bleach taste in holding tank

[shellback]

HI all,
Just curious, how does one get rid of the bleach taste in the water tanks. I've read some of the previous threads on this, and have asked some tips from other boaters near me.

I've cycled through (filled and emptied) the tanks a couple times now, and still have that bleach taste. Wanting ideas.

It's about a 13 gallon tank. (non metallic tank)

mark

[fstbttms]

Originally Posted by shellback

HI all,
Just curious, how does one get rid of the bleach taste in the water tanks...

Whew! For a second there I thought you were drinking from the head!

[DeepFrz]

One way is to install a charcoal filter for drinking water.

[btrayfors]

Originally Posted by shellback

HI all,

It's about a 13 gallon tank. (non metallic tank)

mark

Keep cycling; it will disappear.

Or, better, use bottled water. Keep the tank water for washing hands and dishes. That's what I do on my 42' cruising boat, and have for the past 18 years!

BTW, it's a good idea to have a little Chlorox in the water tanks to keep bacteria from growing. Great for washing; not good for drinking!

Bill

[Strygaldwir]

The problem with cycling may be that the water you're cycling with may contain very high amounts of chlorine (Okay, they are really chloromines, but whose noticing).

Charcoal filtering is usually the accepted method of ridding water of chlorines. You might consider putting filters on the line you're using to fill the tanks. I would not use the marine filters VERY expensive. I go down to Home depot or Lowes and get one of their whole house filters. Get the adapters water hoses. I'd connect to the sorce water with a small hose, the filter, then the remaining hose. This way you don't impregnate the hose with the Chloromines. Filling and flushing will eventually get the smell out.

I wonder if baking soda would work? Soak the tank with baking soda then flush a couple of times? Hmm?

[shellback]

Originally Posted by DeepFrz

One way is to install a charcoal filter for drinking water.

I've considered that, or an in-line filter of some sort. Seems like a good idea. The water tank has two sinks, one nearby the tank for the gallley, the other sink on the starboard side, opposite of the marine head. The marine head has it's own seperate small tank.

On my previous boat (oday 23) I used to freeze several 1 gallon jugs of water, use them as "ice" and as they thawed, they'd become consumable drinking water. I might still do that, but doing that took up valuable space in the icechest in the galley. Bigger boat now means bigger icechest = hmm, equals more beer. Hmm, funny how that works! LOL

So I'm interested in using my 13 gal water tank for cooking, washing hands/freshening up, brushing teeth etc. So cold water isn't avail from the tank, unless I bring aboard the jugs. I simply don't want the bleach taste or odor. As emergency , it could be used for drinking.

[CSY Man]

bleach taste in holding tank

I would prefer bleach taste in my holding tank.

[ssullivan]

We use a Culligan water filter (carbon/membrane), which takes out any chlorine taste and any off tastes from municipal water supplies (we fill at the docks only, since we don't live in a house).

It works perfectly. Tastes better than the garbage they sell in plastic bottles, since you don't have that plastic taste.

[Maddog]

Originally Posted by btrayfors

Keep cycling; it will disappear.

Or, better, use bottled water. Keep the tank water for washing hands and dishes. That's what I do on my 42' cruising boat, and have for the past 18 years!

BTW, it's a good idea to have a little Chlorox in the water tanks to keep bacteria from growing. Great for washing; not good for drinking!

Bill

This is the ticket.

[Lynx]

Are you sure that it is a bleach taste and not the taste of the plastic?

New backpacking water bottles used to have a real bad plastic taste as well as insulated water jugs. I would have to clean these several times to get the taste out of them. What have you done to clean them?

[delmarrey]

I would go with the bottled water idea. I do! But one can buy de-clor for fish tanks. That might work.

As long as one pumps clorinated city water into the tanks, they stay fairly fresh...................._/)

[GordMay]

All bottled waters are expensive, but not all bottled water is the same quality.
In most jurisdictions (ie: Canada & USA) bottled water faces less stringent standards than municipal tap-water.
Know what you’re buying!

[senormechanico]

Originally Posted by GordMay

All bottled waters are expensive, but not all bottled water is the same quality.
In most jurisdictions (ie: Canada & USA) bottled water faces less stringent standards than municipal tap-water.
Know what you’re buying!

I've always laughed at bottled water names and buyers who think they're getting the greatest quality from a bottle. For example, read "Evian" backwards.

[Sonosailor]

Are you cruising or weekending?

As a cruiser, I prefer to drink from my tanks, and prefer to keep them chlorinated. As a weekender, I might prefer to haul my water aboard for drinking. I'd still rechlorinate the tank water to stop it from going slimy, and would do my best to turn it over regularly.

I too, would prefer a chlorinous flavour to no chlorine, for health reasons. However, if you don't like it, you have to do something else. Don't bother with dechlorinators as these can be bad for you; and don't use charcoal filters unless you plan to spend the time and money to maintain them, use them only with chlorinated water, and replace them at least as often as the manufacturer recommends.. Bad bacteria can take them over in time.

[Strygaldwir]

The charcol becomes inert and ineffective after a while. Most whole house charcol filters come with a 3 month replacement recommendation. I usually buy a half dozen or so at a time. Seems like they cost something on the order of $9 for a pack of 2 from Lowes.

My wife buys water when we are tied up. She prefers the water that comes from our watermaker to anything she has had bottled. But, we don't use the watermaker when we are tied up for extended periods.