Removal of high iron with a water
softener
So what do you think the limit is for the removal of iron with a water softener ? 2ppm ? 4ppm? With the right water chemistry, it can be much higher than that. During my travels out in the field, I have seen as high at 15ppm of iron removed with a water softener, without the hardness in the water to back it up. The key to high iron removal with a water softener is PH. The PH of the water must be below 7. In fact, the lower the PH, the better removal of iron. I know what you are thinking. Any water below a 7 PH is acidic and can damage copper pipes, faucets and hot water tanks, but not all acidic water is corrosive. I have seen hundreds of cases where the PH is 6.5 – 6.7 and did not have any adverse effects on the plumbing system. One sure way to tell is look at the tub or toilets. If you are not seeing a bluish green stain, then no copper or metals are being dissolved. What’s the advantage of treating high iron with a water softener ? Only one piece of equipment in your house. That means less maintenance for you, the consumer, and less upfront costs and headaches. Calcite filters and iron filters can be expensive and troublesome to take care of. Below is a typical water analysis I am referring to:
Hardness: 9 gpg
Iron: 7ppm PH:
6.5
When you do
treat water like this with a water softener, there are some requirements.
1. Timered units are preferred over metered.
2. Go one size bigger on the softener you select.
3. Full salting must be used. (15lbs per cubic foot of resin)
4. Salt with a iron additive should be
used to keep the resin clean.
5. Use a preferred resin like SST-60
SST-60 resin
is a shallow shell technology resin that has a very large inner core and a thin
outer layer that keeps iron from fouling the resin bead. Hope this helps you out. You can send me your water analysis for recommendation. Any additional questions can be answered at: rollynorth@hotmail.com
To clean
water and great health !
Rolly
