Guide: Seafloor Pump & Mud Water

[septemberWaves]

Guide: Seafloor Pump & Mud Water

A lot of people seem confused about how to obtain Mud and its various derivatives. To help with that, I made this guide for the processing chains related to Mud and mud byproducts.

Part 1: Obtaining Mud Water



Let's start off with the Seafloor Pump. It outputs Viscous Mud Water at a rate of 300/s, and - like the normal Offshore Pump - it does not require power. There is another way of obtaining Viscous Mud Water, but it requires starting out with some to begin with.

Mud Water Chain

Most devices relating to the purification of the various types of mud water can be found in the inventory tab shown above.



To begin obtaining products from mud water, you will need a Washing Plant (I am using a Washing Plant Mk2), and some Water, as provided by an Offshore Pump. The first process turns Viscous Mud Water and Water into Heavy Mud Water and Mud.



It takes 4 washing plants to obtain the 4 different types of mud water after Viscous Mud Water. Each takes Water and the previous type of mud water, and outputs the next type of mud water and some Mud. From left to right (as shown above), the processes are as follows:
• Viscous Mud Water to Heavy Mud Water
• Heavy Mud Water to Concentrated Mud Water
• Concentrated Mud Water to Light Mud Water
• Light Mud Water to Thin Mud Water



The above image shows a fifth process added to the chain. This fifth process turns Thin Mud Water into Saline Water, with a similar process to the previous four. The Saline Water output can be sent on to any location in your factory which uses it.

The image also shows a belt, which is for removing the Mud byproducts from the production chain. As mentioned earlier, there is another way to create Viscous Mud Water. This method is by sending Mud and Water into a Liquifier (there are a few other machines that can do this process, but I personally prefer the Liquifier). I have looped back the Viscous Mud Water into the system.

In order to prevent the system from getting clogged, I have used a Check Valve and a Pump to prioritize the looped input from the Liquifier over the system input from the Seafloor Pump. The Check Valve stores 1000 fluid units, so it can serve the same purpose as a small storage tank would. The Pump is set to activate only when the Check Valve is half-full, as shown below:

[septemberWaves]

Part 2: Using Mud Water

Viscous Mud Water has no uses other than being turned into the other types of mud water. Each other type of mud water has a specific use.

Uses Of Mud Water

The most complicated mud water to use is Heavy Mud Water. The process is as follows:
1) Heavy Mud Water + Water ==> Nodule {Washing Plant}
2) Nodule ==> Crushed Nodule + Crushed Stone {Ore Crusher}
3) Crushed Nodule + Sulfuric Acid ==> Nodule Slurry + Slag {Liquifier}
4a) Nodule Slurry + Mineral Catalyst ==> Manganese Ore {Crystallizer}
4b) Nodule Slurry + Crystal Catalyst ==> Chrome Ore {Crystallizer}



The following three processes are all done in a Washing Plant with the addition of Water:
• Concentrated Mud Water ==> Clay
• Light Mud Water ==> Limestone
• Thin Mud Water ==> Sand

Each of these products has a few uses.
Limestone is turned into Lime in a Blast Furnace.
Lime, Clay, and Sand are turned into Unburnt Clay Bricks in a Crafting Machine, which are then smelted into Clay Bricks in a Furnace.
Sand and Lime are used in making Glass and Concrete.
Limestone is used in processing Cobalt, Iron, and Lead.
Note that Limestone can also be obtained as a byproduct from refining Titanium.

[septemberWaves]

I'd appreciate any feedback people may have about how helpful this guide is. It makes sense to me but I am aware that that doesn't mean it makes sense to everyone, particularly since I have quite a good understanding of these mods (after spending a very long time learning how they work) while this guide is aimed more at people who lack that understanding. So if there's anything people particularly like or feel that I could have explained better, please let me know.

[Zombiee]

It's a wonderful guide, text is short and to the point and pictures are directly related to the text. Only suggestion I might have is put some of the pics behind the spoiler button so. I would leave the first one visible though, seeing the seafloor pump in action will cover 1/2 the questions.

(PS - the colored buildings made me grin)

[septemberWaves]

It's a wonderful guide, text is short and to the point and pictures are directly related to the text. Only suggestion I might have is put some of the pics behind the spoiler button so. I would leave the first one visible though, seeing the seafloor pump in action will cover 1/2 the questions.

(PS - the colored buildings made me grin)

Thanks for the suggestion. I was debating whether or not to put images inside a spoiler, but looking at it now I see that you're right. And it'll also probably be good for me to do in future since I plan on making guides for other parts of Angel's mods too (and Petrochem in particular I expect to be very image-heavy).

As for the colored buildings, they are from these two mods:
ShinyBobGFX: https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Zombiee/ShinyBobGFX
ShinyAngelGFX:https://mods.factorio.com/mods/Zombiee/ShinyAngelGFX

I wasn't really a fan of the color schemes at first, but they've grown on me. I like having an easy way of identifying which buildings are which tiers just by looking at them.

[Zombiee]

Check the author and you'll understand my grin.

[septemberWaves]

Check the author and you'll understand my grin.

Ah, I see. Well, thanks for making those mods, they're a great addition.

[Twsted]

I'm having a slight problem with the mud aspects of this chain.
I believe it's another mod that is causing it, but don't know which one. anyways i'm stuck in a Catch-22.
I'm trying to construct "Carbon" and also trying to build the Seafloor Pump, which requires "Basic Electronic Components" which as well requires "Carbon".
I can't build the Pump, because it requires "Carbon" which then "Carbon" requires "Mud" which is in the sea.......... which I can't get because I need the Pump.
But can't get the pump because It needs the product that's in the sea, which is MUD, because I have to manufacture "Carbon" which is needed for the "Basic Electronic Components" to construct the pump to get the MUD.
See ?? Catch-22

Below I attached the list of mods I have installed in a TEXT file.

