Tanins and hard well water, How to start a tub.

[Saved by Grace]

I took Chas' advise and move this from the bromine vs chlorine to start its own thread.

Also for you chemical experts:  We have a well.  Our water is hard and has iron.  From my limited knowledge of chemistry I'll try to convey my concern.  My understanding is we have two types of iron.  Normal iron and what are called tannins.  My understanding of tannins is that they come from decaying needle trees of which we have many.  Tannins are iron trapped in organic material.  We have two Culligan softerns to handle our water.  One to romove the tannins and the other to soften the water.  For our hot tub we've been told it's as simple as adding a chemical and the filters will then catch the iron (tannins too???).  Simply add the chemical, run the pumps and rinse off the filters.  Please let me know if this is the case and what the chemical would be.  Any advise would be appreciated.
 
Thanks for your help,
Fred

[windsurfdog]

Yes, the filters will catch the iron but you might consider a couple of things:

A pre-filter attached to your hose might capture most of what you'd like to keep out of the tub.  Certainly you can find them here at Doc's place or at your local dealer or at an RV supply retailer.

You might want to mix well water with water from your softener in order to get the hardness some help.

Good luck!

[Dr. Spa™ Ret.]

As a manufacturer of traditional wooden hot tubs .............  

"Tannins" are actually tannic acid, an acid produced naturally by some woods, and other vegetative products. I've NEVER heard of it being a form of iron. Redwood and cedar have very high tannin content (what gives them their resistance to rot and bug infestation), tea (and many wines, also contains high amounts of tannins (which gives them their brown color), and oak has a nice tannin content (this is what gives Jack Daniels it's color).

As an acid, tannins are in a liquid form and are not really filterable. The color can though be bleached out with chlorine.

[Bonibelle]

I wonder if the tannins are just occuring in the water with the iron. (like maybe the trees that produce tannins also prefer to grow in areas with high iron content in the soil.)  We have a pond near our beach house that looks like ice tea from the tannins...the well water in that area is also full of iron. :-/

[tony]

Isn't tannic acid supposed to be theraputic for the body?  Many years ago, I had the opportunity to swim in a tributary of the Amazon River where the water resembled tea from tannic acid.  The locals claimed that it was healthy and good for your body.  

[Saved by Grace]

Thanks for all the replies.  I think if I use a pre-fliter, fill it half with softner water and use some metal gone we should be ok?

Thanks,
Fred

[hottubdan]

Wasn't Biff Tannin a character in Back to the Future? :-/

[windsurfdog]

Thanks for all the replies.  I think if I use a pre-fliter, fill it half with softner water and use some metal gone we should be ok?

Thanks,
Fred

Fred,

I can't speak to Metal Gon usage but the pre-filter and mixing the water with softner treated water sounds good.  Maybe experienced Metal Gon users could chime in.  Otherwise, you might try without it.

Re: mixing the water:  You might want to experiment before your first fill.  Get a Taylor test kit if you don't have one already and experiment with a 5 gallon bucket using different percentages of mix and testing calcium hardness until you get a reading that is appropriate.

[Saved by Grace]

Windsurfdog.

Getting a test kit and trying this in advance is an excellent idea.....I'm on it.  Spiderman, do you carry such a kit?  Give me a call if you do..at work if it is this afternoon.

Thanks,
Fred

[windsurfdog]

SBG,

Glad you like the suggestion. 8-)

If Spiderman doesn't carry the Taylor kits, you can get one here.