Does well water clear up with a stronger draw?

[Charlie Bosco]

My well has a 50 micron Spindown filter to a 10" KL tank and then to Carbon. I was suspecting the KL was not getting a full backwash since I have 77 degree well water. So I tried a BW with the DLFC removed (it had a 7gpm). Seemed to blow a decent amount of sediment out and did not lose media. So I left it that way. That was about a month ago.

Prior to doing this my Spindown collected a bit of visible sediment (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon per month) When I removed the DLFC, I decided to give the spindown a good cleaning. I noticed the stainless screen was a bit hard to blow air through, so I soaked it in phosphoric acid. Lots of silt was dissolved and was shiny clean again. A quick blow through it confirmed it was clear. Also I discovered that I can use the light on my iphone to shine through it to check it in the future.

Now my KL is doing a nightly 12.5 gallon per minute backwash for 10 minutes. This is significantly more flow than my well ever provided in the past. Even my hose bibs dont seem to flow that much. (I use those accordian hoses)

Fast forward to today, 30 days later, my Spindown still looks clean.. so I ask, did this actually clear my well point? or is my spindown not working?

 

[Water Pro]

My well has a 50 micron Spindown filter to a 10" KL tank and then to Carbon. I was suspecting the KL was not getting a full backwash since I have 77 degree well water. So I tried a BW with the DLFC removed (it had a 7gpm). Seemed to blow a decent amount of sediment out and did not lose media. So I left it that way. That was about a month ago.

Prior to doing this my Spindown collected a bit of visible sediment (maybe a 1/2 teaspoon per month) When I removed the DLFC, I decided to give the spindown a good cleaning. I noticed the stainless screen was a bit hard to blow air through, so I soaked it in phosphoric acid. Lots of silt was dissolved and was shiny clean again. A quick blow through it confirmed it was clear. Also I discovered that I can use the light on my iphone to shine through it to check it in the future.

Now my KL is doing a nightly 12.5 gallon per minute backwash for 10 minutes. This is significantly more flow than my well ever provided in the past. Even my hose bibs dont seem to flow that much. (I use those accordian hoses)

Fast forward to today, 30 days later, my Spindown still looks clean.. so I ask, did this actually clear my well point? or is my spindown not working?

you may get more accurate information from someone more qualified to answer this if posted in the well/pumps section. My only experience is when I installed pumps in new wells we would advise the opposite. 1/4 gpm for up to 24 hrs to clear a well.

 

[Sponsor]

 

[Bannerman]

To develop a well and attempt to clear out as much sand, silt and other debris possible, the pump outlet will be usually disconnected from the home's plumbing system. Running the pump at the maximum flow rate possible will typically loosen and discharge much of the debris. Depending in the quantity of debris, flow rate, well recovery rate etc, the procedure could require as little as 30 minutes, up to several days of continuous flow until the discharge runs clear.

 

[Water Pro]

I should have specified it be done with a hose connected to the pressure tank. otherwise debris will be drawn into the homes plumbing, often wreaking all kinds of havok.

 

[Charlie Bosco]

Let me clarify.. Since I set my KL Tank to BW at MAX flow (No DLFC), and my 77 degree shallow well in South Florida keeps me from blowing out all my media. My Spin Down filter is hardly collecting any visible debris anymore.

Before the DLFC removal there was a minor but noticeable debris present. As you could clearly see it flying around when the water was running.
Now there is none..

 

[WorthFlorida]

Probably when you cleaned the screen there is no silt or sand to break loose and any sediment at the bottom is no longer there. Or the screen is allowing the smaller particles to past through as before the plugged screen was filtering smaller particles. Before the clean out, when was the last time the spin down was clean? You might want to check the screen on the faucet aerators. I think you're OK. A spin down is so basic that it be hard for it not to work.

 

[Charlie Bosco]

Probably when you cleaned the screen there is no silt or sand to break loose and any sediment at the bottom is no longer there. Or the screen is allowing the smaller particles to past through as before the plugged screen was filtering smaller particles. Before the clean out, when was the last time the spin down was clean? You might want to check the screen on the faucet aerators. I think you're OK. A spin down is so basic that it be hard for it not to work.

I installed it this past April, I flushed it a few times just to watch it.. Never piled up or anything like that.. This was the first time cleaning the screen.. I would never even thought of cleaning it with Phosphoric acid if I had not blown air through it by mouth.. By appearances it looked clean but the blow test confirmed not so much... after cleaning was a big difference..

I guess I'll keep a close watch on it and if it causes issues I'll just pull the damn screen or try a 100 Micron. I am thinking anything small enough to clog the screen (silt) will get back washed each night.

 

[Reach4]

Interesting finding on the need to use the acid cleaning on the screen.

I guess I'll keep a close watch on it and if it causes issues I'll just pull the damn screen or try a 100 Micron. I am thinking anything small enough to clog the screen (silt) will get back washed each night.

Your spin-down filter has a timer to backwash?

I expect 254 microns should be fine enough to stop anything that would have trouble backwashing out of the KL.

 

[Charlie Bosco]

Interesting finding on the need to use the acid cleaning on the screen.


Your spin-down filter has a timer to backwash?

I expect 254 microns should be fine enough to stop anything that would have trouble backwashing out of the KL.

I manually flush the spindown.. I look at it every few days or so.. Nothing really collecting thus far. But I also check with a light shined through it to see if silt has clogged the pores. Thats what makes me think swapping to a 100 micron or even 200 as you suggested. This way I know that silt will make it through but get BW back out each night.

I have this spindown unit.

https://www.123filter.com/ac/spin-d...arator-micron-20-gpm-1-inch-mnpt-34-inch-fnpt

They offer 100,200, 500 and 1000 micron options..

 

[Reach4]

Nicely done on your current setup. I think your next step may be to try a longer period (DO) between backwashes. For example, I don't know if there is a physical wear-out mechanism from daily backwash.

For those reading along, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_size relates sizes of particles.
1 micron = 1 μm.
1000 microns = 1 mm.

 

[Charlie Bosco]

Nicely done on your current setup. I think your next step may be to try a longer period (DO) between backwashes. For example, I don't know if there is a physical wear-out mechanism from daily backwash.

For those reading along, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grain_size relates sizes of particles.
1 micron = 1 μm.
1000 microns = 1 mm.

Thanks.. I learned a lot from you all!
I am glad you mentioned the backwash schedule.. Now that its been like 30 days since changing my system around and I have NO H2S breakthrough at all.
Currently my KL is set for every night 2am 10min bw, 40 min air, 1min rr. I am going to try every other night.
Also my Carbon filter is set to BW every 3 days which I think might be too much. I have tested water from a port directly after the KL and I dont smell any residual H2S. So the Carbon is not having to work so hard. So thinking once a week BW for the Carbon?

 

[Water Pro]

Thanks.. I learned a lot from you all!
I am glad you mentioned the backwash schedule.. Now that its been like 30 days since changing my system around and I have NO H2S breakthrough at all.
Currently my KL is set for every night 2am 10min bw, 40 min air, 1min rr. I am going to try every other night.
Also my Carbon filter is set to BW every 3 days which I think might be too much. I have tested water from a port directly after the KL and I dont smell any residual H2S. So the Carbon is not having to work so hard. So thinking once a week BW for the Carbon?

3 days is good. 2 if H2S starts to show up