If someone knows how to fix this, I would appreciate it.
Also if Arch can find a way that would be great.....thank you

[septemberWaves]

Twsted, I don't know enough about all the mods you have installed to adequately diagnose the problem, but Carbon doesn't come from the Seafloor Pump at all usually. This guide covers every major output of the Seafloor Pump with just Angel's mods and Bob's mods (as well as a few others which don't affect those mods at all).

Usually, assuming you have Bob's mods installed (which I see you do) Carbon is obtained in a Liquifier by combining Coke with Carbon Dioxide. The Carbon Dioxide is obtained by putting Coal in another Liquifier, and the Coke is obtained by smelting Crushed Coal in a furnace. The Crushed Coal is obtained by crushing Coal in an Ore Crusher.

I'm afraid I can't help you, since it's definitely a third-party mod that's doing this but I don't know which one. My best guess would be that it's Yuoki Industries, but I think you'd have to do some testing by enabling/disabling mods.

One thing which might help you out is Factorio NEI (available here https://mods.factorio.com/mods/npo6ka/FNEI). It adds a recipe searching box (accessible by pressing SHIFT+F) that allows you to search for an item, and right click to see what it's used for or left click to see how it's made. It shows all possible recipes (with left/right tabs at the top) including what machines the recipe can be made in, although some recipes are disabled by certain mod combinations.

[Twsted]

Thanks for the reply. And yes I do have Factorio NEI installed for a while now, Thank you for the info and link .
In order for me to make the first machine needed, I need MUD. but I cant get MUD because the machine I need to construct to get it requires MUD too
Because its part of the build process materials within my mods in the game as the screenshot shows.
In ( MY ) game within the mods I have installed its requiring me to have "Basic Electronic Components" which requires Carbon, Which Carbon is requiring MUD to build the first structure..

When I checked NEI, it says I need MUD which I cant get, because I need MUD to build the structure to get the MUD in the first place.
Its a bit hard to explain, but im stuck in a Catch-22.

[septemberWaves]

I'm sorry, but I'm really not sure where the problem is. I can see what the problem is, but I don't really know which mod is causing it. You shouldn't need mud to make the seafloor pump, and since you apparently do that means that a mod that's neither from Angel's mods nor Bob's mods is causing the problem.

The best thing I can think of to suggest is manually searching for the mod which is causing the issue. That would involve disabling all mods other than Angel's mods, Bob's mods, and FNEI. Check to make sure that carbon is obtainable using the method I described before with just those mods installed (and no other mods), because if it's not then you need to delete and reinstall all of Angel's and Bob's mods with the latest versions. If the carbon recipe I described earlier does work with just Angel's and Bob's mods, enable the rest of your mods one at a time and check the carbon recipe each time. When you reach the point where the carbon recipe I described no longer works, that will tell you that the mod you most recently enabled is the mod which is causing the issue. Delete and reinstall that mod, and if the issue persists file a bug report in the forum thread for that mod. This method could take you a while, but I can't think of a quicker way to find which mod is causing this problem unless you can find someone who understands your extra third-party mods better than I do.

[Twsted]

Thank you, Thank you for the great info, I will try that....
thanks

[Zombiee]

I'm actually really curious as to what your recipe for carbon is now.

[Twsted]

I'm actually really curious as to what your recipe for carbon is now.

I attached a Exel Spreadsheet that breaks down all the machines needed things to create Carbon,
Along with the Seafloor Pump ingredients and the Basic Electronic Board Ingredients as well.

As you can see they need Carbon, but I cant get it, because I need MUD for the Carbon to create the machine and Basic Electronic Board along with the Basic Electronic Component.
Hope this better explains my problems im having with MUD.
BTW, its 8 machines being used from the time the water gets pumped out of the ocean to the final product that is Carbon.
.
.

[Exasperation]

Do me a favor: look at the "basic chemistry" tech in your tech tree, and list the recipes that it unlocks.

[Twsted]

Do me a favor: look at the "basic chemistry" tech in your tech tree, and list the recipes that it unlocks.

Is this what you mean ???
.

[Exasperation]

Edit - yes; look under the cost for the tech, it shows 6 recipes that the tech unlocks. What are the inputs and outputs on the third one? If some other mod is keeping you from getting carbon, that's probably the recipe it would have to be changing.

[Twsted]

Edit - yes; look under the cost for the tech, it shows 6 recipes that the tech unlocks. What are the inputs and outputs on the third one? If some other mod is keeping you from getting carbon, that's probably the recipe it would have to be changing.

Everything in the list you typed shows up along with Liquifier Machine

EDIT: -- Here is the 3rd one you asked for..... this is the tree.

.

.

[Exasperation]

So, recipe number 3 (unless another mod has changed it) should be something like 1 coal -> 50 carbon dioxide, and you should be able to use that to make carbon without having basic electronic boards yet.

[Zombiee]

I'll echo Exasperation here. It seems like you're trying to use the carbon dioxide that comes as a by-product of making Lime from Limestone which is involved in the mud water chain.

There are at least 6 sources of carbon dioxide in my mod set at the moment but the simplest and first (and looks like you have) is:

1 Coal -> 50 Carbon Dioxide

that is made in a liquifier.

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