Thai Dhupp and Princess Joy's Thai House Build

[Thai Dhupp]

Unfortunately I have to decline your kind offer to assist due to acute laziness and aversion to work!
You have highlighted one of the reasons I don't collect rainwater, mine get a light coating of fine solids on the bottom, easy to wash out in 5 minutes or soooo.....
Well water has a 30 micron filter before going into tank, city water has no filter TDS is surprisingly good at around 100.

One thing worth checking on the water systems is the PH, water here tends to be quite acidic, you find out fairly quickly which water fittings are "quality"!

I don't find the surface tanks to be aesthetically ugly, they are necessary, if they are well plumbed in and piping neat and orderly = "industrial chic" my background is in construction, doubtless affects my view point.

I am also in 'construction' but I like the idea of clean lines and great views. I will have to consider where I can hide a tank / tanks, but equally I can see a benefit as described, long term with the cleaning arrangements.

I wondered about pH too... does anyone 'treat' their water if it is too acidic / alkalii?

I would imagine acidic water could play havoc with some fixtures and fittings, even the tank itself if not, but maybe its negligable?

[Norton]

just wondered if anyone was going the u/g route because of aesthetics

I went under ground. Relatively small plot and having tank above ground aesthetically displeasing. Cleaning is more difficult than above ground but not that much more. Pump out water, have small villager go inside and scrub it down. Get BiL's septic tank pump truck to suck up residual water. Different suction hose than the one he uses for septic tanks.

Clean it every couple years.

[Thai Dhupp]

Different suction hose than the one he uses for septic tanks.

Lol I hope so, Norton... does he have some coloured twine on the 'good' pipe, just to make sure its does not get mixed up!?

[Thai Dhupp]

One thing I have noticed, and I also noticed it before earlier in the thread when I was talking about rainfall and how to use grey water (remember, I was thinking of combining grey and black water residue and watering the garden with it? ok not the best idea!)

....everyone has strong views and also a lot of experience when we are talking all things 'water'. This comes out loud and clear from the discussions.

Tanks, pumps, pressure, drain fields, soakaways, boreholes, overhead tanks, centrally heated, locally heated, solar heated, grey lines, black lines, etc etc... we have covered a lot on water but thats because its a big topic to cover. I have found it fascinating and a great learning experience. Cetainly there are things I planned to do that, because of advice and experience, I will not now do.

Its good if its aired here, not everyone does exactly the same but between us, for me and any future would-be-builders, there should be enough information to make an informed choice that's 'right for you'

Again, the power of the forum - thanks all.

[Thai Dhupp]

Finishing work


Those ladies and their mixing pan!


Luckily it was filled for them from the skip


Topping up when the skip had been, and even filling the shutter from scratch.


I think they serve the rice the same way, down in the Chonburi Hilton...

[Norton]

I don't find the surface tanks to be aesthetically ugly, they are necessary, if they are well plumbed in and piping neat and orderly = "industrial chic" my background is in construction, doubtless affects my view point.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My background is in fashion design so our beholding eyes have a different view.

Anyway, nuff about water now that TD has politely suggested he would like to carry on building the house.

Carry on TD.

[Airportwo]

Anyway, nuff about water now that TD has politely suggested he would like to carry on building the house..

Can we do windows and doors next? I like to rant about them!

[Thai Dhupp]

Can we do windows and doors next? I like to rant about them!

Let me get the walls up first, AP2!!!

[Airportwo]

Let me get the walls up first, AP2!!!

Folks tend to put in far too many windows here & end up living in a greenhouse, obviously you need some light, but not direct sunlight, worth thinking about....

[Thai Dhupp]

Folks tend to put in far too many windows here & end up living in a greenhouse, obviously you need some light, but not direct sunlight, worth thinking about....

That's true, AP2, as seen if you drive around any development no matter how expensive? Trying to impose western design into a tropical country forces some compromises.

If you look earlier in my thread, when I posted the floor plans and elevations, you will see windows much more in keeping with ancient Thailand. Narrower windows, higher up in the wall so that the light still comes but a lot of the window is under the roof overhang.

