Anthracite and water filtration

 
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Richard S.
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Post by Richard S. » Sun. Jan. 12, 2020 4:52 am

Hoytman wrote:
Sat. Jan. 11, 2020 4:58 pm
Thanks, Richard. I will check into it.
I don't know if this applicable for what you are trying to do. It's only for removing sediment.


 
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Post by Hoytman » Sun. Jan. 12, 2020 9:56 am

It is only to a certain degree, but I could likely do the same with gravels and sand. Thanks.

 
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Post by coaledsweat » Sun. Jan. 12, 2020 1:34 pm

I bought a $80 bag of activated carbon when I was a wastewater engineer. The 25 pound bag was labeled "crushed anthracite." LOL, that's some pricey fines! :lol:

 
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Post by joethemechanic » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 2:37 pm

http://unifilt.com/

https://ceifiltration.com/

Those are the two I know of in this area that sell anthracite filter media

 
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Post by Hoytman » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 6:43 pm

Thanks. I took a look at both sites.

I suppose what I’m needing first is ideas on a small residential filtering systems...small defined as slow sand type barrel filters in a series down to much smaller systems. Not necessarily that type of filtering, but size wise something similar. I’ve seen several on YouTube, but they were older videos using a slow sand filtering system utilizing plastic barrels. Perhaps there is an easier way or better ideas.

 
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Post by freetown fred » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 7:42 pm

Don't be knockin that "older" stuff H. I've seen a lot of supposed improvements over them that fail to hold water--no pun intended!! LOL

 
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Post by warminmn » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 8:43 pm

I did not try to search, but if there is a way to search old, decades old, Mother Earth News magazines online they are bound to have writeups about it. The newer ones arent as good. Backwoods Home magazine too and I think they still have a forum. lots of Yuppies the last time I was on it but some knowledgeable people too. Foxfire books have lots of that stuff too and I have those. I do have a lot of those magazines and a lot of books on these types of things. When I find time I will look thru the books but not mags as that would take forever.

If I understand right you are trying to build a sediment filter for a running stream or cistern, correct? Not a pressure system? I want to know before I look.


 
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Post by joethemechanic » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 9:50 pm

The last municipal filter I did was in Point Pleasant NJ. It was layers of anthracite, sand, and various sizes of stone in layers. It was all according to the prints. I can't remember exactly how thick, and the order of the layers exactly. It used a bunch of stainless steel mesh screens in the bottom that I had to soak in a 55 gallon drum full of vinegar to get the deposits off of. Boy did that ever react. Engineer from the municipality wanted to know how I got them so clean, I strung him along for weeks lol.

As far as I remember though, those filters were only for catching particulates, there was no magic involved. The anthracite somehow helped it during and after the back-flushing process

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Mon. Jan. 13, 2020 10:31 pm

Yes, I am using a sediment filter with anthracite and sand. It backflushes each night on a timer. 98% of the time it does the job. But having spring water off the mountain, it can get overwhelmed with the sediment.

After that initial filter, we use a large UV filter to kill anything in the water. It's been tested (wide spectrum) and just about perfect. But you never know ;)

 
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Post by Hoytman » Sat. Jan. 18, 2020 10:11 pm

I don’t think I need a pressure system, but since you asked I’m not sure. That may sound goofy...

Here on my place we’ve had 3 wells cave in somehow since the place was built in 1954. It was my grandparents place so I have little info other than the well logs I pulled. Water is scarce on this side of the valley we live in. Most people are lucky to get 5-6 gallon a minute. A few have 10, and one family drilled 3 250ft holes and all were dry.

The current well I may try to clean out...doing most of it myself. It’s only 45 deep. We had a cistern and I converted it to only a “holding tank”...of nearly 2900 gallon. I’ve temporarily repaired it...holding 2 years now. The block had gotten soft so I chilled all the soft stuff out and patched with hydronic cement...50lbs worth. What a pain to mix in small batches...have to work fast. Then I swept it clean and coated it all with Dry-lock powder mixed with water. I saved myself about $2000 dollars doing all this myself with the intent that it’s only a temporary fix. I am almost certain that if the block was soft inside the tank then the block exposed to the earth on the outside of the tank is likely the same. At some point I am going to have to tear it all out and start over. I currently haul water from a local municipality and it’s a pain.

