I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

wrote:

I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.


Normally, the flow from the water heater should only
affect hot water taps. If the tank was producing
thye "rocks" I would expect faucet aerators to become
clogged.

Find out if the house has galvanized iron piping.
If so, deterioration of the pipe interior could
easily account for the toilet problems.
Another possible is that the particles are hard rubber
chips from a shutoff valve washer which has disintegrated.

If you're able, flushing out the line feeding the toilet
may help.

Jim

wrote:

I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

Assuming that you aren't feeding your commode with hot water, those are
probably pieces of your flapper or rubber washers.

Richard Perry

I thought they were from the flapper and rubber seal too, but i did
change the flapper. The old one wasn't breaking apart. It was just old
and i wanted to replace it. Seems like too may rubber pieces to be from
the seal since that is small and the pieces have been coming into the
toilet for over a week. I will clean out the line though that comes
into the toilet. That might help.
RP wrote:
wrote:

I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

Assuming that you aren't feeding your commode with hot water, those are
probably pieces of your flapper or rubber washers.

Richard Perry

wrote:
I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

Hi,
From vent stack?

wrote:
I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

From the description, it sounds like iron sulfide. Does your water ever
have a rotten-egg smell (indicating the presence of sulfur)?

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

No, it doesn't have a sulfur smell. What would cause iron sulfide to be
there? Is it in the water source?
CJT wrote:
wrote:
I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

From the description, it sounds like iron sulfide. Does your water ever
have a rotten-egg smell (indicating the presence of sulfur)?

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

wrote:

No, it doesn't have a sulfur smell. What would cause iron sulfide to be
there? Is it in the water source?

It would result from both iron and sulfur being available in
some form capable of reaction. Often the sulfur would come
from hydrogen sulfide, which suggests the egg question.

CJT wrote:

wrote:

I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.


From the description, it sounds like iron sulfide. Does your water ever
have a rotten-egg smell (indicating the presence of sulfur)?

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .




--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

Can i add someting inside the tank to dissolve the rocks? Bleach maybe?
Would the bleach harm the flapper or rubber seal in the valve?

wrote:

Can i add someting inside the tank to dissolve the rocks? Bleach maybe?
Would the bleach harm the flapper or rubber seal in the valve?

nothing I know of

--
The e-mail address in our reply-to line is reversed in an attempt to
minimize spam. Our true address is of the form .

wrote:
Can i add someting inside the tank to dissolve the rocks? Bleach maybe?
Would the bleach harm the flapper or rubber seal in the valve?

No, no, and yes.

she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

Municipal water or a well? Even with a filter I get grit from my well.
Check your faucet aerators. If there is no grit in there, then I don't
know.

wrote in message
ups.com...
. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.

There are a couple of possibilities. Do you have a well? It could be bits
of sand picked up by the pump. If so, they will probably show up in the
other faucet aerators. Check them to be sure. Even with city water you can
get some grit. The cure is a filter for particulates.

The hot water flush should not affect the toilet at all, but strange things
do happen. The sudden release from the valve may have caused a little water
hammer and released the particles that have been clinging in the pipes for
years.

With city water, the water dept. often do a hydrant flush once or twice a
year. When they do that in my neighborhood, I have to change the filter the
next day. Could it be that your wife was that being done and inspired her
to do the water heater? That would explain a lot.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

On 27 Jan 2006 19:03:44 -0800, wrote:

I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.

Do you have a hot water toilet?

Well, if you can't blame her for this, I'm sure there will be
something soon you can blame her for.

Remove NOPSAM to email me. Please let
me know if you have posted also.

the problem may have started when the inexpensive rubber washer broke
on the water shutoff by the toilet or elsewhere upstream. maybe that
needs to get flushed out and replaced.
i think the disconnecting the toilet and flushing out its connecting
water line again may be needed.
run the water until clear.
installation instructions and online help for your product we use on
twenty toilets is at:
http://www.fluidmaster.com/usa.html
if you drain the hot water tank of debris you will also know what may
be coming thru your pipes.
http://www.waterheaterrescue.com/pag...r-heaters.html

wrote:
I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.


Don't blame your wife, although to be blunt, she
is incredibly ignorant about water pressure. The
pressure will almost immediately stabilize at the
original pressure when she closes the pressure
release valve. The problem is that the valves
don't like to seal after being opened, especially
if they are closed under pressure. In other
words, if you test the pressure valve, which you
shouldn't, you need to close the cold water inlet
valve when you release the pressure valve to close.

But, the hot water system has nothing to do with
the commode. You may have stuff in the cold water
line and it may have been there for a long time.
You need to flush the line. To do that turn off
the inlet valve and unscrew the fill line (if you
have a flexible metal clad pipe) at the bottom of
the tank and put it in a bucket and turn on the
valve. If you don't have a flexible line, then
buy an 18" one that will fit the inlet valve,
remove the line from the valve to the tank, and
attach the flexible line. If you don't get any
little black particles, you know that stuff in the
line is not a problem.

BTW, do you or your wife put crap in the tank to
clean or sanitize the bowl when you flush? If you
do, welcome to wonderful world of the scammed
consumer. NEVER put any chemicals in the tank! Or
you many end up with your problem.

Thanks to all for your suggestions and theories about the problem with
my toilet. Turns out the black rocks came from the water softener. Even
though we haven't used it for many years, impuities can still come from
the softener and clog up the lines.
George E. Cawthon wrote:
wrote:
I've replaced the fill valve twice {Fluidmaster 400} because the toilet
won't shut off. I've found out why. I'm seeing small black
rocks{charcoal,rust?} floating around in the toilet. They get under the
rubber seal in the fill valve preventing it from shutting off. It
flushes fine a couple of times and then keeps running. Now my wife did
open up the safety valve on the water heater, which she shouldn't have.
Someone told her it would be a good idea to release pressure once in a
while. Is it possible there are rocks in the heater that are going
through the pipes to the toilet?Seems like this problem started after
she messed with the water heater.If not, what could these rocks be? I'm
at a loss to know where thay are coming from. Frustrated. Thanks for
any responses.


Don't blame your wife, although to be blunt, she
is incredibly ignorant about water pressure. The
pressure will almost immediately stabilize at the
original pressure when she closes the pressure
release valve. The problem is that the valves
don't like to seal after being opened, especially
if they are closed under pressure. In other
words, if you test the pressure valve, which you
shouldn't, you need to close the cold water inlet
valve when you release the pressure valve to close.

But, the hot water system has nothing to do with
the commode. You may have stuff in the cold water
line and it may have been there for a long time.
You need to flush the line. To do that turn off
the inlet valve and unscrew the fill line (if you
have a flexible metal clad pipe) at the bottom of
the tank and put it in a bucket and turn on the
valve. If you don't have a flexible line, then
buy an 18" one that will fit the inlet valve,
remove the line from the valve to the tank, and
attach the flexible line. If you don't get any
little black particles, you know that stuff in the
line is not a problem.

BTW, do you or your wife put crap in the tank to
clean or sanitize the bowl when you flush? If you
do, welcome to wonderful world of the scammed
consumer. NEVER put any chemicals in the tank! Or
you many end up with your problem.