Sump tank design and pump?

[GaryMoz]

I'm really please with my new pond it's a hybrid pond using both bottom drains and a bog filter. The only problem I have is the amount of water I get through, I'm using a drum filter and it and with evaporation I must be using 500 up to 1000 ltrs a day and with UK water costs it mounts up. I'm already using rain water tank from 30m2 of roof but that's no where near enough ( that's about 21000 ltrs a year, if the pond uses 500ltrs a day that's 182000 ltrs a year (blimey that's more than I thought). At the moment if the water tank fall below a certain level, it automatically adds a some tap water.

So I'm thinking of sinking a a hole and trying use water from the water table. When will built the pond 1500mm deep, the bottom 300mm filled with water. So I'm thinking of just digging a deep hole, say 2000mm deep, line it with inspection chamber risers with holes cut in, and drop something like an on demand pump like this borehole pump, then use this to feed the rainwater tank, which feeds the pond.

The borehole pump could go directly to the pond, but I'm worried if the water table lowers and dries up (note: water is strangely high where I live, I think it is because a spring water is being trapped on a clay layer). so no water to top up pond.

I should mention the pond does need it's water level automatically maintained.

Cost is another issue, it all mounts up.

Anyone with experience of doing this and the most cost effective way?

 

[GBBUDD]

As you know i have a cistern 3000 gallons and only vocational do i need to help out luke now I don't think we have had any rain in two months now.
But your idea of a well is a good one but I question if shallow well we be a problem. With introducing organic or polution. But you know your area better than I do . Here in the states there's no undisturbed land left. And God only knows what was where a hundred years ago . I know to you 100 is nothing but you get the point.

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

I know you travel a lot and are worried about how much the well may deliver before it runs dry . So why not leave your tap water float. Just have it activated a a point when the water drops to where you know the well has failed.

 

[GaryMoz]

I know you travel a lot and are worried about how much the well may deliver before it runs dry . So why not leave your tap water float. Just have it activated a a point when the water drops to where you know the well has failed.

I think that will be what I will do, have the well water top up the rain water tank and if there is no rain and no ground water then I will use tap water. It means a bit of extra pipe work, but should save a lot of money in the long run

I will test the water, but I pretty sure the water will be ok here.

 

[NotMike]

Wow! That’s a cubic metre a day at the top end. If you are on a metered supply that’s getting on for £1000 a year! At this time of year (November) there would be little evaporation. Could you have a leak somewhere. can You read the water meter To find out exactly how much it uses overnight?

 

[GaryMoz]

Wow! That’s a cubic metre a day at the top end. If you are on a metered supply that’s getting on for £1000 a year! At this time of year (November) there would be little evaporation. Could you have a leak somewhere. can You read the water meter To find out exactly how much it uses overnight?

Even this time a year evaporation can add up, evaporation calculator , 5 lph during the day 2 lph at night, that's nearly 100 a day and the drum filter will be using 200 a day ( 4 l per flush, a flush every 30mins). So as you can see it soon mounts up, that 300 l now and in summer it will be much higher. So I pretty sure there is no leak. Hence looking at how to save on water usage

 

[NotMike]

Now that l know what drum filters are I can see how its using lots of water. Could you feed the waste water to a sand bed, allow it to percolate through that and get clean water for recycling at the bottom? I came across this

How to build a Simple Backyard Bio Sand Water Filtration System from easily available materials .

This project provides detailed instructions for constructing an affordable bio-sand water filtration system that is capable of removing pollutants from various sources such as streams, lakes, gutters, and well water. Bio sand filters are highly effective in removing harmful microorganis

practicalsurvivalist.com

but no idea what size you would need to process 200 litres a day. Surely there must be someway to recycle that water at a sensible cost?

my pond is a simple 3m x 2 m wildlife pond so I don’t have to bother about water consumption.

 

[NotMike]

The drum filter uses clean tap water to spray off the collected residue on the filter. Can't you collect this water and use that to spray onto the filter to clean it.

 

[GBBUDD]

Rdf makes it's own clean water that could be used for the pressure jets. But using tap water would be a benifit to keep the heads cleaner longer with a little sediment strainer. But one it spray the water it is now waste water and collecting it to add back to the pond defeats the purpose.

 

[GaryMoz]

The drum filter uses clean tap water to spray off the collected residue on the filter. Can't you collect this water and use that to spray onto the filter to clean it.

Isn't that a little like perpetual motion machine I would have to filter the collected water used to clean the filter, which is the purpose of the filter.

 

[GaryMoz]

I think I'm am going to sink a bore hole down 20' or so. I's interesting in the USA they seem to use a lot small bore well points and just push them down. I found quite a few videos of using pressure washes and mud pumps to help do it, but these are non-existent UK, just not done, I guess the the ground gas too much rock and stone in.

I found a couple of companies making a simple hand auger I could try to use, they have extensions you add to the auger a slide mechanisum to bring out the dirt. This will also have a problem with stone and rock, although I can use pressure jet as well to try to get around small stones. If I hit rock it's a no go, but I don't think I have shallow rock where I am.

I will then drop a low cost bore hole pump down it.

 

[GBBUDD]

I'd look into having a well company punch you a hole heck they'll be done in an hour so you'll probably just get hit with a trucking charge. Here in the states basicly was a grand.

 

[GaryMoz]

I'd look into having a well company punch you a hole heck they'll be done in an hour so you'll probably just get hit with a trucking charge. Here in the states basicly was a grand.

Most water well boreholes over here cost £20 -30k minimum, from what I can tell

 

[GBBUDD]

But that is probably for a deep well one for drinking. And if it's that much it must be very deep with lots of rock.
The water your experiencing I'd not use for potable/drinking but it might be ok for fish.
Well guys generally know whats where and should be able to tell you if your sitting on a clay bowl , thus all the surface water or if there's a spring near by. It doesn't hurt to pick there brains

 

[GaryMoz]

But that is probably for a deep well one for drinking. And if it's that much it must be very deep with lots of rock.
The water your experiencing I'd not use for potable/drinking but it might be ok for fish.
Well guys generally know whats where and should be able to tell you if your sitting on a clay bowl , thus all the surface water or if there's a spring near by. It doesn't hurt to pick there brains

Over here we can get access to old borehole and well records. The nearest two records to my house both around 100yeards away indicate spring water is around 5' to 10' deep, really shallow. So I will have a test using a pressure washer and 4" pipe and see if a can get down 2 or 3' feet if I can, I will get an hand auger and go for it.

Something like this 120mm 10m Hand auger. Well it will keep me busy

 

[GBBUDD]

If it is spring water your lucky I'd give it a shot dig a pit you'll only need 100 gallons a day would be my guess