fresh water tank cleaning

T

terraplane

New member
I use my freshwater tank for cooking water, face washing, doing dishes...not for drinking..but it is getting funky in there...
How do you guys clean this tank?

terraplane
 
I cleaned my water tank less than a year ago. Some have posted that they use a few tablespoons to 1/4 cup of clorox. I used hydrogen peroxide because my home RO water system says to us it.

What I found is that the hose from the tank to the foot pump had a layer of brown gunk on the inside. I think this is a normal development when ever you have water sitting in a hose. I replaced the hose but suspect the brown stuff is back.

I don't think it is toxic and I use the tank water for many of the same things including brushing teeth. I carry additional drinking water. Before I go on a trip I drain the tank and put in fresh water.

Steve
 
I always pump the system down when I am not using it...then add some chorox ..... before I fill it again....I add several gallons of water and drain that... Been doing that since the boat was new and I always have clean safe water... sometimes smells a bit of clorine...but that does not bother me...it's not bad and I know it's safe water..

Joel
SEA3PO
 
I winterized the water system with a bottle of vodka. It won't freeze, kills the cooters, and won't poison the end user. Hopefully it won't damage the pump, I guess time will tell.
 
The easiest way on a 22 is to pick up a piece of tubing that will slip over the faucet and hang it out the window below the hull. Then pump the pump and get a flow going. It will then syphon on its own. I use a 1/2 tsp of bleach per gallon of water in the tank and fill it entirely, pump water through the faucet several times over 5-10 minutes to bring the bleach in contact with the entire system and then syphon it out. Also pour a splash into the level tube. Bleach only needs several minutes of dwell time to sanitize.

I do this twice a year. You may want to do it more often in a warmer climate.
 
Milehog":1j60o21t said:
I winterized the water system with a bottle of vodka. It won't freeze, kills the cooters, and won't poison the end user. Hopefully it won't damage the pump, I guess time will tell.
Click to expand...

I tried that once and all I got was a king sized headache... :shock: And it didn't damage my pump either.... cooters? I don't have any that I know of... :disgust

Oh wait, maybe you mean put it in the tank?? :roll:

Charlie
 
Milehog":3l8jfxwq said:
I winterized the water system with a bottle of vodka. It won't freeze, kills the cooters, and won't poison the end user. Hopefully it won't damage the pump, I guess time will tell.
Click to expand...

There are those in warmer climates that do that. Add some orange juice - Screwdriver. Add some peach schnapps - Fuzzy Navel. Add cranberry and pineapple juice - Sex on the Beach.

Apparently it doesn't have anything to do with winterizing, but someone does get tanked.

Now, to get back on the subject again... after you've put a small amount of bleach in the water tank, run the boat around so that it mixes well. Pump it through and out of the system. If you still have that "bleachy" smell, put a bit of baking soda in the water. In warmer climates, we sanitize the tank once every couple months or so if it isn't being used regularly.

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
The bleach, siphon over the side, and freshen with baking soda is the technique we use. However, we must confess ... since we drink our tank water (that might explain some things, eh?) we also dump in a bottle of cheap vodka every so often (also explains some things, you're thinking?). Makes good antifreeze and really zips up the morning coffee ...
 
El and BilI-

I think I'll just pump the water over the side, flush it out with some water and bleach mixture, and then refill the whole tank with vodka!

Might as well cut to the chase, so to speak!

See ya' in Seattle!

Joe
 
Hi Chris,

After years of living in the frozen northland and frequent winterizing of RVs, here's how we handled the UNwinterizing: Assuming you don't have a hot water heater full of the pink stuff, fill the fresh water tank (add a couple tablespoons of bleach; really, it doesn't take much), and run water out of all the faucets until the water doesn't look foamy. Fill the tank again; if you smell the bleach in the water, mix a couple tablespoons of baking soda in water and add that to the tank. Run some more water. That's it. With the smaller water tank in our 25, I put about a capful of bleach in the water when we're sanitizing it.

If the hot water heater has the pink stuff in it, it will take a lot more flushing to clean it. It's best to drain it and add water with the drain open.

I've never tried the vodka technique... I'm guessing you don't have to go so easy with the amount you add with that. :wink

Best wishes,
Jim B.
 
hi david, (anna leigh)
it's always the simple solutions that are hardest to discover!
great idea, can't tell you how much time i've waisted pumping the foot pump to empty the fresh water holding tank.
thanks for sharing this tip!
pat
 
Don't feel alone Capt..... we'all did that foot pumping thing until we heard about the hose out the window trick.

Joel
SEA3PO
 
hi joel
i trust all is well in california.
next time i attempt to complete a task, i'm going to ask myself, how would david (anna leigh) do this! that way, i'll save hours of otherwise hard labor.
best regards
pat
 
(Non-boat) RVs also typically have water tanks that need to be chlorinated. The technique followed by Bill and El (as well as others) is the recommended procedure...plus one step.

While the chlorine is in the tank, drive around and let the water slosh around a bit. Then drain the tank, and refill adding baking soda (to neutralize the chlorine taste).
 
I don't use them, but since we're on this topic, most RV supply stores carry some brand of water tank "freshener" and "disinfectant". I've read the instructions which do call for filling the tank, driving around, then draining on some of them.

John
 
I went out to drain the tank on Constant Craving today, and I can not get the system to hold a syphon and now it's not pumping water into the hose either. I suspect that there is a flapper valve inside the foot pump that has given up. Until I can get a replacement, does anyone have a good idea on how to get the water out? Any good small pumps that fit on a drill? I guess I will pour over the WM catalog and see what's available.

Steve
 
I have had this same problem on Notayot. I took the foot pump apart and found small bits of plastic from the tank construction/installation in one of the valves. I just took both valves apart, cleaned all of the parts and put it back together. It now pumps much better, and does hold a prime once pumped up to the faucet. Before the cleanup it would barely pump any water to the faucet and then would quickly bleed down, requiring another foot dance to get water again! The pump really is simple, and I'll bet it is almost indestructable. I'd take it apart before buying a new one.

One thought however, you will not be able to take the pump apart until the water tank is empty! Bad things will result with water in the tank, since gravity will move the water to the pump location!
 
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