Water leaving yellow stain after new water softener

[Loiwin]

Hi everyone,

Just wanted to give an update and also had an observation. It’s been roughly 10 days since the install of a water softener and everything seems to be going fine so far.

However, I notice the toilet water especially has a slight light yellow (pee) color to it, as if I can’t remember if I flushed the last time I used the toilet. I searched a few posts on here, and read that this can be normal for new systems due to resin(?) or old buildup in pipes and should clear after a few thousand gallons.

Actually upon further review the yellow tint is due to some residue/yellow stain mostly in the toilet bowl under the water line, however is already prominent only after 10 days. There is also a very prominent pink ring at the water line in the toilet which was never this bad before the softener. When I scrubbed with a brush the yellow stain mostly came off. What could this be?

Facts as follows:

Fleck 5600sxt 10% resin 64,000 (2 cf)
City water
Dosed as 48,000 grains
Already sanitized tank with bleach

Also, I’ve read a water softener can actually be detrimental to water heater (anode rod) over 2 years or so? Can someone clarify?

Thank you!

 

[Bannerman]

If your water consumption is as you claim in your original thread, after only 10 days, I expect your softener has not yet regenerated automatically. As stated in your OP, the addition of soft water can slowly dissolve buildup of scale within the plumbing system which may show-up at your fixtures as loose scale deposits or discoloration. Sometimes, some resin color can wash off into the water initially, but should slowly reduce after a few regeneration cycles.

With regard to the water heater anode rod, that rod is intended to be sacrificial, to errode before any of the other water heater components. A water heater tank intetior is typically glass coatied to further protect it from corrosion. With the anode rod, periodically replace the rod to protect non glass coated components from corrosion as an inexpensive method of preventative maintenance.

 

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[Loiwin]

Bannerman, thank you. How often does anode rod typically need to be replaced (it’s been 3 years with hard water).

What am I looking for when checking, and what type of replacement rod do you recommend?

Also, if needed how do I clean this discoloration of water in the tank of the toilet? I’m thinking just flush the water and use a brush/wipe?

Would there be any reason for a large pink rim stain around the water line after only 10 days? We sometimes get this line, very minimally, only if we haven’t cleaned to toilet in a long time.

Thanks guys for the info

 

[Bannerman]

Clean the toilets using a regular bowl cleaner on a regular basis. If that works, a more agressive acid based bowl cleaner should not be required.

We sometimes get this line, very minimally, only if we haven’t cleaned to toilet in a long time.

Most likely, bacteria. Human waste will usually leave deposits which will breed bacteria which may or may not be visible.

Just after I installed my water softener in 1998, I had our rental gas water heater replaced. I have had no issues with the heater and I have never since replaced or even removed the anode to inspect it.

Some people who experience sulfur odor only from their hot water, often find that replacing the original anode with another anode material, will eliminate the odor. Sometimes, an original magnesium anode will react with components in the water, so an alminum anode may react less.

If you are experiencing no odor issues from your hot water, you may then choose to inspect the existing anode to determine it's present condition. If substantially intact, then reinstall it but periodically inspect it at a later date such as yearly. This comes down to the heater's anticipated remaining lifespan and the effort you wish to expend as removing an anode which has been in place for sometime, is usually not a simple task.

 

[Loiwin]

Most likely, bacteria. Human waste will usually leave deposits which will breed bacteria which may or may not be visible.

Ok, I was wondering if the faster staining of yellow and now a pink large rim had anything to do with my quality of water, now that I have a water softener if it’s defective in anyway? Just odd that we are experiencing this if I should look into anything further.


With no smell, what would I be looking for as far as wear and tear needing a replacement soon on a still working anode?

Thank you..

 

[Bannerman]

An odor in the hot water would offer a good reason to remove the existing anode to replace it with another type.

Lack of odor would not signify the existing anode is OK but would more indicate there is no reaction between the andode and the water to cause an odor. Perhaps there is none of the anode remaining???

As stated earlier, the anode is intended to be sacrificial, to corrode and breakdown instead of other metal components. Corrosion is a condition of the flow of electrons so the anode is installed to be the weakest component, to breakdown before other components.

