Cruisers Forum
 


Reply
  This discussion is proudly sponsored by:
Please support our sponsors and let them know you heard about their products on Cruisers Forums. Advertise Here
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Rate Thread Display Modes
Old 09-10-2010, 20:01   #1
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Melbourne
Boat: Compass 28
Posts: 431
Fresh Water Filters

My FW tank (fibreglass in the keel) gets pretty yuckie, so my options seem to be water that is yuckie, or reeks of chlorine. I tried vinergar, and it keeps the bugs at bay, but smells/tastes even worse than the chlorine.

I'd appreciate hearing others' experience of filtration for such problems.

cheers, lockie
lockie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2010, 20:21   #2
Registered User
 
sabray's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wash DC
Boat: PETERSON 44
Posts: 3,165
Id wonder why its getting yuckie. Maybe old stuff still in the tanks which need cleaning? The water you add is just sorta cleaning some growth off the tank. If Im filling with well water i splash a little chlorine in but not so much that you can smell it. I have an inline mark IV filter that seems to get enough gook on it so its replaced every year. When I got the boat the tanks needed cleaning I shocked them with lots of chlorine and several rinses. Now the filter lasts longer as the tanks are pretty clean.
sabray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2010, 20:25   #3
Registered User
 
Rhapsody-NS27's Avatar

Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: VA, boat: Deale, MD
Boat: 1981 Nor'sea 27
Posts: 1,414
(Warning: Newbie question)

Is it normally possible to remove a Fresh Water tank from a boat? I'm thinking if it might be possible to do a steam cleaning of the tank.
__________________
Daniel - Rhapsody Blog,
“A sailor’s joys are as simple as a child’s.” — Bernard Moitessier
"I don't need therapy, I just need my boat"
Rhapsody-NS27 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2010, 20:30   #4
Registered User
 
sabray's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wash DC
Boat: PETERSON 44
Posts: 3,165
sometimes yes you can pull the tanks and sometimes alot of the boat has to come apart. If the tank has an inspection port on top cleaning isn't a big deal. Otherwise shock and rinse alot may do the trick.
sabray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-10-2010, 23:41   #5
Registered User

Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Melbourne
Boat: Compass 28
Posts: 431
The tank is cast into the F/G hull behind the lead keel, so it's a no-go to remove. Problem is it's really awkward to get in to scrub it out - believe me I've tried. And I've chlorined the s**t out of it, but the bugs come back. As I said, vinegar keeps them down, but tastes like, well, vinegar. So I've sort of resigned myself to living with bugs and filtering the little buggers out. Or maybe putting a bladder in there.

lockie
lockie is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 05:13   #6
Registered User
 
Dynamo1181's Avatar

Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Bahamas - Maine
Boat: '88 Passport 41' Magic Moments
Posts: 197
I shock the tank once/ year and use a whole house water filter with the single combo taste (carbon) and sediment cartridge. You cant tell the difference between the kitchen tap and bottled water.
I chage the filter about every 6 mos when fulltime.
A
__________________
.............< Alan >..............
><((((º> ¸.·´¯`·.¸¸><((((º>
........AD4HE & KD4LGZ........
Dynamo1181 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 05:19   #7
Long Range Cruiser
 
MarkJ's Avatar

Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Australian living on "Sea Life" currently in England.
Boat: Beneteau 393 "Sea Life"
Posts: 12,822
Images: 25
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dan_78 View Post
(Warning: Newbie question)

Is it normally possible to remove a Fresh Water tank from a boat? .
Just another thing to look at when buying an older boat. The water and deisel tanks come out of this boat easily (not that I would like to have to do it! But some boats just can't be removed because they are built in etc.

They shouldnt need to come out.
__________________
Notes on a Circumnavigation.
OurLifeAtSea.com

Somalia Pirates and our Convoy
MarkJ is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 07:28   #8
Registered User
 
svHyLyte's Avatar

Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Tampa Bay area, USA
Boat: Beneteau First 42
Posts: 3,961
Images: 25
Consider using the old tank as just a container for a bladder tank. These are relatively inexpensive and can fairly easily be installed, even in somewhat awkward spaces. Note, however, that if your water lines are contaminated, the new tank can be compromised fairly quickly.

FWIW...
__________________
"It is not so much for its beauty that the Sea makes a claim upon men's hearts, as for that subtle something, that quality of air, that emanation from the waves, that so wonderfully renews a weary spirit."
svHyLyte is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 07:42   #9
Senior Cruiser
 
GordMay's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Thunder Bay, Ontario - 48-29N x 89-20W
Boat: (Cruiser Living On Dirt)
Posts: 49,141
Images: 241
Quote:
Originally Posted by svHyLyte View Post
Consider using the old tank as just a container for a bladder tank...
Indeed.
I wonder, though, how he’ll install & plumb a bladder into a tank that’s not even accessible for cleaning?
__________________
Gord May
"If you didn't have the time or money to do it right in the first place, when will you get the time/$ to fix it?"



GordMay is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 07:46   #10
Registered User
 
sabray's Avatar

Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Wash DC
Boat: PETERSON 44
Posts: 3,165
Im wondering since the tanks are getting shocked but the bugs come back could the vent lines be dirty or the screens in the vents have gone south.
sabray is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 08:02   #11
Moderator
 
Pete7's Avatar

Cruisers Forum Supporter

Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Solent, England
Boat: Moody 31
Posts: 18,427
Images: 22
Probably using my favourite toy, an angle grinder every boat should have one on board.

I had to Google Compass 28 because I am not familiar with the model so here is a photo of one I found.

Might be worth having a chat with these folks. They did me a quote years ago for another project and it was quite reasonable compared to European prices.

Super Deck Tanks - Turtlepac

Finally and this is a personal opinion, I don't like filters and removed ours. If there is a problem with the water in the tank, I want to know about it straight away not have a filter mask a problem.

Our tank has been opened and cleaned regularly during the past 20 years, if fact its on the list of jobs this winter. If Lockie can't get in then no one else has, so its time for action now before the start of the summer perhaps.

Pete
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	Compass 28.jpg
Views:	193
Size:	30.7 KB
ID:	19972  
Pete7 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 10-10-2010, 08:22   #12
Registered User

Join Date: May 2008
Posts: 3,525
+1 on checking the vent hose. Also check the fill hose - especially for a low point that holds water after a fill. This petri dish grows stuff that is then conveniently pushed down into the tank at each fill.

Better - before worrying about replacing the tanks do the usually much easier step of replacing a bunch of hose.

Carl
CarlF is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes Rate This Thread
Rate This Thread:

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fresh Water, Gray Water and Black Water Holding Tanks vweber Plumbing Systems and Fixtures 10 13-07-2018 20:25
Raw-water to fresh-water cooling conversion Catamount Engines and Propulsion Systems 31 06-05-2012 07:29
Salt Water in Fresh Water System marc2012 Engines and Propulsion Systems 5 19-06-2010 05:28
Blue Water or Fresh Water? John-in-Hamilton General Sailing Forum 13 26-08-2009 01:11

Advertise Here


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 04:18.


Google+
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Social Knowledge Networks
Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.

ShowCase vBulletin Plugins by Drive Thru Online, Inc.