Iron Ochre Bacteria

[Ĝan Ŭesli Starling]

PRE-INFORMATION

My well is 42 feet through sand until clay with a 20 drop.

The first second's worth of water coming out any faucet (that portion trapped above the valve and exposed to air) has an odor. Beyond that first second, it does not.

Water from the bathtub faucet comes out clear to the eye. But water left beaded on the tub and shower surfaces after draining slowly turns a faint orange.

Inside my toilet tank at the corners can be found traces of orange slime

Many houses throughout the region display unsightly semi-circles of orange painted on the siding by lawn irrigation systems.

QUESTIONS

1. Will iron-ochre bacteria multiply amid the media inside a mineral tank?

2. Is backwash brine concentrated enough to kill iron ochre bacteria?

3. Will iron ocher bacteria clog a Vortech bottom distributor?

4. If a Katalox Lite iron removal system regenerated by ozone ahead of the softener defend against harm from iron ochre bacteria inside the softener system downstream?

 

[Reach4]

My well is 42 feet through sand until clay with a 20 drop.

I presume your well is cased all of the way down, then, and I suspect your well is bottom-feeding.

I would try an effective sanitizing of well and plumbing. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my sanitizing writeup. It is more rigorous than most sanitizing.

I had not heard of iron-ochre bacteria. Normally for wells, people talk about IRB -- iron reducing bacteria.

 

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[Skyjumper]

1. Will iron-ochre bacteria multiply amid the media inside a mineral tank? YES

2. Is backwash brine concentrated enough to kill iron ochre bacteria? NO. But resin cleaners added to the brine will remove the iron, and that will starve the IRB and elminate them.

3. Will iron ocher bacteria clog a Vortech bottom distributor? YES

4. If a Katalox Lite iron removal system regenerated by ozone ahead of the softener defend against harm from iron ochre bacteria inside the softener system downstream? not likely. The KL filter will not be 100% effective, and some iron and IRB will escape, causing downstream problems. That's what happened to me. cleansing of the softener resin will still be required.

 

[Ĝan Ŭesli Starling]

I had not heard of iron-ochre bacteria. Normally for wells, people talk about IRB -- iron reducing bacteria.

As I understand it...

Iron Ochre is iron hydroxide (rust) as produced when iron and oxygen react while in water. Often gelatinous when freshly produced, will dry into a powder or caked-on deposit over time. In either form, it clogs pipes and drains, even storm sewers. House foundation drains too. It will form in the soil underneath foundations and well up through cracks in the floor.

IRB seems to refer to Metal-Reducing Bacteria which are actually not specific to iron alone in their dietary spectrum. Given lots of iron, they feast on that. And, as I've just read, "a distinguishing characteristic is their ability to grow under anaerobic conditions where the sole electron acceptor is either Fe(III) or Mn(IV). The relative natural abundance of iron and manganese makes Fe(III) a more abundant terminal electron acceptor in the environment, hence the use of iron respiratory chain and iron-reducing bacteria."

Iron Ochre Bacteria another name combining the two: the bacteria itself described according to the ochre-colored slime which is their, ahem, excrement. In my on-line searches, I have come upon this same thing described plural ways: Iron-Reducing, Iron Oxydizing, Metal-Reducing, Iron Respiratory Chain, and Iron-Ochre Bacteria.

Interesting that these category of bacteria can grow even without any air. Also that it is these bacteria which tend to de-oxygenate the water all by themselves in producing the iron ochre slime. After which point, so I can only guess (having not read it yet anywhere) they make use of the tiny fraction of ionic -OH in all water.

What I have found in writing, is that when oxygen is abundant they are more vigorous. Which explains how my water can start out clear, then develop an orange tinge. And why the water left standing in the faucet above the valve develops an odor, but that once it has gone down the drain, said odor is gone.

 

[Water Pro]

As I understand it...

Iron Ochre is iron hydroxide (rust) as produced when iron and oxygen react while in water. Often gelatinous when freshly produced, will dry into a powder or caked-on deposit over time. In either form, it clogs pipes and drains, even storm sewers. House foundation drains too. It will form in the soil underneath foundations and well up through cracks in the floor.

IRB seems to refer to Metal-Reducing Bacteria which are actually not specific to iron alone in their dietary spectrum. Given lots of iron, they feast on that. And, as I've just read, "a distinguishing characteristic is their ability to grow under anaerobic conditions where the sole electron acceptor is either Fe(III) or Mn(IV). The relative natural abundance of iron and manganese makes Fe(III) a more abundant terminal electron acceptor in the environment, hence the use of iron respiratory chain and iron-reducing bacteria."

Iron Ochre Bacteria another name combining the two: the bacteria itself described according to the ochre-colored slime which is their, ahem, excrement. In my on-line searches, I have come upon this same thing described plural ways: Iron-Reducing, Iron Oxydizing, Metal-Reducing, Iron Respiratory Chain, and Iron-Ochre Bacteria.

Interesting that these category of bacteria can grow even without any air. Also that it is these bacteria which tend to de-oxygenate the water all by themselves in producing the iron ochre slime. After which point, so I can only guess (having not read it yet anywhere) they make use of the tiny fraction of ionic -OH in all water.

What I have found in writing, is that when oxygen is abundant they are more vigorous. Which explains how my water can start out clear, then develop an orange tinge. And why the water left standing in the faucet above the valve develops an odor, but that once it has gone down the drain, said odor is gone.

your focusing on iron ochre, which is really just a byproduct of the bacteria. It's generally presented as a pinkish slime. The root of that is iron reducing bacteria. These bacteria thrive in oxygen depleted environments. They work to reduce iron from ferric to ferrous, while producing H2S as a by-product. Less common are iron oxidizing bacteria, which oxidize ferrous iron to ferric iron. These IOB require dissolved oxygen to carry out oxidation. Because most wells are oxygen depleted environment, IOB are much less common. The rule of thumb is if your water stinks and you the iron staining is slimy, you most probably have IRB and ferrous iron is the main component. If iron staining is course to the touch with no odor, you most probably have IOB and ferric iron is the main component.