Is rusty water causing strife in the home for you and the wife? Here's how to fix that!

Is the wife normally blonde but suddenly finds herself becoming a Redhead?  You could try telling her "red hair" is in vogue these days and she looks great as a redhead but that's probably not the best approach to solving the problem or keeping her happy!  I have a better idea.  Let her know you can fix the water and she will always be that naturally beautiful blonde you married!  You can make that happen and she can have blonde hair again.  Great water makes everything better and her happier!

What are the culprits causing the problems?
Iron, Manganese, and hydrogen sulfide are the most obvious problems with well water, causing staining on everything and everyone Hydrogen sulfide also has that nasty, rotten egg smell.  All three can cause problems, even at very low levels.  The good news is you don't have to live with water like this because all these water problems can be fixed and you can be the HERO.

Fixing water like this does require some experience though.  Far too often.  I run into homeowners with in-line filters before and after water softeners trying to remove iron and odor from their water. This can work to a certain extent, in the short term, but there are much better solutions to fix these water problems that will give you the water you are looking for and cost less in the long run.

A proper water analysis is the key to finding the right water treatment solution to fix any water problem.  Basic water testing should always include Hardness, Iron, PH, Nitrates, and TDS with well water.  Manganese and Hydrogen sulfide should also be tested for when suspected.  When testing for iron it is important to determine what type of iron is present to determine the proper water treatment method.  At times it may be necessary to have a more comprehensive water analysis done by a certified water testing lab if concerns about the water arise that can not be tested for with a basic, in-home, water test kit such as Bacteria, Arsenic, VOCs, Etc.  A true water treatment professional should always insist on using a certified lab to be sure the correct water treatment system is recommended when any "red flags" pop up with in-home water testing.  Quite frankly they would be stupid not to.  To make sure they recommend the right system to solve the water problems and have happy customers.

Types of problem water:
1. Ferrous Iron - Referred to as "Clear Water" iron.  Iron that is in solution/dissolved in the water. The easiest way to check for this is to draw a glass of water and look to see if the water is clear.  Generally, this means all or the majority of iron is ferrous iron. As the water sits for a few minutes the iron will oxidize and fall out to the bottom creating "Ferrous Iron."

2. Ferric Iron- Referred to as "Red Water" or "Oxidized" Iron.  This type of iron has been oxidized and shows up as rusty water. When that glass of clear water sits out all night and is all rusty in the morning the air has oxidized the iron and falls out of the water. This is the process of ferrous iron turning into ferric iron. Heating the water will cause the same thing to occur.  Ferric iron can also form "Colloidal" particulates creating fine particles of oxidized iron that can pass through everything and stain everything.

3. Manganese - Manganese appears as blackish, grey, or brown staining on fixtures, hair, fingernails, and clothing.  It can leave a bad taste in water and when oxidized will give off odors similar to hydrogen sulfide.

4. Iron Bacteria - Nuisance bacteria in well water combine with iron to form "Iron Bacteria".  The most noticeable evidence of this will be in the toilet tank.  Iron bacteria form stringy filaments which will be present in the toilet tank on the float, fill valve, and sides of the tank.  Iron bacteria can also cause many types of odors in the water such as fishy, earthy, musty, and even oily smells, from the water.

5. Organic Iron - Referred to as Tannins.  Tannins are caused when low-PH water and decaying vegetation combine with iron causing tea-colored water.  This is usually evident in the toilet bowl with discolored weak tea-looking water.

6. Hydrogen Sulfide - Hydrogen Sulfide imparts a rotten egg smell to the water as it aerates out of the water.  Small amounts of H2S can be removed by air induction systems and carbon tanks (short-term).  High counts of H2S (3+ppm) can be very corrosive and require chlorination and filtration.

7. Low PH Water - Water low in PH (6.5 or below) is considered acidic and needs to be raised by introducing calcite to the water, before any treatment system.  This will elevate the PH to neutral or slightly alkaline for proper filtration removal.

Tannin's in Well Water

Iron Stained Shower Grout

Rust (Ferric Iron) In Toilet Tank

The PH of water plays an important role in how we treat iron removal.  A water softener can

remove ferrous (clear water iron) iron if the PH is from 6.5 to 7.0 as long as the iron levels are relatively low at .1ppm to 1ppm.  Higher amounts of iron can be removed by softening but water-softening resin eventually becomes fouled by iron. So that is not the most practical, or long-term, solution for consistent iron removal and iron-free, stain-free, water.  When the PH is above 7.0 it is necessary to treat the water, before a water softener, with a filtration system to remove iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide for the best quality water.  This is why a proper water analysis is critical in determining the correct water treatment methods and options to fix your water and keep the wife, blonde, and happy.

