To filter or Not to filter...

[Rapanui]

We have been plagued over the last season with hard water scale blocking tap and shower outlets and pump inlet, which led to a water pump failure. For that reason alone I would recommend fitting a mechanical filter before the pump with easily removable filter.

[Steve Bean]

Before installing any filter or treatment, be sure it is designed to solve the problems you have. The best particulate filter you can find won't remove dissolved solids.

[sailorchic34]

Myself, I'm in the not to filter crowd. Filters actually provide a perfect media for bacteria growth. Of course, I keep my dinky 35 gallon tank turned over with fresh water all the time, as I use it all the time... To each their own.

[svseachange]

Originally Posted by sailorchic34

Myself, I'm in the not to filter crowd. Filters actually provide a perfect media for bacteria growth. Of course, I keep my dinky 35 gallon tank turned over with fresh water all the time, as I use it all the time... To each their own.

We put a little bleach in the water when we fill to kill bacteria and filter a drinking water using a Brita. I agree turnover is key. We turnover each of our two 37 gallon tanks at least once per month with normal usage.

Sent from my GT-P3113 using Tapatalk

[HopCar]

If you decide to put a filter in the supply line consider using one like the pre-filter on your water maker. That would reduce the number of spare elements you need to carry.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Marpessa

1) By default shouldn't every boat just have a filter between the tank lift tube and the main water pump - thereby helping to keep all your fixtures in clean water?

2) If not the above approach, then I would just install one filter on the circuit that will have a foot pump of fresh into the galley sink and the ice maker tee-ed in as well. Will that idea work?

Finally, it seems that many of you operate without the filter for a variety of reasons. The most concerning is due to filter contamination from lack of use, winterizing, etc. I'm not trying to drink solely from my tanks, I prefer bottled. But, I am installing a watermaker, will be offshore sailing, and like ice in my cocktails.

Can't speak to watermaker-related issues, but... since our shore water supply may be "city" water or from a well with varying amounts of minerals and so forth...

We use both a dual gradient 25-1 micron sediment filter and a finer .5 micron charcoal (in line) when we fill our fresh water tanks. (See filtersfast.com -- Big Blue and Pentek -- for examples). These are not installed; I just pull 'em out when we need to fill... and we carry 200 gals, so filling isn't a daily or even weekly chore. The charcoal filter adds significantly to fill time when we're bringing it up from near empty, but that doesn't particularly effect us all that much.

The boat has a small sediment filter in between tank source and water pump, but it's relatively course, not particularly useful.

For drinking/coffee/ice cube water, we then also use a filter pitcher (Pur, Brita, etc.), partly 'cause we can keep a whole pitcher of cold water always ready in one of the fridges.

We seldom use dockside water directly, since cycling new (filtered) water through the tanks seems to help keep the whole system fresh, too.

-Chris

[Tim R.]

Originally Posted by HopCar

If you decide to put a filter in the supply line consider using one like the pre-filter on your water maker. That would reduce the number of spare elements you need to carry.

exactly what we did.

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by HopCar

If you decide to put a filter in the supply line consider using one like the pre-filter on your water maker. That would reduce the number of spare elements you need to carry.

Just poking some fun here at you Hop because I know what you meant, but no it wouldn't.

[HopCar]

Hi Tellie, When are you coming down to visit me?

[Tellie]

Originally Posted by HopCar

Hi Tellie, When are you coming down to visit me?

Funny you should ask that question. I'm heading out to California in two weeks for some new business and was thinking about you. When I get back I will give you a shout and set up a day and time to stop by and say "Hello"

[HopCar]

Tellie, sounds good to me.