New well user...Lots of questions

[carlintx]

Morning Everyone

I have recently bought a house that is using a well for water. I have had a crash course in well problems. The house sat empty for several years and there was quite a bit of rain this year, so when the water inspection was done it failed for bacteria twice before it was corrected. On top of this when I first moved in there was no air in the pressure tank and the pressure switch was causing problems. The water pressure would have to drop to about 7 psi before the booster pump would kick in. I have that all corrected but the booster pump is old will not build pressure past 40 psi, so the pressure switch is set at 20-40.

I started digging around the internet and have learned quite a bit about wells and well systems. My well is at about 168 ft deep and is a low producing well, it could be dug deeper to somewhere past 200 ft but wasn’t due to the sulfur smell there. It is on a timer and only pumps 30 minutes every 4 hours into a 500 gallon holding tank. Then the water goes to a booster pump and pressure tank then heads to the house. So far this is producing enough water for my wife and I and the holding tank stays full most of the time. There are no filters on the system currently. When we first moved in one of the toilet water tank fill valves were leaking and there was lots of gray sand in the toilet tank.

I would like to add a spin down sediment filter between the submersible pump and the holding tank and a uv filter after the pressure tank. Since I am new to all of this I am looking for advice and answers to some of my questions.

Are these the correct places for these filters?

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

Why wouldn’t the sediment filter already be there?

Any ideas on which filters are best for the system?


Thanks for any help.

 

[Reach4]

I have that all corrected but the booster pump is old will not build pressure past 40 psi, so the pressure switch is set at 20-40.

Have you tried cleaning the jet?

I would like to add a spin down sediment filter between the submersible pump and the holding tank and a uv filter after the pressure tank. Since I am new to all of this I am looking for advice and answers to some of my questions.

Are these the correct places for these filters?

Does this sound like the right thing to do?

Why wouldn’t the sediment filter already be there?

Any ideas on which filters are best for the system?

You would not want a filter that can clog before the cistern/holding tank. That could be why there was not a filter there already. I have wondered if a pool vacuum could be used to clean the bottom of a cistern; I don't know how that would do. If the cistern was easy enough to clean, it seem that letting sand settle there could be a good filter.

Lakos is a respected brand. http://www.lakos.com/groundwater.htm

I would get a lab water test that includes pH, iron, manganese, hardness, arsenic, silica, lead, etc in addition to whatever else you do.

 

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[carlintx]

Have you tried cleaning the jet?

You would not want a filter that can clog before the cistern/holding tank. That could be why there was not a filter there already. I have wondered if a pool vacuum could be used to clean the bottom of a cistern; I don't know how that would do. If the cistern was easy enough to clean, it seem that letting sand settle there could be a good filter.

Lakos is a respected brand. http://www.lakos.com/groundwater.htm

I would get a lab water test that includes pH, iron, manganese, hardness, arsenic, silica, lead, etc in addition to whatever else you do.

Cleaning the jet?
the pump intake? I have not broken the system apart since the initial problems, I will need to look at that.

I was looking to put the sediment filter somewhere before the booster pump to keep it from eating sand, does it need to go after the pressure tank?

Sorry for all the questions, still new at this.

 

[Reach4]

I suggest that you post the model info for the pump and/or post a photo of your jet pump. Somebody could probably provide info on that.

I was looking to put the sediment filter somewhere before the booster pump to keep it from eating sand, does it need to go after the pressure tank?

I misunderstood. I thought you were thinking about something like a SandMaster before the cistern.

After the pressure tank is the normal place. What does your tank look like... concrete outdoors? Polyethylene indoors? Some people who want good pressure and a quiet efficient pump that does not need priming will put a 1/2 HP submersible on its side near the bottom of the holding tank/cistern.

 

[carlintx]

I suggest that you post the model info for the pump and/or post a photo of your jet pump. Somebody could probably provide info on that.



I misunderstood. I thought you were thinking about something like a SandMaster before the cistern.

After the pressure tank is the normal place. What does your tank look like... concrete outdoors? Polyethylene indoors? Some people who want good pressure and a quiet efficient pump that does not need priming will put a 1/2 HP submersible on its side near the bottom of the holding tank/cistern.

I will have to get a picture of the booster pump when I get home, it looks terrible. It is a shallow well (non-submersible) pump.
You understood where I was thinking of placing the sandmaster. I was just following up on that question. If i shouldn't place it before the tank (Poly tank outdoors) should i put it on the outlet from the tank to keep sand out of the booster pump or put it after the pressure tank?

My whole well system is outside about 50 feet away from the house, so noise isn't going to be an issue.