Help w/iron H2S filter

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Nat

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Hi All. I'm new to this forum but hope someone can help me choose the right whole house water filter. I have a deep well with iron (0.6 ppm), hydrogen sulfide (no detectable sulfur) smell, and a pH of 7.8.
For the past 7 years I've been suffering with a potassium permanganate filter--and with purple water. I want a new system.
Should I go with a small pyrolox system? If so, which is the best and what 'accessories' should I make sure it has? Can the pyrolox be programed to backwash every 1-2 weeks?
Or can I go with a Pentek Big Blue 20 that supposedly filters out what iron? (it's an awful lot cheaper, but does it work?) Does the Pentek RFF20-BB, which is supposed to take out the iron also remove H2S? (It says not, but I've got such little sulfur that I wonder if H2S will disappear with the iron).
Or is there an even better option than the above?
Finally, does anyone know of a distributor of pyrolox or Pentek in Central New York State? It would help w/any guarantees. Or is it OK to just have a plumber hook it up to the existing pipes?
Thanks to all for your help and advice.
 

Akpsdvan

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Sounds like the settings on the Green Sand unit are not correct..

What are the time settings for the control?

What kind of control is in use for the Green Sand unit?
 

JKERN

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For 0.6 ppm iron you don't even need to concern yourself with an iron filter. just because you have iron does not mean you need a conditioner with an iron selective media. For a well with only 0.6ppm iron you could use a properly sized water softener with a turbulator bar and Purolite's SST-60 resin and not have all the headaches that come with iron filters. And as far as your big blue filter that is just a housing you place cartridges inside of it and there are some selective cartridges to use but the replacement cost of these cartridges make it cheaper in the long run to just purchase a good unit.
 

Gary Slusser

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What else and how much of it is in your water?

Have you had a recent Coliform bacteria test done? If not you should.

Is there any slime in toilet tanks at or below the water line?

Heavy mineral filters should not be backwashed any less than once every 3-4 days, or they load up and don't work well.

Purple means poison/potassium permanganate and you should not be using the water.

I agree with using a softener rather than a filter for your iron but, if you have a real strong odor of H2S, then a filter for H2S only or iron and H2S means a softener would only have hardness to remove.

I stopped selling Pyrolox many years ago. It is very heavy, requires high flow rates to successfully backwash it and most well pumps have a problem delivery that much water. Some wells do too.

You may be able to use Centaur or regular carbon for just the H2S.

No to the disposable cartridge filters unless you barely smell H2S but, do the bacteria test first because you really should not use carbon if there is any type of bacteria, including IRB, SRB or MRB.

You may be able to replace your manganese greensand with different mineral but that depends on what control valve you have.
 

Nat

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Hi--Thank you all for your replies. I'll try to address some of your questions below--although now I'm really confused.
I have a Master Water Conditioning Corp. control thingy for the K permanganate filter. It is unalterably set to backwash once a week.
I have not checked for coliform recently, but I can do that. My next door neighbors did check last spring and their well had some. I could always shock the well again--that seems to control it. Also-- I do have some algae growth in the toilet tank. (I plead guilty to being remiss in the last year in failing to shock the well in a timely manner.)
I have had my system for about 7 years, and it's pretty much always run purple after the weekly backwash. That's why I want something new and hopefully chemical-free.
Before installing the filter, the iron in the water, tho it tested low (0.6 ppm), did stain bathroom fixtures bright orange, so I do need to address that. And though the sulfur tested at zero, there was definitely an H2S smell. So both problems need to be addressed. Will a softener alone address both adequately? If so, what is the best type or brand to buy (the lowest-cost quality item)? What is Centaur?
What (non-toxic) medium might I use instead of the K permanganate that will work with my current system and give me good results?
Could you also explain what a water softener turbolator bar and Purolite's SST-60 resin are and how I'd go about hooking them up together and then to my whole house water intake system?
(Note that I've had a local water filter guy here and he doesn't know what any of this stuff is.)
How about KDF-85 + GAC? Would that solve my problem--even tho I know it's a cartridge filter that I'd have to replace periodically? (Would a cartidge be OK if I was more attentive to shocking the well?) If I have such low levels of stuff in the water, maybe I would not have to replace the cartridge that often. However, an online supplier told me that they may not work because I really need something w/backwash. Is that true?
I don't know what to do. Any additional advice or recommendation for a reasonably priced system I can buy would be most heartily appreciated.
What I'd really like (if it exists) is the brand name and model # of a single, low-cost, effective unit that I can buy all in one and have a plumber install easily. If the local water filter guy doesn't know about any of the things you mention, I doubt that a regular plumber would know how to put together a system made up of different types of parts. Would he?
Sorry to go on like this. But I really do appreciate your help.
Many thanks.
Nat
 

Akpsdvan

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Sounds like that the brine draw and slow rinse along with the rapid rinse at the end of the cycle are not long enough for the amount of k that is getting used or that the system has never been checked and serviced..
Any unit is going to need some kind of maintenance, I don't care what system it is.. there is no system that is maintenance free.

