Water Tank question

[Sparks5501]

I am new to cruising and power boating. I came on this forum to pick the brains of intrepid sailors like you guys .

Our Donzi sat for a long time before we bought it. We have flushed out the water tank multiple times. What do you'all do for your water. Several people told me they use bottled water. Don't really want to do that, not much storage room. I plan on using the tank water for cooking and drinking.

[ranger58sb]

We pre-filter water into the tanks first, after having sanitized the tanks themselves, and the hoses, etc.

Search for posts by Peggie Hall -- Head MIstress, Peg Hall -- and Thinwater about sanitization.

The two filter elements we use in line are dual-gradient 25 micron/1 micron Pentek DGD-2501 sediment filter and then another Penteck (FloPlus or some such) .5 micron carbon block... both in household filter housings. Thinwater has posted about filters, too...

(Our onboard supply is sometimes filtered some more by a pitcher filter -- e.g., Pur or Britta -- since that's an easy way to keep water cold in a fridge.)

Then we cycle that water often so it's constantly replaced; seldom use the shorewater connection.

-Chris

[Sparks5501]

What do you do to sanitize the tank?

[Cotemar]

Originally Posted by Sparks5501

What do you do to sanitize the tank?

To sanitize a marine fresh water system and kill bacteria that may be present do the following:

* Fill the fresh water tank half way with fresh water.

* Prepare a chlorine solution:

1) In a container with a gallon of fresh water mix 1/4 cup of household bleach, (5% sodium hypochlorite solution) such as Clorox or Purex, for every 15 gallons of tank capacity.

2) Pour this mixture into the water tank.

3) Complete filling of tank with fresh water.

CAUTION: Notify all persons aboard that the fresh water system is being sanitized. Do not allow anyone to drink from the fresh water system during the sanitizing process.


Go for a drive to mix the solution.

Turn on the fresh water pump.

Pump water through each faucet so that the feed lines are filled with the water and bleach mixture from the tank.

Run a quart of water out each faucet. You should be able to smell chlorine strongly at each faucet.

The hot-water tank also holds water. Run the hot water faucets until the capacity of the hot water tank has passed through the system to insure that the old water has been purged from the hot-water tank, and it is now filled with the water and bleach solution from the water tank.

Allow the water and bleach solution to stand in the system for three hours

Drain the entire system, hot water tank included, and then flushes the system with new fresh water.

To remove any excessive chlorine taste or odor that might remain, prepare a solution of one-quart vinegar to five gallons water.

Pump the vinegar solution through the water system and allow this solution to remain overnight.

Drain the system again and flush with fresh water.

[sparrowhawk1]

I agree with everything but to drain the hot water tank. One time I let my hot water tank be drained and then it had air in it so every time the pump would cycle off the water would get hotter and when the pump came on it would get colder because the air in the tank would it be absorbing and releasing pressure. It took a long time to get all the air out of a hot water tank. So after you replaced the bleach water in your main tanks with fresh water then flush out your hot water system.

[SVRocinante]

Obviously depends on your cruising grounds, but assuming you're talking about areas with easily accessible potable water to refill your tanks (once the've been properly sanitized to begin with) we simply use an inline filter at our cold water line at the galley sink.

Simple full house filter with easily replaceable/affordable 10x2 carbon block filters (.5 micron) gives as excellent tasting water for a trivial cost, and no plastic bottles!

Works for us...

[danielbeast]

I was wondering the same thing this past weekend. I have only ever drank bottled water on the boat. I was thinking about what we use for water service carts and water tanks on airplanes at the airport. Purogene mixed with citric acid.

I would definitely consider some kind of filter at the faucet for some extra protection.

[atmartin]

Great advice on chlorine rinse. We do something similar, but less precise. I have read calcium hypochlorite (pool chlorine) is preferable to sodium hypochlorite (bleach) and has a longer shelf life.

In areas where the locals drink bottled water, usually in 20 liter (~5 gal) form, I prefer 20 Liter carboys (Like Baritainer) to the water jugs they sell in marine stores. They stow better in the lazarette or, frankly, anywhere else on the boat compared to ones shaped like a gas/diesel tank. Usually, the shopkeeps won't let you take their 20 liter jug with you without a deposit, so the procedure goes like this:

1.20L water-cooler bottle poured into carboys with funnel at shop
2.Carry 2-6 Carboys using Spinnaker pole/SUP-Paddle or whatever to dinghy
3.Siphon Carboys into Freshwater Tanks; repeat if necessary

We used to call it "Tyranny of Minutiae" on JUMBLE, but it kept us thin!

Oh, get an opaque Carboy! Cuts down on Algae, unless you pre-treat.

Clean out your tank(s) every once in awhile; hopefully, you have an inspection plate.

A 20L Carboy: