Water tank chlorination

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tamada
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Water tank chlorination

Post by tamada » April 16, 2022, 12:40 pm

With the outlaws visiting, kids swimming pool refills, showering, sh*tting and doing endless laundries, they have exhausted the ~5,000 liter storage at casa tam. They were full yesterday morning (Mrs tam ritually checks) so we assume that city water went off for a spell over the last 24-hours. It's on right now and refilling.

The the oldest lad just had a 'navy shower' and he said the water smells funky. Not unexpected since the refilling will be stirring up the muck at the bottom. The outlet from pump to house has a simple paper sediment filter.

My water tanks are two 2.300 liter structures made from concrete well pipes. As an aid to cleaning the tanks and lines, is it OK to add swimming pool grade chlorine and if so, how much?

Should I allow for a settle time between chlorinating and using the water for showers, cooking, etc.? The kitchen/drinking outlets have 2-stage PP/carbon filtration.

If advisable, where can I get this stuff locally in town?

Ta
tam


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AlexO
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by AlexO » April 16, 2022, 5:09 pm

tamada wrote:
April 16, 2022, 12:40 pm
With the outlaws visiting, kids swimming pool refills, showering, sh*tting and doing endless laundries, they have exhausted the ~5,000 liter storage at casa tam. They were full yesterday morning (Mrs tam ritually checks) so we assume that city water went off for a spell over the last 24-hours. It's on right now and refilling.

The the oldest lad just had a 'navy shower' and he said the water smells funky. Not unexpected since the refilling will be stirring up the muck at the bottom. The outlet from pump to house has a simple paper sediment filter.

My water tanks are two 2.300 liter structures made from concrete well pipes. As an aid to cleaning the tanks and lines, is it OK to add swimming pool grade chlorine and if so, how much?

Should I allow for a settle time between chlorinating and using the water for showers, cooking, etc.? The kitchen/drinking outlets have 2-stage PP/carbon filtration.

If advisable, where can I get this stuff locally in town?

Ta
tam
Just fill it up and close all the outlets for about 24 hours to let the sludge settle. If you have a puddle sucker type pump it would be a good time to slide along the tank bottom to get the worst sludge out. In the mean time just volunteer to wash the soap of the nieces backs with the big bottles of water. Maybe even the nephews just to show you are not some kind of phobic according to those who run our lives now.

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maaka
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by maaka » April 16, 2022, 5:26 pm

I have water tanks all over the planet, and Janola liquid bleach can be used...

I believe its an egg cup full for 4000lts....

its on the net somewhere, and I wrote it down..still looking...probable under Janola to water tank etc etc
I thought that was a small amount, but once I put half a bottle in and talk about squeaky clean...never did that again..
its to kill the bacteria, not make the water smell nice..

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tamada
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by tamada » April 16, 2022, 5:58 pm

AlexO wrote:
April 16, 2022, 5:09 pm
tamada wrote:
April 16, 2022, 12:40 pm
With the outlaws visiting, kids swimming pool refills, showering, sh*tting and doing endless laundries, they have exhausted the ~5,000 liter storage at casa tam. They were full yesterday morning (Mrs tam ritually checks) so we assume that city water went off for a spell over the last 24-hours. It's on right now and refilling.

The the oldest lad just had a 'navy shower' and he said the water smells funky. Not unexpected since the refilling will be stirring up the muck at the bottom. The outlet from pump to house has a simple paper sediment filter.

My water tanks are two 2.300 liter structures made from concrete well pipes. As an aid to cleaning the tanks and lines, is it OK to add swimming pool grade chlorine and if so, how much?

Should I allow for a settle time between chlorinating and using the water for showers, cooking, etc.? The kitchen/drinking outlets have 2-stage PP/carbon filtration.

If advisable, where can I get this stuff locally in town?

Ta
tam
Just fill it up and close all the outlets for about 24 hours to let the sludge settle. If you have a puddle sucker type pump it would be a good time to slide along the tank bottom to get the worst sludge out. In the mean time just volunteer to wash the soap of the nieces backs with the big bottles of water. Maybe even the nephews just to show you are not some kind of phobic according to those who run our lives now.
Cheers Alex. We did a major drain and clean just a few months back when a cat fell inside one of the tanks and drowned. Don't ask me how the bloody thing got in but the importance of replacing the damaged tank cap was re-emphasized. Meanwhile a palm tree that was nearby has since been relocated! I've done some Googling and once the crowds depart, I am planning to close the water system and shock the storage and flow lines. Me, Mrs tam and the boys will happily find a quiet, aircon room for 500 baht/day just around the corner but we'll leave the squatters to sweat it out. Up to them.
maaka wrote:
April 16, 2022, 5:26 pm
I have water tanks all over the planet, and Janola liquid bleach can be used...

