New well, black sediment

cas · Mar 8, 2009

We bought a new manufactured home almost 2 yrs ago. When we first moved in we had issues with black water constantly. Since under home owners we called and they installed a new pump, holding tank, and drilled a line a few feet from where the old one was. We use a basic sediment filter no softner, not much smell or red tint. Sometimes when we change filter black sut particlas come out, we flush pipes and it ends.Well today, we changed filter and we have been flushing for 3 hours and it has cleared up a little but not much. Can anyone tell me if this is magnese? What to do/Is something broken?? Nver had a well before and first time home owner. Yes, there has been drought condtions. Other than that I dont have a clue, it was soo bad this time I went and started the washing machine after we changed the filter and it clogged the washing machine filter. We took the hose and ran it from the line inside to outside and still black stuff. Help?

Cacher_Chick · Mar 9, 2009

I recommend you call your county office and ask where you can get your well water tested. Once the water has been tested by a professional laboratory then it will be more clear as to what the cause and possible solution is to the issue.

Sponsor · 2022-01-29T12:20:58-0800

Sammyhydro11 · Mar 9, 2009

You should have a well company come out and take a look at the well. Do you have any info on the type of well that you have(depth,size,submersible or jet pump)?

sammy

www.tylerwellandpump.com

Gary Slusser · Mar 9, 2009

cas said:
We bought a new manufactured home almost 2 yrs ago. When we first moved in we had issues with black water constantly. Since under home owners we called and they installed a new pump, holding tank, and drilled a line a few feet from where the old one was. We use a basic sediment filter no softner, not much smell or red tint. Sometimes when we change filter black sut particlas come out, we flush pipes and it ends.Well today, we changed filter and we have been flushing for 3 hours and it has cleared up a little but not much. Can anyone tell me if this is magnese? What to do/Is something broken?? Nver had a well before and first time home owner. Yes, there has been drought condtions. Other than that I dont have a clue, it was soo bad this time I went and started the washing machine after we changed the filter and it clogged the washing machine filter. We took the hose and ran it from the line inside to outside and still black stuff. Help?

It could be from manganese or H2S gas/sulfur residue in the pipes but more likely is something with the well. But how does it get through your filter? What micron cartridge are you using? Disposable cartridge filters are a poor choice for this type problem.

You can test the water yourself for iron, hardness, pH etc. or take a sample of the dirty water to a lab or water treatment dealer.

What does the odor smell like and how strong is the odor? Do you smell it in hot and cold of only one and which one?

Is the black stuff gritty, does it disappear if you rub it between a thumb and finger. Does it smear?

Is there an oily film like a drop of motor oil in a mud puddle on the water in your toilet tanks. And slime build up at or under the water line in toilet bowls?

Describe the black stuff better. And don't go calling a well driller just yet.

harry · Mar 5, 2010

Hi

Citrus county , Florida

I just found this forum. I have the same black stuff.

I am on a 4"well.
22 years old. Iron looking casing.
My sediment filter starts slowing down after approx 8 weeks.
Hot and cold water has a foul smell.
The black is like slime and black as ink.
I sanitize with clorine 3 to 4 times. This last a couple of months then the smell comes back.
I called the health dept and all they said was all the wells in my area always test ok....what ever that means.

What should I do?

Harry

Akpsdvan · Mar 5, 2010

Have you done a simple water test?
Iron, Hardness, Ph, Mn..
There are some more spendy tests out there, running 175.00 but will test 83 different items.. that will tell you what is in the water.. then you will have an idea as to what to look for in equipment to deal with what is in the water.

More times than not , water treatment is not a cookie cutter deal, or a one size fits all..
Some things might work for a neighbor while not working there... but there are answers out there, one just has to dig and look for them.

harry · Mar 6, 2010

Hi

Thanks for the reply.

Yes on the water test. About 8 years ago we had hard water and some redness in the laundry and toilets so we called Culligan. We bought a water softener and an under the sink RO. I ended up scrapping the Culligan water softener due to the high cost of maintenance. I replaced the Culligan and we have nice soft water....just gets smelly. I may have the old numbers somewhere. There was lots of hardness and some iron.