Before we get more in-depth into this let's make something "perfectly clear."  Filter housings before a water softener, with a cartridge filter that gets replaced periodically, are NOT

iron filters!  Filter cartridges are sold as sediment, iron, rust, and odor filters but are designed for "sediment removal" only.  Filter cartridges may reduce some iron but as the iron passes through the cartridge it oxidizes (Ferric Iron) and passes right through the water softener.  Carbon filters may remove odor for a very short period but when the filter fails the hydrogen sulfide fouls out the media causing an even bigger problem and premature failure of the water softener.  Filter housings can harbor bacteria also, potentially fouling the water softener.  Bacteria can also be introduced into the water from your hands when changing filter cartridges.  It is imperative to sanitize the filter housing when changing filters.  If it is determined sediment and or scale is coming from the well this method is a definite consideration before a water softener.  

Filtration systems generally have 3-4 stages for regeneration. I prefer filter systems that can run by gallons and have a day override for regeneration purposes.
1. Backwash Cycle - Reverses the flow of water in the tank to lift the media and rinse off particulates.
2. Draw Cycle - Air or chemical draw to aid in the oxidation process
3. Slow Rinse - Rinses off excess oxidants and starts to compact media.
4. Final Rinse - Fast rinse to compact media bed and prepare for service.

Filtration Media:  There are so many different types of filter media and multiple filter media options for the same application it is just staggering and confusing.  Some filter media used in the water treatment industry today are Birm, Greensand, Filter Ag, Pyrolox, MTM, Zeolite, Coconut Shell Carbon, Centaur Carbon, and others depending on the application.  The most prevalent filter media for iron removal is Birm, but many options are available for filter media, depending on the application.

This is an example of base media, filter media, and resins currently used for water treatment.

The Solutions:  If you have what we refer to as "Problem Water", Iron bacteria, Tannin's, and Low PH,  I would leave it up to a water treatment professional to help you solve your specific water problems as they are more familiar with the water chemistry in their area.  This can get rather complicated when faced with challenging water problems so let's keep this simple.  Here is a basic water analysis you might find with well water.  We will recommend filter system options that work best.

For this application. We suggest a 10x54 filtration system that runs according to gallons or a 3-day override option.  Single tank systems where the air is drawn directly into the filtration tank are the best solution.

Example:
1. 2.5ppm Ferrous Iron, .5ppm Manganese, PH 7.4, 20gpg Hardness:
10x54 Air Induction filter system with 1.25 cubic ft of BIRM, ZEOLITE, or FILOX filter media.
System settings - 500 gallons and 3-day override.  Backwash - 20min / 40min air draw / 6min rinse.
Water Softener: 9x48 / 32k capacity that would regenerate about every 1200 gallons or 7 days override.  

*See our blog article on "How Water Softeners Work".

These are the best water treatment options for water chemistry like this. This option offers low maintenance, quality water, and a longer run-life on the media.  You can expect 3-5+ years with this system before having to re-bed/replace the filter media in the iron filtration tank.

I hope this helps you keep that blonde happy and gives your family many years of great water.



Good Days and Good Water!

Ray McConnell,
The Water Softener Blog


More information regarding topics of this blog are in the links below:

Six Scientific Differences (and Facts) Between Blondes and Brunettes

Treatment systems for household water supplies: Iron and manganese removal

PH - Water properties

Water Quality Association

Groundwater-Quality

Iron Bacteria What You Need to Know


© Copyright / The Water Softener Blog. / All rights reserved

How Do I Fix My Hard Water Problems?

That is a very good question!  The simple answer is install a water softener.  The real answer is more

complicated but it doesn't have to be complicated as long as you do some homework to make sure you purchase the right water softener system to solve your hard water problems.

