How can I prevent muddy water when panning at home?

[ejimbo4]

When I go out to the creek if I find a area with some gold I bring home a half a 5 gallon bucket to pan at night. I have a big round tub that I fill with water but after a few pans the water is all ready starting to get muddy and after 6 or 7 pans it IS muddy. The stuff I brought home yesterday had a little more clay than usual and the problem is even worse. Is there a way to wash the dirt before panning? I have allways been told "No such thing as a stupid question" but I just asked how to wash dirt!LOL! Any help or ideas would be great! I am using a 25-30 gallon round tub that is pretty deep.

 

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[enamel7]

Clay gone.

 

[Terry Soloman]

The easiest way is to just pour off your first two or three pans of water to get all of the mud out. Skip to 1:38 in this video and watch my buddy Bret, and you'll see what I'm talking about..

 

[ejimbo4]

Thanx guys! Enamel7....what exactly does the clay gone do? Terry.....Thank you! I actually had watched your buddies video a while back and forgot all about pouring off the first few pans which makes simple sense!LOL! Someone on another forum suggested sticking a hose in my bucket of cons with moderate flow and letting it flow out the lighter material that is mucking up the water.

 

[B H Prospector]

Hi ejimbo4,
I wash as much of the clay as I can at the creek. The moving water takes it away and then clay gone will be more effective when you finish panning at home.

Good Luck!

B H Prospector

 

[enamel7]

It makes the sediment drop out of the water.

 

[TerryC]

Just pan the cons till you get down to just black sand. The muddy water is no concern yet. Once down to the black sand THEN use water that is "clean". Even still, muddy water is just an annoyance but not really something to be worried about. TTC