Bought a home with well water almost 2 years ago. Every once in awhile the water will look cloudy for a day or two. We have a whole house filter (paper cartridge, 50 micron) and a water softener (been putting rust removing salt in it the whole time). I kept trying to figure out what triggered the cloudy water, but couldn't ever quite figure it out. This last week I was over seeding the lawn. The water had been clear for at least a few weeks (can't remember exactly when it was last cloudy). I watered after putting the seed down. After that was done, I came in and the water was cloudy. Next morning, it was clear again. The day after that, I ran the sprinkler again on the lawn and the water turned cloudy again. Again, it cleared up in a day or two.
I had been planning on shocking the well for a few months (water had a sulfur smell) and finally got my opportunity yesterday. Put in the bleach and recirculated until I smelled the bleach. Opened up the indoor faucets until they smelled of bleach. The water that ran through was all clear. Let it sit for almost 24 hours. This afternoon I put the hose in the gutter and ran it. After about 30 min the water was cloudy again. I kept pumping it for probably another hour and a half (2 hours total). It never really cleared up. I went and watched the gauge on the pressure tank while the hose was running and the pump never turned off. When I finally turned off the hose, the tank filled up just fine. I then changed the paper filter (which actually sits right after the pressure tank and even before the hose pipes) and there was a nice build-up of what I'm assuming is mud (very dark in color, not very gritty). Inside the house the cloudyness is not near as bad as at the hose (I'm sure thanks to the softener).
In the past I've filled up cups inside when it has been cloudy to see if it separates. It doesn't. I've added a small amount of bleach to the cup to see what that does. Nothing. I've added pool metal remover to the cup. Nothing happens. I've even boiled the water and nothing happens (no separation).
Once when I changed the paper filter, I turned off the power to the pump and hooked up a hose to the connection that is right after the pressure tank (but before the paper filter) and ran all the water out. Some small, dark black gravel looking stuff came out right at the end. I turned on the pump and let that gravel flush out.
What would you all recommend I do now? I can get someone out here to look at it. I'm not super familiar with wells. What sorts of things should I ask them (tests, etc)? What would you have done if it were your well? Another option I have been considering is putting a better filter on (say a 5 micron). What else should I consider?
The well is 180ft deep. The pump sits at 80 feet. It is a 6" casing. The pump is 1/2 hp. I believe it is 2 wire.
I had been planning on shocking the well for a few months (water had a sulfur smell) and finally got my opportunity yesterday. Put in the bleach and recirculated until I smelled the bleach. Opened up the indoor faucets until they smelled of bleach. The water that ran through was all clear. Let it sit for almost 24 hours. This afternoon I put the hose in the gutter and ran it. After about 30 min the water was cloudy again. I kept pumping it for probably another hour and a half (2 hours total). It never really cleared up. I went and watched the gauge on the pressure tank while the hose was running and the pump never turned off. When I finally turned off the hose, the tank filled up just fine. I then changed the paper filter (which actually sits right after the pressure tank and even before the hose pipes) and there was a nice build-up of what I'm assuming is mud (very dark in color, not very gritty). Inside the house the cloudyness is not near as bad as at the hose (I'm sure thanks to the softener).
In the past I've filled up cups inside when it has been cloudy to see if it separates. It doesn't. I've added a small amount of bleach to the cup to see what that does. Nothing. I've added pool metal remover to the cup. Nothing happens. I've even boiled the water and nothing happens (no separation).
Once when I changed the paper filter, I turned off the power to the pump and hooked up a hose to the connection that is right after the pressure tank (but before the paper filter) and ran all the water out. Some small, dark black gravel looking stuff came out right at the end. I turned on the pump and let that gravel flush out.
What would you all recommend I do now? I can get someone out here to look at it. I'm not super familiar with wells. What sorts of things should I ask them (tests, etc)? What would you have done if it were your well? Another option I have been considering is putting a better filter on (say a 5 micron). What else should I consider?
The well is 180ft deep. The pump sits at 80 feet. It is a 6" casing. The pump is 1/2 hp. I believe it is 2 wire.