How do I filter my well water?

Speedbump · Nov 7, 2008

I still don't see any value in having that tank there. Water comes from the well into this tank and is pulled from it by the pump which in turn pulls water from the well. All this can take place just fine without the use of that tank and it won't clean anything.

bob...

Gary Slusser · Nov 7, 2008

hosky said:
I had a well man come and look at my well. He pulled the tank pressure washed the inside and reset it. Moved the connections higher on the sides than the original and going to see what that does. I know that I will lose water amount by having connections closer to top but I can fix that later if this gets my water clean!!

I agree with Speedbump. If that tank is a settling tank to allow rust to settle to the bottom, you may have helped yourself but if the water coming form the well is clear, you wasted your money.

Raising the outlet or the inlet to/from the tank will help keep the rust in the tank but, if the water has clear water iron, the air trapped in the top of the tank will oxidize (convert) the iron to rust in the tank and your water can go dirty again.

I think you should have removed the tank and got a turbidity or an iron filter that would have been installed after the blue pressure tank.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

hosky · Nov 7, 2008

Thanks guys I want you to remember that I have not done anything to this well, it was like this when I bought it. I had a man come out and look at this system. From what I understand, the tank is used for seperating the sand from my water. I would be ok with getting rid of the tank but wouldn't that let sand into my house? Also, will the well keep up with the flow rate that I need? Great site and thanks for all the info.

-Hosky

Speedbump · Nov 8, 2008

There are lots of ways to remove sand, but that tank plummed like it was isn't one of them. A tank half full of sand, like a softener tank will remove sand from your water. Trying to settle fine sand from water like you have there won't work very well.

bob...

hosky · Nov 10, 2008

Thanks for the replys. It looks like my issue might be sludge build up on the inside of the well casing. Similar to what the other guy is talking about in his pipes. The well is 1600 feet deep and the well man suggested letting it free flow into a ditch for several days and see it that helps. This is a artesian well so I can do this from the side of the holding tank and it won't cause my pump to run so this "should be" free.

My water is clean for a day or so then cloudy until I run it continuousy to clear it back up. There is some sand but that is not bothering me to bad, yet!

Any thoughts on this theory are welcome. I am trying to avoid drilling a new well. Wells this deep are not cheap I'm sure.

-Hosky

Leejosepho · Nov 10, 2008

hosky said:
The well is 1600 feet deep and the well man suggested letting it free flow into a ditch for several days ...

Any thoughts on this theory are welcome.

My well is a regular well with a submersed pump, but some greatly increased usage beginning a couple of months ago seems to have purged it quite a bit. So, that sounds to me like a good idea.

RF Burns · Nov 12, 2008

hosky said:
This whole well thing is new to me.

1600 ft free flow well. Here is my water flow from well to house.

Well head water goes to bottom of 220 gal galvenized tank. Water comes from mid to lower 1/3 of tank to 1 1/2 hp pump (50 psi), then passes small air tank. Water then passes pressure switch to large canister filter, then to house.

Well -- tank -- pump -- air tank -- pressure switch -- filter -- house.

My problem is that my filter is clogging up to the point that I have no water in the house. I have a faucet between the pump and the filter. When the filter is clogged the water here is muddy looking. What can I do to clean the water better before it gets to the filter so I don't have to change the $25 filter daily?

(I posted a new thread to help others that may have this problem)

-Hosky

Thanks for all your help

Hosky,

I think we had a similar sediment problem here. After much troubleshooting, and expensive suggestions by experts, I had a conversation with the builder of this home.

He had me shut off the pump, connect a hose to the valve at the bottom of the tank, run the hose outdoors, open the valve and let it drain. For hours. At first the water came out dirty, then it cleared. I ran it for about 4 hours or so.

Problem solved. The filters never clogged again, now they last for months. I do run water off that same valve to water the lawn. I get better water pressure because the filters are bypassed, plus it keeps the tank from building sediment.

Try it, it won't cost you anything and may work for you! Note, the draining creates a whirlpool effect in the well, so don't use your water for about 45 minutes after you finish. If you use the water in the house immediately, that could cause sediment to come through the system. Give it time to settle down, then switch your pump back on, and see what you have.

RF Burns.

hosky · Nov 12, 2008

Thanks RF, that is the conclusion that I have come to myself. I am actually flushing it everyday while I am at work. Cutting the pump off and letting the "tank" water drain into the yard. Going to do this for about 5 days and see how I stand. I cut the drain off, pump on and water is clean every night with no settlement. This is working for now, I just hope that I can get it to a point that I don't have to flush my tank everyday.

I was told that my well was not used enough over a period of time so therefore, there was some sludge build up on the inside of the actual well casing that would break off periodically and dirty my water. Maybe some continuos use will flush it all out...

-Hosky

Speedbump · Nov 13, 2008

There is no sludge that I am aware in any well water.

