Iron Filter Question

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Cowdogs

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Hello. I have a question about a new system I am having installed at my house that includes an iron filter (AIO Katalox). My previous system did not have an iron filter, so this is a new thing. My question is about residual air in the water after the Iron Filter. Is this likely to be an issue with my new system? More likely than not? If so, should I install a low velocity loop as a precaution? I am talking about something like is described in this thread?

Obviously I will put the loop after the Iron Filter. But should I do it before or after the softener?
 
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Bannerman

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An iron filter would be appropriate if your well water contains ferrous iron. Chlorine will oxidize ferrous iron, converting it to ferric iron which can be easily removed by sediment filtration, iron is not usually a concern when using municipally supplied water.

A common complaint when using an Air Injection Oxidation system is 'airy' water. The low-velocity loop with the automatic air bleeder shown in that thread will be beneficial before the softener otherwise, air will accumulate within the softener.
 

Cowdogs

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Thank you Bannerman. I am in SE Florida, and all my water comes from a well with ferrous iron. My old system used the softener to remove this iron. Using the softener worked OK, but it had all the downsides that are well documented here on the forum. The one that bothered me the most was the extra salt used.

So I am going to try Katalox with AIO in front of softener. I'll add an oxidizer like chlorine later if needed. I am repiping my whole pump room, and I was just going to have a spigot between the iron filter and the softener so I could test the water coming out of the iron filter. Instead of just a spigot, I will do the low velocity loop too. I don't see any downsides except for a little more piping work. I am not sure the air in the water will bother me, but just in case the loop will be there.
 

Skyjumper

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the air shouldn't bother you. it will also serve as an indication that your injector is working. when you stop getting air you know the injector is clogged with iron crud and needs to be cleaned.

proper expectations with Katalox are important. it is not the miracle cure to iron that the manufacturer would like you to think it is. you will have to clean it regularly. I've been cleaning my KL every 4-6 weeks by doing consecutive overnight soaks of iron out, rescare, and then bleach. the backwash water is filthy after the iron out, less filthy after the rescare, and nearly clear after the bleach. are all 3 necessary? hard to say, but it does need cleaning. and after all this the filter performance is mediocre. it still leaks 0.4ppm Fe. 2-3ppm with no cleaning. the raw well is 2ppm so the filter is useless if not kept clean. when the KL was new it seemed to be 100% effective, for about 10 days.

so plan to clean your softener resin regularly as well. and yes you will still have to compensate for some iron in the softener programming, so frankly an AIO will probably not save you much salt. if that's the only reason you're doing it, I would rethink that strategy.

you never did say how much iron is in your well? that matters as well.
 

ditttohead

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KL can be very effective if used and applied properly. Dissolved oxygen, h2o2, chlorine, pot perm etc can all be effectively used when combined with KL to reduce iron to near trace levels. Water varies wildly from well to well, even just a couple hundred feet apart, we see variances that greatly affect the performance of some medias. This is why a "iron reducing filter" is a bad choice without fully understanding the potential for it being misapplied. if you are having to "clean" it with iron out, rescare and bleach every few weeks, then it is misapplied. KL can sometimes be used without an oxidant injection system if the water conditions are correct. This is more rare than common. Some form of oxidant injection is highly recommended in most applications. AIO is basically the cheapest and simplest, but also very hit and miss as to its effectiveness.
 
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