Smelly water tanks

[Jonathanpaul]

I have now noticed a real smell of old stale water when I pump the water out for washing up. Not had it in the past and always put some milton in at the start of the season and a drop in from time to time. I have a flexi Plastimo tank. Any ideas of products etc and things to do and not. Thanks

 

[MoodySabre]

I use Aquapura on every top up and, being in a marina, top up the water before a trip rather than leave water in the fixed tank. The taste of boiled water for tea etc has improved hugely compared with last year when I was lazy.

 

[VicS]

I would dose it with Milton at several times the rate recommended on the bottle for treating drinking water. Or you could use a domestic, chlorine based, bleach provided you rinse it out again thoroughly so that you don't end up drinking any of the additives or impurities it might contain. It is a bit more concentrated so you won't need very much.

BUT I believe Plastimo do not recommend the use of chlorine based cleaners any way.

Several tank cleaners around. "Bar keepers friend " maybe. Sodium metabisulphite that wine makers use for sterilising their stuff.

Chlorine is probably the most effective sterilising agent, if that is what is required, with sulphur dioxide, from metabisulphite, coming in second place.

 

[Chris_Robb]

If you are going to give a killer dose of bleach, assuming OK with Flexy tanks - make sure you pump some up to each tap, and allow to sit in the pipe for 12 hours. You will be surprised at what comes out!

 

[EdWingfield]

If you are sure the smell comes from the water and not the drain (had this on a ferry recently) then super-chlorination (50ppm for 24hrs) of the tank and pipework is necessary.

Cheapest method. Find out or work out the volume of your tank. Buy thin bleach (cheapest, it's unscented and around 5% Cl) buy enough to fill the tank @ 50ppm concentration. Run the taps enough to get chlorinated water fully into into the pipework. Don't forget to run to the screenwash if you have such a thing. Let it stand.

After 24hrs pump it over the side and replace with fresh.

It's best to dose on every fill to achieve 0.2ppm with a water purification product.

 

[colinroybarrett]

Bar Keepers Friend? Sorry but this is an abrasive scouring compound. It is great for cleaning ceramic hobs, and brilliant for polishing stainless pulpit rails etc.

But (unless; like me, you smoke cheap België Cigars) I wouldn’t want it in my tonk to brush my teeth with. Exactly how would you use it to clean a tonk? If you’ve a big entry hatch and intend to scour the insides manually; well I would agree, but suspect there may well be easier ‘chemical’ solutions (no ‘pun’ intended)

Cheers CRB

 

[Anonymous]

Basic cheap bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) is the usual cleaner for dairy, food manufacturers, water supply industry, etc. because it breaks down into plain old NaCl (common salt). Don't use posh or branded bleach as it could have anything in it, best of all is Tescos (or whoever's) 'Value' brands.

However, note VicS's comments. Best ask Plastimo?

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Bar Keepers Friend?

[/ QUOTE ] Obviously thinking of the wrong stuff. What do they use for flushing the pipework up from the barrels?

Edit: Dont tell me. Beer line cleaner

 

[captainslarty]

Great advice.
When you have finished add a filter to the water output for drinking. I use a standard household filter housing (10" I think) with a carbon / silver filter.. the water is absolutely excellent. I had a cuppa on a nearby boat the other day using the same water supply but no filter, couldnt believe the difference. We started with the Jabsco filter and cartridges, but changed to the standard unit as the refills are cheaper and normally available everywhere.
The water is like bottled.. It helps being full time liveaboards though as the tanks are constantly being refilled and drained.
Joe

 

[colinroybarrett]

Sorry Vic, it is so easy to ‘snipe’ here when you see something that you think is wrong.

Hmmm? What is it that Pub Landlords ought to stuff up their pipes regularly? (Apart from good quality beer that is).

From your (ex) profession, do you know what ‘Milton’ is comprised of? Suitable for sterilisation of babies feeding apparel; I’d assume that it would be ideal for the topic under discussion, but the tank size and dilution are probably highly critical, rather like chlorination levels in a swimming pool?

Cheers, CRB

 

[BrendanS]

It's a very pure form of bleach, without the anionic sufactants and other assorted additives that many household bleaches in the UK contain. It's a sodium hypochlorite solution (1% or 2% depending on market) and sodium chloride solution 16.5%

 

[colinroybarrett]

quote]When you have finished add a filter to the water output for drinking.

[/ QUOTE ]Joe & Jayne,

This is a good point (filtering the drinking water)

I had never worried about it until we had guests aboard and someone asked “Is it OK to drink the water”?

