Waterboy tank system FAQ
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I've had tank water for years and never had problems, so why would I want a WaterBoy unit?
Realistically (and statistically) the chances of fatal diseases from tank water are very low, however, there is a very high chance of 'minor' illnesses. These are caused mainly by E-coli and campylobacter bacteria which are present in virtually every water tank. They are concentrated at the bottom of the tank and if you ingest too many you get an upset tummy and/or diarrhoea. Most people attribute their symptoms to bad food and accept the inconvenience, but it shouldn't be so.
Good water is the very basis of health and our immune systems have enough work to do already without any extra work caused by an easily preventable burden of faecal bacteria. This type of illness spreads easily and tends to affect the whole family.
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I've got good strainers and leaf filters so my tank is clean?
Sorry, but it can never be really clean. You cannot practically filter water to your tank. Imagine what happens to bird droppings when it rains. They are dissolved and the water travels to the tank. The bacteria are already single-celled organisms in suspension. The good thing about this inescapable scenario is that the bacteria do sink to the bottom zone.
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I already have filters for my water tank. Will the WaterBoy interfere with them?
Not at all. Filters can be very good but the most efficient at removing the smallest organisms are expensive and can clog up quite quickly. The cleaner water that the WaterBoy obtains means that your filters will last a lot longer before needing cleaning or replacement. In fact, some filters can actually breed bacteria if they become blocked so they do require regular monitoring. Note that the Seagull IV water purifiers do not allow bacteria to breed.
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My tank is an unusual size/shape. Will the WaterBoy work?
Yes. It will work on tanks of all sizes and shapes. Further information is included with the unit's fitting instructions (when ordering be sure to state the material the tank is constructed of as the relevant fitting instructions differ).
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Is it difficult to install?
Not at all. Having said that, the water level inside the tank must be shallow enough for you to stand in and be able to reach the outlet. This equates to about a quarter of a tank of water. The whole operation should only take 15 minutes and is basically just screwing or pushing the end of the Waterboy unit into the outlet.
Waterboys have been installed by snorkelling in a full tank but it is not recommended.
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I've got a full tank so I've got to empty it to install the Waterboy?
Not completely. It is easy to install with approximately a quarter full tank. It is difficult for many people to "waste" their tank water but its mostly a psychological barrier. If it is done before good rainfall is forecast it is full again in no time. The dramatic positive benefits of the WaterBoy easily outweigh the loss of some water. If you can't bear the thought of lowering the tank level you should purchase a unit and install it when the water level is low due to drought or high usage.
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I'm not too handy or I'm too busy to install it myself. What should I do?
Any handyman with a ladder could install a Waterboy (It comes with full instructions) or a tank specialist or plumber can easily do it.
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What happens if I run out of water?
Exactly what happens if you run out now i.e. the pump will be in danger of sustaining damage.
The Waterboy unit cannot become blocked so the priority is to turn off the pump and get more water! We recommend a tank level indicator because we all know how inconvenient running out of water is.
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We have an old wooden tank with an outlet pipe that runs up and over the top (a siphon system) because it has a tank liner. Can we still install a WaterBoy?
Yes. It will require a different attachment where it connects to the bottom of the outlet pipe. If you provide the correct measurement at the time of ordering we will include the appropriate fitting, if not we will include a 32mm fitting which is fairly standard.
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When ordering the Waterboy I've got to provide a measurement which seems a bit tricky. How do I do it?
It's actually pretty easy. All you need to do is measure across the pipe that sticks out at the bottom of your tank. It will probably (but not always ) go into a valve and then to the pump. The diameter of the outlet pipes vary but as long as you get it fairly accurate we can send the correct fitting. If you don't include a measurement we will send a 32mm fitting which is the most common. If that is wrong we can send the correct fitting the next day. Don't forget to indicate the material your tank is made of as this is also relevant.
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What kind of guarantee do you offer?
The WaterBoy is guaranteed for 10 years.
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I have more than one tank do I need more than one WaterBoy?
No. You only need one on the common outlet.
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Will it mean I have less water pressure if I have a gravity feed system?
No. It will be the same pressure.