Galvanized tank - inside dirty

[Lehmeow]

Hello, I have an older galvanized tank well system. I was changing out the air control valve on the galvanized tank and took a look inside. It is very cruddy. I'm not sure how old the tank is and attached a picture inside and out. We do drink from this water and do not have any type of filtration system. The water has been tested for serious contaminants and is safe but can something still leech into the water with a buildup like this in the tank? Is there any way to clean it out?

Appreciate the advice,
Sean

 

[Valveman]

Just looks like rust to me. That is just the way it looks inside a regular hydro-pneumatic tank with no diaphragm. The oxidation or rust actually makes a pretty good coating for the inside of the tank. Might be getting plenty of iron in your diet.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Jeff H Young]

once the bad stuff ( Galvanized zinc) gets rusted away you just get down to good old Iron that stuff is good for you. none of that in plastic

 

[Lehmeow]

can lead form or any toxic chemicals as it decays or sediment builds up? Any idea if it'd be worth converting this to a bladder tank??

Thanks again

 

[Valveman]

With a good diaphragm tank like a WellX or a Water Worker the water never touches metal. The tank is plastic and rubber lined on the inside. However, if you have iron or sulfur in the water, changing to a diaphragm style tank will cause the iron to come back and/or the water to smell like rotten eggs. The old style hydro-pneumatic style tank you have now mixes air with the water, which helps get rid of iron and/or sulfur. If you do not have iron or sulfur, I don't know why you still have the old style tank.

But if you do not have iron or sulfur, switching to a diaphragm style tank is a no brainer. But most likely you have a bleeder orifice about 5' down the well that will need to be removed and plugged to be able to switch to a diaphragm style tank. Otherwise air will blow a glass out of your hand at the sinks.

If you do have iron or sulfur, there are ways to treat and filter that while using a diaphragm style tank. But the old galvanized type tank is one of the best ways to deal with iron and sulfur.

 

[Lehmeow]

With a good diaphragm tank like a WellX or a Water Worker the water never touches metal. The tank is plastic and rubber lined on the inside. However, if you have iron or sulfur in the water, changing to a diaphragm style tank will cause the iron to come back and/or the water to smell like rotten eggs. The old style hydro-pneumatic style tank you have now mixes air with the water, which helps get rid of iron and/or sulfur. If you do not have iron or sulfur, I don't know why you still have the old style tank.

But if you do not have iron or sulfur, switching to a diaphragm style tank is a no brainer. But most likely you have a bleeder orifice about 5' down the well that will need to be removed and plugged to be able to switch to a diaphragm style tank. Otherwise air will blow a glass out of your hand at the sinks.

If you do have iron or sulfur, there are ways to treat and filter that while using a diaphragm style tank. But the old galvanized type tank is one of the best ways to deal with iron and sulfur.

Appreciate the info. I purchased the home from the previous home owner who lived in the house since it was built in the 60s. I guess they never decided to change it out. I had the water tested and it came back there was low iron, not sure on the sulfur. I do know i deal with sediment in the lines and was considering the spin-down filters I've seen. It seems like that would help with the build-up in the tank but I read it wasn't recommended to put it before the tank.

Is there any easy way to know if I have that bleeder valve? When the well company came out the guy did mention it would be a big job to convert and sounded like they would have to dig up the well? Unfortunately, the well head is buried and I have no idea where it is exactly only a general location.

 

[Reach4]

With a bleeder in the well, you would always have a check valve (one way valve) topside, usually just before the pressure tank. There would also be a way to add air as the water drained out of the bleeder, and that is typically done by a "snifter" valve, which is a Schrader valve with a very weak spring. When a vacuum develops, that valve admits air.

With no drain-back, it is usually best to not have a topside check valve. Instead you want the only check valve(s) to be in the pump or just above the submersible pump. However the presence of a check valve does not necessarily mean there was ever a drain back. At least one state requires such a valve. There are good reasons that some other states forbid such a valve.

Your first photo seems to show such a valve, just before the pressure switch nipple.

https://terrylove.com/forums/index.php?threads/replacing-pneumatic-tank-with-bladder-tank.72702/ is one of the threads that discuss this.

 

[Valveman]

You can tell if there is a bleeder or drain back hole in the pipe if it drains back every time the pump shuts off. You can usually hear the air hissing into the Schrder valve. Basically, if the drop pipe is full of water to the top there is no bleeder.

 

[Lehmeow]

Thank you, definitely have the snifter drawing air in on the top side. Sounds like the bleeder will have to be removed then. Is this changing out just that section or part?

 

[Reach4]

Do you get much air coming out of any of your faucets? Did you before changing out the AVC?

I would suggest a cartridge filter after the pressure tank. I think a cartridge filter is a good idea, even with city water. If you look at your aerator screens, do you see sand?

Your air over water tank may be reducing H2S (sulfur smell). A precharged pressure tank will not do that.

I would wait until your pump needs to be pulled for some reason before converting. At that time, you could plug the drain valve, and remove the check valve that mounts the Schrader valve.

In theory, you might be able to just remove that check valve and swap to a precharged pressure tank. Some drain back valves are made to only pass much water when the water pressure goes below maybe 5 psi. If that worked perfectly, the drop pipe would always be pressurized. So the drain valve would emit negligible water. But sometimes those valves will not close. Sometimes there is only a hole instead of a drain valve device.