Grey sludge from my well part 2

[money_pit]

I am sorry to start another thread my I unable to reply the other one.

Hi,

I am still waiting for the Well Driller to return my call.

The only things that are different from the well that has been working for 15 years is the new pump and the sanitary seal.

I found some additional information It says Water Well and Pump Record.
8/1/95 Well Depth 115ft
Rotary Household
Casing Plastic 5in to 115 ft
Bore hole 8 3/4
Height above 1 ft Weight SDR 2 lb/ft
Screen plastic Dia. 5''
9lb/gauze 20 (this is hard to read but it looks like 9lb is circled)
Length 5 ' set between 110 and 115ft
Static water level 65ft
Well grouted yes 100 to 0ft Bentonite 8 bags

I hope this helps.

Could bumping the bottom of the well with the pump a couple of times cause this problem?

I just remembered he was trying to lower it because he thought it might be getting air and added the seal so that it would suck harder and not get air.

Thanks

 

[Gary Slusser]

Bumping the bottom or the pump sitting in the stuff, sooner or later you'll pump it all out, no? But you haven't yet but we would think that thousands of gallons would have, so I don't think that is the cause but... this pump moving so much more water and at better pressure may have caused this, especially of the well was not developed well; as most aren't today due to the cost to do it.

So were these filters on line before this or are they a new addition trying to stop this problem of gray water?

 

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[money_pit]

Thanks for listening and trying to help me.
I am very new to using Forums and don't know much about wells.

It has been 3 weeks and I certainly would think anything would have been cleared by now.

I installed 2 whole house filters in series about 1 1/2 years ago when I was finding what appeared to be rust in the water. We have very good water but very hard water with very low iron. The first filter has been wound string rated at 30 micron and followed by a spun filter rated at 5 - 15 microns. They were lasting about 5 weeks and seemed to stop all the rust. This summer I started finding particles of rust in the housing for the 30 micron filter.

Three weeks ago the pressure really took a nose dive. When I found the pump was running constantly I dropped the power and called the local Well Driller. When he pulled the pump the plastic housing had several cracks in it and it was covered with and plugged with rust. He did not install the well in 1995.

About every other day I have ran 2 outside hoses for an hour or so to try to clear the grey stuff. Each time I would fill a 5 gallon pail at the end to check the water and yesterday I could actually see the bottom. In fact, I put a very small stone in and could see it. That is a huge improvement so maybe it is going to clear itself. The filters that are in now have been in there 2 days and for the last 3 weeks I have been changing the 5 - 15 micron daily if we did any laundry.

I forgot on detail on the Well Report it says the screen is gravel packed. I was wondering if since the grout goes to 100 ft and the well is at 110 ft maybe when the well was put in the grout got into the gravel and sat there for 13 years undisturbed until 3 weeks ago and we just have to wait until it clears.


I am now waiting for my second call to be returned by the Well Driller that installed the new pump.

Thanks again.

 

[money_pit]

I finally heard from the guy who installed the new pump. He doesn't have any idea what could cause the grey stuff but if it doesn't clear up he said he could clean the screen with acid and then blow it out.

I told him I would get back to him since the water clarity had improved so much in the last 48 hours and the filters are lasting more than 1 day.

I am very thankful for whatever changed to cause that water to clear because my wife isn't happy and you know that is never good let alone the $100 in filters we went through.

 

[Gary Slusser]

Glad to hear it's clearing. Those disposable cartridge filters are on the house side of the pressure tank right?

I'd suggest running off the well without them in the housings. Then I'd leave them out and allow the housing to catch any rust particles. Especially if they are 2.5" x 10".

If you have any odor in the water, or not, the iron/rust on the old pump may be caused by IRB (iron reducing bacteria). Are the cartridges ever slimy snotty when you remove them?

 

[money_pit]

Yes, I installed the filters between the house and the tank after the T that goes to the outside faucetts.

Yes, the filters are 2.5 x 10. I like the idea of leaving the first filter out to catch rust without effecting the flow, thanks.

We haven't had any trouble with IRB but the previous owners had to treat the well before we could buy the house. That reminds me... each time the guy pulled the pump he dropped a handful of white pellets (Chlorine I think) down the casing and that was 3 or 4 times.

I just checked the filters and they are slightly grey which is a great improvement considering this is the 4 th day. We have lots of water and plenty of pressure. I couldn't see any hint of rust or particles in the filter housing. I can't believe this lasted for 3 weeks and then I ask for help it nearly clears itself in 24 hours.

Thanks

 

[Gary Slusser]

I'm unsure.... "between the house and the tank"... I think you mean past the tank; well, pump, tank, filters, house, right?

Without the filters you have much better flow rates, so you would have cleared it up long ago without the filters. That size filter is not a good choice for "whole house" filtering; regardless that that is what many people call them.