Water test results in..need help

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barlow96

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I received my water test results:

calcium 30.8 mg/l
iron 0.16 mg/l
magnesium 7.9 mg/l
total hardness 109 mg/l
TDS 180 mg/l
ph 7.45
lead .00195 mg/l
copper .0395 mg/l
turbidity 0.60 NTU
IRB 2000 CFU/Ml
e coli & coliform ND
Nitrate as N ND

I am wondering what way i should go. I am having problems with red/brown staining in the toilets and shower, slimy deposits in the dog water dishes/humidifier. My water is clear coming out of the pressure tank so i am thinking the iron issue is coming from IRB and ferrous iron. Also it looks like I have high levels of magnesium??

I currently have a:

vortech terminox filter 10'' x 54''(i believe 1.5 cu ft media) with pentair 263/740F autotrol valve

sediment filter after this (need to replace every couple of month. filter is brown and metal flakes in cartridge, probably well casing material?)

It has been installed for the last 5 years and it hasnt fixed our problems.

I am thinking of going with a baffled chlorination contact tank to control the IRB and oxidized the iron and magnesium? After that i am unsure of which way to go.

I can get a GPM of the well pump if needed.

thank you
 

Reach4

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am wondering what way i should go. I am having problems with red/brown staining in the toilets and shower, slimy deposits in the dog water dishes/humidifier. My water is clear coming out of the pressure tank so i am thinking the iron issue is coming from IRB and ferrous iron.
A softener could deal with that level of iron with a little extra care. I would sanitize my well and plumbing to knock down IRB and more. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/

Also it looks like I have high levels of magnesium??
Magnesium is just a component of hardness. You may have been thinking of Manganese, which would have been a big deal. You don't list a Mn result. It may be that is not a problem in your area.

I currently have a:

vortech terminox filter 10'' x 54''(i believe 1.5 cu ft media) with pentair 263/740F autotrol valve
Was your test sample before that, or after that filter? Let's stop there for that. That backwashing filter should take care of any rust flakes, and I would not have a fine cartridge filter before that. Plus, getting a high-enough backwash flow through a cartridge filter could be a problem. What is your backwash gpm?
 

barlow96

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Your right I was probably thinking of manganese (which I do not have a result for). I have tried to sanitize my well in the past (as per these forums) but it doesn’t rid my well of the IRB (this is my third water test in the last 5 years and every test confirms IRB). The water sample was taken from the pressure tank.
I have a small cartridge filter after the vortech filter. I would like to start over with new of every thing
 

Bannerman

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Your other thread stated you are injecting Chlorine before the pressure tank. Is that still occurring?

Measure the flow rate to drain while the Terminox media is being backwashed. How many seconds to fill a 5-gallon bucket?
 
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barlow96

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10-4. I’ll get that gpm here. Yes I do have that option but I have stopped doing that as there isn’t enough contact time to deal with the IRB.
 

Reach4

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I have tried to sanitize my well in the past (as per these forums) but it doesn’t rid my well of the IRB (this is my third water test in the last 5 years and every test confirms IRB).
I don't think you will be rid of IRB, but I think a more rigorous sanitizing can knock it down for a good period.
The water sample was taken from the pressure tank.
I have a small cartridge filter after the vortech filter. I would like to start over with new of every thing

So 10x54 Vortec filter is first. I suspect somebody sold you that, rather than you seeking to buy that. I have not studied that filter, but I think that would be worthwhile. It may have been overkill, but you have it. It should be able to take out a lot of stuff, but like any backwashing filter, it needs proper backwashing. During backwashing, how low does your water pressure get? Way too much money and function to toss that. Concentrate on getting that functioning if you can.

Your other thread stated you are injecting Chlorine before the pressure tank. Is that still occurring?
Oooh.. I did not know about the chlorine. That is very relevant.
 

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I was trying to read about Terminox. It may be similar to Filox etc, and if so, that takes a very high backwash rate. Is your tank natural almond color, or is it painted? The reason I ask is that if it is unpainted, you can shine a bright light through during backwash, and see how much bed expansion there is.
 

