Rusty hot water

I'm experiencing recurrent problems with my hot water being rusty. The cold water is fine. We have a well which gives us water with low pH (5.5) and lots of iron (9.17 mg/l) and manganese (6.5 mg/l). So for treatment we have a greensand filter with the pH being raised using a soda ash solution. We also have a 5 micron sediment filter after the greensand filter. The well itself is quite full of bacteria (iron/manganese), though there is no evidence that the bacteria is a problem in the house (i.e. no slime buildup in the toilet tank). The well is just over 6 yrs old.
I am new to having to deal with well water, we've just moved into this house 6 months ago. The previous owners did not leave behind any information regarding the water treatment system (there are no manuals).
All I know about how to maintain this is from asking questions of the people who installed the treatment equipment. However, getting detailed information from them is difficult. And most of our learning experience has been from screwing up and then having them come fix the problem.
With regards to the rusty hot water, whenever it started to happen I was usually able to fix the problem by replacing the sediment filter which seems to be clogged with iron after about 2-4 weeks. However, I have just changed the filter and the water is still just as bad.
I don't know if the problem may be because we had a well driller come look at our well, last week (before I changed the filter). They put a camera down the well which is how we know the well is full of bacteria. Running the camera down the well looks like it would have disturbed the existing bacteria. Could this cause problems like we now see?
The post treatment pH of the water does seem to be in the range of 7-7.5. I don't have any numbers on how well the treatment system is reducing the iron and managanese. Any thoughts, suggestions would be greatly appreciated
Thanks, Mike

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I think you answered your rusty water issue with your first two sentences of your post. It seems like the rusty water issue is with your hot water tank. Is your filter after the hot water? Some, if not all filters will break down with water temps above 100 degrees F. Maybe its time to replace the tank. Or, do you have a tankless?

Thanks for your response,
We have an electric 40 Gallon hot water tank (rental) that presumably is 6 yrs old (age of the house). All filtering happens before the hot water tank.
We had posed the possibility to the rentor (local utility) but they "blame" the water treatment system (with the statement to the effect, we see this all the time it usually is the water treatment system). What would be the best approach to determine "blame" in this case.

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
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Just a hint... :)

On 26 Jan 2005 06:35:45 -0800, snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
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Check out http://www.naturalhandyman.com/iip/infwaterheater/infdrainwh.shtm
We had a similar problem, followed the procedures on this page, and eliminated the problem.

Flush your water heater. It is a normal recomendation - procedure , likely never done.

wrote:
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i have a similar problem of rusty hot water, but only at a single point (tub). the 2 adjacent sinks don't have this problem. this has puzzled the plumber who installed it, along with the contractor. any ideas?
regards, charlie cave creek, az

Charles Spitzer wrote:
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Galvanized line to the tub hasn't been replaced, other has...

wrote:
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new construction. all copper piping. only 3 years old. i doubt very much there was galvanized line, and the installer stated they didn't use any.

Charles Spitzer wrote: ...
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You didn't say that initially... :(
Something in the tub fitting set then or some trash left in the line would be next most likely...

Thanks for the link,
I have flushed my hot water heater a couple of times in the last 2 months. It seems to provide only temporary relief.
Mike

snipped-for-privacy@hotmail.com wrote:
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Probably because it's got a break in the glass liner...will undoubtedly spring a leak before too much longer.