Well Filter

[CharlieTn]

The well on my new property in NE Tn is 150ft deep and is full of particulate matter and iron. When the water is filtered through a cheesecloth and then a Britta filter it tastes great but when it does not run has a strong iron/sulpher odor.

Can anyone recommend a filtering strategy that works. We do a lot of wash and there are 5 people in the family. I imagine the home depot type filters would clog fairly quickly.


Thanks

 

[heehaw]

we have the same problem with our well: i installed a sand filter, i was lucky enough to pick up a used one, sold commercially, but prior to that, i had arkansas engineered one that worked just as well, but didn't look as good: the one i have now is about 2ft wide by 5ft long and 3.5 ft tall: its basically a fiberglass tank, with a divider in the middle: sand and gravel on one side, the water goes in on top of the sand, seeps down an into the other side: we have a pump on that side that pumps the water to the house: this aeriates the water to get the smell out and the sand removes the iron.works great.
heehaw

 

[CharlieTn]

Thanks! Do you think a sand swimming pool filter would work?

Charlie

 

[DrRod]

Greetings,

I have a similar situation with my well -- note my post earlier today on water treatment systems. We had just run the water for awhile on each visit and it would lighten up so we didn't think much about it. But then we had it tested and the news was not good -- the sulpur smell was from bacteria and they found lots of other bad stuff including ecoli.

So if you haven't had it tested, please do it soon. Culligan will do it for nothing as part of a sales call. And if they find something, a pool filter probably won't do the trick. Use the right tool for the job in this case.

Thanks,

Rod

 

[gsxr1100]

I would use Granulated Activated CarbonRANULATED (GAC). It adsorbs organic contaminants, such as herbicides, pesticides, industrial chemicals, and trihalomethanes (THM's) and removes chlorine. Blows the heck out of the Britta. Coconut shell carbon is better but you could use GACto start. I would also use a Sediment Filter before GAC to.

 

[GaryQWA]

You should have a Coliform bacteria test done. Regardless of the outcome you probably have IRB and SRB (iron and sulfate reducing bacteria). I suggest a special inline pellet chlorinator with a special mixing tank and then a backwashed Centaur carbon (turbidity) filter to clarify the water and remove the chlorine. The chlorine kills bacteria and oxidizes iron, manganese and H2S.

Otherwise you use ozone and a turbidity filter or hydrogen peroxide or liguid chlorine in a solution feeder with a properly sized retention tank.

Gary Slusser

 

[heehaw]

lowes sells play sand, that they say has been sterilized(misspelled)..and its pretty cheap
heehaw

 

[heehaw]

i've had my water tested, and don't have a bacteria problem, but i added an in line chlorinator, mainly because it helps with getting the iron out. i have helped people build a contraption to do this same thing, using an old bathtub and a plastic 50gal barrel: the tub gets the sand and gravel, and is mounted above the barrel, the water to the house is pumped out of the barrel: more barrels can be added, if more reserve is needed: it looks crude, but it worked.
heehaw

 

[CharlieTn]

It tested OK. Actually is great when filtered. I figgered something upstream from the store bought filter system would save me time and money on filter changes. A call to Culligan is a great idea.

Thanks

 

[CharlieTn]

Thanks. Gettin pretty technical now. <G> Sooo much to learn. I thought rural=simple.

 

[CharlieTn]

Thanks Gary. Now I am really gettin overloaded. Thought it was gona be simple.

 

[CharlieTn]

Sounds elegantly simple. Convincing my wife to go low tech won't be.

Thanks

 

[GaryQWA]

NOW you should have a bacteria problem. lol All that water open to the air isn't much different/better than a spring along the road...

Gary Slusser

 

[GaryQWA]

I left one choice out, a pellet dropper on the well casing and a Centair carbon filter in the house to remove any 'dirt' and the chlorine from the water.

Ya know The Culligan Man will require you to pay some toward all their flashy ads... but call 'em out and write down everything the say so you can compare. Beware that they talk fast to prevent that. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Gary Slusser

 

[Highbeam]

Treated water exposed to the open air is not a problem. You will loose residual chlorine more quickly for sure. I have been to municipal drinking water systems where finished water sets in a reservoir with a roof and screened sides to keep the big chunks out.

 

[GaryQWA]

Of course you assume that the chlorine dose is adequate where I on the other hand have dealt with many users of solution feeders and know human nature well enough to bet that most aren't adequate most of the time. Water company employees are much different than the average homeowner (not to include CharlieTN for sure) when it comes to maintenance issues such as frequent testing for free chlorine residual. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

Gary Slusser

 

[CharlieTn]

I am sure I will not have open water. Even if I wanted to Wife would not allow it <G> I have some pros coming by and I will pick their brains before they pick my wallet.

Thanks

 

[CharlieTn]

I like to bake bread. Water quality is a major issue for me.
I would like to think that since so many people are on wells by me that there should be a pretty standard solution.

Probably wishful thinking.

Charlie

 

[GaryQWA]

Yes the majority of women won't see things as many men might.

In a rock bore well, as opposed to a fuly cased and screened sand and gravel aquafer well, water quality can vary greatly from one well to the next only 100+' away. It's due to the geology the well goes down through.

In addition to that, there are different types of equipment and ways to treat different causes of poor quality if the problem is such that more than a softener is needed. But the quality of the treated water is usually about the same.

Gary Slusser