Issues with Culligan iron Cleer system clogging pipes with media

[Judy S]

Hello All I have a Culligan Iron clear system that has been a lot of trouble recently. To start with at least 3 times the Culligan tech has replaced the circuit board which temporarily fixed the error on the display. The last time he was out he left the installation guide... it says plainly it is never the circuit board but it will temp fix it. I went through the diagnostic steps to discover I needed a new seal pack which I replaced myself...fast forward several months and suddenly lost water pressure throughout house. bypassed system but did not resolve. Checked pressure in well tank and it was slightly off. Called a plumber and they found the bladder in the well tank was busted and replaced it but still no water pressure. They removed the Iron clear from the pipes and they were completely clogged up with media from the system. They got the pipes clear and kept the iron clear in bypass. I am not afraid to redo the resin but big question when reading earlier posts about this system the tank with the air pump is NOT supposed to have media? I ask because both my tanks have resin and the aeration tank was the source of fouling the pipes per the plumber. Am I better off just replacing with a more universal type system i.e. one that can have parts ordered and interchanged?

 

[ditttohead]

You are better off upgrading your system. I would recommend getting an updated water test if you have not had one done recently. Iron reduction can be done in many different ways, a water report will guide us in the right direction.

 

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[Judy S]

You are better off upgrading your system. I would recommend getting an updated water test if you have not had one done recently. Iron reduction can be done in many different ways, a water report will guide us in the right direction.

Thanks Dittohead,
I know the reason they suggested the iron cleer was due to the iron and I also have an odor. The aeration piece seems to fix that. I also have a Culligan water softener, whole house filter and a big blue. We are on a well near an old quarry so probably a lot of lime in the water as well (before the system we had white sediment build up on faucets, shower heads etc). Hardness: 10 G.P.G, Iron 3 ppm (clear water) sulphur -,PH 7.4, Nitrate -, Alkalinity -, T.D.S 210 PPM, Turbidity (blank) Taste and Odor (blank but has odor that is not "rotten egg" just returning since the iron clear has been on bypass for about a month).

 

[Reach4]

The Culligan unit has media. It may be that the bottom basket failed, letting media wash into plumbing.

A less proprietary system will be good. Part of what you will need to know is what GPM your well system can provide for backwash of the new system.

You could also benefit from effectively sanitizing your well, but you will still need the treatment system too.

 

[LLigetfa]

The Culligan unit has media.

To be clear on that, are you saying both tanks should have media? I thought the first tank was just an aeration/contact tank.

 

[Reach4]

To be clear on that, are you saying both tanks should have media? I thought the first tank was just an aeration/contact tank.

No, but the second tank, part of the Iron Cleer system, contains the media, which got into the plumbing.

The media appears to be BIRM. http://www.culligan.com/CulliganCom/media/products/IronCleer_Filter_OwnersGuide_1.pdf

 

[LLigetfa]

Reach4, I was going by what the OP said. I take that to mean the pipes in between the two tanks, since the filter tank should prevent it from going into the house plumbing. Also, if there is a softener, normally that too would be downstream and it would keep birm media out of the house plumbing.

the tank with the air pump is NOT supposed to have media? I ask because both my tanks have resin and the aeration tank was the source of fouling the pipes per the plumber.

 

[Reach4]

Reach4, I was going by what the OP said. I take that to mean the pipes in between the two tanks, since the filter tank should prevent it from going into the house plumbing. Also, if there is a softener, normally that too would be downstream and it would keep birm media out of the house plumbing.

I was thinking of other pipes.

Good point on the softener taking out the BIRM that escaped.

 

[Judy S]

My guess is my tanks are possibly not in the correct order. But to respond I have resin/media in both tanks of the iron clear. order of location: Well into house then aeration tank with media connected to iron cleer tank with media then I have water softener, whole house filter going into big blue and then to rest of house. The pipes directly behind the aeration tank and iron cleer were full of media and some was slightly in the pipes coming from the water softener.

 

[ditttohead]

Can you post a picture of you current system? I like aeration but it is not always effective. It appears to work well in your application so I would recommend continuing with the aeration as it is chemical free, low maintenance and usually very effective. Something like the Iron Oxe would be a good solution. There are dozens of similar designs like this that we make for other companies., Everybody has their own little tweak, this is just the most common design. https://view.publitas.com/impact-water-products/2018-catalog-final/page/46-47

 

[Judy S]

 

[Judy S]

Sorry pics posted without my text. The pipes with the metal connectors is where plumber took apart pipes to check for clogging. They posted out of order. Well farthest to left, iron cleer air injection next to it iron cleer with control panel large space then the water softener, house filter big blue and water heater.

 

[ditttohead]

You have 4 tanks? I see the air injection, Birm, softening and what appears to be calcite? Looks like the tank to the far right has a dome hole fill port. Sound correct?

 

[Judy S]

You have 4 tanks? I see the air injection, Birm, softening and what appears to be calcite? Looks like the tank to the far right has a dome hole fill port. Sound correct?

Yes I have 4 tanks the one on the far right is a whole house filter. None have a dome hole fill port. What looks like that is actually a raised label that says Culligan. My Air injection tank actually has resin it as well and it does not surprise me if it was supposed to be empty some of the Culligan techs I have had to hand hold just to get them to change out an O ring.

 

[LLigetfa]

They posted out of order

Maybe the order is not the same for all of us since your descriptions don't seem to match with the picture. The blue tank looks to be a regular bladder tank, the one with the compressor on top is the Iron Cleer aeration tank and next to it the Iron Cleer filter media tank.

I also see a softener with brine well beside it but I don't know what is between it and the hot water tank.

 

[Judy S]

The fourth tank is the whole house filter called "filter-cleer".

 

[Judy S]

Yes I have 4 tanks the one on the far right is a whole house filter. None have a dome hole fill port. What looks like that is actually a raised label that says Culligan. My Air injection tank actually has resin it as well and it does not surprise me if it was supposed to be empty some of the Culligan techs I have had to hand hold just to get them to change out an O ring.

Sorry ditttohead I just came home and looked closer the culligan medalion comes off and there is a dome hole fill port.

 

[ditttohead]

I was only wildly guessing. Fill ports are usually used with calcite systems.

 

[Judy S]

If my aeration tank was supposed to be an empty tank to allow the water to be aerated can I just clean out the resin and it should stop clogging the pipes?