Please Help!!!!

[booboo74]

I did a big booboo and I need to know how to fix it asap!!!!!! I thought I might have fungus or bacteria in my water, so I decided to put some vinegar in my softener brine tank. That didn't seem sufficient, so I put some bleach in too. (about 1/2 gallon of each), the smell about gagged me to death, so I looked at the bottle and it said NOT to mix these 2 because it makes harmful gases! Well, duh, nice to know that after I did it. So I looked on the internet and read all about chlorine gas and now I am freaking out that it's going to kill my dog's when I'm at work or blow up or start the water heater on fire or something. So what can I do? I put 2 bags of salt in, thinking it would neutralize it, then read that salt is sodium chloride, which is about the same as chlorine. AAAAAAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!! I think I'm going to go drain some of the water out (if it doesn't kill me), because there seems to be alot in there and maybe that will help to diffuse the situation. (or just make it worse like I have so far). But I don't know what else to do. I should have done that before I added 80 pounds of salt, I realize now, but I was choking then and just wanted to get out of there. (and kill the damn bugs in there that are tearing up my skin). Please HELP!!!!!

[majakdragon]

Vinegar and chlorine do not cause a deadly gas. Chlorine mixed with AMMONIA does . If you have IRON-OUT in your brine tank or some other additive added to the brand of salt you use(will be a warning on the bag) you should not add chlorine bleach as it may react.
If possible I would empty the brine tank(tip it over or use a pump to pump the liquid out),there may even be a drain plug.
Disconnect the brine line and place it into a bucket of water and use manual regeneration to flush out the softener. This may need to be done several times to remove all the chlorine.
Hook the brine line back up and set the softener back to auto.
When cleaning your softner you should never use more than a cup of chlorine bleach. More is likely to do more damage to the inner workings(seals,valves,etc..) than good.
Good luck and post back.

[Gary Slusser]

Agreed. And the more important part of damaging something is damage to the resin if you suck that volume of chlorine into the softener. Chlorine damages resin and a 1/2 gallon (was it) will definately damage resin! Tip/dump the water out of the brine tank or use a utility pump to suck it out. Watch where you put the water with tha much chlorine in it. First ventilate the area well with open windows/doors and fans.

Gary
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[booboo74]

Do I have tp dump the 80 pounds of salt out also? I really don't think I can tip it over, I'd have to scoop it out by hand. I drained about 7 gallons of the water out. There is still some in there, but it is mostly salt now, and it still smells strong. Is there anything I can just put in there to neutralize it? And if you can drink bleach in water after 30 minutes, doesn't it evaporate? Does vinegar?

[majakdragon]

You might be able to scoop the salt out and quickly rinse it off. I don't know how much of the bleach it will have absorbed. Replacing the salt is cheaper than replacing all the seals and valves within the softener. I personally wouldn't take the chance and just dispose of the salt. You could also save the salt for later if you have snow and ice. Good driveway/sidewalk ice melter.
Good luck