Water Pro

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Your right I was probably thinking of manganese (which I do not have a result for). I have tried to sanitize my well in the past (as per these forums) but it doesn’t rid my well of the IRB (this is my third water test in the last 5 years and every test confirms IRB). The water sample was taken from the pressure tank.
I have a small cartridge filter after the vortech filter. I would like to start over with new of every thing
you may want to test for manganese. are the backs of your toilets black? does your raw water smell like rotten eggs? or does it smell more like asphalt/oil?
 

barlow96

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the raw water does not smell like rotten eggs or asphalt/oil...it has a very slight rust smell. the filter tank is almond in color and i will shine a light into it during the backwash and also get the GPM here shortly and post back.
 

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the raw water does not smell like rotten eggs or asphalt/oil...it has a very slight rust smell. the filter tank is almond in color and i will shine a light into it during the backwash and also get the GPM here shortly and post back.
Yes!
 

barlow96

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ok...so i shined a light at the tank and the level of media was at 37.5'' (photo 2) and it appeared there was some at the top as well, maybe some on the inside walls of the tank (photo 1)..when i started the backwash the media rose to the top of the tank..

the backwash GPM at 60 psi was 12.85 and dropped to 10.58 gpm when the pressure tank was around 40 psi about 2 minutes later.
1.JPG 2.JPG
 

Reach4

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ok...so i shined a light at the tank and the level of media was at 37.5'' (photo 2) and it appeared there was some at the top as well, maybe some on the inside walls of the tank (photo 1)..when i started the backwash the media rose to the top of the tank..
Doesn't look right to me. Why is there still a hard shadow line at 37 inches? It is as if there are two things in there. Some impacted or too-heavy media, and some light stuff that does levitate.

Nice light!

the backwash GPM at 60 psi was 12.85 and dropped to 10.58 gpm when the pressure tank was around 40 psi about 2 minutes later.
Impressive too! Both because you actually have numbers, and they seem like good flow numbers. Did you measure by timing how long it took to fill a 5 gallon bucket?

Somebody with experience will be better at interpreting your photos.
 

Bannerman

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Your photos, were they taken while backwash was occurring, or while at rest?

If taken at rest, does the hardline actually rise higher in the tank while backwash is occurring?

Vortech offer internal dividers that will physically separate 2 different medias that are installed in a single tank. If the line at 37" does not move-up during backwash, it would then appear a divider is installed ... incorrectly ... as there needs to be freeboard area above the lower media for that media to expand and reclassify during backwash.
 

barlow96

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the photos were taken while at rest....yes the hardline at 38'' rises to the top during the backwash (or at least up to the second layer during backwash)..that should take care of all the figures needed...I am still looking at what options to install...I am thinking a contact tank for Chlorine (i will get an inline mixer and flow meter for injection of chlorine)...Then after the contact tank a catalytic GAC tank to filter out the chlorine and any iron that has oxidized from ferrous into ferric. I dont think i would need a softner. could i use my current tank and valve if i emptied out the media and replaced with catalytic GAC? am i on the right path?

I used a 3 gallon bucket and got 14 and 17 seconds
 
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barlow96

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Also I forgot to mention that when I drain and clean my hot water heater there is always a bunch of hard white/tan flakes at the bottom. Not sure what that means
 

Reach4

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Also I forgot to mention that when I drain and clean my hot water heater there is always a bunch of hard white/tan flakes at the bottom. Not sure what that means
Electric, and the flakes have a low-radius curve to them?
 

barlow96

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Yes it is electric and if I remember correctly they are probably like the size of a frosted flake cereal. There is usually around 1/2 - 3:4 gallons worth once per year
 

Reach4

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Yes it is electric and if I remember correctly they are probably like the size of a frosted flake cereal. There is usually around 1/2 - 3:4 gallons worth once per year
Hardness deposits on the round elements, then flakes off. Expect the concave side to be smoother than the convex side. There can also be deposits on the walls. Those would have a larger radius.

If your water was softened, that formation would stop.
 
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