Deep_6
New member
Can anyone recommend any products for cleaning fresh water tanks, the 1st mate did not enjoy her tea over the weekend.
Regards,
Deep_6
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Regards,
Deep_6
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Water Tank cleaning
- Thread starter Deep_6
- Start date
VicS
Well-known member
Welcome to the forum
This topic has been discussed more than once before. Do a search going back for a year, possibly more, and you should find what was said before.
Some advocate the use of household bleach, others have suggested Milton (used for babies bottles) denture cleaners or even one of the proprietary products sold specifically for the purpose.
My professional advice would be to not use household bleach simply because I don't know anything about the constituents other than the hypochlorite.
It has also been said that the manufacturers of flexible tanks say not to use hypochlorite in them. So in that case Milton is also ruled out.
It's always a good idea to take a supply of fresh water in a plastic water carrier as drinking water anyway (or bottled water even)
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This topic has been discussed more than once before. Do a search going back for a year, possibly more, and you should find what was said before.
Some advocate the use of household bleach, others have suggested Milton (used for babies bottles) denture cleaners or even one of the proprietary products sold specifically for the purpose.
My professional advice would be to not use household bleach simply because I don't know anything about the constituents other than the hypochlorite.
It has also been said that the manufacturers of flexible tanks say not to use hypochlorite in them. So in that case Milton is also ruled out.
It's always a good idea to take a supply of fresh water in a plastic water carrier as drinking water anyway (or bottled water even)
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tillergirl
Well-known member
Used Milton once when we got some grotty water in France. Otherwise about every two years I use aquatabs. I always flush through at the beginning and end of season and only use the tabs when there is the slightest taint or bits floating through. Generally I think it's the pipes I have problems with rather than the tank which is stainless steel.
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by tillergirl on 06/07/2003 23:34 (server time).</FONT></P>
<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by tillergirl on 06/07/2003 23:34 (server time).</FONT></P>
tcm
...
yes i would agree with the bottled water idea for a few kettlefulls of tea. On new boats (or news tanks anyway) the taste is awful and nobody revealed a true cure - in time the taste goes. Meanwhile refill and use the tank ater as often as poss. Don't think the manky taste is dangerous - but not at all sure about water with bleach in it tho. Touch more domestos, Vicar?
Oh, another thing to make the water in tanks taste awful is to fill the tank first thing in the morning - with all the water that has been lurking in a hosepipe all night - so run it for five+ minutes before filling the tanks praps.
oh, and welcome to the newbie
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Oh, another thing to make the water in tanks taste awful is to fill the tank first thing in the morning - with all the water that has been lurking in a hosepipe all night - so run it for five+ minutes before filling the tanks praps.
oh, and welcome to the newbie
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Deep_6
New member
Many thanks for the help and welcome.
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Gordonmc
Active member
You will be disappointed if you think fresh tasting water can be had from a tank which stores supplies for days or weeks at a time.
I use a flexible one and regularly take it out of the liner to flush through - the amount of crud which comes out beggards belief. I chuck in puri-tabs now and again, but its only used for washing.
At the start of a trip the kettle gets filled from shore and we load up with bottled water.
I won't even brush my teeth with the tank water and certainly won't put it anywhere near the malt.
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I use a flexible one and regularly take it out of the liner to flush through - the amount of crud which comes out beggards belief. I chuck in puri-tabs now and again, but its only used for washing.
At the start of a trip the kettle gets filled from shore and we load up with bottled water.
I won't even brush my teeth with the tank water and certainly won't put it anywhere near the malt.
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Miquel_Culzean
New member
I have a 50l flexible Plastimo water tank. They recomend to rinse it well with diluted vinegar at the beginningof the season. I have been following this (we normally begin the season in March and stop in November), and taking out also the water that is in the night in the tubes, I have not had nay problem untill now.
Regards,
Miquel.
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Regards,
Miquel.
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Gunfleet
New member
I read somewhere you can use iodine, Vic. What do you think?
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VicS
Well-known member
Iodine is used as an antiseptic and a disinfectant although I don't think it is as commonly used as it once was.