Next time we were in the UK, popped into B&Q and bought a carbon filter + tap and all the fittings, and stuck it next to the galley sink. Not that we use it that much, but you feel a ‘tad’ safer if you need a slurp in ‘het midden van de nacht’.

We’ve never had any ‘tummy issues’ but; like yourselves, we use our boat constantly and vast amounts of water flow through the tonks annually.

 

[VicS]

[ QUOTE ]
Sorry Vic, it is so easy to ‘snipe’ here

[/ QUOTE ] No problem. I broke my rather tarnished "golden rule" to check facts before posting but see the edit to my previous post

Milton contains sodium hypochlorite and sodium chloride. I cannot quote the concentrations as the bottle is on the boat. The hypochlorite concn is less than in household bleach but not the minuscule %age that is sometimes erroneously claimed on here. The sodium chloride concn is quite high but I have no idea why.

I am one of those who believes in using Milton rather than household bleach as I (hope I) know it does not contain any nasty additives or impurities. Commercial hypochlorite can contain sodium chlorate (as in weed killer) as an impurity. (I have to thank BrendanS for that bit of knowledge, which he backed up with a reference! ) Milton is of course rather more expensive but compared with a years marina fees it pales into insignificance.

The Milton bottle has instructions and dose rate for treating drinking water which is then fit for use after standing for a short (specified) time but cleaning a contaminated tank it would need a higher concentration.

 

[damo]

Re: Smelly water tanks - DIY treatment

The following methods were posted a while ago (sorry for posting in full, but I don't have both links)

" Sanitising water system

Whatever you use to sanitize (sterilize is both impossible and unnecessary) your fresh water system, it's important to sanitize the plumbing as well as the tank...'cuz although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most foul water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria which cause it thrive in damp dark places, not under water. So after you've put the solution in the tank, turn on the water pump, open every faucet on the boat--hot and cold--and let the water run till what's coming out smells strongly of chlorine. Turn off the faucets, but leave the pump on to keep the system pressurized so that the solution remains in the piping.

The recommended solution, btw, is a 5-7% solution of sodium hypochlorate in water...2 litres/50 gal of water tank capacity.

To get the job done, it should remain in the system for at least 3 hours, no longer than 24 hours.

Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.

To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one litre white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by fill the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with potable water.

Btw...it's VERY important any water heater be turned off at the breaker and not be turned on again until the entire recommissioning process is complete.

An annual or semi-annual recommissioning according to the above directions is all that should be necessary to keep your water tasting and smelling as good as anything that comes out of any faucet on land. If you need to improve on that, install a water filter. Just remember that a filter is not a substitute for cleaning out the system, and that filters require regular inspection and cleaning or replacement. This method may also be used to sanitize a system that has become contaminated.

To keep the water system cleaner longer, USE your fresh water...keep water flowing through system. The molds, fungi, and bacteria only start to grow in hoses that aren't being used. Before filling the tank each time, always let the dock water run for at least 15 minutes first...the same critters that like the lines on your boat LOVE the dock supply line and your hose that sit in the warm sun, and you certainly don't want to transfer water that's been sitting in the dock supply line to your boat's system. So let the water run long enough to flush out all the water that's been standing in them so that what goes into your boat is coming straight from the water main.

Finally, you may not think you're ingesting your water if you don't actually drink it or cook with it...but you are. You wash your hands in it, then pick up a sandwich...wash your dishes and/or rinse out a cup with it, then pour your bottled water drink into the cup.

This method is NOT water purification, it only sanitizes the system. As long as you take on water that you know to be safe, the only issue is aesthetics--taste/smell that's unpleasant, but won't harm you. However, if you cruise to countries where water is suspect, water purification, not just sanitizing the system, is required. "

and....

"Disinfecting water tanks"
http://www.ybw.com/forums/showflat.php/Cat/0/Number/292192/an/0/page/0/gonew/1#UNREAD

 

[Anonymous]

Like you, we have a filtered water tap in the galley. This year I also added a 5 micron pre filter for all water coming on board...I found a large amount of mud in the dregs of my smaller tank which presumably came in when they were working on the mains. I chose the (rather fine) 5 micron only because they are the filter elements I use on the water maker but they seem ideal. Some two months on there is a noticeable discoloration and some larger crud on the bottom of the filter housing but the filter is probably not 1% clogged. 5 micron takes out many if not most micro-organisms albeit not to a standard sufficient to guarantee safe potable water, which the General Ecology galley filter provides having a filter of 0.1 micron and taste and odour removing activated charcoal.