have had my system for 18 years now I have an Iron filter with Calcite in it also for PH, and a water softener after the iron filter. When I installed it my water tested for iron and hardness but over time has since changed. Tested raw watwer yesterday and had no iron 3 grains of hardness and PH was 6.5. My issue is I have scale like hardwater stains showing on shower glass, dish strainer also. Have noticed slime mostly where hot water is used I would assume may be Iron Bacteria. Anyone recommend how to battle the scale and slime is there something I can do with equipment I have media change etc. that could help Could it be the salt from softener causing spotting that will not wipe off had to use glass polish and buffer to remove from new shower glass.
Water results changed need advice
- Thread starter cameron97
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Bannerman
Well-Known Member
Is the Iron filter and acid neutralizer one unit, or separate units? Acid neutralization (pH increase) should be occurring prior to iron reduction.
You said when the equipment was installed 18 years ago, the water was tested and included some amount of iron and hardness, but didn't state what those values were. You also did not state which media is installed within the iron reduction filter.
The use of calcite in an acid neutralizer will typically cause water hardness to increase significantly above the hardness level in the raw water, which may have been the main reason for utilizing a softener.
Recommend obtaining an updated comprehensive lab test performed on your raw well water. The resulting report will specify current water conditions that may require treatment, which will also assist to narrow down appropriate treatment methods that will likely be most effective.
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The iron filter has Birm and calcite, if I remember correctly they said we had both types of iron in the begining but don't remember the amount. They installed the softener to help with the one type of iron that a softener will remove and to soften the water after the iron filter.
Bannerman
Well-Known Member
Most iron in well water, is typically in a ferrous state. Ferrous iron is commonly called 'clear water iron' as the water remains clear as the iron is fully dissolved in the water.
Although ferrous iron can't be simply filtered out using a sediment filter, it will adhere to a softener's resin granules, thereby lowering the iron amount exiting from the softener while also reducing the resin's ability to remove hardness unless appropriate additional maintenance is regularly performed to remove iron accumulation from the resin (acid cleaning to prevent iron fouling).
As each 1ppm of ferrous iron will deplete the same softening capacity as removing 85 ppm hardness (5 grains per gallon), the hardness setting must be increased, resulting in more frequent regeneration cycles with a substantial increased amount of salt utilized each month/year. Removing ferrous iron with a softener is simply not an efficient method. Although not efficient, when the amount of ferrous iron is relatively low (typically ~1 ppm or less), sometimes a softener will be utilized for iron removal, to eliminate the additional expense for a dedicated iron removal system.
The Birm media within your iron filter, is intended to catalyze the ferrous iron, converting it to a ferric state, so the resulting solid rust particles that precipitate out from the water, can then be filtered out by the remaining Birm media located lower within the tank. During each Birm backwash cycle, the solid rust particles will be flushed out to drain.
While both Calcite and Birm have similar backwash flow rate requirements, (8-12 gpm/ft2 for Calcite, 10-12 gpm/ft2 for Birm), with mixing both medias within the same tank, the quantity and bed depth for each will be reduced and so neither media will perform as effectively as intended.
In addition, iron removal media will perform most effectively when pH is 7.0 or higher, so with the Birm and calcite mixed together, the pH is not being increased prior to the Birm media, so its effectiveness is further negatively impacted.
When an iron reduction filtration system is correctly configured and functioning properly, the softener should be removing little if any ferrous iron.
Although ferrous iron can't be simply filtered out using a sediment filter, it will adhere to a softener's resin granules, thereby lowering the iron amount exiting from the softener while also reducing the resin's ability to remove hardness unless appropriate additional maintenance is regularly performed to remove iron accumulation from the resin (acid cleaning to prevent iron fouling).
As each 1ppm of ferrous iron will deplete the same softening capacity as removing 85 ppm hardness (5 grains per gallon), the hardness setting must be increased, resulting in more frequent regeneration cycles with a substantial increased amount of salt utilized each month/year. Removing ferrous iron with a softener is simply not an efficient method. Although not efficient, when the amount of ferrous iron is relatively low (typically ~1 ppm or less), sometimes a softener will be utilized for iron removal, to eliminate the additional expense for a dedicated iron removal system.
The Birm media within your iron filter, is intended to catalyze the ferrous iron, converting it to a ferric state, so the resulting solid rust particles that precipitate out from the water, can then be filtered out by the remaining Birm media located lower within the tank. During each Birm backwash cycle, the solid rust particles will be flushed out to drain.
While both Calcite and Birm have similar backwash flow rate requirements, (8-12 gpm/ft2 for Calcite, 10-12 gpm/ft2 for Birm), with mixing both medias within the same tank, the quantity and bed depth for each will be reduced and so neither media will perform as effectively as intended.
In addition, iron removal media will perform most effectively when pH is 7.0 or higher, so with the Birm and calcite mixed together, the pH is not being increased prior to the Birm media, so its effectiveness is further negatively impacted.
When an iron reduction filtration system is correctly configured and functioning properly, the softener should be removing little if any ferrous iron.
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christopherdbrown
New Member
your system's mixed media (Birm and Calcite) may be reducing efficiency, especially with pH levels. Consider adjusting pH before the iron filter and maintaining your softener. A water test could help refine your approach.
Bannerman
Well-Known Member
1st System for Acid Neutralization (Calcite or Calcite + Corosex) > 2nd System for Iron Reduction > 3rd System is Water Softener.
Each filter will require its own Backwashing Control Valve. Which brand and model of control valve is your filter system currently equipped with?
As Calcite or Calcite/Corosex is consumed over time, suggest obtaining a media tank equipped with a removable Fill Port as shown in the image below. When so equipped, you won't be forced to remove the control valve each time the mecia requires topping-up.
Each filter will require its own Backwashing Control Valve. Which brand and model of control valve is your filter system currently equipped with?
As Calcite or Calcite/Corosex is consumed over time, suggest obtaining a media tank equipped with a removable Fill Port as shown in the image below. When so equipped, you won't be forced to remove the control valve each time the mecia requires topping-up.
Bannerman
Well-Known Member
Removed Duplicate