I can't really think why anyone would want to use it for the water tank. It's not readily available like hypochlorite solutions and it's messy, staining everything yellow, and probably much more expensive. Iodine is not very soluble in water; tincture of iodine is a solution in alcohol, and as a laboratory reagent is often used dissolved in potassium iodide solution.
I would want to go into it in greater depth before even agreeing to its use, just in case there were any snags I didn't know about.
I don't know whether you can still buy tincture or iodine, I'll ask our local pharmacist next time I'm there.
Personally I shall stick to Milton, even for my flexible tank, if its safe enough for babies bottles then I reckon its safe enough for me. Our drinking water is chlorinated and we swim in chlorinated water at our local pool.
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I can't really think why anyone would want to use it for the water tank. It's not readily available like hypochlorite solutions and it's messy, staining everything yellow, and probably much more expensive. Iodine is not very soluble in water; tincture of iodine is a solution in alcohol, and as a laboratory reagent is often used dissolved in potassium iodide solution.
I would want to go into it in greater depth before even agreeing to its use, just in case there were any snags I didn't know about.
I don't know whether you can still buy tincture or iodine, I'll ask our local pharmacist next time I'm there.
Personally I shall stick to Milton, even for my flexible tank, if its safe enough for babies bottles then I reckon its safe enough for me. Our drinking water is chlorinated and we swim in chlorinated water at our local pool.
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BrendanS
Well-known member
Iodine is fantastic disinfectant, and is often used by campers and trekers to sterilise water.
DON'T use iodine crystals in a tank. You'll poison yourself, it gives off poisonous gases when mixed with water, and the undissolved crystals will drop to the bottom of the tank, and the concentration of iodine will become far too high. (the trick with this technique is to take some of this water, and add it to the water you want to sterilise.
What you'd want to use in a tank is tetraglycine hydroperiodide. You can buy this from most serious outdoor shops. They need to be kept cool, and only have a few years shelf life.
The water will have an iodine taste.
It's a perfectly good technique, but I'd stick with Miltons.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
DON'T use iodine crystals in a tank. You'll poison yourself, it gives off poisonous gases when mixed with water, and the undissolved crystals will drop to the bottom of the tank, and the concentration of iodine will become far too high. (the trick with this technique is to take some of this water, and add it to the water you want to sterilise.
What you'd want to use in a tank is tetraglycine hydroperiodide. You can buy this from most serious outdoor shops. They need to be kept cool, and only have a few years shelf life.
The water will have an iodine taste.
It's a perfectly good technique, but I'd stick with Miltons.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
Gunfleet
New member
Thanks to both you and Vic for this info.
John
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John
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mica
New member
We use Aqua Tank Cleaning Solution at the beginning of the season, but I run all my drinking and cooking water through a Brita Filta Jug, just in case.
Seems to work well, no complaints.
MICA
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Seems to work well, no complaints.
MICA
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pvb
Well-known member
If you have access...
If you have access, the best way to start is to remove the access plate and then scrub the inside of the tank with a brush. If you disconnect the outlet pipe, and run a hosepipe of fresh water into the tank, you'll get most of the surface nasties out of the tank. To kill off residual nastiness, ordinary household bleach is cheap and effective. Use 1ml of household bleach per litre of water in your tank - leave it for a day or two and then empty it and flush it through a couple of times. If you're unhappy about using bleach, use Milton (which is just very dilute bleach) instead - but you'll need to use more because it's diluted. For long-term protection, I reckon Aquatabs are pretty good. And the real key to water tank happiness is to keep the contents refreshed, so use it or pump it out and refill it regularly.
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If you have access, the best way to start is to remove the access plate and then scrub the inside of the tank with a brush. If you disconnect the outlet pipe, and run a hosepipe of fresh water into the tank, you'll get most of the surface nasties out of the tank. To kill off residual nastiness, ordinary household bleach is cheap and effective. Use 1ml of household bleach per litre of water in your tank - leave it for a day or two and then empty it and flush it through a couple of times. If you're unhappy about using bleach, use Milton (which is just very dilute bleach) instead - but you'll need to use more because it's diluted. For long-term protection, I reckon Aquatabs are pretty good. And the real key to water tank happiness is to keep the contents refreshed, so use it or pump it out and refill it regularly.
