We have a water softener system out there that we just had rebuilt (by just, I mean like a week ago). Still getting nasty bits through.
Pipes could be stained but if that is the case like I told the little one, it will eventually go away if that is what is happening. But I'm not sure that is really what is going on.
I'll have to look into it more, maybe get samples before and after the softener to see how much good it's doing.
Funny thing is that I grew up about a mile (as the crow flies) from that house and our well water was AWESOME! They must have dug that well into the wrong water table.