Types of Iron Found in Water

Sun, 26 May 2024 18:47:06 -0400

If your home or business uses a private water source such as a well, then chances are good that you have iron in your water. As little as 0.3 ppm of iron can begin to stain. However, iron takes many forms in water that have different treatment considerations, so before you purchase a water treatment system, read below to figure out what type of iron you are dealing with.

Ferrous iron

Ferrous iron, also known as dissolved or clear water iron, is soluble iron that when dissolved in water is invisible to the naked eye. However, once the water you use evaporates from your shower or kitchen sink, that iron will stain your home and be difficult to clean. This type of iron can be removed from your water with a water softener, but you must take care to use iron cleaning agents when regenerating your softener, or else the resin will become coated with iron and have less capacity to remove iron or hardness. Depending on water chemistry, this type of iron may be best removed by first oxidizing it into ferric iron and then removing it with advanced oxidation systems from Penguin Water.

Ferric iron

Ferric iron, also known as particulate or red water iron, is insoluble iron in suspension in water. This type of iron has been oxidized and cannot be removed through a water softener. Special kinds of media like greensand or BIRM can be used to remove this type of iron, and large particles can often be caught in simple depth filters. For most well water customers, we recommend using advanced oxidation systems before treating water with a softener.

Organically bound iron

Iron can bind to substances known as tannins, forming what is commonly called organically bound iron or heme iron. Tannins result from decomposed organic matter from leaves, roots, and other vegetation, and give liquids like tea their brown color. This organic bound iron, while not harmful, is unpleasant due to smells, tastes, and staining. We recommend treating with special tannin media that operates similarly to a water softener and also regenerates with salt.

Iron bacteria

Some kinds of bacteria consume dissolved iron for fuel and produce gels and slimes, in addition to bad odors and tastes. These slimes can often be found in toilet tanks. While not harmful to human health, the effects of foul smelling and tasting water with staining slimes are certainly unpleasant. Iron bacteria can be removed with the advanced oxidation systems from Penguin Water.

Water testing

Treating iron in water can be difficult, but we're here to help. With proper testing, we can help you determine the right equipment for your application. Click here to schedule your lab panel. and if you decide to purchase our recommended equipment, we will refund you 100% of the cost of your test.