Due to a well problem I have some sand in my water holding tankI

Unknown

Now u telling us about the well re construction...u should told us before.. If u had on going plms with sands,silts, etc and had the well drilled deeper, what did the driller use for screen? What did the driller recommend? Does the driller know the local conditaion(sp) and formation in ur area? Did the driller tell u to go to the big box stores for ur solutation? Give us the whole story so we can help you...

tony_11

well water tank

I had a frozen pipe and the well kept pumping mud and sand for 3 days. The water is basicall clear but there is still some sand in the water. I have been running the water from the tank out into the back yard but it doesn't seem to matter. Is there any way I can flush the tank better? Can I disconnect the tank and clean it somehow? Do I need a new tank? this one is 12 years old and a seasonal house? Should I consider a filering system? Under the sink? Before the tank? Do you have a plumber in the area of Deposit new york if I need one? I think it is a well mate tank with a diaphragm.

Larry Weingarten

Had a look...

...at Wellmate web site. If there is a way for you to undo the top fitting and remove the air bladder, you could then flush the tank from the top down. If that cannot be done, possibly completely unhooking the tank then put it on a mobile base and swish water around to rinse the mud out. It looks to be a light weight composite tank worth saving. Their site is, http://www.wellmate.com/cat-wmseries.html

Yours, Larry

Unknown

after

Tony, after you do Larry's suggestions, I recommended installing at spin down filter with blow down valve before the tank.. Every so often, u open the valve and clear out the sediments from the bottom of filter, not the same as cartridge filter with all the hassels of unscrewing the "tub" and cartridge replacment etc..

EJW

Never

put a filter between the pump and tank, always after it. EJW

Unknown

then what

Then what will protects the tanks from the sands and grids destrying the bladder? If ur thinking of if the filter not being blown down often enough and back pressure built up before the filter, the relif valve is installed between the pump and blow down filter..

EJW

ok

I'll take a shot at this. I asume this well was pumped dry because of the freeze up. This could have opened a sandy vein or the well could have collapsed into the bottom so now the pump which used to be 20 ft off the bottom is now 6" or sitting in it.

This sounds like a sand issue that is not going to go away with a filter. Pull the pump and see where the bottom is in realtion to where the pump is hung. If it is a sandy vein and it is above the pump.....bummer. Putting a filter between the pump and the tank is not the best idea. Yes, you can install a relief valve. The filter does not get cleaned out and the switch calls, pump runs and runs and runs, until 75 lb. relief is running full tilt boogie on the floor til someone finds it.

What good is a filter before your tank if it is chewing up the inside of the pump every time it runs? The problem is in the hole, and that is where you should start.

EJW

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Logic tells me that you're on the right track EJW. Any corrective measure that doesn't identify and control the source of a problem is futile.

Plumdog_2

Very Interesting

I haven't seen a machine like that before. We sometimes use the hand method with a well chock. Will it pull out rigid pipe as well? (no pun)

EJW

Yes it will

500 ft. easy. It will pull 50ft. per minute. EJW

Unknown

very true

Very true about have the sand in the well and pump sitting in it... I use the air compressor to blow out and clean the screen (if it still there) ... So far in my area I had good luck with them 80 plus year old wells.. Cleared the built up obstructions that otherwise pump will never get pass... I use the the three wheelers pump puller,using the rigid threader to drive both flex,pvc and steel pipes... Steel pipes are no no around here (new steel eats out less than 3 yrs)

tony_11

I did not mention this. Last year I had the well dug 60 feet deeper. I still had some sand so I raised the pump about 15 feet. The water is basically clear and the sediment is not much. I only go there long weekends. Can I clear the tank by running some water when I go there, I am thinking maybe the sand is still residue in the tank from before. Should I run it fast or slow? Is there any special filter you would recommend? I saw one in home depo and it seemed better than the whirlpool one in lowes.

Al_19

Tony,

I've been following your thread and would like to make some observations. Let me first say that my specialty is water treatment from point of entrance, but usually after the pressure tank. I am not a well pump contractor.

Having said that:

(1) I wouldn't put any kind of filter between the pump and pressure tank (especially in a house that is mostly empty) for the reason stated in an earlier post. If you believe this is an ongoing problem, then it should be dealt with in the well with pump position or pump intake screen.

(2) You mentioned a Well-Mate tank which is probably a diaphragm or bladder type tank. If you are presently flushing it with a hose from the drain valve on the tank tee, you may not really be flushing anything from the tank. You may be running water from the well pump right out of the hose, with little or nothing going on in the tank itself. Try shutting the pump switch off and let the hose run until it stops. Then shut the hose, turn the pump back on until it shuts off on the pressuretrol. Then repeat the process---shut the pump switch, open the hose until it stops running, etc. This would actually drain, fill, drain, fill...the tank. See if it seems to make a difference. If so, continue until the water is clear.

(3) If that works, then you would probably be wise to replace the relief valve and pressuretrol(and connecting piping) at the tank tee. These are inexpensive items that could be plugged with sand/sediment.