03-01-2021, 03:50 AM
I have vacuumed our catchment tank, on occasion.
It had a thick layer of organic matter on its bottom.
I bought a pool cleaning vacuum head, a pole to mount it on and a hose to siphon water and the organic matter off as I vacuumed the bottom.
There was so much OM in the tank it took three vacuumings to get it down to a reasonable level.
Then, we had a new roof put on because of damage to it from the eruption.
Then, we put covers on the new roof gutters.
Finally, I vacuumed the tank again.
The old roof was sluffing black algae into the tank.
Ohia leaves falling into the gutters were being washed down to the tank.
I added screens to the downspouts to remove the leaves.
They required frequent cleaning to remove accumulated leaves.
Prior to replacing the roof, I pressure washed the old roof to scour the black algae off.
The new roof reinforces that and extends the time until the algae will become a problem again.
The finish on the new roof does have some anti fungal properties.
The gutter covers keep leaves out of the gutters, the winds blow the leaves away keeping the covers cleaned off.
3 years after pressure washing the roof and 2 years after replacing it, very little OM accumulation has been added to the tank.
I also changed the intake for the pump, changing it from being fixed near the bottom of the tank to a floating intake near the water's surface, 4-5' from the bottom.
I vacuumed it again after all that.
It is the cleanest it has ever been since it was new.
It appears to be staying that way now.
Since doing all that, I began using catchment water in cooking applications where boiling temps are reached.
I still get drinking water from the county's waterholes.
RLW has been the major motivating factor for doing all but the replacement.
It had a thick layer of organic matter on its bottom.
I bought a pool cleaning vacuum head, a pole to mount it on and a hose to siphon water and the organic matter off as I vacuumed the bottom.
There was so much OM in the tank it took three vacuumings to get it down to a reasonable level.
Then, we had a new roof put on because of damage to it from the eruption.
Then, we put covers on the new roof gutters.
Finally, I vacuumed the tank again.
The old roof was sluffing black algae into the tank.
Ohia leaves falling into the gutters were being washed down to the tank.
I added screens to the downspouts to remove the leaves.
They required frequent cleaning to remove accumulated leaves.
Prior to replacing the roof, I pressure washed the old roof to scour the black algae off.
The new roof reinforces that and extends the time until the algae will become a problem again.
The finish on the new roof does have some anti fungal properties.
The gutter covers keep leaves out of the gutters, the winds blow the leaves away keeping the covers cleaned off.
3 years after pressure washing the roof and 2 years after replacing it, very little OM accumulation has been added to the tank.
I also changed the intake for the pump, changing it from being fixed near the bottom of the tank to a floating intake near the water's surface, 4-5' from the bottom.
I vacuumed it again after all that.
It is the cleanest it has ever been since it was new.
It appears to be staying that way now.
Since doing all that, I began using catchment water in cooking applications where boiling temps are reached.
I still get drinking water from the county's waterholes.
RLW has been the major motivating factor for doing all but the replacement.
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Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.
Was a Democrat until gun control became a knee jerk, then a Republican until the crazies took over, back to being a nonpartisan again.
This time, I can no longer participate in the primary.