Well Water Filter

[RoyKing]

Use wound filters scrub them off then soak them in weak solution of muriatic acid, that will attack the iron. Scrub again rinse use over until center core red won't come out. What you need is a much larger filter like swimming pool size, I regularly clean the rust from mine. Some like Hayward 80. There are tons of sizes, shop for common size so the filters will cost less. I can get pleatco A76 for $32, that is 75 feet of filter and it catches the iron that chlorine pulls out of the water.

 

[timbatrader]

I don't have well water I have a spring up the hill behind my place that I have tapped into I use to have a problem with filters needing changing every couple of weeks from silt I solved the problem by putting a tank that holds over a days worth of water before the filter make sure inlet to the tank has a defuser so the fresh water coming in doesn't stir up the tank all the silt settles to the bottom of the tank I now change the filters once a year

 

[lzicc]

I think you read my mind. I am fixated on the specs. The spin down is a 50 micron. I am going to jump up to a 100 micron just to see if it last longer between purges. If that doesn't help, I am also thinking that maybe I should remove the spin down and put a 3rd big blue in front and install a 50 micron 20" filter in the first part of the line of filters.

......or the 50 micron spin down is junk.

No doubt you need a solution. My concern is you have fixated on specs and are convinced that those specs should fix the issue. My contention is the brand and or style of filter isn’t working for your needs.

 

[lzicc]

That is what I need, I just don't know how I would implement that on a submersible well pump. If I could find a way to let the water settle prior to going through the filters, that would remove quite a big of the big sediment.

I don't have well water I have a spring up the hill behind my place that I have tapped into I use to have a problem with filters needing changing every couple of weeks from silt I solved the problem by putting a tank that holds over a days worth of water before the filter make sure inlet to the tank has a defuser so the fresh water coming in doesn't stir up the tank all the silt settles to the bottom of the tank I now change the filters once a year

 

[lzicc]

I agree. Where can you get the transparent ones from that hold a large filter like this? The ones I did find had really bad reviews.

I do not and never have liked non transparent filter bowls. I want to see what the media looks like at all times.

 

[lzicc]

Alright, this is what I am going to do. I installed a larger 100 micron spin down over the weekend and although it lasted longer between purges, it wasn't all that much longer. The issue with the spin down is that there is not enough surface area so it clogs faster. The big blue filters lasted longer even though the one was only 5 microns, but that is due to more surface area, being pleated and a longers, 20" filter. I decided to add a third big blue 20" housing with a 50 micron filters. So it will go water from well, to 50 micron, then 5 micron, then 1 micron, then the water softener then to the fixtures. I think the 50 micron will help all the filters last longer by removing the larger stuff first. I'm taking the spin out of the picture completely and sending it back. It just doesn't work for my situation.

I noticed with the spin down that it was filling up will black silt like substances. It was too fine to purge when I opened the valve. I had to remove the screen and scrub it with a brush to get that black stuff off. It was very fine. I'm guessing it is magnesium of what I read.

 

[Firemanbuck]

Alright, this is what I am going to do. I installed a larger 100 micron spin down over the weekend and although it lasted longer between purges, it wasn't all that much longer. The issue with the spin down is that there is not enough surface area so it clogs faster. The big blue filters lasted longer even though the one was only 5 microns, but that is due to more surface area, being pleated and a longers, 20" filter. I decided to add a third big blue 20" housing with a 50 micron filters. So it will go water from well, to 50 micron, then 5 micron, then 1 micron, then the water softener then to the fixtures. I think the 50 micron will help all the filters last longer by removing the larger stuff first. I'm taking the spin out of the picture completely and sending it back. It just doesn't work for my situation.

I noticed with the spin down that it was filling up will black silt like substances. It was too fine to purge when I opened the valve. I had to remove the screen and scrub it with a brush to get that black stuff off. It was very fine. I'm guessing it is magnesium of what I read.

It sounds like manganese which precipitates from the water as a black film, usually it occurs in conjunction with iron or iron bacteria. If so, then it isn't sediment being sucked up by the pump, it's a chemical precipitate being deposited on the filter media. Low concentrations can be effectively treated with just the softener, higher concentrations require a "green sand" filtration system.

Ask your neighbors what they are using. Have the water sampled and tested for iron and manganese to see what you are actually working with and then use the data to come up with an effective treatment system.

 

[Cord]

If you take a glass of water off the sampling faucet, you'll see what material is clogging your filter. If it's sand or grit, that'll be eroding your pump impeller away and clogging the pressure tank. Sadly, the permanent fix will make the filters look cheap. For my house, I piped in two big blue filters parallel. That way when one goes down, I can switch over to the second one until I can service the first one.

Iron bacteria, if bad enough will clog filters pretty quickly. It forms greasy strings in a glass and is slimy to the touch. Can turn the water coal black and stinks bad. It's taken a few years, but thankfully our water has cleaned up.

 

[Doofy]

I would get your water tested and then "Shock" the well with either commercial strength peroxide or a gallon of Clorox, let set for 24 hours then flush. This "Shock" will normally kill the iron bacteria for a year or two. I sometimes have black slime, sometimes brown slime.

