Plumbing help? Brown water with sediment after new softener

Hey guys. Figured there had to be some plumbers on here who could maybe lend me some advice. We recently moved into an older house (1970) with a water softener from 1984. The house has well water and passed the water test inspection with slightly elevated iron levels. We replaced the softener last week since it was analog and eating through 40lbs of salt per week, and initially had no problems. We installed a two stage system, calcium & iron, and hydrogen sulfide.

However, two days ago (one week after install) after both tanks ran, we noticed that our water was immediately brown, with sediment in it. Like someone had dyed the water and added dirt to it. Even our filtered fridge water was coming out brown.

I regened both tanks twice, and it cleared it up a little. I called the person who did the installation and he said it could be a faulty bladder tank. Had someone come out that day, and he said the bladder tank is fine. He then said that the well pump is older, and the new system may be putting too much strain on it and disturbing the sand and sediments in the well?

This morning, it's back to brown again. The person who initially installed the softeners is coming back out today to look at it, but I don't know exactly what he's looking for. I guess I'd just like some advice on how to proceed, and what I should ask the softener company to do, if anything. I don't want to sound entitled when talking to the install guy, but I feel like this is on them. If not, please correct me based on the info I've provided. While the old softener ate through tons of salt, we never once had a sediment or discolored water issue in the 9 months that we'd been in the house.
Thanks in advance

 

What brand treatment system?
Do you have gpm and recovery numbers for the well?
As to the well pump, it either runs or it doesn't...his strain statement makes no sense.
How deep is the well?
How far down is the pump?
Lotta questions from me but aids possible causes.
One thing you can do is hook up a hose to an outside spigot and SLOWLY run water...just barely coming out of the hose for a couple hours and check clarity of water at that spigot. Good luck, I've been in similar situation in super dry summers. Don't panic.

P.S. bonus points for you for outlet plate screw being properly aligned
My OCD kicks in when the screw is at an angle....

 

1. 7pgm, don't know recovery numbers but maybe I can get it when I get home from work. What does that mean exactly?
2. Gotcha
3. 150ft, The guy looking at it didn't say how far down the pump is. 15 gallon bladder tank.
One major issue with inspecting the well itself is that they built an addition over it. The crawl space above it is only max 3ft high. The guy who came out to look at the bladder tank said it would be a pain to replace the pump if that is the issue. It was either cut a hole in our floor which my wife was not having, or dig a whole new well to the tune of 9k.


The screw: Lol, the house was "move-in ready" but a bit of a time capsule. Older couple who owned it basically hadn't done anything since they moved in since 1991. I have a long list of to-do's. Thankfully some things are fine.

 

7gpm is plenty. Sometimes pulling up the pump and blowing out the line helps. Mine is 120 and pump is at 90 IIRC. Blew out the line and got a pile of sediment out that was several gallons. They can drop a camera and check the well shaft lining for condition

 

So interesting update. I bypassed the whole system and now the water is coming out clean. Its straight well water which defeats the purpose though. So, that leads me back to believing its something with the system.
Is it possible that the soft water is dislodging sediment from our pipes, and the tech was wrong about the well being over drawn?

 

Did it rain a lot? Ground infiltration.

Do you have a sediment filter?

 

Yeah, it has rained for about 3 days straight prior to this happening. And no, we don't have a sediment filter.

 

If you let a glass of cloudy water sit for a few hours does it clear up or does it stay cloudy?
This can affect what you need as a sediment filter. Most people can get by with a 1 micron filter. My issue is worse than most and I have a 4"x10" large housing with a 1 micron followed by a 10"x2.5" that has a .35 micron. I have no reduction in flow or pressure.


The black housing is the 1 micron and the clear above it the .35
The clear tank to the left is hydrogen peroxide used as part of system cleaning cycle.
Tan large tank is salt tank.

 

^ This. I was getting so much sediment I could feel it in my eyes when showering. When I got my system installed, mostly due to sediment and iron, I got stuff out of my plumping system for a long time. The sediment/iron would migrate to the faucets and any other stopping point and when the faucet opened it was pure mud. You would have to let the water run for awhile for it to clear. Mine is a self back-flushing system and is metered by gallons to let the system know when to back-flush. It took a couple months, if I remember correctly, for all the sediment to clear.
It's interesting this subject came up as this month I'm having my whole system serviced (macrolite filter and softener) after 12 years. Big bucks but it is pretty much a must and system will be back to brand new efficiency.
Also, I have a faucet directly off of the well pump head if I ever have to test the water quality of the well water. And some plants don't like the filtered/softened water so until I get a rainwater cistern it's the best option for water with natural minerals. You cant drink it though because of the high iron content. Do a search on 'North Carolina' and 'kidney stones'.

 

We have a Kinetico system. Not cheap, but very effective

 

I think this makes the most sense, since the other company who came out and looked at the bladder tank and well pump said they were old, but nothing is wrong.
The worst hurdle is telling my wife that we just have to keep flushing and running it out. She was (understandably) really upset with having our faucets shoot coffee ground sized chunks of irons and whatever else out. Especially since the new system cost us just over 5k. I guess this is what happens when the previous owners had let sediment build up for close to 30 years. Well, I'll have to try and convince her that this is normal. Prayers please lol.

 

Same here.

 

Don't run your dishwasher until you get this straightened out

 

For me it was the washing (clothes) machine. Whites took a beating!

 

I have my outside spigots plumbed for raw water for landscaping water and to not run my treatment system constantly. I wash our cars from a faucet in my garage with treated water

 

Good idea. I've been wanting to get a raw water spigot plumbed near my crawlspace, or maybe in the back of the house for the reasons you described. My well head is way back on my property and I need a LONG hose if I need raw water.
Good luck to the OP getting this straightened out.

 

@Cement_wheels
Just noticed your bike...this is my Buddy's

 

You have sediment in your water tank. You need to shut off the water valve that leaves your blue water tank. Then you need to run a hose from your blue water tank outside the house. Shut off your well pump and drain your blue water tank. you need to rinse and repeat getting the sediment out of your blue water tank, filling your water tank for 10 seconds shut off the welll pump and that open the blue tank tank value and drain the water do this untill water comes out clear 20 times guesstimate. You will start out with brown water until it clears.

 

It's a brand new system though, put in last week. I'm trying to determine WHY we have sediment in the tank/lines

 

80"? 1937?