Hello Folks - I have a well with 16 PPM of iron. PH is 7.0 Currently have a Watersoft Provectr with 2.5 cu ft brim (or birm?) tank. The air injection venturi specs beyond the capacity of new 4" well. (65-95 psi head pressure with flow of 7 GPM) Please provide proposed solution. This will be my third system in three years so please help!!"
Jim
Florida
Hi Jim -
I understand your situation. One of the types of iron filter we have use the same injector as the Provector and they can get quickly fouled when the iron is this high. The air injectors also restrict your water pressure by 30% or more.
16 PPM is a lot of iron, since 0.3 is the maximum level recommended. Even if an iron filter removes 95% of the iron, that would still leave twice the amount of iron in the water as is recommended.
To treat this water, a multi-stage filter system is recommended. This would be a heavy-duty greensand filter first in line, followed by a Chemsorb sediment turbidity filter (filters to 5 microns and also removes iron), followed by a fine-mesh resin water softener which is also specially designed to remove water.
With this system, you can use a small chlorinator to oxidize the iron ahead of the greensand filter. If you went this way, then no potassium permanganate powder would be needed for the greensand filter. This would also kill any iron bacteria.
But since there is no rotten-egg odor, you can get away with not using a chlorinator if you wish and just add some potassium permanganate powder to the pot perm tank that the greensand filter comes with every 3 months.
Here is more information on the greensand filters:
One of the most heavy-duty iron filters on the market is the greensand iron filter. Greensand iron filters are very effective at removing high levels of iron, manganese and odors from well water. Greensand filters use potassium permanganate powder, which automatically cleans and restores the greensand filter media each time it backwashes. One advantage of this is that the permanganate kills any iron bacteria that can foul iron filter.
If there is a strong sulfur "rotten-egg" in the well water, we recommend a chlorinator be installed in front of the greensand filter to lightly chlorinate the water first. However, if there is no sulfur odor, or if the sulfur odor is very slight, then greensand iron filter would work great by itself.
A 1.5 cubic foot size greensand filter works great for most homes and only requires 5 gallons per minute for backwash. The greensand filter typically uses less water than other iron filters such as Mangox or air-injection iron filters.
These systems are easy to install by any plumber or person familiar with basic plumbing and very easy to maintain yourself. The system is fully automatic, just add some potassium permanganate powder every few months to the solution tank, the system does the rest.
After the iron filter, an optional water softener will remove all hardness minerals and polish the water making it crystal clear and great for bathing and laundry. The result is clean soft, iron-free water throughout the home.
Metering Pump & Tank: 45MHP-10 Stenner Pump with 15 gallon heavy-duty polyethylene solution tank;
Pump output 0.5 to 10.0 gallons per day (1.9 to 37.9 liters per day); voltage 115 or 220V; 60 Hz. This is a complete system that comes with everything you need: solution tank; metering pump; tubing; fittings; and injection check valve.
Contact mixing pressure tank 40 gallon
Dimensions 16" diameter x 53" height
Gives contact time for allowing soda ash solution to mix in the water.
Greensand Iron Filter IR 7000-SXT 1.5 CF
Greensand iron filters are an excellent method of removing high levels of iron manganese and hydrogen sulfide from well waters. Iron and manganese are oxidized and precipitated instantly by contact with the greensand media.
Dimensions: 10" diameter x 54" height of Filter tank, 10.5" diameter x 16" height of Potassium permanganate solution tank
Excellent warranty: 5 years on the filter tank; 5 years on the control valve.
Sediment Filter 7000-SXT 1.5 CF
Uses the higher quality, more expensive Enpress tank with Vortech distributor which allows the sediment filter media to be backwashed at lower flow rates with less water, saving water and energy. Excellent for use in filtering a wide range of colloidal and soluble inorganic contaminants and sediment.
Dimensions: 10" diameter x 61" height 1" or ¾" pipe size
Softener 7000-SXT Meter 48K Grain
Prevent scale and calcium build-up inside pipes; water heaters; fixtures; appliances. Precise electronic meter measures the amount of water used and regenerates the softener based on actual water usage; saving salt and water.
Dimensions: 10" diameter x 61" height filter tank, 18" x 33" brine tank, 1" or ¾" pipe size