I have the skills form walls and pour the walls for a new cistern/holding tank. I could likely just as easily learn to lay block if I decided to go that route. I can also buy a pre-cast tank for nearly the same price as drilling a new well....$3600-3800. A well could be dry...and a tank I’m still hauling water.

I have a creek behind the house that runs quite a bit most of the year. Not ideal for drinking water I know, but for anything else it should be fine, especially if I can filter it before going into a holding tank.

There is also a small spring coming out of the side of the hill down in the creek just about 3 feet from flow line of the water. I could try and develope the spring and/or use the creek water.

I’m not trying to keep from drilling a well, but that would be nice. Somehow using and filtering creek and/or spring water would be a bonus. I have a lot of fall in the creek which makes a ram pump ideal for pump water uphill where I need it...which won’t be too high or all that far. With the ram pump comes the idea of somehow filtering the water for home use and for some livestock...mainly chickens. For drinking water I have an RO system, but would likely change to a Berkey system for drinking water. There’s a little background of what I have and what I am wanting to do.

I am hearing some neighbors are wanting municipal water down our road. That would be nice, but it’s no guarantee.

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Sat. Jan. 18, 2020 10:42 pm

It sounds like you have a few challenges regarding water. Without water, the world is not a pleasant place.

A rule of thumb is 25 ft of limestone = clean drinking water. Combine it with a sediment filter and then UV filter, and you would have a pretty good system there.

Wells are tough. I can't imagine several collapsing. Maybe too much draw? Were you able to pull the pumps and lines up out of them, or was it collapsed above it and you had to abandon the gear?

Many, many years ago we bought 2- 500 gallon concrete "septic tanks" without lids and set them together and bonded them and use that as our 1000 gallon holding tank for our little spring. It has held up really well and doesn't show any signs of failure.

Hope you find a good solution. Water is gold when you can't get it.

 
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Post by Hoytman » Sat. Jan. 18, 2020 11:06 pm

It’s collapsed on the gear. Only good thing is it only collapsed on the pipe, electro, and foot valve is it was hooked to a jet pump under the house. The casing only went down 25ft for some reason. I think with a big air compressor and the right gear I may be able to clean it out myself and save another $1500 for the cleaning, might be able to shock it with dynamite or dry ice and hopefully restore the supply, but a well driller will be involved at that point once I get it somewhat cleaned out.

One company wanted $3600 to drill a new well, another wanted $12,000. A guy wanted $1500-$2000 to try and clean existing.

If I could reopen the existing and it tests good, I still would like at least a 3000 gallon holding tank in case I would ever have to haul water again. A 10,000 gallon would be ideal if I had to haul.

I still have the option to collect a lot of rain water as well and filter that. Might be the best option too...but only after a new and much bigger cistern is out in. I think 10,000-15,000 would be ideal, but I could get by with the 3000 I have now. I would have to make a two-in-one cistern/holding tank which is now legal here.

 
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Post by CoalisCoolxWarm » Sat. Jan. 18, 2020 11:20 pm

How long would it take to cycle through that much water? You don't want it to get stagnant.

 
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Post by McGiever » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 12:30 am

A new well can be made to not collapse on the gear by installing a 4" PVC liner...25' would be a piece of cake to do.

 
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Post by joethemechanic » Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 3:48 am

McGiever wrote:
Sun. Jan. 19, 2020 12:30 am
A new well can be made to not collapse on the gear by installing a 4" PVC liner...25' would be a piece of cake to do.
Hell back in the old days they used to "kick down" wells lots farther than that with rope, a homemade bit, and a springy sapling.

Image

Image

http://thejackline.blogspot.com/2011/05/spring-po ... l-bit.html


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