General Care Discussion :: Major Problem

[Hoooneylynn]

okay so Im cleaning the tank and I got it half way filled back up and I notice the water is slightly brown! So I dump it all out, and find that the water coming from my faucet in the bathtub is brown like rusty. I tried the kitchen, and it was fine. So I dumped ALL the water out again, and then I started to fill it up with the water from the kitchen faucet, and eventually that water started to turn brown too!!!! Like the longer I run it, it turns brown. AHH! So I called the landlord but she hasnt called me back yet and Karlyn is MAD. Im trying to keep her hydrated and Im afraid to put her in the water. Now its not completely brown, slightly brown, but its not clean. Im thinking cause it rained a lot that might have something to do with it. What should I do? Is it alright to keep her in that water until they fix it? I dont even know what they will do about it! It would cost $40 to buy bottled water for that tank.

[SpotsMama]

Were you running any water from the hot water faucet? Water will turn brown like that when the hot water heater starts to rust. There's nothing to do for it but change out the hot water heater. It happened to us once.

[Hoooneylynn]

well I was running hot water when I was scrubing the filter parts and cleaning the bucket between dumping old and filling new, but the water was running at 74-78 degrees the whole time I was filling the tank.. (which was for about 15 minutes) which I did fill half way twice. It seemed like the longer the water ran, the worst it got. Thats why I didnt notice until it was halfway full. Shes in there now, its not as bad as I thought, but the first time I filled it from the bathtub it was bad. The second time I filled it was from the kitchen sink, which was fine until it had been running 15 minutes. But now instead of brown, it only looks slightly cloudy. And the first time I filled up the tank here (I moved in on the 1st) the water was CRYSTAL clear. I dont konw if it has anything to do with the rain water, it has been raining here and behind our building, water was collected in a retension pond and Im talking about 1000s of gallons collected for days. We are on the third floor though, I have no idea if that could effect anything? She was really mad cause she was out for 3 hours, and when I put her back in and everything isnt back in and the tank is only half filled. I really can tell her moods! Shes doing better now, I gave her a little pineapple, but she wont give me kisses like she normally does. hehe

[SpotsMama]

No kisses! That's tough!

Whatever it is, don't drink that water (do I really have to say that? I think not!). A plumber will have to figure out exactly what's wrong but it's something in the plumbing sytem. If it's not the hot water heater it's the pipes somewhere else or....maybe as you are thinking, the system has actually ruptured and stuff from outside has leached in. Bad news!

When it happened here about a year ago, at first the water was only very slightly cloudy, so that I thought it was my imagination, then over about a week's time it got worse and worse. The longer we'd run the water the murkier it got as sediments from lower and lower in the hot water heater were stirred up.

If it's any comfort, around here (in Texas) the sewer system is always buried a lot lower in the ground than the water system so that it's not supposed to be possible to get raw sewage in the treated water system. Hopefully they do it that way in Chicago too!

[grey goose]

It could be a broken water main somewhere in your neighborhood. I just had one happen across town from me and was getting rusty water for a few days.....you can try running the faucets full blast (all of them, kitchen, bath, etc) for several minutes, it may clear up.

[Cayte923]

That happened to me in an entire neighborhood I lived in a few years ago. Be careful washing your clothes too! My step mother at the time was an OT (occupational therapist) and of course wore white jackets. She washed them and they all turned this nasty, dingy shade of brown. Ruined 'em all. Hope that doesn't happen to you. Your turt will probably be okay. Turtles in all areas must, at some time or another experience poor or run-off water quality. I would still watch it closely though, as I'm sure you are!

Good luck with the water AND your landlord!

[industrial_girl_2000]

I agree with Greygoose, I think you guys have a broken water main somewhere in the area. Find out if other buildings/homes in the neighborhood have the same problem (also, it will help you be able to determine if the problem is in your building or external to you). If it is external, call the city water department to get details about what is going on.

In the past when I've had the brown water thing, it took a few days for the water to "flush thru" the pipes (they put extra chlorine in the water to kill germs) & we had to boil any water that we were drinking for a couple of days. The extra iron shouldn't be harmful for Karlyn, but I would be more worried about any residual bacteria in the water.

[Hoooneylynn]

I checked with the other people in the building, and they said they dont have any problems! However, they may not have run the water a long time like I did. We asked this girl downstairs and shes drunk all the time lol so she isnt that reliable! And I couldnt really notice it until I collected it, it looks clear coming out the faucet, but in the tank and in glasses, it looks bad. It gets worse the longer I run it, so I dont think its a broken water main, cause grey goose said it should get better if you run the water longer? I dont know. The landlord is perfectly fine with paying the bill, (shes like a millionaire) and her plumber should come today. And dont worry spots mama, I am not drinking the water, washing dishes, cooking, and I took a shower at my grandmas house and my boyfriend took a shower at his friends house today. Karlyn seems much better. Thanks everyone for your input, and Ill let you know what happened!

[mackadocious]

i'm assuming you're on city water, but when i had well water years ago, the old filters in the well weren't changed for so long that the high mineral content was being refiltered in.....you generally didn't notice discoloration unless you pooled the water.....we started noticing it more and more cause it was staining clothing and the bathtubs and sometimes our nails.....it did get progressively worse, though not the way you're describing within a few minutes.......just a thought....

[steve]

Just an idea, but what if you use a filter like Brita or a RO system?

[Hoooneylynn]

well they are going to replace the hot water tank. Even when Im not running HOT water, it still turns brown. I replaced her water today, put very cold water in the tank and let it heat up to 78 before putting her in and its very clean now. Shes happy shes got her jacuzzi back! lol.

Steve I dont think I will have to do that when they fix the problem, before this happened, the water was excellent.

Now we will have to wait til monday cause these people are SLOW, but they are my landlords people. Plus they told my landlord that my boyfriend was calling every half hour, but he only called twice in the last three days, and she called up yelling at him.

***SIGH***

[mini]

i had a similar experience where my building was having plumbing maintenance and then the water was running brown for 3 to 4 days. but that time, even cold water had the same problem.

if your cold water is okay, you can put some cold water in the tank and at the same time, boil hot water and mix them with the cold water. it'll heat up the water faster.

[Hoooneylynn]

Well, everything is fixed! It was so bad it was effecting the cold water too, and the water pressure. I am happy now, and so is moochie!

[industrial_girl_2000]

Thank goodness!

[Hoooneylynn]