Iron filter

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tadmaz

Minister of Fire
Dec 21, 2017
500
Erin, WI
My folks' house has 14ppm iron from a new well. Has anyone had success for at least a few years with an iron filter product with similar iron in the water? I'd appreciate any tips on specific make/model and how long it has been working for you. Even if you had a pro install the system, I'd like to know the details of the system. I've done some searching online, but I am not convinced of any specific system working well for this high iron. Thanks in advance.
 
My folks' house has 14ppm iron from a new well. Has anyone had success for at least a few years with an iron filter product with similar iron in the water? I'd appreciate any tips on specific make/model and how long it has been working for you. Even if you had a pro install the system, I'd like to know the details of the system. I've done some searching online, but I am not convinced of any specific system working well for this high iron. Thanks in advance.
I just put in an air injection water filter system for iron sulfer and manganese. It has worked fantastic for me and is very low maintenance
 
Is it dissolved iron or actual particles?
 
Both ferrous and ferric. I asked my neighbors on nextdoor.com what they do, there is a patented product called a Hellenbrand Iron Curtain that everyone uses. Not cheap, have to go through a dealer and they have to install. Likely going that route.
 
I use .5 Micro Whole House After after our Kindento Water Softener System. Gets rid of the rust. It's what was recommended by Water Softener People. Does the Job and about 40 dollars. I use it until flow is lessened. 3 years at least.
 
I just put in an air injection water filter system for iron sulfer and manganese. It has worked fantastic for me and is very low maintenance

This is the appropriate technology. That air injection is upstream of a manganese oxide media bed. The air injection (or chlorine) oxidizes the dissolved iron so that the manganese oxide media can filter it out. The media will usually oxidize it by itself except in rare cases but the air injection or chlorine really improve efficiency.

I use a non air injection manganese oxide filter at home to remove iron. It's been in service for about 10 years now with just some o-ring replacement in the backwashing filter head.

Water softeners are only dependably good for up to 2 ppm of iron. Save them for softening water, get an iron filter for removing iron.

You have a ton of iron! Almost certainly so much that you will need to oxidize it first with chlorine. The EPA calls out 0.3 ppm as the upper limit before you will have problems with staining.

Give these guys a call. Fortunately, you know the iron concentration you're dealing with.

 
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This is the appropriate technology. That air injection is upstream of a manganese oxide media bed. The air injection (or chlorine) oxidizes the dissolved iron so that the manganese oxide media can filter it out. The media will usually oxidize it by itself except in rare cases but the air injection or chlorine really improve efficiency.

I use a non air injection manganese oxide filter at home to remove iron. It's been in service for about 10 years now with just some o-ring replacement in the backwashing filter head.

Water softeners are only dependably good for up to 2 ppm of iron. Save them for softening water, get an iron filter for removing iron.

You have a ton of iron! Almost certainly so much that you will need to oxidize it first with chlorine. The EPA calls out 0.3 ppm as the upper limit before you will have problems with staining.

Give these guys a call. Fortunately, you know the iron concentration you're dealing with.

My iron levels aren't that high manganese was a little high what I was really bothered by was the sulfur
 
My iron levels aren't that high manganese was a little high what I was really bothered by was the sulfur

iron and manganese are both removed with the same process. Often people mistake manganese for iron, both are just aesthetic concerns. Most iron filter methods do a good job with sulfur too but only low concentrations. If you have too much sulfur then you can add a granular activated carbon stage after the iron filter.
 
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iron and manganese are both removed with the same process. Often people mistake manganese for iron, both are just aesthetic concerns. Most iron filter methods do a good job with sulfur too but only low concentrations. If you have too much sulfur then you can add a granular activated carbon stage after the iron filter.
Yeah my buddy is an engineer who designs water treatment systems. He speced mine out for me
 
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OK, so it sounds like you guys can help with my iron problem. I have 2 filters in my system, one before the pressure tank and one after, before it goes into the softener. The one between the pressure tank and the softener clogs faster than the one between the well and the pressure tank. Any thoughts? We do live in an area that is known for high iron.
 
OK, so it sounds like you guys can help with my iron problem. I have 2 filters in my system, one before the pressure tank and one after, before it goes into the softener. The one between the pressure tank and the softener clogs faster than the one between the well and the pressure tank. Any thoughts? We do live in an area that is known for high iron.
First of all a filter before the pressure switch is a huge no no.
 
First of all a filter before the pressure switch is a huge no no.
Why? Every house I have had had one there. It keeps allot of the crap out of the tank.
 
Why? Every house I have had had one there. It keeps allot of the crap out of the tank.
With the pressure switch after the filter the switch is not reading proper pressure from the pump. This will burn up the pump prematurely. It also places undue stress on the motor, pipe and fittings. The pump spline is typically around .625 diameter and plastic.
There is always a tank drain for removing crap from the tank. Close off the ball valve to the house and run the tank wide open with a .750 garden hose to flush it out.
 
First of all a filter before the pressure switch is a huge no no.

I took it out, and just left the housing, it's almost like the rust dissolves more in the water when sitting in the tank.
 
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What are we talking about here? Canister filter like a big blue? What type of elements have you been using? Those are fine for well grit and sediment but not effective dissolved iron filters for a couple of reasons. The iron needs to be precipitated out into something solid and filterable and also it's really fine sediment so you need a tight filter to catch it all which will plug fast if you have much iron.

If you have so little iron that an element type filter does any good then you can probably get the job done with the softener. That prefilter should be for well scale and grit to keep the pressure switches and softener from being damaged. Mesh size that you can see through. Usually a rusco spin down is used.
 
What are we talking about here? Canister filter like a big blue? What type of elements have you been using? Those are fine for well grit and sediment but not effective dissolved iron filters for a couple of reasons. The iron needs to be precipitated out into something solid and filterable and also it's really fine sediment so you need a tight filter to catch it all which will plug fast if you have much iron.

If you have so little iron that an element type filter does any good then you can probably get the job done with the softener. That prefilter should be for well scale and grit to keep the pressure switches and softener from being damaged. Mesh size that you can see through. Usually a rusco spin down is used.

You pretty much nailed it. The filter I "had" between the pump and the pressure tank would catch the larger particles , and would clog up the least, and was a 10 micron spun nylon. The one that clogged the worst was the one between the pressure tank and the water softener, it was a 5 micron filter. Both are standard Culligan water filters.