Yes, there are some folding door arrangements which are glazed and obviously an 'in' for both light and heat. There will be blackout curtains in the bedroom with reflective material facing out to reduce this effect as much as possible. All of those folding doors are under big overhangs too.

[dennis4558]

WP-155Q5 pump.

https://www.mitsubishi-kyw.co.th/Pro...-Pump/924.aspx

I have single storey house with 8 hot/cold mixer faucets. The pump gives plenty of pressure.

Have an electric boiler hot water heater. 100 liter.

???????????????????????????? ???? EHS | Stiebel Eltron

Thanks Norton for the info.

[Thai Dhupp]

WP-155Q5 pump.

https://www.mitsubishi-kyw.co.th/Pro...-Pump/924.aspx

I have single storey house with 8 hot/cold mixer faucets. The pump gives plenty of pressure.

Have an electric boiler hot water heater. 100 liter.

???????????????????????????? ???? EHS | Stiebel Eltron

Thanks Norton for the info.

Again useful for the reference.. cheers!!

[Klondyke]

does he have some coloured twine on the 'good' pipe, just to make sure its does not get mixed up!?

Never seen such "subtle distinction" on the pipes of septic trucks coming to do the smelly business.

Anyway, to be spared of "good/bad pipes dilemma", for a good dirt sucking of u/g tank, perhaps a simple submersible pump (Daewoo) for 1,200 Baht in Big C or similar be a better (and sure) solution...

[Klondyke]

I wondered about pH too... does anyone 'treat' their water if it is too acidic / alkalii?

I would imagine acidic water could play havoc with some fixtures and fittings, even the tank itself if not, but maybe its negligable?

Most of the drinking water standards allow quite (surprisingly) a broad range of pH, e.g. 6.5 - 9.5. That's in contrast to the strict recommendations (musts) of the swimming pool shops (around 7.4) - and to their dismay. The value of the pH will influence consumption/effectiveness of chlorine. To maintain it so exactly costs quite a big money (beside the chlorine cost), so it's a good business for the shops.

In my thread about an affordable swimming pool I had mentioned this topic. I am running my pool whole year practically without frequent pH measuring and so its maintaining - having clear water throughout the year for my daily 1 km swim.

By usual water source the pH will not vary much between 7 - 8, so this will have no remarkable impact on the water system facility.

[Thai Dhupp]

Most of the drinking water standards allow quite (surprisingly) a broad range of pH, e.g. 6.5 - 9.5. That's in contrast to the strict recommendations (musts) of the swimming pool shops (around 7.4) - and to their dismay. The value of the pH will influence consumption/effectiveness of chlorine. To maintain it so exactly costs quite a big money (beside the chlorine cost), so it's a good business for the shops.

In my thread about an affordable swimming pool I had mentioned this topic. I am running my pool whole year practically without frequent pH measuring and so its maintaining - having clear water throughout the year for my daily 1 km swim.

By usual water source the pH will not vary much between 7 - 8, so this will have no remarkable impact on the water system facility.

Hi Klondyke, thanks for that...

Beside the house water it's also relevant for later...when we dig and install the swimming pool. OK that's still a little way off as the house will finish first, but no harm in gathering the information now.

I will take a read of your thread when I have some spare time..

It's quite a wide range on the drinking water, isn't it?

[Klondyke]

It's quite a wide range on the drinking water, isn't it?

Yes, that's quite surprising for many. When you read comments of experts on swimming pool forums they do not want to hear it. Usually, the pH always going up, so they ask you to lower it by pH minus - whatever all the preparates are named. In fact, all they are based on acidic substances, mostly HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) or H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid).

Some of them say that already pH 8 is not good for your skin. Why, when sea-water is over 8, water in thermal bad as well, isn't it good for health?

[Thai Dhupp]

Yes, that's quite surprising for many. When you read comments of experts on swimming pool forums they do not want to hear it. Usually, the pH always going up, so they ask you to lower it by pH minus - whatever all the preparates are named. In fact, all they are based on acidic substances, mostly HCL (Hydrochloric Acid) or H2SO4 (Sulphuric Acid).

Some of them say that already pH 8 is not good for your skin. Why, when sea-water is over 8, water in thermal bad as well, isn't it good for health?

