Another way to remove sediment from pressure tank?

[Garn]

Does the following idea for clearing a pressure tank of sediment make sense?

I have a 6" well 200' deep that has barely been used for the last several years, as there was no house on the property. I've built a house there, and the well will supply my water. Lots of brown sediment comes through the hose bibb next to the well house when the water is coming from the pressure tank, but very little comes through when the tank is fully pressurized and the water is coming straight from the submerged pump with the hose bibb on full blast.

To clear the tank of sediment, I've gone through 15 cycles of closing the hose bibb, supplying power to the pump just long enough to fill the pressure tank, shutting off the power, and opening the hose bibb to drain out the very brown water coming from the tank. This may remove the most sediment per gallon of water used, but I'm walking 100' back and forth between the hose bibb and the breaker panel each time, and I wonder whether all of that flipping on and off of the breaker and the pump could wear something (in addition to myself) out if I have to do it perhaps many dozens more times.

As an alternative, I was thinking of leaving the power to the pump on and running the hose bibb at a much lower, constant flow so that the pump pressurizes the tank to 50 psi and shuts off, the tank pushes water and sediment out till it reaches 30 psi, the pump kicks back in, and the cycle repeats. This will use a lot more water, but it will work the pump more naturally, similarly to if I were watering the lawn or something, and I can just keep an eye on it while doing other work. Is this a good approach?

 

[Reach4]

Rather than using the outside hose bibb, I would hook a garden hose to the drain valve at the pressure tank. That way more sediment could move into the hose. Maybe no difference, but maybe.

I would continue the method of letting the pressure tank fully empty for each cycle. Maybe only turn the breaker back on for 10 to 20 seconds. Turn off breaker. Wait for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Fitter30]

Sediment iron? Magnetic? Could be rust? Filling the tank the way the water flow will be the same each time. Fill it from the bottom drain.

 

[Garn]

Rather than using the outside hose bibb, I would hook a garden hose to the drain valve at the pressure tank. That way more sediment could move into the hose. Maybe no difference, but maybe.

I would continue the method of letting the pressure tank fully empty for each cycle. Maybe only turn the breaker back on for 10 to 20 seconds. Turn off breaker. Wait for 30 seconds to a minute. Repeat.

Thank you, Reach4. The drain valve would probably release more sediment, as it's at the center of the bottom of the tank, but it's also inaccessible there without disconnecting the tank from the well. What you suggest re 10-20 seconds is essentially what I did 15 times, and it removed a lot of sediment, but with no end in sight, I thought my alternative would be easier on me, the breaker switch, and the pump. Is there anything wrong with my alternative, other than being much more gradual?

 

[Garn]

Sediment iron? Magnetic? Could be rust? Filling the tank the way the water flow will be the same each time. Fill it from the bottom drain.

Thank you, Fitter30. It's definitely silt; it looks exactly the same as the subsoil around here. Filling from the bottom drain isn't feasible without removing the tank from the well house. Would my alternative work, however slowly?

 

[Reach4]

What you suggest re 10-20 seconds is essentially what I did 15 times, and it removed a lot of sediment, but with no end in sight, I thought my alternative would be easier on me, the breaker switch, and the pump. Is there anything wrong with my alternative, other than being much more gradual?

I was picturing the pushing out of the sediment being more complete if the diaphragm bottoms out so as to push the mud. That is just the way I am picturing it, and my thoughts are not based on experience. You saw you were getting visible sediment out. If you get more out with another method, that would speak well of that method.

This may remove the most sediment per gallon of water used, but I'm walking 100' back and forth between the hose bibb and the breaker panel each time, and I wonder whether all of that flipping on and off of the breaker and the pump could wear something (in addition to myself) out if I have to do it perhaps many dozens more times.

If you hooked up a garden hose to the drain valve that is right near the pressure tank, you could just stand by the breaker. Look at the watch. Maybe 15 second on, and 1 minute off several times. Without looking each time.

 

[Garn]

I was picturing the pushing out of the sediment being more complete if the diaphragm bottoms out so as to push the mud. That is just the way I am picturing it, and my thoughts are not based on experience. You saw you were getting visible sediment out. If you get more out with another method, that would speak well of that method.

If you hooked up a garden hose to the drain valve that is right near the pressure tank, you could just stand by the breaker. Look at the watch. Maybe 15 second on, and 1 minute off several times. Without looking each time.

Thank you, Reach4. My alternative method seems to have worked, as I'm not getting any more sediment out, even when I let the tank empty completely on full blast.

 

[Valveman]

Cleaning sediment out of the tank does no good if the well is still pumping sediment. I would use the big hydrant at the well and pump the well out. It may take hours or even days to develop the well. But if you don't get the sediment out of the well it will always cause a problem.

 

[Garn]

Cleaning sediment out of the tank does no good if the well is still pumping sediment. I would use the big hydrant at the well and pump the well out. It may take hours or even days to develop the well. But if you don't get the sediment out of the well it will always cause a problem.

Thank you, Cary. I don't see any sign that it's still pumping sediment. The sediment in the tank may have accumulated from the well being used only once every several months and very briefly each time over several years.