Well chlorinators

   / Well chlorinators #11  
I have a well that has a high iron content and I can usually keep the sulfur dioxide smell in check with carbon filters but does anyone here use a chlorine injection system?
I just use a regular water softener with Iron Out salt (Green Bag). Works pretty good.
 
   / Well chlorinators
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#12  
They did a test when we built the two homes and it was noted to be high iron.
 
   / Well chlorinators #13  
They did a test when we built the two homes and it was noted to be high iron.
Something like these work if you have high iron (20-30ppm)



Not sure how high mine is, but it will yellow a tub in a ~2-3 days, and I still get away with a normal Culligan softener thats at least 20yrs old. If you still need some filtering, do it *after* the softener, like under sink.
 
   / Well chlorinators #14  
A little more info here: I have a conditioner at the well head and I have a carbon filter as the water enters the house but on occasions the sulfur smell overtakes the carbon filters. Since I have about 1500' of 2" water line I would like to disinfect that line post the conditioner.

I do not think I would run it on a regular basis but more of a monthly or quarterly schedule.
Thanks for the extra information. Can you explain a bit more about you mean by a conditioner? I am curious.

1500' of 2" pipe is getting close to 3,000 gallons, so if you had an injector injecting peroxide or ozone in at the well head, you would have plenty of contact time by the time it got to your house.

Just FYI: I know that carbon filters are sold to absorb rotten egg smells, but they really aren't that effective. Adding chlorine, or ozone, or hydrogen peroxide will actually remove hydrogen sulfide from the water by converting the sulfide (the stinky bit) into sulfate, which is tasteless and odorless.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / Well chlorinators
  • Thread Starter
#15  
Sorry, baling hay all day. I meant softener not conditioner.... :)
 
   / Well chlorinators #16  
I would set me up an aerator like what is used in the aerobic septic systems and that should get rid of the smell, for bacteria i would use the chlorine but in a very small concentration not to exceed .50 residual.
 
   / Well chlorinators #17  
Our water has iron and that sulfur smell in it when untreated. What I found out is that the sulfur smell is gas from Bacteria. The bacteria feeds and rides on the iron in the water. Which to me meant no Iron no bacteria. So I installed a water softener and put "Iron out" powder in the brine well (1/2 cup per bag of salt). I also switched out the standard magnesium rod in the hot water tank for a zinc/aluminum one ( temp. set at 125 F) These three things really cleaned up the water.
Everything was fine and the county found no bacteria in the water on the second test but, I thought or imagined a slight metallic smell in the water (no body else did). So I added two 20" filters right after the water softener as I had no room before it. First is the 5 micron sediment filter and then the carbon filter. Showers are a pleasant experience now and no red on shower walls or in toilets.
Yesterday I ran about 2 gallons of water out of the Hot water tank and let it sit overnight. Your Post today reminded me to check it and it is still clear (no sign of red). This is our second year in this house and we are happy with the water, you might imagine the state of panic we were in at the beginning.
 
   / Well chlorinators #18  
The house we lived in prior to the one we are in now had bad iron. We used a system like found in poist #13. It was an air injection system so no need to buy chemicals periodically.

First we had a spin on 5 micron filter. Then the iron filter, then the water softener. Water output was very clean and soft. It really dropped the pressure though and we could never get the pressure up to where we liked it. For example you could not shower and run the dishwasher at the same time.

Our current house also has iron, but not as bad. It is controllable with just a 5 micron spin on filter. We run that before the water softener.

I will look into putting iron out powder in the softener brine tank.
 
   / Well chlorinators #19  
Iron out is a little citric acid and some chemicals to reduce the iron to make it soluble.
You can also just add citric acid, (2T/40lb bag of salt) or buy the iron defense type softener salt that has the acid and detergent in it.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Morton-40-lb-Salt-Pellets-with-Iron-Reduction/3332700

When I bought my current water softener, I was told that having iron in my water, I should expect to change the resin in the water softener every 5-10 years as not all of the iron that precipitates on the water softener resin comes off during the salt regeneration. We are in that range now, and I am not seeing any degradation of the softener performance, yet. YMMV.

All the best,

Peter
 
   / Well chlorinators #20  
Iron out is a little citric acid and some chemicals to reduce the iron to make it soluble.
You can also just add citric acid, (2T/40lb bag of salt) or buy the iron defense type softener salt that has the acid and detergent in it.
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Morton-40-lb-Salt-Pellets-with-Iron-Reduction/3332700

When I bought my current water softener, I was told that having iron in my water, I should expect to change the resin in the water softener every 5-10 years as not all of the iron that precipitates on the water softener resin comes off during the salt regeneration. We are in that range now, and I am not seeing any degradation of the softener performance, yet. YMMV.

All the best,

Peter
I'm at at least 20yrs (was here when I bought the house) and had the valving rebuilt 2x so far w/o changing the resin yet. I did 'clean' the resin a few times with extra Iron Out (2-4 cups diluted in the brine tank, followed with immediate manual regen) a few times, but thats about it.
 
 
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