<p>I'm attempting to water some crops on my small plot of land using water from a downhill creek. I want to pump the water uphill to a tank then use gravity fed drip irrigation. Sometimes ( usually after a rain ) the water gets quite cloudy. I was thinking of mounting the outlet of the tank in such a way that there is a later between the bottom and the outlet so that any particulate can settle out in the tank. Is there any way to determine the time that a certain sized particulate will take to precipitate out of water? In other words how long should I let the water settle before letting it drip</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-12-28T18:00:39.580Z
You can try the settling velocity calculation using: https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/staffpages/csherwood/sedx_equations/sedxinfo.html
arkaia
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-01T22:07:32.470Z
Two comments on the settling velocity calcluations. First, some very fine particles will not settle. I don't know if they are still coarse enough to clog your drip emitters. Second, water salinity can affect the settling rate. Particles that settle well in saline water can disperse when contacted by fresh water.  Can you manage the system to avoid pumping the cloudy water? Do you know what size particles you need to keep out of your drip system?
haresfur
CC BY-SA 3.0
2018-01-01T22:10:09.760Z
From what I have read, 100 micron filters will prevent clogging of the lines, I’m planning on using a ram pump, so I’m not sure if I can prevent the uptake of the silty water
user379468
<precipitation><geologic-layers>
How can I figure out the time it will take different clay and silt particles to precipitate out of water
user379468
# How can I figure out the time it will take different clay and silt particles to precipitate out of water

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-12-28)

I'm attempting to water some crops on my small plot of land using water from a downhill creek. I want to pump the water uphill to a tank then use gravity fed drip irrigation. Sometimes ( usually after a rain ) the water gets quite cloudy. I was thinking of mounting the outlet of the tank in such a way that there is a later between the bottom and the outlet so that any particulate can settle out in the tank. Is there any way to determine the time that a certain sized particulate will take to precipitate out of water? In other words how long should I let the water settle before letting it drip

**Tags:** precipitation, geologic-layers

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: You can try the settling velocity calculation using: https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/staffpages/csherwood/sedx_equations/sedxinfo.html  
> **username_2**: Two comments on the settling velocity calcluations. First, some very fine particles will not settle. I don't know if they are still coarse enough to clog your drip emitters. Second, water salinity can affect the settling rate. Particles that settle well in saline water can disperse when contacted by fresh water.  Can you manage the system to avoid pumping the cloudy water? Do you know what size particles you need to keep out of your drip system?  
> **username_0**: From what I have read, 100 micron filters will prevent clogging of the lines, I’m planning on using a ram pump, so I’m not sure if I can prevent the uptake of the silty water  

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## 0 answers

