Replaced anode today, and now getting tons of iron in the water

[G123]

I replaced the sacrificial anode in my hwh today, after about 5 1/2 years of service. The anode was dissolved down to a thin wire, but it was intact. When I went to turn on the water, it was deep orange. I ended up flushing the tank for at least half an hour, but I still see more iron in the water than I would like. Should I be concerned that the tank is totally eaten up?
What happens when the anode dissolves? Does it coat the inside of the tank or settle in the bottom? I am not sure how bad this might be.
And since it has been 5 1/2 years before I got around to flushing the tank, how do I best go about cleaning it up? I drained a lot with the water off, then power flushed it with the water turned on. I did that a few times, for a total of around half an hour. Then I turned on the taps all around the house, but I am still getting light orange water.
Anybody know what I can do to clean up this mess?

 

[Jadnashua]

While most WH are glass lined, the lining is not perfect. A sacrificial anode helps to slow, not prevent, eating away of the steel in the tank. It works by being more reactive (thus the sacrifice). Once it is gone, there is no protection and the steel tank itself will start to degrade faster. If it's not leaking, it could last a number of more years. SHutting off the water, draining things, then turning it back on will create some turbulence, and release a lot of whatever may be coating the water vessels. While not generally a health hazard, it can be annoying. If you have any galvanized piping, it can be a source of rust as well. IT's not uncommon to use galvanized nipples on the inlet and outlet of a WH (but it shouldn't be!). Those can and often do start to rust, along with any other galvanized or even plain iron piping in a potable water system. It's best, if you're going to go to the trouble, to replace the anode before it is totally depleted. Otherwise, replace the WH once it starts leaking, or you can't sleep well at night. Depending on the luck of the draw, your water use, how hot you run it, and the water chemistry, it can last a long time, or not. Average seems to be around 7-years...after that, you may be on borrowed time. Some can last over 20-years, some die much sooner.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Cacher_Chick]

What you are seeing is what happens when you turn off the main shut off to work on the system. The inside of the piping always has some debris in it that set free when the system is depressurized and then turned back on.
If you moved the water heater, you will have disturbed the sediment in the bottom of the tank. The best way to flush the heater is to make sure the drain valve is full-port open or removed and then allow it to drain and partially refill multiple times as needed until it flows clear. The cold water side of the piping should be flushed at the fixture which is the furthest from the entry point, preferably from a valve which does not use a cartridge which will permit debris to pass. Outdoor spigots or laundry connection points are ideal.
When you consider the quantity of water discolored water in the tank and piping system, it will take a lot of water ran down the drain to flush it all clear.