Using iron out in softener and reddish water after regeneration

[Reach4]

Same thing? Let's say similar thing. They are both intermediate strength acids. Res Care smells better. I expect Iron Out to be more effective.

Brine tank is more common and easier. Pulling the valve and dropping either into the media tank would be unusual, but in both, expect the treatment to work inside the media tank. So I think that if you can leave a concentration in contact with the media longer than it would during a regular brine draw regen, then it will be more effective as a one-off treatment.

Adding to the brine tank regularly, and let the treatment just happen during regular regens, works too. There are dispensers to meter Res Care into the brine tank.

 

[MaxBlack]

Thank you. I am trying to discern if Iron Out and Res Care basically do the same thing? And would I add the res care into the main tank or the brine tank?

As is on the label and has been said here already, you add ResCare into the brine tank.

Do they do the same thing? Look, you have both. Why don't you try each for a while and see if either solves your reddish water issue? No one here can promise that either will do what you want. But you have the products, so try them.

FWIW I read that ResCare is NSF Certified for use with drinking water and IronOut is not. So WHEN you try IronOut, if you can taste it in the water you should probably run a faucet until you no longer detect the taste and/or smell. Some people i.e. w/asthma do not react well to the IronOut powder. I have sometimes been bothered by it when I've dusted my salt pellets with it.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Reach4]

FWIW I read that ResCare is NSF Certified for use with drinking water and IronOut is not. So WHEN you try IronOut, if you can taste it in the water you should probably run a faucet until you no longer detect the taste and/or smell. Some people i.e. w/asthma do not react well to the IronOut powder. I have sometimes been bothered by it when I've dusted my salt pellets with it.

https://summitbrands.com/iron-out-rust-stain-removers/powder/ in the FAQ area says
Why isn't Iron OUT NSF approved?
Iron OUT is not added to drinking water; instead, this product is a resin bed cleaner. Each softener has a discharge phase. In this phase, per cubic foot, 40-60 gallons of fresh water is flushed through the system and Iron OUT is completely washed out during this phase. Therefore, it is not NSF approved.

But certainly, if you can taste or smell IO in the water after treatment, you need to rinse more. If doing a concentrated treatment, I would extend the brine draw cycle, after a soak in solution, to get a long slow rinse.

But certainly if you are going to have some remain in your drinking water, then ResCare would be better. They even put phosphoric acid in some soft drinks.

 

[MaxBlack]

I put some ResCare in my brine tank before the last regen 10 days ago, and tomorrow I am going to mix-up some IronOut powder that I have hear and do that instead, and alternate for a while.

But Zagat2 in your case you are trying to find a solution to a problem, so you should try one and/or the other until the solution (and your water) become clear to you!

 

[Treeman]

Was this overlooked - has anyone suggested that maybe he needs to replace his resin/softener? It only lasts so long, and it is less long when managing iron. The original thread states that his softener was operating well for "years". How many years?

A new softener with electronic controls might even be better in order to be as efficient as possible. And as already recommended, do it right by getting a water test first. I am forever grateful for the excellent tutelage I received here 5 years ago to assist me sizing, purchasing, and programing a new, efficient softener. Thank you everyone.

FYI, my Charger brand softener came with a Res Up feeder system from Clack but I use the Res Care solution. I manage about 1ppm iron content.

EDIT: Excellent advice MaxBlack. Always try the easy, inexpensive fix first. I kept my previous softener going about 17 years, but eventually the iron out treatments failed.

 

[MaxBlack]

Replacement of resin, or a new softener, are clearly options, but as the OP has not done anything so basic as Cleaning the resin, well that is a very cheap thing to try isn't it.

Sure, there are a lot of people who just buy a new computer when theirs starts to run slowly, but more often than not Maintenance can restore it to near its original performance, all other things (software, usage) remaining equal.

 

[Reach4]

Sure, there are a lot of people who just buy a new computer when theirs starts to run slowly, but more often than not Maintenance can restore it to near its original performance, all other things (software, usage) remaining equal.

Remember the old days when people would replace a missing button on a shirt?

 

[MaxBlack]

Was this overlooked - has anyone suggested that maybe he needs to replace his resin/softener? It only lasts so long, and it is less long when managing iron. The original thread states that his softener was operating well for "years". How many years?

A new softener with electronic controls might even be better in order to be as efficient as possible. And as already recommended, do it right by getting a water test first. I am forever grateful for the excellent tutelage I received here 5 years ago to assist me sizing, purchasing, and programing a new, efficient softener. Thank you everyone.

FYI, my Charger brand softener came with a Res Up feeder system from Clack but I use the Res Care solution. I manage about 1ppm iron content.
View attachment 80083
EDIT: Excellent advice MaxBlack. Always try the easy, inexpensive fix first. I kept my previous softener going about 17 years, but eventually the iron out treatments failed.

FWIW we bought this at 25 years and afaict the Culligan WS was completely original and still softening. We upgraded the system for other reasons but it does seem that resin should be effective a very long time unless left to get impossibly dirty, or maybe that someone has been aggressive in adding chlorine to theirs.

Thanks for posting about the Res Up from Clack--somehow I managed not to find that one when surfing on dispensers. I might get one if/when I tire of doing mine manually (Pour Res Care into the brine tube just prior to regen).

 

[MaxBlack]

Remember the old days when people would replace a missing button on a shirt?

Ha ha. Just yesterday I threw out a pair of walking shoes where one sole had come off, though the uppers were otherwise just fine. I'd already tried once to glue the sole but losing it far from home was no fun.

I did rescue the laces from them before putting in the trash!