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andy_wilson
New member
Oh dear
About once a year, usually at the start of the season I add a bloody good dose of Domestos (about 1/10 litre) to my 200 litre tank, pump it through to the taps and then let it sloosh around for a short sail and stand for a day or two (or even a week).
When I eventually pump out that 0.05% solution, I fill a few litres and pump clear until the bleach smell / taste has almost gone and fill 200 litres again.
If I retain 1 litre of the original 0.05% solution, it then becomes 0.00025% and I can confirm that even the modern red label Domestos can't kill this particular known germ, or it's wife or daughter at that strength.
Still partes a bit of chlorine, but no worse than Aqua-tabs or Puri-clean, the tank has a far more lethal dose and the cost is tiny in comparison.
By the time the tank is filled a second time the taste of bleach is replaced by that of the traditional marina supply, not a bit of good with Yorkshire tea but a healthy scum comes with no extra charge.
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About once a year, usually at the start of the season I add a bloody good dose of Domestos (about 1/10 litre) to my 200 litre tank, pump it through to the taps and then let it sloosh around for a short sail and stand for a day or two (or even a week).
When I eventually pump out that 0.05% solution, I fill a few litres and pump clear until the bleach smell / taste has almost gone and fill 200 litres again.
If I retain 1 litre of the original 0.05% solution, it then becomes 0.00025% and I can confirm that even the modern red label Domestos can't kill this particular known germ, or it's wife or daughter at that strength.
Still partes a bit of chlorine, but no worse than Aqua-tabs or Puri-clean, the tank has a far more lethal dose and the cost is tiny in comparison.
By the time the tank is filled a second time the taste of bleach is replaced by that of the traditional marina supply, not a bit of good with Yorkshire tea but a healthy scum comes with no extra charge.
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BrendanS
Well-known member
Re: Oh dear
While a standard household bleach would be fine for this sort of thing (the old type of bleach, which is just a sodium hypochlorite solution), most modern bleaches like Domestos are a mixture of sodium hypocholorite and disinfectants and detergents.
Many health specialists only advise using modern bleaches to treat what could be drinking water in emergencies, and where possible to use bleach without additives
This from the Pharmaceutical Journal, an authoritative and informed scientific journal of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, not the multitude of quack doctor advice you can recieve on the internet:
"Household bleach. This can be used provided it is free of additives or disinfectants. Ordinary laundry bleach usually contains 4 to 6 per cent of available chlorine and one or two drops could be added to a litre of water. This method is probably best reserved for emergency situations where no other products are available." <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/20000122/education/travelmedicine3.html>http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/20000122/education/travelmedicine3.html</A>
Domestos and other normal household bleaches in the UK are not free of additive and disinfectants
Milton on the other hand is free of additives, and is highly purified.There is a reason for this.
Sodium Hypochlorite is unstable, creating Sodium Chlorate, often used as a weed killer. Responsible for this are impurities. The purified version when it comes in contact with protein, instead of breaking down into sodium chlorate, is converted into water and sodium chloride, common salt. This makes it a non-toxic fluid.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
While a standard household bleach would be fine for this sort of thing (the old type of bleach, which is just a sodium hypochlorite solution), most modern bleaches like Domestos are a mixture of sodium hypocholorite and disinfectants and detergents.
Many health specialists only advise using modern bleaches to treat what could be drinking water in emergencies, and where possible to use bleach without additives
This from the Pharmaceutical Journal, an authoritative and informed scientific journal of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain, not the multitude of quack doctor advice you can recieve on the internet:
"Household bleach. This can be used provided it is free of additives or disinfectants. Ordinary laundry bleach usually contains 4 to 6 per cent of available chlorine and one or two drops could be added to a litre of water. This method is probably best reserved for emergency situations where no other products are available." <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/20000122/education/travelmedicine3.html>http://www.pharmj.com/Editorial/20000122/education/travelmedicine3.html</A>
Domestos and other normal household bleaches in the UK are not free of additive and disinfectants
Milton on the other hand is free of additives, and is highly purified.There is a reason for this.
