Fresh Water Filters

[lockie]

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

[sabray]

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.

[Rhapsody-NS27]

(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.

[sabray]

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.

[lockie]

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

[Dynamo1181]

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

[MarkJ]

Originally Posted by Dan_78

(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.

[svHyLyte]

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...

[GordMay]

Originally Posted by svHyLyte

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?

[sabray]

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.

[Pete7]

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

[CarlF]

+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