The problem with using a garden hose and hose bibb is that you are only running the water at the same flow you would normally use in the house during peak demand hours.

The pipe at the well head should be disconnected and the pump run open discharge on the ground until it is crystal clear. Then you hook it to the house and it shouldn't give you any more dirty water. If it does, you have a well with problems caused either by the formation not being properly cased off or a screen that was over sized for the aquifer.

bob...

Gary Slusser · Nov 13, 2008

And running a well for hours on end can harm it by causing scale formation from hard water and/or increased bacterial growth in screening etc.; anywhere the velocity of the water is the highest.

hosky · Nov 15, 2008

I just don't know what to do. You have heard my story and seen my pics. What can I do to fix the problem? If I let the water "flush" while I am at work it is clean for the next 12 or so hours. If I do not "flush" it then my water turns muddy looking with sand settling in my commodes and sinks until I "flush" it again then I am good to go.

The muddy water must be coming from the well. But it never happens after I "flush" it out. By flushing I mean I am turning off the supply to the house and letting the water free flow into the tank and then out of the tank.

Can I bypass the tank altogether? Will the well keep up with the volume in the house? How can I filter out the sand?

How much is a deep well? 1600 ft? 5k? 15k? Left kidney???

Leejosepho · Nov 16, 2008

hosky said:
The muddy water must be coming from the well ...
Can I bypass the tank altogether? Will the well keep up with the volume in the house?

Use a 5-gallon pail to measure the GPM flow directly from your well (without the pump). If your well's natural flow can fill the pail in a minute or less, then you are getting at least 5 gallons per minute and that should be sufficient as long as the well's natural flow is consistent ... and you could bypass the tank for a time to see what difference that might make in relation to your sand, silt or whatever. Personally, however, I would want some kind of reservoir tank betweeen the well and pump in order to be sure the pump does not run dry if usage ever exceeds supply for a minute or two.

hosky said:
How can I filter out the sand?

I have heard of systems with large settling tanks, and that would probably be my own approach.

hosky said:
How much is a deep well? 1600 ft? 5k? 15k? Left kidney???

I do not know, but your question got me to wondering about sand evidently rising 1600 feet and coming out the top. A larger well casing might eliminate that, but I believe I would look toward a settling tank.

Speedbump · Nov 16, 2008

A lakos seperator will not settle out fine sand. I know from experience. Anything that will go through a 7 slot screen can not be filtered by the Lakos.

I would be curious as to how much sand we are talking about. How much would there be in a five gallon bucket after filling it?

The fact that free flowing stops the sand tells me that your pulling on the well harder than it's flowing naturally or the sand would not be and issue.

bob...

Leejosepho · Nov 16, 2008

hosky said:
The house has only had bachelors living in it for the last several years ...
I think that part of the problem is that I am demanding more water now then it is used to supplying.

speedbump said:
The fact that free flowing stops the sand tells me that your pulling on the well harder than it's flowing naturally or the sand would not be an issue.

So then, a larger casing would have been able to allow more water through, sans the sand, correct?

Gary Slusser · Nov 16, 2008

I didn't go back and reread any of this thread and I don't recall specifics...

I think the muddy part is oxidized iron/rust in the water in the well that isn't settling out before water is used first thing in the morning.

I'm not convinced the sand is sand but it might be and running the water through that tank for so many hours a day probably has filled the tank with sand again. It surprises me that sand doesn't clog up the pump or plumbing in the house to the point of causing a pressure/flow loss.

hosky · Nov 17, 2008

If it is "rust" as you say then what should I do to get rid of it? It only happens if I don't flush the tank daily. I don't know anything about wells, I won't lie and say I do. I want to learn and I think this is a great site. Should I get a softener or chlorinating system???

-Hosky

Gary Slusser · Nov 18, 2008

On 11/2/08 I said:

*************
You can have a lot of iron in the water in the well and it can be converting to rust (ferric iron) and you pump it out when you start using water after not using any for a period of time, like over night. That's why you need a water test.

Test for ph, iron, TDS, hardness, Coliform bacteria, and it would be nice to see the chlorides, sulfates and nitrate.

Is there an odor in this water on either the hot or cold side?

Is there an oily film on the water in the toilet tanks?

Any clear to black slime at or under the water line in the toilet tanks?
**************

I can't find where you answered those questions (but I didn't read all your replies but I did look at each of them). I don't think you'll solve the problem until you give us those answers.

Speedbump · Nov 19, 2008

If it is "rust" as you say then what should I do to get rid of it? It only happens if I don't flush the tank daily.

Two of us have told you to get rid of the tank and your still flushing it. If you truly want advice, take it and run with it. If not, live with what you have. Neither of us is going to give you the advice you WANT to hear.

bob...

How do I filter my well water?

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