Iron in well water

About a year ago, my well ran dry and i had to have it drilled deeper. It's about 440' deep and case all the way. Well, now my water has some iron in it. I had it tested at a pool place, and here are the results:
Iron: 0.5ppm
Ph: 6.5
Hardness:6ppm
Free chlorine:0.16ppm
Total chlorine: 0.16
Combined Chlorine: 0ppm
Alkalinity: 20ppm

I've been told several different things. One, i was told i needed a softner. My water isn't hard, so why do i need a softner. I have some staining with my appliances. I have a sediment filter on it. One of those wrapped yarn looking filters. It's about 10" long and about 3-4" across. It keeps the water clear, but only lasts about 2.5 weeks, and it become blanked over with orangy mud. I was told i needed a neutralizer to raise my ph and that it would take care of iron up to 3ppm. Recomendations please.

The first thing that caught my eye was the free chlorine and total chlorine. Unless you added chlorine (not recommended) to your well, you should not have any. The pH is low and to effectivly remove the iron it should be raised. Using a pH neutralizer to raise the pH will also raise the hardness but I don't believe it will raise it enough to justify a softener. I believe you will be best served with a BIRM filter along with a pH neutralizer.

So in your opinion, the neutralizer won't help with the iron. I will still need a birm iron filter, as well? Ballpark cost with me installing?

mialynette2003 said:

The pH is low and to effectivly remove the iron it should be raised...

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If his spun filter is removing the iron, does it not mean that it is ferric? I thought it was ferrous iron that was difficult to remove if the pH is low?

Maybe start with a backwashing iron filter to start and add the neutraliser if there is still a problem.

With a clean filter, i can run water into a glass, and the water is pretty much clear. It can sit for a while, and i never see the iron particles that people talk about. I can clean the stains in the tub, with one of those green abrasive pads. One guy told me, he thought it was just mud, that to clean iron stains i would need chemicals. I read where 0.3ppm is enough to cause staining. Another guy told me to get a 30 micron pleated filter, but i don't want to have to change filters every 2-3 weeks. In the long run, that will get expensive.

LLigetfa said:

If his spun filter is removing the iron, does it not mean that it is ferric? I thought it was ferrous iron that was difficult to remove if the pH is low?

Maybe start with a backwashing iron filter to start and add the neutraliser if there is still a problem.

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You have a good point but the ferric iron had to come from ferrious iron. Adding just the birm filter may solve his problem and avoid spending the extra money for a pH neutralizer. But then again, what about the corrosiveness of his water?

mialynette2003 said:

You have a good point but the ferric iron had to come from ferrious iron. Adding just the birm filter may solve his problem and avoid spending the extra money for a pH neutralizer. But then again, what about the corrosiveness of his water?

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I have pvc ran for water lines, what kinds of problems will i have with corrosive water?

blumsden said:

I have pvc ran for water lines, what kinds of problems will i have with corrosive water?

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The water heater may corrode and fail prematurely. Alone with your dishwasher and some faucets. A pH of 6.8 is ten
times more corrosive than a p H of 6.9. At 6.5, I would be worried about it and correct the problem