If you are concerned, as suggested, remove the existing anode and compare its present condition to a new one. There are likely photos of new ones available online or buy one to compare. If replacing it now is not required, you can likely return it especially if it is a regular stock item. If reinstalling the existing one, take pictures now to compare with when you inspect it again in 1 year.

 

[Loiwin]

Hi everyone update (again). I just had a quick question bc I’m going to call my seller of the softener and don’t want to get the runaround.

So we left for vacation for 6 days, I’ve had he softener for a little over a month now, ran multiple regenerations.

Upon returning, a couple of the faucets (maybe the ones at the end of the water lines) were giving off yellowish/gold water for a few seconds, then returned to clear.

And 1 toilet (I have 3 toilets) has the same yellowish/gold water in the tank, and upon flushing, the water in the bowl became yelllow with this water. This water had been sitting in the tank for 6 days so it turned yellow without being flushed or refilled. Seems like almost yellow dirt in the toilet tank

Kind of annoying and weird. You guys have said this could be just the new resin (and will go away), the old minerals in my pipes getting washed away (will go away), or a defective softener resin (rare).

Does this sound like any of these problems or should I be concerned about a defective install or softener? I was planning on calling my installer/seller and having them check it out or answer me.

Just seeing if I should be concerned and possibly not be wasting my money on a defective product. Thanks guys

 

[Bannerman]

The duplicate question in your other thread was relied to.

 

[ditttohead]

Nothing to worry about IMHO. Clean water sitting in dirty pipes for a week = dirty water. The fact that it went away quickly is an obvious indicator of that.

 

[Reach4]

How about putting maybe 8 ounces of yellow water into a glass jar. Add 1 teaspoon of liquid chlorine bleach. Does the yellow quickly go away, and maybe some micro rust particles form?

If not, let the water sit undisturbed for a week, and check the jar. Did anything settle out?

These are just ideas to maybe discover the nature of the stuff in your pipes.

 

[Loiwin]

Can you guys think of any reason only a couple of sinks and 1 toilet would have this issue? One room is upstairs and 1 room is downstairs, both on a similar side of the house, farthest away from water heater/softener.

Also someone stated if it was resin, to run my tub water and look for particle/chunks of yellow gold which would respresent resin. Is this true? Thank you

 

[Reach4]

Can you guys think of any reason only a couple of sinks and 1 toilet would have this issue? One room is upstairs and 1 room is downstairs, both on a similar side of the house, farthest away from water heater/softener.

Longer path through the pipes?

Also someone stated if it was resin, to run my tub water and look for particle/chunks of yellow gold which would respresent resin. Is this true?

It is true that softener resin is often gold colored. There is no chance that you would mistake that for yellow water unless your vision was to blurry to read.

If you were looking for resin beads, you could look in the sink aerator screens.

 

[Loiwin]

Longer path through the pipes?

It is true that softener resin is often gold colored. There is no chance that you would mistake that for yellow water unless your vision was to blurry to read.

If you were looking for resin beads, you could look in the sink aerator screens.

Are the beads fairly large and not able to pass through the aerator screens or be in be toilet bowl?

So basically, we are not quite sure what the yellow/gold color is coming from except possibly dirt/minerals from the old hard water. Is it necessary to be concerned something is wrong and should I contact the installer to check it out just in case? Thanks

 

[Reach4]

Are the beads fairly large and not able to pass through the aerator screens or be in be toilet bowl?

The normal kind could not pass through an aerator screen. I am not sure about fine grain resin.

They could maybe pass thru a toilet fill valve. Some have filters, but I think some don't. But the beads would sparkle on the bottom of the tank and bowl, rather than what you are seeing.

So basically, we are not quite sure what the yellow/gold color is coming from except possibly dirt/minerals from the old hard water. Is it necessary to be concerned something is wrong and should I contact the installer to check it out just in case? Thanks

The bleach test could help. Some forms of iron (main part of steel) make a yellow solution. The bleach changes that form to the rust-red form.

 

[ditttohead]

As stated multiple times, all is good. Resin beads are far too large to fit through an aerator. Even fine mesh is way to large. Clean water, dirty pipes still equals dirty water. If the water stops being yellow after a few gallons it is dirty pipes. this is very common.