Water Tank

kunyang

kunyang

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In the last few years since getting our little money pit, we havn't used the water tank, as it realy needs cleaning out. What is the best way to tackle this problem.

Hopefully it's chemical and all I need to do is add it and flush a few times. Any advise

Dave
 
We flushed ours through with Milton when we purchased the boat ... not sure how old the flexi tank is - but it can be no more than 12 years old now and it is still ok - water tastes ok too ...
 
Erm - Dunno - quite a few tablets - I was passed cup after cup .... we left it overnight and rinsed through the next day - we did turn all the taps on to get the fluid right round the system - including hot water ...

The tank wasn't "minging" to start with - so you'd probably need to do a few flushes....
 
The label on the bottle suggests a dose rate for treating drinking water. For cleaning I would suggest several times that, after a good initial flush out. but it really depends how bad the tank is. Then fliush it all out and dose the final fill at the suggested rate. I believe some flexible tank manufacturers do not recommend the use of chlorine based cleaners but I can't think of any reason for that. They are perhaps just covering their backsides.

I dosed the tank on a friends boat earlier this year at the suggested rate and the water now is as sweet as a nut.

Personally I always take fresh water for drinking but that is partly because my old flexible tank was a disaster and the new one is rather small.

I personally would not use household bleach although cheaper than Milton. It's for drains and laundery use not for drinking and heaven knows what nasty chemicals it might have in it.
 
Irrespective of which chemical I use to clean the tank I still have to fill it from the hose provided by the yard and that's long and ancient. So I use the tank water for washing and genuinely fresh water from a real tap in two litre plastic bottles for drinking and for making tea - which otherwise tastes awful.
 
If your tank is that bad, why not buy a new liner for the flexi tank... not sure how much they are, but at least you would know it would be clean to start with...
 
milton and aquatabs are fine for maintaining a decent quality of water. However if you want to clean up what is a horrible slimy tank, you need to be rather more robust in your treatment. I suggest puriclean (strength on the side of the cannister (available from most swindleries)) Fill the tanks when you do it, and make sure that it has penetrated through the hot water system and as far as the taps. leave it in place for at least 24 hours and use the boat during that period so that it has a chance to deal with the top of the tank. Drain and flush through a couple of times. then use aquatabs to maintain the system.

I also have a jabsco filter on my drinking water side, and the end result is better than household quality.

BTW if taking water from a marina tap, make sure enough water flows through the hose to get rid of what was in the hose before filling the tanks.
 
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BTW if taking water from a marina tap, make sure enough water flows through the hose to get rid of what was in the hose before filling the tanks.

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I'll try the puriclean. Don't use marinas much but thought occurs isn't all the sarf on a hosepipe ban now?
 
Once the tank plus pipework has been cleaned and flushed, dosing the water at every fill is desireable.

For cheap season-long protection go to the wine and beer making section of your chemist and buy a small tub of product used for sterilising the glasswear. Buy it in powder form not tablets.

Then, before every tank fill add the tiniest amount. A small tank may require just a single grain!

(The aim is to have active chlorine at a strength of 0.2ppm at the galley tap) In practical terms that means the chlorine taste is only just detectable in comparison with spring water.

Exactly the same as water from your kitchen tap.
 
My understanding is Business's are exempt from the hosepipe ban.

On he south coast, Southern Water are going for a drought order which may affect this - but that only covers CHichester and southampton - Portsmouth is not under Southern Water!
 
[ QUOTE ]
For cheap season-long protection go to the wine and beer making section of your chemist and buy a small tub of product used for sterilising the glasswear. Buy it in powder form not tablets

[/ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ]
The aim is to have active chlorine at a strength of 0.2ppm at the galley tap

[/ QUOTE ]

I assume you are refering to Campden tablets and sodium metabisulphite. They are a source of suphur dioxide, not chlorine. The tablets are normally used in the preparation of fruit etc, where only a little SO2 is required, to kill off any natural yeasts and mould etc before fermentation. Powered sodium metabisulphite is used for sterilising equipment, where a much stronger solution can be used. Actually for the sulphur dioxide to be released the solution has to be acidified although the CO2 in the air is sufficient for you to smell the SO2. Winemakers usually use citric acid for this.

If you are aiming to get 0.2ppm chlorine residual at the galley tap the only way to acheive this is by testing the water there using some form of chlorine residual test kit. It will actually need rather more than that to be added to produce that residual and even that will be time dependant, disappearing over a fairly short period of time. Chlorine is a "more powerfull" sterilising agent.
 
I've used the 5% vinagar solution to good effect. The charcoal in-line filters usually do a good job too.

If it is a "hard" tank it is best to open it up and clean out by hand. Personally, I'd never use the bleach method. I've never liked the taste of swimming pools.
 
So Plastimo talk about using 5% "White Vinegar"... I only know of Malt vinegar

Which did you use and how long did you leave it in the tanks for before flushing it through?
 
Yes Milton contains 2% sodium hypochlorite and amongst other unspecified ingredients 16.5% sodium chloride.

The treatment for drinking water is 2.5 ml per 5 litres and leave for 30 minutes.

The 500ml bottle I bought 2 or 3 years ago cost £1.75

The website,which I have not looked at, is www.milton-tm.com

Nothing useful on the website .... all baby stuff
 
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