Sodium Hypochlorite is unstable, creating Sodium Chlorate, often used as a weed killer. Responsible for this are impurities. The purified version when it comes in contact with protein, instead of breaking down into sodium chlorate, is converted into water and sodium chloride, common salt. This makes it a non-toxic fluid.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
Trevor_swfyc
New member
The main problem I have found is not so much the tank as the plastic pipes that connect tank to the tap. Even after 1 week the bugs in the pipe render the water putrid and remarks like i,m not drinking that were common place from SWMBO or as you put it first mate.
In the end we decided to use fresh water kept separate for drinking, SWMBO has even bought bottled water which gives a good brew.
Anyway back to tank cleaning and in particular sterilization, I use Presept disinfectant granuals, the active chemical is "Sodium dichloroisocyanurate" do a search on the internet (UK) loads of data and info. This chemical is used in swimming pools and can be obtained from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.safe-servers.co.uk/~chemicals/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Chlorine_and_Bromine_7.html>here</A> page down to DICHLOR 1kg £7.40 I have used it for years now, no more bad odour. While it is safe in the correct doseage we do everything with it but drink it. Hope this proves of interest to you.
Keep it clean!
Trevor
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In the end we decided to use fresh water kept separate for drinking, SWMBO has even bought bottled water which gives a good brew.
Anyway back to tank cleaning and in particular sterilization, I use Presept disinfectant granuals, the active chemical is "Sodium dichloroisocyanurate" do a search on the internet (UK) loads of data and info. This chemical is used in swimming pools and can be obtained from <A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.safe-servers.co.uk/~chemicals/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Chlorine_and_Bromine_7.html>here</A> page down to DICHLOR 1kg £7.40 I have used it for years now, no more bad odour. While it is safe in the correct doseage we do everything with it but drink it. Hope this proves of interest to you.
Keep it clean!
Trevor
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VicS
Well-known member
Re: Tank cleaning etc
Thanks Brendan for the the input about the "Iodine treatment" and for the link to the Pharmaceutical Journal. Excellent that one.
Do you have any more info about the conversion of hypochorite to chlorate. I know excess chloine does it but didnt realise it could happen anyway due to the presence of impurities.
I dont have any info on the toxicity of chlorates, generally been more concerned about the possible consequences of them coming into contact with flammable materials.
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Thanks Brendan for the the input about the "Iodine treatment" and for the link to the Pharmaceutical Journal. Excellent that one.
Do you have any more info about the conversion of hypochorite to chlorate. I know excess chloine does it but didnt realise it could happen anyway due to the presence of impurities.
I dont have any info on the toxicity of chlorates, generally been more concerned about the possible consequences of them coming into contact with flammable materials.
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BrendanS
Well-known member
Re: Tank cleaning etc
Decomposition of impure bleach to chlorate is a catalytic reaction. The catalysts are heavy metals..iron, copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and other heavy metal contaminants. Do a quick search in google on key words 'sodium hypochlorite chlorate heavy metal'
Sodium chlorate production due to sterilisation of non purified sodium hypochloride actually comes under several health regulations. You can't commercially use normal bleach for any potable water in many countries, you have to show that chlorate levels are below minimum standards, which usually involves filtering the heavy metals out (expensive) or using purified sodium hypochlorite
Toxicity studies on chlorates in the levels found in drinking water are ongoing - it can cause thryoid problems. Not sure what happens with the levels you'd get if you used household bleach sterilisation.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide
Decomposition of impure bleach to chlorate is a catalytic reaction. The catalysts are heavy metals..iron, copper, cobalt, nickel, zinc, and other heavy metal contaminants. Do a quick search in google on key words 'sodium hypochlorite chlorate heavy metal'
Sodium chlorate production due to sterilisation of non purified sodium hypochloride actually comes under several health regulations. You can't commercially use normal bleach for any potable water in many countries, you have to show that chlorate levels are below minimum standards, which usually involves filtering the heavy metals out (expensive) or using purified sodium hypochlorite
Toxicity studies on chlorates in the levels found in drinking water are ongoing - it can cause thryoid problems. Not sure what happens with the levels you'd get if you used household bleach sterilisation.
<hr width=100% size=1>Err, let me know if Depsol enters the forum, I'll go and hide