grp tanks immune to diesel bug ?

[pelissima]

My friend sails a Van der Stadt Pioneer 10 which has a grp diesel tank with round if any corners. He claims he never had bug issues and insists this is an inox tanks problem only.
Comments of similar or opposite experience welcome.

 

[pvb]

Nothing to do with the tank material. Maybe he's just lucky.

 

[Tomahawk]

The bug lives of water in the fuel. Water can get in because of dirty fuel or condensation when the tank is mostle empty. Stainless may attract more condensation than grp?

 

[VicS]

My friend sails a Van der Stadt Pioneer 10 which has a grp diesel tank with round if any corners. He claims he never had bug issues and insists this is an inox tanks problem only.
Comments of similar or opposite experience welcome.

Not limited to stainless steel I am sure.

Tank design may be a significant factor. Perhaps it would be easier to contruct a GRP tank in such a way that no water ever accumulates, or can be routinely drained, although not impossible even with a steel tank.

As I understand it "diesel bug" requires water and "grows" at the interface. No water just about means no bug.

 

[jimbaerselman]

I've had happy times rummaging round the corners of my GRP lined diesel tank trying to suck out the last of the black slime with an oil suction pump.

After the first rude lesson, regular dosing with a proprietary bug killer kept further slime away. It's not nice to have your filters block when trying to enter port after the first rough ride of the season!

And yes, the twice yearly sample nearly always showed up a little water.

 

[pelissima]

So, as Tomahawk said, inox ones might attract more moisture, but nothing more than that

 

[pvb]

So, as Tomahawk said, inox ones might attract more moisture, but nothing more than that

There wouldn't seem to be any reason why a metal tank might attract more moisture than a plastic tank. Both tanks will be at the same temperature.

 

[oldsaltoz]

I built a fibreglass fuel tank for a client some years ago, the original tank had corroded from the inside out.

The tank I build was a foam core construction with all fittings glassed onto inside of the tank before completing and foam was to provide extra strength, and also to give some insulation to reduce internal condensation.

I ran into him again about 3 or 4 years later and asked him how the tank was performing. He well pleased, not a single problem and no sign of any water from the trap built into the bottom at the lowest point with a clear glass indicator and a push to drain fitting off an old aircraft wing tank.

Good luck and fair winds.