Water Tank Cleaning.....

[Sheppy]

What's the best way to keep a boat's water tank clean? Obviously I don't drink from it, but I just want to know I've done my best to keep the tank in good condition for washing up etc etc..

I was thinking something like Milton's water tablets but is there something better?

 

[rafiki_]

I use Boots version of Milton at the start of the season, then keep the water reasonably fresh every couple of weeks, if we are not on the boat and using it.

 

[jrudge]

We have drunk from ours for 7 years including kids. Water is chlorinated in the tap so I see no reason why not.

In the med water is quite heavily chlorinated and so we tend to run it through a Britta filter.

 

[Momac]

In 5 years with the same boat I have not put anything in the water tank other than water. With no apparent issues.
After the winter I pump through a full tank of water to flush the system.

I carry a seperate 5 litre container for drinking water.

 

[Nick_H]

I use aquaclean tabs, the large tablets purify 225 litres each, and they're pretty cheap. I overdose the first tank, and don't drink it, then underdose subsequent tanks when we're staying on the boat and I'm then happy to drink it, as we'll be refilling with fresh water every 2-3 days.

 

[Sheppy]

Thanks guys, some good advice. I don't think I have any issues and I do drain the tank over the winter but just want to make sure I don't have any nasties living in there. I always take bottled water and use that for drinking.

 

[Portofino]

Bacteria -that's what we are up agianst.Not all are pathogenic,but warm, damp, stagnant environments = breading ground .
Tell tale is repugnant smell .
Three areas/ zones need debugging in a boat with a prophylactic dose of suitable agent

1 water tank -as allready mentioned any proprietary brand will do ,and if reg use as Nick says can be diluted while on the boat . But remember to follow instruction when leaving.
2 Tiolet pipes/ holding tank -black water system -we use Starbrite tiolet disinfectant -prevents unpleasant odours -to date all fine even in the bilges .i Allways double dose it all through when we leave boat unattended .We have the standard white pipes and so far no nasty odours
3 fuel bug -there's a post on here almost every month -in my view it's a voluntary " disease" -totally preventable .
Simply add at every fill up a diesel bug additive .I have been using Startron at every fill up and increase dose over the winter .As a result to date for the past 8 Y the filters and bowl have been immaculate at change out ( Easter)
Last week I fill up was at Cavelaire and when I produced the Startron bottle the pump attendant said -not necessary as it was allready debugged with something else , he assured me adding my own was not necessary .
I know these 3 agents cost £ or € but in general scheme of things ----- tiny in the overall boat fiscal equation .
Consequences of failing to use them -------- well i guess we will continue read all about it on here

 

[nigelmercier]

One Milton tablet per 100l is what I use.

 

[VicS]

What's the best way to keep a boat's water tank clean? Obviously I don't drink from it, but I just want to know I've done my best to keep the tank in good condition for washing up etc etc..

I was thinking something like Milton's water tablets but is there something better?

Milton solution used at the recommended rate of 2.5ml per 5 litres See http://www.milton-tm.com/caravanning_and_camping.html

Cheaper than Aquatabs ITYWF but Miton tablets can work out quite a bit cheaper than the solution

1 Milton tablet = 30ml solution so will treat 60 litres of drinking water

 

[PCUK]

Some weird ideas on this forum! I've always drunk the tank water on all my boats. Never a problem and always tastes fresh thanks to the Aqua-Filta. Strange the need to use bottled water, one of the most polluting items on the planet!

 

[VicS]

Some weird ideas on this forum! I've always drunk the tank water on all my boats. Never a problem and always tastes fresh thanks to the Aqua-Filta. Strange the need to use bottled water, one of the most polluting items on the planet!

Dunno about polluting but there is some published work to show that antimony is leached from the PETE plastic commonly used for bottled water.

 

[Sheppy]

Dunno about polluting but there is some published work to show that antimony is leached from the PETE plastic commonly used for bottled water.

You're quite right there VicS. Almost any food stuff packaged in plastics are be bad because of leaching - oh er controversial Bottled water is one of the few exceptions I make - and that's only on the boat. Well at least beer still comes in glass bottles
I just filter water at home, but haven't really got the room for the extra fittings on the boat. If I'd owned the boat from new, I might have more faith and drink from the tank but but don't know the history. I suppose I can take others peoples points about drinking from the tank but it's just not something I've done. Like the fuel tank, they're not that easy to clean out or inspect, or even replace.

 

[Momac]

Not drinking from the tank does not necessarily mean using bottled water.
I use a container that is filled from the mains supply tap.

 

[Piers]

We dose our water tanks and pipes annually with Milton or the Boots equivalent. Fill halfway, add the Milton, fill to the top, turn the taps on until the chlorine can be smelt, leave it in the system for 24 hours, and then flush through a couple of times.

We drink either straight from the tap or through a Brita filter. Never had a problem.

 

[ccscott49]

17 years liveaboard and always drunk my tank water! Still here!

People put too much emphasis on bottled water, I've been drinking tap water all my life and will continue to do so, when cruising if the locals drink the water, and are fit, so do I!
If you always drink bottled water, you never get enough "junk" to make your body immune. As an eminent health professional once told me.

 

[Sheppy]

17 years liveaboard and always drunk my tank water! Still here!

People put too much emphasis on bottled water, I've been drinking tap water all my life and will continue to do so, when cruising if the locals drink the water, and are fit, so do I!
If you always drink bottled water, you never get enough "junk" to make your body immune. As an eminent health professional once told me.

Again I agree entirely. But as I said I make an exception on the boat partly because I don't know the history of the tank and partly because it's just easier.
So I'll treat the tank with some Milton tabs and then at least I'll know all is well.
Shame treating the damned fuel tank isn't as easy!!!!

 

[toolarts]

The product instructions for Milton tablets say to use it only on non-metallic items.

Are you using these tablets on the water after pumping it out of the tank? It looks like they would be OK for plastic water tanks, but I would hesitate to
drop them into a metal tank.

 

[pks1702]

+ 1 for Milton Tabs

 

[rafiki_]

We dose our water tanks and pipes annually with Milton or the Boots equivalent. Fill halfway, add the Milton, fill to the top, turn the taps on until the chlorine can be smelt, leave it in the system for 24 hours, and then flush through a couple of times.

We drink either straight from the tap or through a Brita filter. Never had a problem.

+1, but will only drink the water if it is less than 2 weeks old.

 

[prv]

Some weird ideas on this forum! I've always drunk the tank water on all my boats.

Same here.

I give it a dose of caravan water-tank cleaner in autumn and spring to keep things sweet, and if the boat has been sitting unused for many weeks then I might drain and refill the tank before setting off. Never a hint of taste or smell, it's just like what comes out the taps at home. We don't have a filter.

This is with the original rigid plastic tank and newish hoses (old ones were replaced as I moved the pumps last spring).

Pete