suggestions for low pH water

[CocoaWalker]

Hi, I am new to this forum and looking for some suggestions to address issues with our well water.

We have a shallow dug well. The water tests in the past four years showed that we have very soft water (9-24 mg/L) with low pH (5.7-6.2), fluctuated iron level (<0.05-2.5 mg/L) and slightly elevated manganese (0.05-0.1 mg/L). Our plan is to install a system that neutralize pH and then add an iron/manganese filter. We already determine the option for iron/manganese removal, but can't decide if we should choose a pH neutralizer (with calcite or calcite/cortex mix) or a soda ash system to adjust the acid water. We lean to a soda ash system because we have a septic system and want to avoid water softener if we can. However, we consulted 4 local water treatment companies and they all seemed frown upon the soda ash system because it requires much more maintenance. They claimed that they don't have any happy customers with soda ash systems, which made us concerned. We don't mind doing the maintenance ourselves but would like to learn more about what and how much work involved before committing to it. So here are some of our questions:

1. If you own a soda ash system, could you provide some insights on the system? Do you like it? Does it REALLY require a lot of maintenance that you wish you chose a calcite neutralizer? Are you able to get a relatively stable pH from the system?
2. What brand and model is your system? We are considering a proportional-feed system with a inline mixer (like this). We want to avoid low quality products so we are happy to know your recommendations!
3. If we install a calcite neutralizer without a water softener, will the added hardness from the neutralizer cause any problems with scaling or damage to the plumbing and appliances? Can we directly discharge the backwash to outside? Our state does not prohibit that but we are concerned about the damage to landscapes, environment and our water source.

Any suggestions and recommendation are highly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[All Things Handy]

Hi, I am new to this forum and looking for some suggestions to address issues with our well water.

We have a shallow dug well. The water tests in the past four years showed that we have very soft water (9-24 mg/L) with low pH (5.7-6.2), fluctuated iron level (<0.05-2.5 mg/L) and slightly elevated manganese (0.05-0.1 mg/L). Our plan is to install a system that neutralize pH and then add an iron/manganese filter. We already determine the option for iron/manganese removal, but can't decide if we should choose a pH neutralizer (with calcite or calcite/cortex mix) or a soda ash system to adjust the acid water. We lean to a soda ash system because we have a septic system and want to avoid water softener if we can. However, we consulted 4 local water treatment companies and they all seemed frown upon the soda ash system because it requires much more maintenance. They claimed that they don't have any happy customers with soda ash systems, which made us concerned. We don't mind doing the maintenance ourselves but would like to learn more about what and how much work involved before committing to it. So here are some of our questions:

1. If you own a soda ash system, could you provide some insights on the system? Do you like it? Does it REALLY require a lot of maintenance that you wish you chose a calcite neutralizer? Are you able to get a relatively stable pH from the system?
2. What brand and model is your system? We are considering a proportional-feed system with a inline mixer (like this). We want to avoid low quality products so we are happy to know your recommendations!
3. If we install a calcite neutralizer without a water softener, will the added hardness from the neutralizer cause any problems with scaling or damage to the plumbing and appliances? Can we directly discharge the backwash to outside? Our state does not prohibit that but we are concerned about the damage to landscapes, environment and our water source.

Any suggestions and recommendation are highly appreciated! Thank you!

Similar situation...what did you guys end up doing? thx

 

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[MaxBlack]

I have nosed-around here in the recent past looking for info on acid-to-alkaline and it seems we have very few people with experience or interest here. If anyone knows an online source for such by all means link us to it.

 

[Reach4]

If you go with the soda ash injection, you can inject before the pressure tank, and you can inject later in the path.

If you inject before, you can start and stop the fixed-rate injection based on the pressure switch. The downside is that if the injection causes solids to form, the pressure tank gets them. They may or may not come out as easily as they went in. I just don't know.

If you inject after the pressure tank, you need a proportional pump. You need a signal to the pump to control the pumping rate. That would usually be a proportional flow sensor.

What kind of iron+Mn removal did you have in mind? One type would have you inject chlorine, before a contact/settling tank. Then a carbon filter would take out the residual chlorine.

If you were injecting soda ash also, it would be nice if you could have those in the same solution tank. I don't think that is done, probably for a good reason. Chlorine bleach is high pH. Would that raise the pH enough by itself? I don't know that either.

If your contact/settling tank had a blowoff valve to let you eject settled sediment, that would be good.

So while I have the interest, I certainly do not have relevant experience.

 

[Mswlogo]

If you end up with an Iron Filter some of them have high rate and frequency of backwash that you would not want in the septic either.

Put in a separate dry well for all backwash.

I was warned on our new Septic that all warranties are void if we backwash ANYTHING into it.

I looked into calcite (or was it soda ash) but it raises hardness and you need a softener to fix it