flocculant products to clear muddy water?

[peernisse]

Originally Posted by okieboater

I could give a hoot where you guided and how you operate your trips.

I asked for information and I got it. Thanks to the Mt Buzz folks who offer solutions to questions

All you are doing is wasting time attempting to tell me how to clear up water like you do, I do not care how you cleared your water. I have tried all the ways you mention. I asked if there was a better way. Looks like there may be and I will try it. This is my last post to waste on you.

I think the bicycle chain hooked to the centrifuge would fit for you.

[peernisse]

Originally Posted by raymo

That is how we did it also, on many rivers, Yampa, Cat, Deso, North Platte, Green, Westwater, etc. Of course, something it left a pumpkin flavor.

Me and Ray on the same page here perhaps. It is water dude. I also am a chemist, but still there are other things to think about on a trip. Why are you obsessed with silt?

[MNichols]

Originally Posted by Electric-Mayhem

If you are having to clean a significant amount of "material" off of the Groover when it gets packed up...then people are doing it wrong. Its an absolute requirement that people check their "work" and clean up after themselves. I'm that guy that cleans up after people when they leave it but I have zero problem being vocal about it when I get back to camp.

If you manage to do a rim shot... its your obligation to clean it up.

I'm with both of you, I've volunteered to be resident groovologist for the entire trip if it keeps me out of the kitchen. Most groovers are easy for folks to use, with the distinct exception of the Eco Safe system, it sucks in SO many levels, and needs cleaning after every deployment even if folks are careful. What a PITA solution to a problem that didn't exist.

[Will Amette]

Alum works just fine and doesn't take too long if you use it properly.



Make a saturated solution or see if your local water treatment plant will give you a pint. Put it in a plastic bottle.



You will need to adjust your dose based on how turbid the water is. More turbidity will need a little more alum. Too much is counterproductive. You really need to get the dose right. It helps if you have some soda ash to adjust the pH to the ideal range for settling. Keep in mind the source water may already be alkaline and need no adjustment. Not only will too much alum keep the water from settling, it can add a metallic flavor.


A little practice will help you get the dose right. For a five-gallon bucket, I typically go with about a half cap full from a liter tonic water bottle to start and adjust as days go by or source water quality changes. After you dose the liquid alum, get a paddle and really slosh it around violently, but just for a half minute. This gets the alum distributed in the water and in contact with the sediment to form floc. THEN use the paddle to gently swirl the water. This allows the floc to continue to grow and not get broken apart. For a row of buckets, I dose, rapid mix each one, then get the swirl going. I go back a couple times to keep the gentle swirl going, and then walk away. The primary settling happens pretty fast. You can decant fairly clear water in a half hour. I like to wait an hour or more before filtering to drink, but for dishes, you can get clear water ALMOST as fast with alum as with the PACl, but the PACl will certainly work.


I think you still need to be mindful of the dose. You may not need to worry as much about pH. I just use alum as it's really cheap and easily available. Oh. And it does work just fine for my needs. I hope you find something that works for you.