Tam
New Member
This is my first post, I have been reading everything I can find on this site regarding my problems. I have some questions and would appreciate some suggestions. Background: I presently have equipment installed 10-1997 - From the well the water goes through a venturi valve and into an aerator tank, which reduces the 12 -13 gpm out of the well to about 6 gpm. The water*then leaves the aerator and goes into the pressure tanks and finally through a water softener with a filter on top which is there to filter out the iron precipitant. Drinking water at kitchen sink & ice maker goes through RO unit.
*The softener/filter is a Kinetico system, which means it is two softeners each with a filter on top. The problem is: 1) The iron precipitant in the pipe going into the top of the softener/filter valve tends to partially plug the pipe at the entrance reducing flow. 2) Kinetico units go into regen any time the unit in operation is used up/depleted. So if water is being used (shower, washing machine,etc.) and the unit goes into regen I believe there is insufficient water flow to properly backwash the softener/filter being regenerated. *This situation keeps degrating over time. * It gets so bad that if a unit is being regenerated you can not take a shower. It was not this bad when new, but exchanging the units 4 years ago with like ones only slightly helped the problem. The flow has since gotten worse. Kinetico says they don't use this system anymore. From a treatment standpoint the systems is doing well although we are noticing some red rush tint on bath towels after use and on the jets of the whirlpool tub. Toilet tanks look pretty clean. Big problem is lack of flow with this system.
Water analysis is: Iron (desolved) 1.4ppm, Managanese 0.181ppm, hardness 350ppm, pH 6.8, TDS 460ppm, Turbidity 16 NTU, there is hydrogen sulfide smell from the raw well water (sulfur is about .2ppm) and tannins around 8-9ppm. There was no coliform or e-coli at least at this time.
In reading this Forum there are a number of methods to handle iron & H2S, but I'm trying to determine what makes the most sense.
1) Oxidizing Carbon filters would likely handle the iron and H2S, but from what I read they need to be backwash every night. Not sure if all require nightly backwash? That's a lot of water. Softener would handle some iron and hardness. Thoughts/Opinions?
2) Chlorination, contact tank, then carbon filter (other types seem to require too much backwash flow) and finally Softener. Good system and would kill any bacteria that shows up, but how often would I likely need to backwash the carbon filter, how much maintenance for the chlorinator and would the backwash water contain Cl that would kill my septic tank?
3) Birm filter for iron, carbon filter for H2S and softener, but again lots of water used to backwash. Thoughts on this system?
4) Do I need to treat tannins? If so what is the best method a second ion exchange unit with different media?
5) Any general suggestions on a system? Kinetico suggests their new softener and a multi media filter for iron and sulfur, Aqua systems (local made products) recommends their oxidizing filter and a softener.
Thanks, Terry
*The softener/filter is a Kinetico system, which means it is two softeners each with a filter on top. The problem is: 1) The iron precipitant in the pipe going into the top of the softener/filter valve tends to partially plug the pipe at the entrance reducing flow. 2) Kinetico units go into regen any time the unit in operation is used up/depleted. So if water is being used (shower, washing machine,etc.) and the unit goes into regen I believe there is insufficient water flow to properly backwash the softener/filter being regenerated. *This situation keeps degrating over time. * It gets so bad that if a unit is being regenerated you can not take a shower. It was not this bad when new, but exchanging the units 4 years ago with like ones only slightly helped the problem. The flow has since gotten worse. Kinetico says they don't use this system anymore. From a treatment standpoint the systems is doing well although we are noticing some red rush tint on bath towels after use and on the jets of the whirlpool tub. Toilet tanks look pretty clean. Big problem is lack of flow with this system.
Water analysis is: Iron (desolved) 1.4ppm, Managanese 0.181ppm, hardness 350ppm, pH 6.8, TDS 460ppm, Turbidity 16 NTU, there is hydrogen sulfide smell from the raw well water (sulfur is about .2ppm) and tannins around 8-9ppm. There was no coliform or e-coli at least at this time.
In reading this Forum there are a number of methods to handle iron & H2S, but I'm trying to determine what makes the most sense.
1) Oxidizing Carbon filters would likely handle the iron and H2S, but from what I read they need to be backwash every night. Not sure if all require nightly backwash? That's a lot of water. Softener would handle some iron and hardness. Thoughts/Opinions?
2) Chlorination, contact tank, then carbon filter (other types seem to require too much backwash flow) and finally Softener. Good system and would kill any bacteria that shows up, but how often would I likely need to backwash the carbon filter, how much maintenance for the chlorinator and would the backwash water contain Cl that would kill my septic tank?
3) Birm filter for iron, carbon filter for H2S and softener, but again lots of water used to backwash. Thoughts on this system?
4) Do I need to treat tannins? If so what is the best method a second ion exchange unit with different media?
5) Any general suggestions on a system? Kinetico suggests their new softener and a multi media filter for iron and sulfur, Aqua systems (local made products) recommends their oxidizing filter and a softener.
Thanks, Terry