water scum

[bucketmouth64]

What would cause a dark scum to form in a toilet? My son (in Ramsey) says it keeps coming back even after thorough cleanings and it also shows up in dog's water dish. Would a different type of salt in water softener work? I suggested one with rust remover, but he said it's not rust. He's going to check to see if there's room (lives in a townhome) to add a whole house water filter and I suggested to document how quickly it forms when it needs to be cleaned again. Would a different cleaner be a solution? He thinks there's something in the water that's causing it. Problem not in shower tub or dishwasher, so it seems like only where there's standing water.

[frazwood]

Please describe the "scum" in more detail.

If it's slimy, then it's probably bacterial, which suggests that you have organic material in your water (that would explain the scum in the dog's dish too). What is the source of water? Well? City?

How long does it take to return after a cleaning?

[delcecchi]

If he lives in a townhome there are others with the same water. Do they have the same experience? Is there a home owners association?

Certainly if it happens in only a couple days something isn't right. Somehow I don't think a filter is the solution.

It could be the water softener. You might check the brine tank and see if there is some kind of sludge or stuff in there. Maybe give it a shot of bleach to disinfect, like a cup or two (only plain bleach, not any of the gel or scented ones) if it looks scummy.

[harvey lee]

I was going to suggest the softener or the water is too hard with a lot of mineral.

[kerryd15]

Look up manganese in water.

[delcecchi]

One other question, is this a new problem and it used to be ok, or has it been like that his whole time there?

[bucketmouth64]

The problem exists with others, not a new problem and it comes back within two weeks. My wife owns the townhome and she said she didn't notice the problem because she cleaned frequently. Not sure if the scum is slimy, but it brushes off easily when cleaned, so maybe it is a bit slimy. I told him to check with the association and the city. In addition, I will have him check the softener to see if there's a sludgy buildup on the bottom.

[delcecchi]

The problem exists with others, not a new problem and it comes back within two weeks. My wife owns the townhome and she said she didn't notice the problem because she cleaned frequently. Not sure if the scum is slimy, but it brushes off easily when cleaned, so maybe it is a bit slimy. I told him to check with the association and the city. In addition, I will have him check the softener to see if there's a sludgy buildup on the bottom.

My toilet gets scummy too, if it isn't cleaned for two weeks.

[frazwood]

Look up manganese in water.

Given the limited information, I would guess that manganese is the problem. It is similar to iron (rust), but darker in color. Generally, people don't notice the difference between iron and manganese (manganese is darker in color).

You should be able to resolve the problem with a rust-removing water softener.