sanitizing a used water softner?

[Brandon]

I am in the process of installing a water softener that was given to me by a friend. The unit sat unused for quite a long time, don't think it was ever purged. I hooked it up to a hose yesterday, the water that initially came out was discolored ( kind of an iced tea color) for several minutes. It then ran clear, and I could most definitely "feel"( slick) how soft the water was. Before I put this unit in use, it occurred to me that I should sanitize it. My though was to use pool chlorinator( liquid), just pour a quart or so into the resin tank , let it sit overnight and rinse, possibly repeat. Any thoughts? What are the chances of some sort of bacterial growth in the resin tank? Thanks Brandon

[Doug Miller]

The brown stuff was probably rust. When a water softener is used in iron-bearing water, the resin eventually picks up a fair amount of iron. When the unit is disconnected and opened up, air gets in and oxidizes the iron; wet, oxidized iron = rust. Then when you connect it up, the rust gets rinsed out. No big deal.

I don't think I'd do that without checking with the manufacturer first. Chlorine is a pretty harsh chemical, and it damages a lot of things.

Pretty low, I'd guess, considering that the resin tank gets backwashed with brine every time the water softener regenerates. Salt does a real good job of inhibiting bacterial growth. Back in the old days before refrigeration, people used to preserve meat by salting it, you know. Any bacteria that might be in there now probably won't live very long after you put the unit into service. Just fill the brine tank up with salt, and run it through a couple of regeneration cycles, and I think you'll be good to go.

[Brandon]

Thanks for the reply and information. Thank you for reminding me of the obvious....the brine solution, of course. I will run the tank through several regenerations while "offline" using a hose and then put it into use.

Now for the next question...Sodium or Potassium? Does one or the other affect plants more or less or at all. ( I am going to have to re-plumb my irrigation system to the main waterline to avoid softwater in the yard). I am Gilbert AZ(Phoenix) if that make a difference).

[PrecisionMachinisT]

To sanitize, add 3/4 oz household bleach to the brine well and immediatley initiate a recharge cycle.

See page 10 of the .PDF document at the above link.

[Charles Spitzer]

refrigeration,

difference).

they both will affect plants. you don't want outside (or inside house plants) on softened water.

regards, charlie cave creek, az

[PrecisionMachinisT]

> d=49-50136

Took a while to load on my computer-- like 80 pages, you might not have enough memory or something.

No big deal--it refrenced brown colored water and bad taste, gave instructions to use bleach as I said above.

I have one of those GE units, and so was pretty sure the manual could be found online--but they all work about the same......

There should be a "brine well"--that is a tube of about 2 or maybe 4 inches diameter, that extends down to the bottom of the salt reservoir......just dump a bit of bleach in there and then do a recharge cycle--should clear it up right away.

Cheers,

[Brandon]

d=49-50136

I couldn't get the link to work, I did add the wrapped portion as well.

[Brandon]

Got it to come up..thanks

> d=49-50136

[Brandon]

Before I plumb a second line to the irrigation manifold in the backyard, Is there some kind of filter I can put inline to remove the sodium/potassium, at least to a harmless level? Perhaps something that can be put in right after the softener so as to affect the whole system?

Thanks Brandon

[JerryMouse]

Re-plumbing should not be necessary. The softner should have a bypass valve for those times when you want to water the yard. Just flip/turn/twist the valve.

[Brandon]

Thought that would work, its not practical, considering that I would have to use the bypass valve at least once a day at very odd hours in order to prevent softwater from reaching the irrigation system. The extra work of plumbing the line is not an issue, easily done for the most part. but if it is not necessary( by way of a filter) I would just assume not do it.

Is there a filter that would work?

thanks Brandon

[Charles Spitzer]

an r/o would take it out, but be hideously expensive and water wasteful for the desert.

[SJF]

The water softener replaces hard water salts (calcium, magnesium) with sodium (or potassium) salts which do not harden water. To remove all chemicals from the water, the usual processes are distillation or reverse osmosis. These are very costly processes and not suitable for irrigation water.

SJF

[Brandon]

sodium/potassium,

Thanks for the replies. Looks like I will be running a dedicated line : ) Thanks Brandon