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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

Clean water holding tank

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Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Initially Posted - 03/30/2005 : 06:58:00

Sorry if my question is very obvious, but I've never had a boat or RV with a fresh water holding tank. I've read that I need to add 1/4 cup of bleach to a gallon of water add this to the tank and fill to sanitize it. Let sit for 3 hours and flush with fresh water. Sounds simple enough.

My C250 does not have a direct hose to the hull, does that mean I need to pump 15 gallons of water through the sinks?

My second question is how long will the water in the freshwater tank stay fresh? Do I need to add more Cloroxs to it (small amount) or maybe another product. Is it safe to leave water in the tank over several weeks? Can alge or bacteria be a problem?

Turk

www.turk.mysailboatblog.com
2003 C250 WK #663
Northeast Ohio
Mosquito Lake/Lake Erie

Edited by - on

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 07:37:42

Inactivity of a fresh water system leads to the fouling... one fairly simple solution is to add a blaster pump and use it... to clean decks, hose off the anchor and foredeck, filling the tea kettle, taking a bath, etc.

If creative, the blaster pump hose can also be used for a forced fill method rather than a gravity fill... with the advantage of overfilling the tank and thereby clearing the tank of stale water.

Constant use and replenishment of the fresh water tank solves the scum problem witout need for adding clorine.

Edited by - on

ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 09:45:47

"...I need to pump 15 gallons of water through the sinks?"

I'd recommend investing in one of those little pumps powered by an electric drill. (ca $15)

http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=6970&productId=11948&R=11948

IMHO pretty handy thing to have around for draining bilges & etc. Just stick a hose down the freshwater fill pipe and pump away. At 650 GPH, 15 gal will go pretty quick. If you're on the hard, you could just get a piece of plastic hose and siphon it over the side.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 12:22:42

Turk,

There are also a number of water fresheners on the market available from West Marine, etc. Generally the water in your fresh water tank is in pretty much constant motion and remains cool or cold depending on the outside water temp. It therefore does not stagnate quickly. Generally a tank of fresh water lasts me about a month or more.

You will find however, that the supply pipe from your tank to your sink will mildew quickly and cause your water to taste bad. They need to be cleaned every time the tank is cleaned and probably replaced ever so often.

I've removed my tank and secure two five gallon cans in its place. Since I don't use the sink anymore I'm considering turning it into a nav station. I am also going to turn the sink in the head into a hanging locker.

Al
GALLIVANT #5801

Edited by - aeckhart on 03/30/2005 12:23:24

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 13:37:42

I never consider the water in my tank to be potable--it's basically for washing hands and rinsing things off. For drinking water, I freeze water in gallon plastic jugs, and then put them in a cooler in the boat, where they keep things cold as they melt and become drinking water. For a short overnighter, skip the freezing part...

I do put a little bleach in the tank, since I don't use it much.

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 15:52:38

Same here. I only use the tank water for cleaning washing hands etc. I'll buy a six pack of bottle water and freeze them. keeps things in the cooler cold and when it melts I have drinking water.

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Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts

Response Posted - 03/30/2005 : 16:01:09

Clam Beach,

I use the same pump you suggested, but spliced a 3-way acetal valve in the line under the galley, then set it up so the pump could connect to the 3rd arm & run the outflow through the sink drain & over the side. That way I usually get the max amount out.

I just pump the clear water through the head side manually.

Edited by - on

sweetcraft
Admiral

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USA
816 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 00:51:08

I found that by installing a large inspection port on the top of the tank I can pump it out and really clean it at the begining of the season and use a fresh water container or hose to fill it. We use the boat for a month at a time during the season, cooking with good water and the hot drinks taste better keeping the crew happier. I do replace the water line every other season which is easier than the cleaning process, it is replaced by pulling in the new line as I pull out the old. Because of cold freezing winters this method works to remove all the water too.

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tinob
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1883 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 10:00:58

The last boat yard I was at had water from hell.