I believe its an egg cup full for 4000lts....

its on the net somewhere, and I wrote it down..still looking...probable under Janola to water tank etc etc
I thought that was a small amount, but once I put half a bottle in and talk about squeaky clean...never did that again..
its to kill the bacteria, not make the water smell nice..
My Googling led me to the rule of thumb for shock treatment of 1 gallon of non-laundry bleach (5.25% chlorine) OR a half-gallon of liquid pool chlorine to every 1000 gallons of water. Thank goodness for easy online converters!

https://www.cleanwaterstore.com/resourc ... -bacteria/

Toying with the idea of adding a venturi-style DIY chlorinator in the supply lines but would need to invest in the proper testing kit to make sure I don't drench the tanks. Not sure if a standard swimming pool tester will work to the PPM resolution for potable water.

https://www.lazada.co.th/products/super ... 92573.html
'Don't waste your words on people who deserve your silence'
~Reinhold Messner~

'You don't have to be afraid of everything you don't understand'
~Louise Perica~

the-monk
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by the-monk » April 16, 2022, 6:38 pm


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maaka
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by maaka » April 17, 2022, 6:18 pm

sure , its a bigger quantity of bleach if 'shock treatment . but if just adding bleach to a full tank and continue to drink then the quantum is way less...also different strengths of clorine , or bleach, and read the bottle if laundry Janola..make sure you dont get the Lemon scented stuff, or you will be farting citrus for weeks..

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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by Potamoi » April 20, 2022, 1:54 pm

Regarding the chlorine shock treatment of tanks, wells, lines in the house:
  • Disinfecting is recommended for systems using well water especially if the well has been online for an unknown period or there has been any wellbore intervention or the well is not completely sealed from surface water contaminants
  • For a 6 hour shock treatment a good rule of thumb is 1 liter of 5% unscented household bleach per 1000 liters which is about 50mg/L or roughly 50ppm
  • Good to circulate the entire system back to the tank/well to include all lines if possible or at least bleeding out the volume of fresh water in the line ahead to allow the chlorinated water to sit for the full 6 hours
  • Best NOT to flush down any septic system or leach lines as it will likely kill the good bacteria that helps you dissolve the human discharge that you flush down
  • When flushing out the system once the shock is completed, best to drain to gravel road or an area you do not wish to grow grass or vegetation or can flow to fish ponds etc
  • Here is a link to more info along with an Excel calculator (sorry its in US gal but I trust the conversion is easy enough): https://www.oregon.gov/oha/ph/HealthyEn ... ation.aspx
  • Here is another easy chlorine concentration calculator: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/h ... alculator
Remarks regarding continuous chlorine treatment:
  • Need to be careful here and make many calculations to ensure correct dosing
  • This process is not for the average homeowner
  • City water gets a chlorine dose already
  • Dosing calculations involve contact time so typically two storage tanks make this easier to control
  • Dosing pump and dilution tanks like Milton Roy pumps on top of a 100 liter chlorine mix tank help this challenge
  • Part of your filtration after the treatment tank should involve activated carbon filtration to remove excessive chlorine smell and even taste
  • I would recommend not continuous dosing unless you have time and ability to maintain this way of treating water
  • E.Coli and Coliform testing may be a better way to determine if another chlorine shock is necessary
  • Tank cleaning is recommended annually to rid the sediment buildup the OP spoke of
  • Having a drain plug below the discharge fitting helps facilitate this maintenance and keep the sludge out of the system
Hope some of this helps even though it may seem oversimplified to some and overkill to others
I fear the man who drinks water and so remembers this morning what the rest of us said last night
Benjamin Franklin

It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to talk and remove all doubt
Maurice Switzer *(assumed)

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maaka
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Re: Water tank chlorination

Post by maaka » April 21, 2022, 5:14 pm

its all good information to store away Digger, or is it Taff..

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