When someone asks us what Iron Filter they need, we have a standard answer: It depends.

Every private well is different, and so are the needs of the family or business that is using it.

In this article, we will review a residential Iron Filter in Deephaven, MN that was completed as part of a beautiful whole-house remodel. Special water features in the new Master Bathroom meant that a standard Filter System just wouldn’t do!

Rusty, Stink Water – Where Do You Start?

With any Iron Filter, you need to know what’s in the water, and you need to know how fast (flow rate) you need it.

Iron Filtration works in two parts:
1. The particles in the water must be completely oxidized so they precipitate and settle out of the water
2. The filter bed must have enough SQUARE FOOTAGE to support the water flow rate you need to filter

Some items like Manganese and Hydrogen Sulfide require special consideration as they take longer to oxidize than Iron.

Well Water Test Results

Premier Water pulled several samples from the well for water analysis. Here are a few test results that pertain to our Filter project:

7.52 pH
4.88ppm Total Iron
0.303ppm Manganese
0.5ppm Hydrogen Sulfide
421ppm Total Dissolved Solids
300ppm Alkalinity
0.3ppm Tannins
Neg. Sulfate Reducing Bacteria
Neg. Iron Reducing Bacteria

The well water samples were free of bacteria-related problems, and the Tannin levels were low enough not to cause interference.

With water like this, most of our clients choose chemical-free systems like the Whole House Iron Curtain Water Filter. We have our Iron Curtain Water Filters custom-built to our specifications, and have found them to be the simplest, most reliable Iron Filters on the market.

Iron Filter Sizing Guide

This family had 5 people, and an average of 375 gallons of daily water use – which doesn’t really matter with our Filter Systems.

What does matter, is how fast (flow rate) they need that water!

To determine their “Flow Rate Requirements“, we surveyed their plumbing, fixtures, and appliances.

The bathtub in the new Master Bath fills with 3/4″ plumbing as opposed to standard 1/2” lines.

Our clients plan on using this tub every night, but also expect that another sink + toilet could be used while the tub fills.

12gpm was the final “Peak Flow Rate” that we settled on to design our Iron Filter system.

Custom Iron Curtain Water Filter System

If you run water through an Iron Filter too fast, the water leave the filter just as dirty as it went in.

To achieve high quality filtration, you need to run water through an Iron Filter SLOWLY!!!!!

Iron Filter flow rates are measured in “Gallons per Minute” per “Square Foot”.

7gpm/sq. ft. is a good “Peak Flow Rate” which means you can use water at this rate – but for less than 10 minutes.

A single 18″ filter could achieve this peak flow rate, but it would require a MASSIVE 20gpm backwash rate which a floor drain cannot take!

The system we built used the following components:

(1) 16” x 65” pressurized aeration vessel
(2) 13” x 54” vessels using vertical depth filtration

The two filters have slightly more surface area than the single 18″ tank, but have a MUCH smaller backwash requirement of 10gpm.

The aeration tank was sized to give the air and water enough “contact time” to oxidize the high levels of Iron, etc.

Summary

This system is bigger than some Iron Filters we build, and smaller than others.

But it was the right size for this family and their home’s needs.

The water is clear, odor-free, and there’s not a stain in the entire home! And the bathtub? Let’s just say that it’s much more enjoyable to soak in – now that the water has been treated!

About Premier Water

Premier Water is a local, family-owned water treatmentcompany based in Chanhassen, MN. Since1978, Premier Water has successfully designed, installed, and serviced 1000’sof residential and commercial Iron Filtration Systems.

We offer a FREE WATER TEST to gather information and help our clients get the right water treatment solution fortheir needs. We can also be reached at(952) 479-4553 for more information.