Green spinach like material floating about. Fortunately I found this out when I filled a pail to wash some fish scales away and not after having used it to drink. Rinsed the tank clean with potable water and bleach but never used it again. It been winterized several years and never used. Pathmark sells water in 2.5 gal jugs with a spigot and I keep one or more of them aboard, never use them either. Must be I'm just not a water type. preferring more suitable beverages to quench my thirst.

Val on the hard DAGNABIT

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 10:16:59

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Dave Bristle
 I never consider the water in my tank to be potable...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Same here. I never drink tank water from either the boat or my camper. It is used only for hand washing, or dishwashing after being boiled. I have spent a weekend or two on a boat (many years ago) with a case of the trots - probably from drinking tank water. That boat was only a couple of years old at the time, so I thought the water system should still be clean enough to be "safe".

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Jeff McK
Captain

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USA
389 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 11:29:31

You have to stay on top of the water tank or it will definitely go bad whithout warning.

I've found it helpful to "shock" the entire system with the the first refill of the season & every other month during the season. Probably overkill, but no problems with "turista" so far.

I use the Puriclean tablets sold at WM (item #281766).

I also carry bottled H2O. Bottom line for me: when it doubt, change it out.

Edited by - on

DrDre
1st Mate

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USA
68 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 12:07:51

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">My C250 does not have a direct hose to the hull, does that mean I need to pump 15 gallons of water through the sinks?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Turk,
In your anchor locker there is a screw cap labeled "Water". Take a coin and use it to unscrew the cap and place your garden hose in here to fill up the tank.

As far as sanitation goes we too use the sinks mostly for washing up and dishes. And when at the boat yesterday (after a long cold winter) I checked the contents of the tank and sure enough some of that "spinach" came shooting out. I had the same problem last year and flushed the system by filling the tanks then pumping out through both sinks. It did the trick. Most important tip I received is USE NON-CHLORINE BLEACH!! It's better all the way around. Adding some after the flush (about two capfuls per full tank) also keep the water drinkable should you run out bottles in the cooler. (Had this happen last year and we used the holding tank water for coffee in the morning..wasn't bad at all.) On our cruises we carry two 2 gallon collapsable water bottles from K-Mart at all times. Whenevery we refueled we refilled all water bottles and the tank. (Guess we like water, inside and out.

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 03/31/2005 : 12:13:15

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DrDre
 ...Most important tip I received is USE NON-CHLORINE BLEACH!! It's better all the way around. Adding some after the flush (about two capfuls per full tank) also keep the water drinkable should you run out bottles in the cooler. (Had this happen last year and we used the holding tank water for coffee in the morning..wasn't bad at all.)<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You must like your coffee strooooong!

Edited by - dlucier on 03/31/2005 12:17:18

Dave Bristle
Master Marine Consultant

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Djibouti
10005 Posts

Response Posted - 04/01/2005 : 22:28:50

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by DrDre
[brMost important tip I received is USE NON-CHLORINE BLEACH!!<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">
Hmmmmm... As I see it, the reason to use bleach is that it has chlorine in it. Non-chlorine bleach might be about as useful as milk, for all I know... Chlorine is what your water company uses (if you have one) for the same purpose. But again, for drinking water on boats, I recommend bottles--either the kind you buy or with fresh tap water that you freeze. The tap water shouldn't be kept very long.

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Turk
Admiral

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USA
736 Posts

Response Posted - 04/02/2005 : 17:52:34

Well, I've learned alot here.

I like the idea of using the drill pump to help in the process of cleaning out the tank, but it looks like both lines running to the sinks get "slime" after awile and need replacing. I guess none of you have ever made beer before!

There is something called beer line cleaner for just this purpose. It is used to clean tap lines in a bar (I have tap lines in my garage refrigerator, taps on the door - you gotta tap the beer you brew you know!). Beer line cleaner mixed with hot water will flush just about the worst looking stuff out of any line. It is not expensive either, compared to replacing lines, and will sanitize the system completely. My boat has had two seasons on it, I will try the beer line cleaner and let you know. You need to pump it throught the system, let it sit a few minutes then pump it all out and rinse with fresh water.

I will check out the water treatment tablets at WM to see how they are to be used.

Thanks all

Turk

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