There are a lot of options out there now for so called "Salt Free Water Softeners".  Magnetic gadgets (to change the polarity of the water),  medias to bond the calcium and magnesium together (to make a larger molecular particle) that, theoretically, won't fall out of solution as easily, etc, etc.   At this point all of that is just "Hocus Pocus" and a money grab.  Here is a good example of how they get your money, then back down.  I get a call from a young couple that are having well water issues. They ask if I could come out to test their water and see what is going on with it.  They spent $3000 a couple months back on this system they ordered on-line that goes onto the plumbing after the well tank.  It has several lights on it and wire that wraps around the copper pipe to condition the water.  But their water is still bad. The dishes are getting ruined and the clothes are getting ruined from rust stains. So we test the water with the magnetic gadget in place and sure enough hard, rusty water.  The husband wants to be reassured the magnetic gadget isn't doing anything so I have him remove it, run the water from the well until the pump turns on and off several times to assure them we have a true well water sample and the plumbing is flushed.  Same water as before, 20 grains of hardness and 1 ppm of iron.

Soft Water On The Left / Hard Water On The Right

At this point I have to prove my point so I run their water through my mini water softener and show them how a water softener works and how it actually softens and conditions the water to remove hardness and iron. Comparing all three samples, well water, water through the magnetic gadget and soft water.  They are convinced now that a water softener is the only way to fix their water problems and decide on a single tank digital metered water softener.  The problem is they just spent $3000 on that gadget?  I tell them lets call the company, express your dissatisfaction with the product and ask for your money back in full.  Five minutes on the phone, sure we understand, it didn't work for you, we are sorry that is the case, we will refund your money in full and apply it to your credit card.  The wife says she will be glad to ship the system back if they cover the shipping cost.  That's OK you don't need to send it back, just keep it.  WOW that was easy!  I waited to tell them this was the third time I have had this happen!  Full refund, no questions asked!  That tells you how big of a scam it is and how much money they are really making off of it!  Now they have a water softener and are very happy customers. For a LOT less than $3000!  They referred me to their friends that bought the same magnetic gadget. They are happy soft water customers now also!  Obviously the point is you can't fix your water with hocus pocus magic gadgets.  The only way to fix your hard water problems is with a salt or potassium based water softener system.

Fleck 9100 Twin Tank Water Softener

When we are in a home testing water we always treat it as a consultation rather then selling you something.  The water analysis and your families water usage really tells us how to treat the water and recommend the proper water treatment system that will be efficient for your home.  It's not one size fits all.  I have NEVER seen two families that use the same amount of water.  Even on the same water supply, like a community well, the size of the water softener recommended will vary depending on the water usage.  Always have your water tested before deciding on a water softener system.  A Certified Water Testing Lab is a good source for a complete water analysis.

A complete water analysis is the key to water treatment solutions

Examples:
Water chemistry:  20gpg hardness, .5ppm of ferrous iron.

1. The Smith's have 4 people and use 300 gallons of water a day on a pretty regular basis.  This family would use a Single Tank metered 45k grain capacity softener that would regenerate every 5 days.

2. The Wilson's, across the street, have 4 people and they use 700 gallons daily during the week and have used over 2000 gallons of water on a Saturday!  This family would need a Twin Tank 60k (per tank) water softener to assure they always have soft water even during those days they use 2000 plus gallons of water.

So you see every home and situation is different.  The best way to assure you have a water softener system that will give you trouble free service for many years is do your homework, get a proper water analysis done to determine what system is best for your family.  If this seems to be too big a task to take on yourself then research your local water treatment companies on-line for customer testimonials, the Better Business Bureau and you can find Certified Water Treatment Professionals in your area by going to the Water Quality Association at WQA.org.  They have a database of qualified professionals in your area to help you with your hard water solutions. If you would like to install your own system I would suggest purchasing a system from a local plumbing supply, not the box stores.  A plumbing supply company will help you with how to install the water softener and have support for you if needed.  There are also several reputable on-line suppliers with great support and competitive pricing that can help you choose the proper water treatment system for your home and family.


Good Water and Good Days!


R.J. DeChene,
The Water Softener Blog 2016

Below are links relating to topics discussed in this blog:

Angies List - Do salt-free water softeners work

AWGT - Solutions to hard water problems
 
Drinking Water Test Kits - KAR Laboratories, Inc.

How Do Water Softener Systems Work?

Popular Mechanics - How Water Softeners Work

Water Quality Association

On-Line Supplier- Ohio Pure Water

© Copyright 2016 The Water Softener Blog. All rights reserved