 

[Scrambler82]

Alright, this is what I am going to do. I installed a larger 100 micron spin down over the weekend and although it lasted longer between purges, it wasn't all that much longer. The issue with the spin down is that there is not enough surface area so it clogs faster. The big blue filters lasted longer even though the one was only 5 microns, but that is due to more surface area, being pleated and a longers, 20" filter. I decided to add a third big blue 20" housing with a 50 micron filters. So it will go water from well, to 50 micron, then 5 micron, then 1 micron, then the water softener then to the fixtures. I think the 50 micron will help all the filters last longer by removing the larger stuff first. I'm taking the spin out of the picture completely and sending it back. It just doesn't work for my situation.

I noticed with the spin down that it was filling up will black silt like substances. It was too fine to purge when I opened the valve. I had to remove the screen and scrub it with a brush to get that black stuff off. It was very fine. I'm guessing it is magnesium of what I read.

Sounds like you are trying to solve a major water filtration problem using the pile up method... BUT you can only pile so many filter on before you get to a point where it would have COST less calling in a Specialist... yes an Engineer !

I can tell... you know what you are doing, by you work on the panel, but when is it ok to call in reenforcement !

 

[lzicc]

The neighbors have city water. Hopefully it will extend to me soon. My softener is placed after all the filters. I wonder if it would be a good idea to put it first in line of treatment?

It sounds like manganese which precipitates from the water as a black film, usually it occurs in conjunction with iron or iron bacteria. If so, then it isn't sediment being sucked up by the pump, it's a chemical precipitate being deposited on the filter media. Low concentrations can be effectively treated with just the softener, higher concentrations require a "green sand" filtration system.

Ask your neighbors what they are using. Have the water sampled and tested for iron and manganese to see what you are actually working with and then use the data to come up with an effective treatment system.

 

[lzicc]

I hear what you are saying. I guess I'm trying to tweak this the best I can. When I bought the house, there was a single, 1 micron big blue filter. I would change it every 3 months. I should have left well enough alone. Everything worked, I was just trying to buy more filter time. Then I heard about the spin down filter. It sounded like a great idea, but fine silt would stick to the screen and the black magnesium would stick to the silt and bake onto the screen where it wouldn't let the silt spin down when purging.

Sounds like you are trying to solve a major water filtration problem using the pile up method... BUT you can only pile so many filter on before you get to a point where it would have COST less calling in a Specialist... yes an Engineer !

I can tell... you know what you are doing, by you work on the panel, but when is it ok to call in reenforcement !

 

[PILOON]

I have lots of sediment like material in my water,

Filters lasted about a week or 2 so I needed a better solution.

What I used was a swimming pool fine mesh 'sand filter' but needed to adapt it down from inch and a quarter to my 3/4 inch pump line.
Works great!
I now only need to clean that filter every 3 months or so.
I say clean as I merely use a nylon bottle brush to loosed away the fine particles that accumulate.
That same pool filter has been in use for close to 20 years now with no hickups.
Usually cleaning is indicated when the tap flow/pressure tapers off.

 

[lzicc]

I think a sand filter would work well for me. Did you have much pressure drop when adding the sand filter?

I have lots of sediment like material in my water,

Filters lasted about a week or 2 so I needed a better solution.

What I used was a swimming pool fine mesh 'sand filter' but needed to adapt it down from inch and a quarter to my 3/4 inch pump line.
Works great!
I now only need to clean that filter every 3 months or so.
I say clean as I merely use a nylon bottle brush to loosed away the fine particles that accumulate.
That same pool filter has been in use for close to 20 years now with no hickups.
Usually cleaning is indicated when the tap flow/pressure tapers off.

 

[LittleBill21]

what u can do, is add a cistern or small storage tank, let all the water pump into that via a float switch, then use a secondary booster pump to push it through the filters etc. all the sand would drop into the tank and your inlet for your booster could be a couple inches higher, that would reduce most of the filter clogging.

 

[thekkfan]

I run two big blues - sediment in the first and RFFE20-BB Iron cartridge in the second. It has eliminated the brown/rust stains in toilets and sinks. Go through two sediments for every one iron cartridge.

If you have a manganese problem, they offer that too in an iron/mang combo cartridge.

 

[PILOON]

I think a sand filter would work well for me. Did you have much pressure drop when adding the sand filter?

No.
Pressure drop was my indication to clean the filter (every 3 months or so) My wife is my advisor, LOL.
Since my water comes from the lake a mere 3 times a year as during the winter months there is no agitation to stir up the suspended particles.
Works great! 20 or more years now.

 

[goeduck]

The neighbors have city water. Hopefully it will extend to me soon. My softener is placed after all the filters. I wonder if it would be a good idea to put it first in line of treatment?

Careful what you wish for. I had a rental house in the big city here. While vacant I had to pay the the utilities and the city water was $250 per month with no usage. When I called on it they said there are base fees for water, stormwater managment, etc, etc. They get you by the family jewels and cannot stop increasing fees. I love being on a well.

 

[4570Man]

Careful what you wish for. I had a rental house in the big city here. While vacant I had to pay the the utilities and the city water was $250 per month with no usage. When I called on it they said there are base fees for water, stormwater managment, etc, etc. They get you by the family jewels and cannot stop increasing fees. I love being on a well.

Good grief. Our water bill with usage is 1/5 or less that much. The crooked water department that’s more rural would still be 1/3 that.

 

[Cord]

My softener is placed after all the filters. I wonder if it would be a good idea to put it first in line of treatment?

Absolutely not. You’ll pack the granules in and ruin the filter.