According to the 'net...

Our body and skin require a balance between alkaline and acidity for our acid mantle – the barrier that keeps moisture in and germs and toxins out. Anything over seven is considered alkaline. Skin that falls on this end of the scale tends to be drier and more wrinkly, while skin that’s too acidic can appear red, irritated and itchy. Slightly acidic, around 5.5, is epidermal heaven.

I'm no expert which is why I took a look. Seems 5.5 pH is ideal...

[Radar]

Its good if its aired here, not everyone does exactly the same but between us, for me and any future would-be-builders, there should be enough information to make an informed choice that's 'right for you'.
Again, the power of the forum - thanks all.

I agree wholeheartedly TD. It has helped me a lot to solidify my own plans and understanding. Thank you everyone.

[Klondyke]

I'm no expert which is why I took a look. Seems 5.5 pH is ideal...

TD, I am also no expert either. And there are so many different theories about different waters. And I do not think that somebody checks the pH before drinking his water.

However, pH around 5 seems to me not very healthy when fish and frogs start to die in such bath.

One of (many) nutritious theories claims that our body is overly acidic since our food is mainly based on meat products, especially pork. The stomach needs to produce a lot of acid for disposal of such pork. And since the pH of our blood needs to be very exactly maintained to 7.4 - a 0.1 plus/minus can cause quite a big health problem - the produced acid that comes also to the blood system has to be immediately compensated. Therefore to make it easier to the "regulator", we should help him to deliberately add some more alkalinity. Either in food/drinks (e.g. edible baking soda, sodium bicarbonate) and/or also in our bathing water, the skin will forward it to the inside system.

According to this over acidity theory the maintaining the pH over 7.4 - (can be checked in our urine) - will help to our many physical (even psychical) problems.

[Airportwo]

TD, I am also no expert either. And there are so many different theories about different waters. And I do not think that somebody checks the pH before drinking his water.

I also am no expert! but do find water fascinating! We, in theory have the same amount of water in our world as we did millions of years ago, its been used and recycled so many times, who knows what the actual "history" is of the glass of water we drink?
I think? the ideal PH would have to be a neutral 7, our bodies need acidity to digest food, yet too much acid can lead to illness, people that are suffering from cancer are always very acidic.
Some believe that we should be drinking distilled water? I do believe we should be drinking water with low TDS, not convinced we need to actually distill the water, problem is with all the "chemicals" we use its impossible to know just what is in our water supply. For home use, again a neutral water will limit corrosion to fittings etc.

[Klondyke]

Beside the health problems at lower pH of swimming pool:

The lower values can affect the ceramic coating, especially the grouting of ceramic tiles. That's why you can see at many pools in Thailand a re-tiling after some 7 - 10 years, especially at the ones with the mosaic tiles.

Even some plastics foil pools are not very resistant to lower pH.

[Thai Dhupp]

Beside the health problems at lower pH of swimming pool:

The lower values can affect the ceramic coating, especially the grouting of ceramic tiles. That's why you can see at many pools in Thailand a re-tiling after some 7 - 10 years, especially at the ones with the mosaic tiles.

Even some plastics foil pools are not very resistant to lower pH.

Just read your pool thread - you make it seem a lot easier than the pool installation companies would have you believe - I like it!!

[Klondyke]

Just read your pool thread - you make it seem a lot easier than the pool installation companies would have you believe - I like it!!

Thanks TD, I like to make the things well functional, being more happy out of it than to get it delivered as a turn-key. That apart of the money spent. In this case perhaps 10% of a catalog pool.

[Thai Dhupp]

Sala lower level formation

[Klondyke]

Unfortunately I have to decline your kind offer to assist due to acute laziness and aversion to work!

Unfortunately, when no help from TD members - as I hoped to clean my other rainwater tank in 5 min - I had to help myself by myself. Again, it has taken few minutes more, i forgot to check it.

The black stain is what's left from the dirt inside.

I hope the birds and chinchokes will not be disturbed by the unethical location - not to think what the occasional gardener in the adjacent encroached public land would feel.





And I hope the unethical location will not be discovered by a visitor coming to the front door ...