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What is in my water?

brandonf
brandonf Member Posts: 205
in Water Quality
Noticed this in my toilet tank. It's floating on the surface. I drink tap water so I hope that's not in it.
https://youtu.be/St4utIuCbY8
Homeowner, Entrepreneur, Mechanic, Electrician,

"The toes you step on today are connected to the butt you'll have to kiss tomorrow". ---Vincent "Buddy" Cianci

Comments

  • the_donut
    the_donut Member Posts: 374
    New toilet? If so could be oils on metal washers from shipping.
  • brandonf
    brandonf Member Posts: 205
    About 6 years old.
    Homeowner, Entrepreneur, Mechanic, Electrician,

    "The toes you step on today are connected to the butt you'll have to kiss tomorrow". ---Vincent "Buddy" Cianci
  • the_donut
    the_donut Member Posts: 374
    Wish my toilet internals looked that good. Done any plumbing recently, change valves, etc...?
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,218
    What made you decide to look inside? Anything on the bottom side of the lid that may have dripped in? Looks like a petroleum based floater?

    I suppose a lab could analyze it.

    City water or a well?
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Leonard
    Leonard Member Posts: 903
    Looks like tiny bit of oil to me. Maybe tiny spec of oil came off the rod where flush lever goes thru the tank ???
  • brandonf
    brandonf Member Posts: 205
    Town well. Looked inside because I heard a trickle of water down the main stack and I wanted to see if the toilet was wasting water.
    Homeowner, Entrepreneur, Mechanic, Electrician,

    "The toes you step on today are connected to the butt you'll have to kiss tomorrow". ---Vincent "Buddy" Cianci
  • Steamhead
    Steamhead Member Posts: 17,358
    I agree, looks like oil on top of the water. Maybe you should have the water analyzed.
    All Steamed Up, Inc.
    Towson, MD, USA
    Steam, Vapor & Hot-Water Heating Specialists
    Oil & Gas Burner Service
    Consulting
  • hot_rod
    hot_rod Member Posts: 23,218
    Sometimes when you remove lids, anything that was stored on top could drip in. Lotion, shampoo, whatever.
    Bob "hot rod" Rohr
    trainer for Caleffi NA
    Living the hydronic dream
  • Larry Weingarten
    Larry Weingarten Member Posts: 3,576
    Try running water from other taps into separate, clean buckets. Once they are still, see if any of that oily slick is visible. If it's only in the toilet, not so much of a problem.

    Yours, Larry
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,858
    As Larry said, put water from tap into a separate bucket, and THEN, put one drop of Dawn dish detergent into the middle of the glass. If you see movement, there is most probably some sort of petrochemical in your water. Oil floats on top of water, and Dawn causes it to break up.

    ME

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

  • HomerJSmith
    HomerJSmith Member Posts: 2,628
    edited April 2018
    It is probably contaminated with di-hydrogen oxide.
  • HomerJSmith
    HomerJSmith Member Posts: 2,628
    edited April 2018
    Are you in an area where there's oil fracking?
  • Mark Eatherton
    Mark Eatherton Member Posts: 5,858
    HomerJSmith said:

    It is probably contaminated with di-hydrogen oxide.

    It's di-hydrogen monoxide. :smile:

    ME

    There was an error rendering this rich post.

    Canucker
  • kcopp
    kcopp Member Posts: 4,463
    It could be left over flux from when some work was done on the water system.
    Toilet tank water does not see a total turnover after each flush and oils will stay on top....as we see in steam boiler installs.
  • psb75
    psb75 Member Posts: 899
    So clearly, that toilet needs skimming.
    JUGHNECanuckerSuperJSeanBeans
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,266
    Seriously, psb75 has a point, you could skim the tank by holding the float down and slowly allowing the top water to run down the overflow tube.
    That would clear the top layer and then you could see if it returns.
    rick in Alaska
  • SuperJ
    SuperJ Member Posts: 609
    JUGHNE said:

    Seriously, psb75 has a point, you could skim the tank by holding the float down and slowly allowing the top water to run down the overflow tube.
    That would clear the top layer and then you could see if it returns.

    :) I thought he making a steam guy joke.
    Canucker
  • the_donut
    the_donut Member Posts: 374
    Sorry, no skimming port available on American standards or gerbers. Looks like you’ll have to use a glass cutting drill and make your own. Careful not to break the tank. At least you can pipe skimming to convient throneside drain.
  • JUGHNE
    JUGHNE Member Posts: 11,266
    Built in skim port via overflow tube on WC tanks.

    Unless you hold handle down until tank is emptied the top 2" of the water level hardly gets disturbed.

    Getting the top level clean and seeing how long it takes to accumulate the same sheen would give you as idea of the concentration.

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