Black filter cartridge

[Rman]

I had a well drilled in February 2018 to a dept of 325 feet. We hit water at 285 feet static level is 10 feet produces 4gpm
I had the water tested twice and all parameters except hardness passed in the good range. A water softener fixed the hard water
I have B.B. 10 size filter housing with a 20 micron cartridge that turns jet black after two months of use. Two adults in the house
Is this something that will clear up in time with use of the well?
Should I flush the well say once a week for an hour? My pump is a 10gpm 3/4 horse at 300 feet and well produces 4gpm don’t want to drain the well but force it to refill with water overnight
Or just change cartridge every 2-3 months?
Thanks

 

[Valveman]

Sounds like an iron bacteria. I will move this to the softener forum where you may get more help with this.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

Flushing the well may help.

Should I flush the well say once a week for an hour? My pump is a 10gpm 3/4 horse at 300 feet and well produces 4gpm don’t want to drain the well but force it to refill with water overnight

I am not sure what you are saying. Flow until the pump runs dry is fine. Then shut it down quickly. At 4 gpm, you would not have to wait overnight. In 10 minutes, you would have built up 40 gallons.

Or just change cartridge every 2-3 months?

2 to 3 months is not bad. If you have a Pentek 4.5x10 housing, you could replace the blue sump with a 4.5x20 sump. Then go 5 months. A pressure gauge is a better indicator of how often you need to change than color of the cartridge.

Keep an extra o-ring on hand. Unless you have a 3-valve bypass, a failed o-ring means you are out of water until you get an o-ring. Lightly lube the o-ring with silicone grease each time you change the cartridge. I like Molykote 111. A 5.3 ounce tube lasts many many years.

 

[Rman]

Flushing the well may help.
I am not sure what you are saying. Flow until the pump runs dry is fine. Then shut it down quickly. At 4 gpm, you would not have to wait overnight. In 10 minutes, you would have built up 40 gallons.


2 to 3 months is not bad. If you have a Pentek 4.5x10 housing, you could replace the blue sump with a 4.5x20 sump. Then go 5 months. A pressure gauge is a better indicator of how often you need to change than color of the cartridge.

Keep an extra o-ring on hand. Unless you have a 3-valve bypass, a failed o-ring means you are out of water until you get an o-ring. Lightly lube the o-ring with silicone grease each time you change the cartridge. I like Molykote 111. A 5.3 ounce tube lasts many many years.

Flushing the well may help.
I am not sure what you are saying. Flow until the pump runs dry is fine. Then shut it down quickly. At 4 gpm, you would not have to wait overnight. In 10 minutes, you would have built up 40 gallons.


2 to 3 months is not bad. If you have a Pentek 4.5x10 housing, you could replace the blue sump with a 4.5x20 sump. Then go 5 months. A pressure gauge is a better indicator of how often you need to change than color of the cartridge.

Keep an extra o-ring on hand. Unless you have a 3-valve bypass, a failed o-ring means you are out of water until you get an o-ring. Lightly lube the o-ring with silicone grease each time you change the cartridge. I like Molykote 111. A 5.3 ounce tube lasts many many years.

I have a three way bypass set up and a pressure gauge but the pressure gauge is after the water softener. The flow is still good but the color of the cartridge had me concerned. The 20 inch B.B. cartridge is too heavy when full to remove so I’m using a10 inch with Pentek dgd-5005 cartridge
There’s not brown or black slime in toilet tanks. Taste is good and no smell
I’ll try to drawdown the well after the stormy day. Thanks

 

[Reach4]

Very good on the bypass.

The pressure gauge after the softener should be very good. While you are filling the bath tub, you could learn the normal differential between that one and the gauge at the pressure switch. Then when you had another 5 PSI loss, you would know that the cartridge needs changing.

You bring up a great point on the 20x4.5 being heavy when full, especially if you have to lift it at arms length.

 

[ditttohead]

Check this out, the Atlas Filtri DP BIG series have an available drain plug to facilitate the weight issue during filter changeouts. https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/198-199


I truly don't mean to disagree on the pressure gauge being used to determine filter changeout times but unless you do a flowing differential pressure with known set points and the desired change-out differentials... We use these on many systems to determine the cleaning cycles but cost and complexity is way to high... if you want to save a few dollars, swith to pleated filters, do a 2 stage 20" version and use clear housings (Do not source clear housings from anyone other than Atlas Filtri... we know of many versions from China, they are all junk!) then simply hse them off every once in a while. Change them after a few cleanings as they will degrade. Use a 20 micron pre-filter and a 5 micron post filter.

As to what the black stuff is... hard to say, if the filters are cleaning the water up then it is likely just sediment, no big deal.