox Light, which is also a very effective filtration medium. K-L media would be installed in a backwashing tank, similar in size and appearance as a water softener.

You didn't post a lab report pertaining to the raw water directly from your well. Depending on water conditions, supplemental oxidation and additional treatment (acid neutralization, bacteria control?) may be necessary prior to the K-L system.

As there is an aeration tank already in-place, that would provide considerable supplemental oxidation prior to a K-L system, so depending on the amount of iron, Sulphur, pH and other factors, the two systems maybe sufficient to remedy your issues. A backwashing Carbon filtration system, will often improve the taste, odor and appearance of water, in addition to chlorine removal, if chlorine should be needed for supplemental oxidation or bacteria control .

How often are you draining off the sediment from your aeration tank?

A large factor in the degradation of your equipment, will be exposure to UV light and weather. PVC piping is not tolerant of UV and requires protection. While there are many media tanks installed externally, I suspect the amount of UV in Florida, will not benefit the lifespan of any of the equipment. You may want to consider building an enclosure, or at least a roof to provide some amount of weather and sunlight protection.
 
Last edited:

AJW

New Member
Messages
9
Reaction score
1
Points
3
Location
Central Florida
Most iron, manganese and Sulphur in well water, will be in an ferrous state (fully dissolved), so those elements can't be removed by simple filtration. Oxidization with air, chlorine, hydrogen peroxide or ozone, will cause them to becomde converted to a ferric state, allowing the resulting solid particles that precipitate out from the water, to be easily removed by filtration.

Adding air or chlorine into the well, will cause oxidation within the well, so solid debris may become an ongoing issue in the water supplied from the well. Oxidizing and filtering out the debris after the water has exited the well, will usually be the better option.

Often, iron, sulphur etc, will be oxidized and removed by iron removal media such as Katalox Light, which is also a very effective filtration medium. K-L media would be installed in a backwashing tank, similar in size and appearance as a water softener.

You didn't post a lab report pertaining to the raw water directly from your well. Depending on water conditions, supplemental oxidation and additional treatment (acid neutralization, bacteria control?) may be necessary prior to the K-L system.

As there is an aeration tank already in-place, that would provide considerable supplemental oxidation prior to a K-L system, so depending on the amount of iron, Sulphur, pH and other factors, the two systems maybe sufficient to remedy your issues. A backwashing Carbon filtration system, will often improve the taste, odor and appearance of water, in addition to chlorine removal, if chlorine should be needed for supplemental oxidation or bacteria control .

How often are you draining off the sediment from your aeration tank?

A large factor in the degradation of your equipment, will be exposure to UV light and weather. PVC piping is not tolerant of UV and requires protection. While there are many media tanks installed externally, I suspect the amount of UV in Florida, will not benefit the lifespan of any of the equipment. You may want to consider building an enclosure, or at least a roof to provide some amount of weather and sunlight protection.

Thanks for all of that information.


I did get a home water test kit which I have not used yet. I only bought it because the seller of the systems I am looking at recommended checking the pH and iron. I have not used it yet but I am going to do it this weekend.


I can say that my experience is almost no-one around here is testing any water before installing equipment. And no well companies installing systems are asking. We don't have any staining. The only issue is hardness and sulfur. I see friends and neighbors who have replaced the aerator with another softener-like tank but not always clear what is in the sulfur block system exactly. So all I am looking to do is replace the functionality of what I have now.


I drain and clean the aerator every couple of months. Clean the nozzles, etc. I pour a cup of bleach in top of the aerator about every month when I add salt to the brine tank. There is some sediment but not a whole lot.


HOA rules would prevent certain structures but I may be able to add a trellis fence and a vine to block majority of the sun which is from the west.


What I really want to know is would these two systems:



Be a replacement in functionality for what I have now?

Thank you,
Andrew
 

Reach4

Well-Known Member
Messages
40,519
Reaction score
4,798
Points
113
Location
IL
HOA rules would prevent certain structures but I may be able to add a trellis fence and a vine to block majority of the sun which is from the west.
Latex paint or a cover can protect against UV.
 
Top
Hey, wait a minute.

This is awkward, but...

It looks like you're using an ad blocker. We get it, but (1) terrylove.com can't live without ads, and (2) ad blockers can cause issues with videos and comments. If you'd like to support the site, please allow ads.

If any particular ad is your REASON for blocking ads, please let us know. We might be able to do something about it. Thanks.
I've Disabled AdBlock    No Thanks