Iron, H2S, and other Problems with Existing Well Water Treatment System

[Gary Slusser]

Gary & Ditto, Thanks again for the info. I assumed the reddish/orange colored sludge I see at the entrance to the softener/filter is just the iron precipitant as I don't see anything in the toilet tanks. Although perhaps it is and is what is plugging the filter on top the softener and reducing water flow. It is not hard stuff, but rather like a thin paste. It can be easily removed with a small brush and it dissolves readily in water. I'm not sure what oxidized iron should look like after the aeration unit; perhaps I should take some raw water and mix it vigorously with my battery drill to see what I get. Is there a good way to determine iron bacteria? I always thought iron bacteria was more black in color. Terry

It sounds like normal oxidized (ferric) iron build up but...

IRB can be any color from clear snotty/slimy to black. Wiping the palm of your hand on the sides of the toilet tank from the water line down as you flush the toilet for the slippery etc. is a good test but if you clean the tank frequently or use some type of in the toilet tank cleaner tabs etc. you won't have the build up.

[mialynette2003]

Now that is just dumb.


You said you got too much chlorine and couldn't get the volume down.

You obviously don't know that the regular version only injects chlorine for part of the well pump run time; not continuously during the pump run time.

You also must not know that you don't need to test for chlorine and that if you do you won't get a valid result because the volume varies during the well pump run and that no chlorine is added while the well pump is not running.


You put yourself down by going on about how you couldn't get the system to work as you ASSUMED it should.

Your assumption is incorrect so you're left with saying the thing doesn't work. It works every time IF you know how to install it properly and will maintain it when it needs it rather than on your schedule.

Yes the pellets can go to mush but the mush is still 60% chlorine so IYO what is the problem?

There isn't too much chlorine, I used Centaur carbon and most of my customers got 5 years and longer. Those very few customers that mistakenly thought they knew better than me and didn't follow my instructions got less. And they were using the system for high iron (5 ppm +) and IRB in many cases.

Why is it everytime someone disagrees with you, you try and belittle them. I merely pointed out the fact that both types of chlorinators have their own disadvantages and you resort to saying I didn't read the instructions or I didn't set it right or I didn't install it properly. I have sold, installed and serviced both types and I'm saying both have problems.

[Gary Slusser]

Why is it everytime someone disagrees with you, you try and belittle them. I merely pointed out the fact that both types of chlorinators have their own disadvantages and you resort to saying I didn't read the instructions or I didn't set it right or I didn't install it properly. I have sold, installed and serviced both types and I'm saying both have problems.

And you also said you sold 3 of the type I sold many of over 10+ years without the problems you say you had and I suggest it to people needing chlorination while you don't sell it anymore.

You've said a number of times here that you couldn't get the 3 you sold to work the way you think the system should. Now I see that as you not understanding how the system actually works. I explained why I think you had the problems and you don't like hearing it and now you say I'm belittling you as if you are a victim...

[mialynette2003]

And you also said you sold 3 of the type I sold many of over 10+ years without the problems you say you had and I suggest it to people needing chlorination while you don't sell it anymore.

You've said a number of times here that you couldn't get the 3 you sold to work the way you think the system should. Now I see that as you not understanding how the system actually works. I explained why I think you had the problems and you don't like hearing it and now you say I'm belittling you as if you are a victim...

The way I think they should work is to add chlorine to the water. Does the units you sell add chlorine to the water? There is an adjustment knob on the unit. Does yours have an adjustment knob? In my eyes, the adjustment knob is so you can adjust the amount of chlorine being added. What does your adjustment knob do? So with this adjustment knob, one should be able to adjust the level of chlorine correct? If not, then why have an adjustment knob? With the adjustment knob set on min, I still get excess chlorine on all 3 units I have sold. You may try and convince people online that these units do not have any problems, but you will not convince me that they do not have the problems I have said they have. I'm in the field servicing them so I see what they do and don't do. When was the last time you serviced one yourself in the field?

[Gary Slusser]

The way I think they should work is to add chlorine to the water. Does the units you sell add chlorine to the water? There is an adjustment knob on the unit. Does yours have an adjustment knob? In my eyes, the adjustment knob is so you can adjust the amount of chlorine being added. What does your adjustment knob do? So with this adjustment knob, one should be able to adjust the level of chlorine correct? If not, then why have an adjustment knob? With the adjustment knob set on min, I still get excess chlorine on all 3 units I have sold. You may try and convince people online that these units do not have any problems, but you will not convince me that they do not have the problems I have said they have. I'm in the field servicing them so I see what they do and don't do. When was the last time you serviced one yourself in the field?

Yes there is an adjustment knob on both versions of the chlorinator.

Every one I sold had the knob on it. The regular order version, not the special order version I have mentioned, the knob does nothing but rotate.

On the special order version, the knob is operable and does change the volume of chlorine and you get constant chlorination.

To prove that all you'd have to do is look inside the chlorinator where the internals of the knob are and rotate the knob and see which version's knob does what if anything. Or IIRC, READ THE`INSTRUCTIONS.

I sold and installed a number of them before I started selling them online, I didn't have any I had to service and I taught my customer how to maintain theirs and a few times I got a call with a few questions when the person was going to do the maintenance.

My online customers got a text file of explicit instructions and pictures of how to install and maintain theirs. I rarely got calls with questions of how to do this'er that from internet customers with the chlorinator we are talking about (the regular non special rder one with the non working adjustment knob).

I sold a few of the special order version when it was required. One I recall had a well pumping flow controlled water into a 5,000 gal cistern that then gravity fed to two other 1500 gal cisterns downhill at two other houses on the property and to his studio by the well where there was no cistern. The well was about 500' downhill and 100' below the large cistern by his house. The chlorinator, mixing tank and large Centaur filter was in the well house, each house had a softener and the water from the large cistern to his house was pressurized with a shallow well jet pump and pressure tank.

My equipment replaced older equipment that had replaced other equipment just 5 years before and none worked but what he bought from me. We talked about twice a year for some 4 years or so until I went out of business. He also had a regular version at a 3 family apartment house in town that he owned, he bought that a couple years before the constant version at his house.

[mialynette2003]

Yes there is an adjustment knob on both versions of the chlorinator.

Every one I sold had the knob on it. The regular order version, not the special order version I have mentioned, the knob does nothing but rotate.

But the ones I buy does something. It opens and closes a port. But the problem is, it does not close the port enough to control the amount of chlorine added.

I'm done. You will not convince me the dry pellet chlorinator is any better than a solution one. They both have their own problems (even though you will never admit to it). I really don't care about your success stories, everyone has them.

[Gary Slusser]

You can continue not selling them or order the right version for your customer's need. Or change your incorrect assumption that they don't work while you don't understand how they work and want them to work how you think they should work; although they don't.

As we see you do not have any success story with the pellet chlorinators.