Would a water softener remove iron and metals?

10 years after installing a fiberglass pool I'm starting to experience a staining problem. I'm refilling from a well and based on what I've learned from this forum the stain is probably metallic so I tested to prove they can be easily lifted/dissolved using acid. I've ordered Ascorbic acid and a sequestering agent but understand the stain removal process still leaves the metal suspended in the water with the potential to create additional stains. I am wondering if anyone has successfully removed dissolved metals by passing pool water through a resin bed similar to a water softener? I happen to have one I'm not using and If I understand correctly the resin beads remove iron and other minerals via. an ion exchange process because the metal is a positive ion and the resin is negative ion or vice versa.

Would anyone know what affect the presence of other chemicals in pool water such as chlorine and stabilizer might have on this process? I'm most concerned about the impact a sequestering agent might have on the ability of the resin beads to capture the dissolved iron and other metals? Does a sequestering agent work via. a positive / negative ion attraction principal?

I've read about and have seen the small metal removal packets at the pool store......but I'm skeptical............and I would enjoy tinkering around to see if I can lower my dissolved iron using water softener resin. If this is a waste of time don't be afraid to say so !!!!

FYI: 16 x 44 Fiberglass in ground, 8 foot to 3 foot deep transition.......20K+ Gallons ??????? Jaccuzzi Magnum pump and Jaccuzzi sand filter........10 years of clear water, minimal problems and family fun. My hot tub requires far more attention than my pool!

Thanks for a really informative and helpful website!

Hi and welcome to the forum. To be honest, I don't have any experience with a water softener or a resin bed. It would seem that it would work since it is supposed to remove metals. My advice would be to use the ascorbic acid to lift the stains, but instead of using the sequestering agent (which holds them in suspension) you can use the resin bed to remove the metals. I don't see how it would hurt your water balance. It would be a wondreful experiment! You would just follow the ascorbic acid instructions in the sticky except for the sequestering agent.

It would seem to me that if you didn't do anything different this year, and you have no idea where the metals are coming from-it may be that the gel coat on the fiberglass is getting old. While doing research on why fiberglass gets staining, i was told that some pool manufacturers use a second grade of gelcoat, which is more susceptible to stains. He named some companies to me, which mine was one of. I don't know if this is true, but it makes sense to me. Your pool was probably from one that used the high quality gel, buy after 10 years may be degrading a little. It would be a great experiment to see if the resin bed would work for you. You would be able to use the ascorbic acid to lift the metals off the surface of the pool, then remove them instead of keeping them in suspension. I am not a scientist, I just have been dealing with staining for 13 years, and have come up with some solutions through trial and error. If you are willing to try the resin bed it could add add another solution to getting rid of those dreaded stains! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask, and keep us informed. This is what is great about the forum, we can share ideas and learn from each other!

The water softener will remove the iron but the resin will be quickly depleted if you are trying to fill a pool. Normally a separate 'green sand' filter is used either alone or in conjunction with a water softener to remove iron. Green sand is a special filter medium (manganese green sand) used in water treatment to remove iron, manganese, and hydrogen sulfide from well water and is usually in a whole house filter canister.

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Originally Posted by whokluvr

I am wondering if anyone has successfully removed dissolved metals by passing pool water through a resin bed similar to a water softener? I happen to have one I'm not using and

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A softener will work . . . for one pass.

The problem is, when you capture metals in the presence of an oxidizer like chlorine, some of the metal will be converted to the oxidized and insoluble form. In this form, saline regeneration will NOT remove the metals, so you have to use sodium hydrosulfite, one of the ingredients in "Iron Out". If your softener supplier doesn't make that available in practical quantities, you can buy Iron Out in bulk from Summit Brands.

However, a softener is better applied to the water supply PRIOR to any chlorination or other oxidation.

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I've read about and have seen the small metal removal packets at the pool store......but I'm skeptical............and I would enjoy tinkering around to see if I can lower my dissolved iron using water softener resin.

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If you want to tinker, fine. If you just want to get-it-done, I'd recommend trying the CuLators. We *think* they work, and their reported mode of action is very similar to that of a zeolite resin, like what's used in softeners. However, their attraction for metals is supposed to be higher, than ordinary zeolites.

Thank You,

My knowledge of chemistry is almost non existent so your response is exactly the type of info I was looking for. I installed the water softener last night because I was confident it would reduce iron in my non-chlorinated well water when refilling. It's also plumbed so I can switch a few valves and circulate chlorinated pool water thru it and if the cost the chemical you describe is reasonable I will probably give it a try. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction!

That leads to another question.....Can I simply replace the common salt in the brine tank with sodium hydrosulfite and get effective resin regeneration on both chlorinated and non chlorinated water? If not I can easily rig up a special tank.

Thanks again!

No, sodium hydro does NOT replace salt; it just puts the iron back into a form the salt can 'release'.

Sorry to keep bothering you with questions. I'm uncertain if you are suggesting the sodium hydro can be added to the brine tank or if I need to expose the resin to two independent regen cycles, the first being sodium hydro and the second being salt/brine to actually release the accumulated iron from the resin. I suspect the latter but just wanted to be sure.

Thanks again

I know how to hydro, in general -- but before you use it with YOUR unit, you need to talk to the maker and ask them how you can use hydro with YOUR model of softener