BarryH
Well-Known Member
Any ideas on cleaning out the tank and system. Is there some wonder product thats available? Haven't a clue where to start if I'm honest..
Water tanks
- Thread starter BarryH
- Start date
sailorman
Well-Known Member
Tranona
Well-Known Member
Flush through with clean water. Refill and dose with Milton. Usually no need for anything more drastic.
ukmctc
Well-Known Member
Milton baby fluid, will kill anything in the tank, fill and flush, add miltons fill and flush, then fill and add a cap of miltons every 2nd/3rd fill and thats it. Check and clean or renew your water filter as required.
pvb
Well-Known Member
I use the very cheapest own-brand domestic bleach (the stuff that's about 30p for 2 litres). Once a year in the spring, add some to tank, leave in tank for 24hrs, then empty and refill twice. For the rest of the season, I just add plain water. If there's a reasonable usage of water, the tank stays fresh. Milton is basically very expensive, very weak bleach.
BarryH
Well-Known Member
The tank is metal, not 100% sure what. No water in it at the moment as far as I can tell. I'll dose it up today and see whats what. Only problem is that I won't be able to get back to the boat util next weekend.
pvb
Well-Known Member
It won't hurt to leave it soaking for a week.
Ex-SolentBoy
Well-Known Member
Very expensive????
My calculation is this.
A 1000ml bottle of Milton is £2.89
Tank sterilisation is 50ml for 15 litres.
That means less than £1.00 for a 100 litre tank.
At that rate I would rather drink Milton than domestic bleach any day.
vyv_cox
Well-Known Member
After some years it becomes impossible to clean water tanks and hoses by adding bleach, Milton, etc. At this stage only mechanical methods will be effective. I have added a second inspection port in my tank, enabling me to brush it throughout, using detergent. This produced an improvement but not a total cure. I then replaced all the 25 year old hoses, which I must say were in a disgusting state. The combination of the two has been very effective.
pvb
Well-Known Member
If the brand advertising makes you happier, fine. Milton is basically just very dilute bleach.
Ex-SolentBoy
Well-Known Member
It's nothing to do with brand advertising. Milton has, by way of common useage, been tested on humans. Bleach has not, and "basically" the same is not the same as "the same".
If I was a chemist I might look at the ingredients, make a scientific comparison if possible, and draw my own conclusions.
As I am not a chemist, and I do not care one hoot about a few quid to sterilise some water, I would play it safe. You might save a quid. Why bother?
pvb
Well-Known Member
The OP's question was about cleaning a tank, not about routine treatment of stored water. Using ordinary bleach, followed by emptying and refilling at least twice, leaves no discernable taste in the water. Why pay extra for a branded product like Milton for this sort of use? After all, this is PBO.
A
angelsson
Guest
My understanding from Vics analysis, and from others here, is that Milton is an active, safe and tried and tested, on millions of babies who grew up strong and healthy, having been fed from bottles and teats treated by Milton.
If it cleans the tank, and subsequently treats the water to safely.
It sounds very reasonably priced for the amount required, so, why on earth not use such a branded proven product, it's a no brainer when you think of it, as against using a possibly suspect product to save a £ or maybe £2 at the most.
2Tizwoz
Well-Known Member
Tried and tested on humans
Domestic bleach on the other hand has been used for decades to clean work surfaces in contact with food. Its pretty well tested also.
Drinking water is treated with sodium hypochlorite.
Beer lines are treated with sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide.
These materials are all well tried and tested and proved safe. Just make sure that you wash the tank and pipework out well afterwards.
Domestic bleach on the other hand has been used for decades to clean work surfaces in contact with food. Its pretty well tested also.
Drinking water is treated with sodium hypochlorite.
Beer lines are treated with sodium hypochlorite and sodium hydroxide.
These materials are all well tried and tested and proved safe. Just make sure that you wash the tank and pipework out well afterwards.
BarryH
Well-Known Member
Looked at the tank today, a bit of body snake charming! The tank is galvanised on the exterior. Couldn't see what the interior is like. Theres no inspection plate. Would it be galvanised inside, I would have thought so.
Do you think that there'll be any reaction between the Milton solution and the galvanizing?
Do you think that there'll be any reaction between the Milton solution and the galvanizing?
2Tizwoz
Well-Known Member
Galvanised tank
The tank will be internally galvanised. Its necessary to go to considerable lengths to galvanise one side of a container only. It is possible, though unlikely that there is some form of lining in order to prevent any taste from the zinc.
Galvanised tanks have been used for potable water storage for decades without major problems.
Just wash it out well once you have sanitised it.
The tank will be internally galvanised. Its necessary to go to considerable lengths to galvanise one side of a container only. It is possible, though unlikely that there is some form of lining in order to prevent any taste from the zinc.
Galvanised tanks have been used for potable water storage for decades without major problems.
Just wash it out well once you have sanitised it.
A
angelsson
Guest
Thats true, and pubs use a cleaner prepared for the special task they have of removing old yeast in the beer, not diluted bleach I can assure you.
My point was that why take any risk with a bleach which is not made for the job, when a product is readily available which is and certainly not expensive.
prv
Well-Known Member
Interestingly, Listerine was originally made as a disinfectant for floors. The recipe wasn't changed when they invented the concept of mouthwash to sell more of it.
Pete
VicS
Well-Known Member
No, originally developed as a surgical antiseptic then found favour as a mouth wash.
rob2
Well-Known Member
Don't want to get into the "type of bleach" debate, but when cleaning I would favour a raher strong dosing, particularly to increase its effectiveness in cleaning the hoses. My tank seems to remain clean, but I get nasty infestations of the delivery hoses, so I always draw some through and let it stand.
My take on this is that domestic bleach comes in larger bottles which is great for cleaning, but Milton comes in a neat, small bottle which is easier to carry for dosing the water you're actually going to drink.
Rob.
My take on this is that domestic bleach comes in larger bottles which is great for cleaning, but Milton comes in a neat, small bottle which is easier to carry for dosing the water you're actually going to drink.
Rob.
