Clear water iron is iron that is dissolved into the water. When you draw a sample into a white tub, sink, bucket or a white styrofoam cup, the water remains completely clear. If the water sample turns brown after it sits overnight, that is normal, it has oxidized the iron out of solution.
Flow the water for a full three minutes with any filter cartridge removed or softener or whole house filter bypassed. If the water is tea colored or brown, then this may be a different form of iron and would require further testing to determine what is causing the color or tint to the water.
A properly sized water softener will remove clear water iron. Any amount of iron can foul water softener resin. Use of an iron cleaning salt or iron cleaning additive will keep the resin clean.
We have been installing water softeners without an additional iron filter on iron bearing well water since 1954. Beware of companies who have never turned a wrench and claim that a water softener will not remove this type of iron.