Would you go this long with out a tune up on the car or an oil change?

Changing to another system and treating it like this one is going to end in the same way.

A photo of the control valve so that we can find the link for the manual and you can learn how to get your system tuned up and working the way that it should be working.
 

Gary Slusser

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I have a Master Water Conditioning Corp. control thingy for the K permanganate filter. It is unalterably set to backwash once a week.
Master is made in Reading PA and historically has used Autotrol control valves; all of which can be set to backwash or regenerate from daily to every 6 or 7 days. You just need to know how, which is very easy and simple. You may have a nAutotrol 263 or 268.

I have not checked for coliform recently, but I can do that. My next door neighbors did check last spring and their well had some. I could always shock the well again--that seems to control it.
Constantly shocking a well is a very bad thing. It ruins steel well casing and can cause carcinogens to be created in the water.

Also-- I do have some algae growth in the toilet tank. (I plead guilty to being remiss in the last year in failing to shock the well in a timely manner.)
See above but, is there slimey stuff at or below the water line in the toilet tanks? I suspect there is.

I have had my system for about 7 years, and it's pretty much always run purple after the weekly backwash. That's why I want something new and hopefully chemical-free.
You should have called the guy you bought it from for service.

Before installing the filter, the iron in the water, tho it tested low (0.6 ppm), did stain bathroom fixtures bright orange, so I do need to address that. And though the sulfur tested at zero, there was definitely an H2S smell. So both problems need to be addressed. Will a softener alone address both adequately? If so, what is the best type or brand to buy (the lowest-cost quality item)? What is Centaur?
H2S gas is commonly called "sulfur" but that doesn't mean there is sulfur in your water.... No, as you should know, you need more than a softener.

What (non-toxic) medium might I use instead of the K permanganate that will work with my current system and give me good results?
As long as you have Coliform and "algae" you need a disinfectant, not a filter for iron and/or H2S.

Could you also explain what a water softener turbolator bar and Purolite's SST-60 resin are and how I'd go about hooking them up together and then to my whole house water intake system?
Google will do that for you.

(Note that I've had a local water filter guy here and he doesn't know what any of this stuff is.)
How about KDF-85 + GAC? Would that solve my problem--even tho I know it's a cartridge filter that I'd have to replace periodically? (Would a cartidge be OK if I was more attentive to shocking the well?) If I have such low levels of stuff in the water, maybe I would not have to replace the cartridge that often. However, an online supplier told me that they may not work because I really need something w/backwash. Is that true?
I don't believe that a water treatment guy doesn't know about this stuff but you should go with what you're told, no to the disposable cartridge filters, and no to KDF anything.

I don't know what to do. Any additional advice or recommendation for a reasonably priced system I can buy would be most heartily appreciated.
What I'd really like (if it exists) is the brand name and model # of a single, low-cost, effective unit that I can buy all in one and have a plumber install easily. If the local water filter guy doesn't know about any of the things you mention, I doubt that a regular plumber would know how to put together a system made up of different types of parts. Would he?
Connecting a pipe here'n there to install a piece or two of equipment is what plumbers do...it has nothing to do with what the equipment is or does.
Sorry to go on like this. But I really do appreciate your help.
Many thanks.
Nat
Do your research and get back to us. I suggest an inline chlorine erosion pellet chlorinator system followed by a Centaur carbon filter which will remove the H2S, iron, any IRB and manganese and remove the chlorine.
 

Tom Sawyer

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(quote);Do your research and get back to us. I suggest an inline chlorine erosion pellet chlorinator system followed by a Centaur carbon filter which will remove the H2S, iron, any IRB and manganese and remove the chlorine.

I agree with this suggestion, though you should get the water test back before you run out and buy anything but whatever you do, get rid or that dangerous permanganate.
 
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