Main Line well filtration

Doug · #1 07-29-2010, 06:23 PM

I discussed the filtration set up for my sons place at his house. His main line filters would be red from the iron crud when change time came. I had some pics posted here somewhere but never looked them up yet.
Anyways, I just buying another bunch of ro and main line filters for him.

I think we tried several different micron sizes in the mains. I purchased 30m this time. I think 30m or even 50m would be the standard for mains but we discussed if something like the 10m may be better because of the iron sludge?

Whatcha think well guys.
Thanks

Twinn · #2 07-29-2010, 06:34 PM

If you have iron sludge you might need an actual filter designed just for that.

Doug · #3 07-29-2010, 06:42 PM

Thats only in the main line filter. Think he needs something different there. Its good feeding the softener and the ro system I put in for him.

Zoaelite · #4 07-29-2010, 06:52 PM

I would go in and get the crud tested for Iron and silt content, depending on the levels this will give you your answer.

The system that would probably work the best is a water softener with a prefilter (That filter size would be indicitive of your silt content). Iron, Manganese, Calcium and Magnesium will all be removed via the water softener while the silk content should be filtered by your prefilter.

Now if he's on well water that has a very high silt content you might require two prefilters, normally in Calgary pre-filters would be changed every 1-2 years but on well water that could be as high as every 4 months.

The water softener should take care of your iron but for his usable water (The 1% of house hold water used for drinking, cooking... ect) I might look into a RO/DI, as a softener replaces your hardness Ions with Sodium or Potassium this means your kitchen sink tap is usually by-passed leaving you to drink unfiltered well water. The RO/DI can filter out your contaminants but I would look for a system that utilizes a counter current flush to extend the life of your membrane (As the strait silt content will damage the resin membrane fairly fast). The system should also come with a pre and post filter to reduce the stress on your membrane and remove any taste/ odor out of the final treated product.

Zoaelite · #5 07-29-2010, 06:56 PM

*** What sort of softener is he using Doug and do you know what it's maximum iron filtration capacity is?

Doug · #6 07-30-2010, 01:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zoaElite

I would go in and get the crud tested for Iron and silt content, depending on the levels this will give you your answer.

The system that would probably work the best is a water softener with a prefilter (That filter size would be indicitive of your silt content). Iron, Manganese, Calcium and Magnesium will all be removed via the water softener while the silk content should be filtered by your prefilter.

Now if he's on well water that has a very high silt content you might require two prefilters, normally in Calgary pre-filters would be changed every 1-2 years but on well water that could be as high as every 4 months.

The water softener should take care of your iron but for his usable water (The 1% of house hold water used for drinking, cooking... ect) I might look into a RO/DI, as a softener replaces your hardness Ions with Sodium or Potassium this means your kitchen sink tap is usually by-passed leaving you to drink unfiltered well water. The RO/DI can filter out your contaminants but I would look for a system that utilizes a counter current flush to extend the life of your membrane (As the strait silt content will damage the resin membrane fairly fast). The system should also come with a pre and post filter to reduce the stress on your membrane and remove any taste/ odor out of the final treated product.

He has pretty well all of the above Levi. I dont recall the iron removal of the softener without looking, but it was a good one with a higher rating. We researched it a fair bit first.
It has a pre filter system in it. I also installed the large main line filter before it and the ro system following the softener. Water is good there. The softener is removing the iron and hardness alright so far. He changes the main filter about every 3 or 4 months because of the sludge build up in the filter.

I just wonder if going to a 30m filter may pass some of it as compared with the 10m he is currently using. I used 30m or 50m on mine and only changed twice/year. I had hard alkaline water but no iron.

Thanks

Doug · #7 07-30-2010, 01:03 AM

My concern with something like a 5 or 10m on the main, is slowing down the pressure to much, which is just barely high enough for the ro system without a booster.

mark · #8 07-30-2010, 02:24 AM

I'm on City of Edm water and when I change my pre-filters about every 6 months (recommended interval) they're always very red and the there's little iron in the source water (quality report).

Might be normal?

jzz30tt · #9 07-30-2010, 03:03 AM

Also note that iron isn't usually in a sediment when it's coming up from a well. Depending on what he's seeing (ie whites in the laundry going blotchy yellow or uniformly yellowing) it can be dissolved iron or iron bacteria.

Each has it's own treatment process. For dissolved iron you can get away with something as simple as a chemical-free (air contact) iron filter which is going to break the iron out of solution by injecting air into the main. The air contact allows the iron to break out of solution and is then filtered as sediment. Small amounts of iron can sometime be reduced by the use of a water softener that is mean to remove iron (only difference from a regular water softener is that the bed is fluidized during the backwash cycle and is circulated from the bottom to the top of the tank) or else by a manganese greensand iron filter using potassium permanganate as a oxidizer to break the iron out of solution.

For Iron bacteria you need a little bit of a different approach. The usual method of dealing with it is chlorine injection and contact time. Chlorine is injected at a concentration of 1 ppm in the main water feeding the house. It is then fed through a contact tank giving it ample dwell time to do it's job and is then removed with an activated carbon filter.

Hope you can get it dealt with!!

Disclaimer : This is all with reference to dealing with rural well based water but has application to city supply as well.

Doug · #10 07-30-2010, 01:25 PM

http://www.canreef.com/vbulletin/sho...water+softener

Ok. Here is the previous thread with the pictures. Except for chlorine or shocking, we are doing all the rest. The system is working perfect. Seems most all is being removed.

BUT, his mail line filters look like the pic. Currently using 10m filters. The only thing we are wondering is> Would a 30m allow some of this to pass as opposed to the 10m.

Guess I will just take the 30,s back and get 10,s and be done.

Thanks for the advice again guys.