Remove suspended clay particles from dam

**NobbyTD5** · 12th February 2015, 09:04 PM

Gypsum
is only sparingly soluble, not harmful and cheap. I would try the jar test on that

I reckon Babicat has a good point. if it was clear in the before then it is likely to settle naturally.

interested to hear the answer/result
cheers
Nobby

**spudboy** · 12th February 2015, 10:36 PM

Try some searching on Bentonite. Not 100% sure of the spelling, but we used it in one of our dams 10 years ago, and I'm pretty sure it clears suspended particles. Either that, or it seals up leaking dams! I can't remember....

**350RRC** · 13th February 2015, 07:35 AM

My 'nitrate retarding basin' had fine clay discolouration in the water. Stayed that way for months till I got a Honda powered pump hooked up to a 2" poly suction pipe.

For some reason the water went clear overnight. Could be a coincidence, or possibly the vibration from the pump via the pipe helped it settle out.

cheers, DL

**Killer** · 13th February 2015, 08:03 AM

I have been told that throwing a bag of cement into the dam will do the trick, I have not tried this so can't comment on whether it works or not and I have no idea about the chemistry.

Cheers, Mick.

**pibby** · 13th February 2015, 09:35 AM

Results of first test running through a thick high thread count bed sheet.

Not very promising! Aside from removal of large floaters doesn't appear to have achieved anything.

**CraigE** · 13th February 2015, 10:02 AM

Originally Posted by spudboy

Try some searching on Bentonite. Not 100% sure of the spelling, but we used it in one of our dams 10 years ago, and I'm pretty sure it clears suspended particles. Either that, or it seals up leaking dams! I can't remember....

It is a form of clay, commonly used to add guts to sandy soil, so maybe as a heavier form of clay may help settle.

**p38arover** · 13th February 2015, 10:09 AM

Originally Posted by pibby

Results of first test running through a thick high thread count bed sheet.

How did you get the water to stay in the glass? It must have gone to jelly!

**V8Ian** · 13th February 2015, 11:05 AM

Originally Posted by pibby

Results of first test running through a thick high thread count bed sheet.

Not very promising! Aside from removal of large floaters doesn't appear to have achieved anything.

It appears to have defied gravity.

**KarlB** · 13th February 2015, 11:45 AM

Originally Posted by spudboy

Try some searching on Bentonite. Not 100% sure of the spelling, but we used it in one of our dams 10 years ago, and I'm pretty sure it clears suspended particles. Either that, or it seals up leaking dams! I can't remember....

Bentonite swells significantly on contact with water and is very sticky. It is used (amongst a host of other things) to seal leaky dams. See Bentonite - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Cheers
KarlB

**pibby** · 13th February 2015, 01:03 PM

I'm still keen to persist with some type of filter if possible. I can put the water tank so it has about 5-7 metre head on it over the dam height.

Trying to keep it simple before I delve into the chemicals. If the sheet worked I was just going to tie it on the hose end it ran back into the dam. With that much head there would be good pressure. Might take couple a days (as con the fruiterer would say) to drain. Then repeat.

Any thing else to use in lieu of the sheet under that method? A commercial filter?

It may settle as bacicat says but at this rate that will be next year before can use it.

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