Conditioned water smell and taste

11 years ago

I recently installed a water softener in my home. I have a 2 ft3 system in a 12'x48' resin tank using 25 lbs gravel. The raw water contains 18 gpg hardness (including 0.2 ppm iron). After conditioning the water contains less than 2 gpg hardness but it has an obvious iron-like taste and smell (the raw - unsoftened water does not). I have regenerated the system twice and have run about 200 gallons through but the smell and taste persist.
Any help with this issue would be greatly appreciated.

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Comments (2)

Spartan9
Original Author
11 years ago
I now have a bit more information.....
The pH of the water BEFORE the conditioner is 6.3.
After the softener it is 3.8! I think I am pulling metals out of the piping!
User
11 years ago
Clearly, you have problem water. How were the tests conducted? With a titration kit? With test strips? Did you do them yourself or use a certified lab? What is your water source - city, private well, if city is it surface water or well?

It may be that you have a buffering effect happening in your pre-treated water. Once components are removed, it makes your pH worse.

For right now, STOP using the softener - if pH is actually that much lower after the softener, you will ruin your pipes quickly.

Get your water tested by a certified lab. You may actually want to send them two samples, one before and one after the softener. Test for: pH, TDS, hardness, iron, manganese, sulfates, nitrates, bacteria, alkalinity.

If your numbers are accurate, even your raw water pH is too low and should be addressed prior to softening.
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