Sizing water softener - I'm exhausted by all the research.

[Colchicine]

Back story- bought a house in April that isn't what I wanted, but nothing else was left. It had hardly any updates and I've had to work on it nearly everyday I'm home. After spending over $15,000 on the house so far and doing most all of the work myself, I'm exhausted with all the research I've had to do on everything.

I just need recommendations on the size of the water softener and any additional filtration.


Here is info on the house:

• House was built in 1985
• Deep well pump. A neighbor (original owner of his house) says his well is 110 feet deep with water at 70 feet.
• There is a H2S smell in the water, including at a hose bib on the well house. The H2S smell is stronger out of the hot water tap.
• The water tastes metallic.
• There is no iron staining.
• There is some moderate scaling on faucet aerator screens.
• My wife is particularly sensitive to everything, and has minor gastrointestinal problems after drinking the water. I am not sensitive and don't have issues.
• There is currently no filter or treatment of the water.
• Currently it's just me and my wife in a 3 bd 2 ba house with occasional guests.
• I worked part time doing plumbing / HVAC for 6.5 years when I was in college.
  
  I spent $200 on a water test and here are the relevant parameters.
• 110 mg/L Hardness
• 6.4 GPG
  
• 110 mg/L Alkalinity
• 7.5 pH
• 140 mg/L Total Dissolved Solids
• 43.7 mg/L Calcium
• 0.139 mg/L Iron
• 0.056 mg/L Manganese
• 6 mg/L Sodium
  
• Everything else was normal.

According to calculations I found elsewhere on the web, I need 10,132 gals a week of softening. I've read other threads on here about oversizing, so I'm hoping that a 30,000 grain softener isn't too large since it's the most common size I can find.

I've gotten a quote for installing a softener buy the most recommending local company and they want $3,000 for the unit and install. I can't afford that and need to take the economy route since we still have many thousands to spend on the house before selling it. I need to do this myself.

I've gotten conflicting info on how to treat the iron and manganese, as to whether a water softener alone is enough.
I would greatly appreciate any help on this!

 

[Reach4]

Manganese may be the worst thing showing in your test. A softener can deal with that, as it can your iron.

Your test, like most, does not test for H2S. Your nose does. Some iron + manganese or even GAC backwashing filter do remove H2S.

What you can try first is

1. Sanitize your well really well. https://terrylove.com/forums/index....izing-extra-attention-to-4-inch-casing.65845/ is my writeup. Include the water heater. It is pretty much assured that the H2S from the well will drop for some time. How long? I think that the use of a strong enough solution and the flooding volume knocks down the SRB in the well longer, but I expect that varies from well to well. Sanitizing is tedious but inexpensive. Warm weather is preferred, and freezing weather is a no-do in my opinion.
2. H2S can be produced by SRB breaking down sulfates. Sulfates were in your test, but you did not include them in the list. Turning up the WH temp can make it harder for SRB to grow. I use a Ceranode powered anode. No metal for the SRB to use. There are less expensive units with shorter electrodes, but I think a longer anode provides better protection -- especially for a taller WH.

When using the search box above, don't search for H2S; it does not find things less than 4 characters. I instead search for sulfur or sulfide.​

 

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[Colchicine]

Good to know about the Manganese!

Should a GAC filter be before or after the softener?

1) Unfortunately, all instructions I see are for submersible pumps, but I have a jet pump.

2) Sulfates were not detected! When I do install a water softener I plan to clean out the water heater and replace the anode. Wow, $224 for the CerAnode! Just yikes. But according the reviews it's the best way to get rid of the smell, and I need all the help I can get to keep the wife from complaining.

Will a 30k grain softener be an appropriate size for us?


I happened to get a look at the anode this weekend when I had to replace an element on a water heater that is less than a year old.

 

[ditttohead]

I would recommend a 10x54 softener as the minimum for most residential applications for a multitude of reasons. You can always set these larger units to a much higher efficiency without sacrificing water quality. Stay away from most of the online companies, these units are built with nothing more than price in mind. There are several companies that offer much better equipment for a few dollars more and wont put in the cheapest junk they can find... as to your anode, I have seen many companies have great success with powered anode rods.