Water smells like rotten eggs.

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    Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 3:12pm
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I have a concrete rainwater tank, its an old one maybe 5000gallons?? The water has started to smell like rotten eggs when it comes from the tap. I have thrown in some chlorine tablets. Anyone else had this problem and fixed it? Water is not used for drinking.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Derek F Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 3:33pm
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Is it bore water?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Don18025 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 3:55pm
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When was it last cleaned? Now it has started raining drain it and get it cleaned out. It is most likely filled with rotting vegetation that is not getting a lot of oxygen, so is forming hydrogen sulphide. Always get someone experienced to do this work as entering tanks in this condition can be very dangerous.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote pompey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 6:44pm
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Derek F, No it's not bore water, it's rain water.
Don 18025, Probably not cleaned for a long time and I am sure it has rotting leaves etc on the bottom of tank, but it has had this for years I suspect. I need it smelling ok as I have overseas visitors arriving in a week and they will have to shower with this water. Thanks for the advice, I will get someone that knows what they are doing to clean it once my visitors go. Just wanting to get rid of the smell for now.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote bazza Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 8:18pm
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You could try dropping a bag of lime into it but whatever you do it will merely be disguising the cause rather than remedying it as you could well have 250 to 300 mm of concentrated rotting sludge in the bottom of the tank at a level that it is now being drawn off with the water being used.
 
Two temporary options that will only work short term but not cure the problem would be to raise the level that the water is being drawn from by means of a syphon hose or syphoning off some of the base sludge with a large dia. hose, then allowing the water to settle back down again after being disturbed.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote cirrus Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 9:13pm
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Sounds like anaerobic -or poorly aerated water. Is any run off getting in to the tank. Maybe try running a garden hose in there ,re circulating the water could help Or do a clean out of tank and check filters etc.. If it were me would either boil water or drink bottled water until fixed.
The long dry spell may have contributed with little fresh oxygenated water getting in.
Would be very careful about using chlorine. To much can be toxic.

If you drain it you  must get all the sludge out as thats where bacteria will be.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote wakatoa Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 9:54pm
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Do you have a macrocarpa tree nearby? Leaves are bad for rainwater tanks
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote KikBac Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 18 Apr 2015 at 10:00pm
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It's p1ssing down here - drain it and let it refill!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MacSkipper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 8:01am
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I cleaned out our water tank in huia on Manukau harbour - was able to run on mains water and fill empty several times and use a hose to move sludge on bottom of tank each time till clean - we used for 2 years and we drink it, no problems.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote spear junkie Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 8:30am
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Have you had a look in the tank? A possum can make your water smell nasty after a couple weeks of decomposing.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 8:39am
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Definitely check for dead animals and birds. I've had a couple of rats and several birds in my tank over the years. With the rain we had yesterday I would have drained it all and scooped out as much of the stuff on the bottom as I could before it rained. That's great advice after the fact though.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Don18025 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 10:07am
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Pompey, take your overseas friends to Rotorua for a week then bring them home.
They will not smell the difference.
Sounds like you have been putting this off and now it is rather late to do the fix. Probably cost you a clean out and a tanker load of water as not much rain likely this week!
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Dohboy Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 10:15am
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http://www.tankvac.co.nz/

These work very well
www.acewash.co.nz
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote MacSkipper Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 10:31am
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Seems like a neat idea what sort of dollars?
Good fishing trip nothing breaks, great trip catch fish.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote pompey Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 1:28pm
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Thanks for all the tips. I am recirculating the hose into the tank to aerate the water.
I doubt I have dead birds etc in the tank as they can't enter through the top and the tank is gravity feed. I think I will have to empty it and have it cleaned, maybe hire a submersable pump to try and get the sludge out?
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 19 Apr 2015 at 8:16pm
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My tanks have no entry for birds or rats either but they can get in,  probably through the down pipes. Check for dead animals
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