About 2 years ago when I was installing the new water softener I noticed moss like plant life growing inside the pipe. I wonder if I need a chlorinator?

Gary Slusser · Mar 6, 2010

If you want to get rid of slime forming and all other types of bacteria and the odor they can create, and oxidize any H2S, iron and/or manganese, chlorine is a good choice using an inline erosion pellet chlorinating system.

That's compared to a solution feeder type system using bleach or hydrogen peroxide and a varying size retention tank of up to 120 gallons.

NHmaster · Mar 6, 2010

I get the suspicious feeling that we are about too.....

Akpsdvan · Mar 6, 2010

harry said:
Hi

Thanks for the reply.

Yes on the water test. About 8 years ago we had hard water and some redness in the laundry and toilets so we called Culligan. We bought a water softener and an under the sink RO. I ended up scrapping the Culligan water softener due to the high cost of maintenance. I replaced the Culligan and we have nice soft water....just gets smelly. I may have the old numbers somewhere. There was lots of hardness and some iron.

About 2 years ago when I was installing the new water softener I noticed moss like plant life growing inside the pipe. I wonder if I need a chlorinator?

Plant life in the pipes?
When was the last time any maintance was done on the well pump by a well driller?

harry · Mar 6, 2010

Hi

The well is approx 20' deep. About 2 years ago a well company came out and pulled the submerged pump out and installed a screen and check valve on the end of the pipe. The pump and motor is above the ground for many years. Looks like a lawn sprinkler pump to me. The well was treated at that time with 2 chlorine pool disks. Before that Culligan sanitized the whole system a couple of times. Each time the stink comes back after a couple of months.

Harry

harry · Mar 6, 2010

Gary
My present system is:
Well
Pump
Holding/pressure tank
Big Blue 20” sediment filter
Water softener
House
Questions:
Which additional components do I need. Cost?
Where are they installed in the system?
Will chlorine damage my water softener?
I have some poly water lines in the home. Will chlorine damage them?
Thank You

Akpsdvan · Mar 6, 2010

How often is that big blue getting changed?
What micron is in that Big Blue?

Ballvalve · Mar 6, 2010

At 20 feet you are probably drinking the neighbors miracle grow and maybe their last months reduced waffles. I would consider a deep cased well out of the surface slime.

Hopefully no dead horses buried nearby....

Akpsdvan · Mar 6, 2010

That and that it IS surface water.. around here that well would have to be re-drilled or a new one going deeper than 60 feet...

NHmaster · Mar 6, 2010

Well, the 20' depth would account for the vegatable matter in the water. How do they let you get away with a 20' well.

harry · Mar 7, 2010

Hi

My bad. Big Blue is a 10". Filter relaced every 2 1/2 to 4 months.

Well depth - I'll measure later today. Length of the pipe, bottom on the well and water level. The property is 5 acres in the boonies between 2 rivers near the Gulf of Mexico on limestone and dolomite. This area uses the surficial aquifer. The well was drilled in 1988.

I'll make lots of calls next week and get new data/info on this area. I'll be sure to tell them my friends in California and Alaska have deeper wells.

If it takes a deeper well to make mama happy ...we'll do it.

When mama's happy.....everybody's happy.

Thanks again.

Akpsdvan · Mar 7, 2010

Have seen people not change a big blue filter for say 18+ months, wonder why things are not good.... when the filter is changed all that is left is the top , bottom and the core......... pleats are gone.... or just the core if the string type..

harry · Mar 7, 2010

UPDATE

The black stuff I have is only in my sediment filter. I changed it yesterday and dropped it on the ground next to the garbage can. This afternoon I noticed the black stuff is now the color of iron rust. It is now dry and the sediment now looks and feels like fine iron rust. Is my iron casing rusting from the chlorine treatments?

I measured the well. It is 20' deep. I hit water 5' from the surface. I'll call the county and all the well diggers in the area next week.

Thanks again.

Harry

Akpsdvan · Mar 7, 2010

That is possible, if when doing the chlorine treatment the well casing on the inside is not getting rinsed off with non chlorine water... say 2-3 5 gallon buckets run down the inside of the casing..

New well, black sediment

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