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+--- Thread: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? (/showthread.php?tid=6932)
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Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Adam79 - 02-25-2010
Aloha,
Over the past 2 years I have gotten used to the basics of our catchment system such as changing the filters and replacing the UV light once a year. Recently I realized I need to do more after I purchased a ladder and saw the atrocity that were my gutters. They were a mucky clogged mess of ohia leaves, small twigs and basically mud. I previously thought that the trees near my house were either too short or too far away to dump anything substantial on it. Hmm, who knew that wind could blow things in a lateral direction? So I cleaned them out and have decided to take down some of the trees that are closest and pose the most trouble. A problem I still have is the downspout pipes are seemingly full of leaves since they are in the pipes all the way up to where I couldn't reach to clean them out. With the recent drought-like conditions I have paid a lot more attention to the inside of the tank and seen there is quite a bit of leaf litter and gunk (dirt, maybe algae or a combination?) on the bottom. I will admit that I rarely add anything such as chlorine bleach. I have a few times but under our normal rainy conditions we always have overflow running so I kind of gave up doing it.
My questions are:
What can I do to clean out the gutter pipes, short of cutting pipes or disassembling the plumbing? Does anybody offer this kind of service?
For the tank, is there a such thing as a catchment cleaning service? I figure this would be the best time since the water level is relatively low. I can't imagine it would be much different than cleaning a pool.
Once these two issues are resolved, what is strongly recommended in terms of adding bleach or something similar? Is it seen as a "must do" for catchment systems? We do drink the water after it passes the two canister filters, UV light, and refrigerator filter. Nobody has gotten sick so I'm not as concerned by that as I am the build up of slimy film in the filter canister and the wear that it might put on the pump in addition to how much faster we seem to be needing to replace the filters. I had preferred not to add any chemicals to my water supply but is that not realistic?
Last, what are some (hopefully easy/cheap) ways to screen out debris from getting into the tank? It is covered tightly so the only issue is from the gutters. Will something as simple as screening the opening of the downspout work? I have read briefly before about a "first flush" device but don't quite know how they work or how difficult they can be to retrofit to an existing system.
That was kind of long but hopefully somebody can answer some or all of my questions. I figure there has to be at least a century of combined experience on this forum with catchment systems. Oh, if it helps to know I have the typical 10,000 tank with corrugated exterior and food grade liner. It has the "tented" frame for the black canvas cover, and I live in Volcano. Thanks in advance!
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Obie - 02-25-2010
Pretty much everything is covered in this guide:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RM-12.pdf
If you are on dial up you can download this order form :
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/CTAHRInaction/Feb_02/images/RCflier.pdf
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Jay Bondesen - 02-25-2010
There are several people/businesses that will clean catchment tanks. One I used is Hawaii Catchment, also called Reeds, in Shipman Business Park. Not the first place you see with a tank next to it but just past there on the left. They, and most others, use a pump and vacuum and you will lose about a foot of water from the tank during the process. I have seen an add somewhere for a service that can save the water but I can't remember where. I have good luck with some hardware cloth over my gutter and I also have a first-flush system which Trish mentions in the brochure mentioned above. Stuff still gets into the tank but not so much anymore.
Jay
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - whalesong - 02-25-2010
To keep debris out of the catchmenat, place a knee high panty hose on your down spout entering your catchment. Keep plnats away from your gutters. Baking soda is great additive and less harmful on skin, and not harmful to drink.
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Dennis - 02-26-2010
What about Gutter Covers. Here in Ohio, we have many different types of systems that cover your gutters and allow water to enter but leaves and debris roll off. Here are several sites that you can look at. No idea if these types of gutters are available in Hawaii.
www.leafguard.com
GutterBrush.com
www.gutterhelmet.com
Dennis
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Dennis - 02-26-2010
Just found one more site that sells these types of systems in Hawaii!
http://www.gutter-helmet.net/hawaii.html
Dennis
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Aliismc - 02-26-2010
I for one thank you Dennis for the information. I was just thinking hey I installed those in a house in Georgia many years ago was tired of cleaning out gutters hahahahaha great information
I know you are listening, did you hear me?
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - rbonplaza - 02-26-2010
[
quote:
i]Pretty much everything is covered in this guide:
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/oc/freepubs/pdf/RM-12.pdf
If you are on dial up you can download this order form :
http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ctahr2001/CTAHRInaction/Feb_02/images/RCflier.pdf
You can also stop off at the CTAHR office at UofH and pick up a copy. We also purchased a fecal test kit and the ph test kit.
When we put in our system, we used the author's advice regarding first-flush piping. Fairly simple concept.
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - Dennis - 02-27-2010
Yes I hear you Aliismc. When I need to clean our gutters I have a great system. I call my sons up and have them over for a BBQ and then I give them the bad news!! [
]Dennis
RE: Catchment cleaning and maintenance? - john the architect - 03-12-2010
What you need is a roof washer. I bought one from a Texas company and ended up rebuilding it with scrap stainless steel parts when the galvanized rusted. You could easily look at the plans and make one yourself. A really cool new idea is the vortex filter. Water is induced to spin and the leaves fall down and out while the clean water passes through perforated stainless and slips down the outer part of the filter and into your catch tank. To buy one off the shelf is costly, $2500. Once again a clever person could figure out how to make one and set up a cottage industry in Puna.