Water purification tablets for holding tank

[Karma Dreams]

Any recommendations on tried and tested methods, what is best to use? We had trouble with our 'Aquafilter' so removed it. So thought maybe good idea to treat the tank before this years cruising. Can anyone on here give any recs that they use and are happy with? Do you add to tank, leave. then empty flush through etc before refilling, how long before re-treating? Are there any ones that you can add without empting and refilling... do they taste? Any replies would be very appreciated before purchasing the wrong thing. Thanks

[Chertsey]

Any recommendations on tried and tested methods, what is best to use? We had trouble with our 'Aquafilter' so removed it. So thought maybe good idea to treat the tank before this years cruising. Can anyone on here give any recs that they use and are happy with? Do you add to tank, leave. then empty flush through etc before refilling, how long before re-treating? Are there any ones that you can add without empting and refilling... do they taste? Any replies would be very appreciated before purchasing the wrong thing. Thanks

People will suggest Milton, to which I will respond that this is a weak solution of sodium hypochlorite i.e. cheap thin bleach, which will do the job just as well and just as safely for a fraction of the cost. This though I would leave and then flush out. After that, provided you have a reasonable throughput of (chlorinated) mains water, the tank is in good condition and is sealed and light-free, and you don't drink cold water from it, I wouldn't bother doing it again.

[cotswoldsman]

People will suggest Milton, to which I will respond that this is a weak solution of sodium hypochlorite i.e. cheap thin bleach, which will do the job just as well and just as safely for a fraction of the cost. This though I would leave and then flush out. After that, provided you have a reasonable throughput of (chlorinated) mains water, the tank is in good condition and is sealed and light-free, and you don't drink cold water from it, I wouldn't bother doing it again.

 

Just out of interest does all this bleach (Milton) end up in the canal? I have seen a number of people say they run bleach through the water system at the start of the year now in my opinion if this does all end up in the canal then I am not sure that is so great, maybe I am wrong........

[cotswoldsman]

People will suggest Milton, to which I will respond that this is a weak solution of sodium hypochlorite i.e. cheap thin bleach, which will do the job just as well and just as safely for a fraction of the cost. This though I would leave and then flush out. After that, provided you have a reasonable throughput of (chlorinated) mains water, the tank is in good condition and is sealed and light-free, and you don't drink cold water from it, I wouldn't bother doing it again.

 

Just out of interest does all this bleach (Milton) end up in the canal? I have seen a number of people say they run bleach through the water system at the start of the year now in my opinion if this does all end up in the canal then I am not sure that is so great, maybe I am wrong........

[Chertsey]

Yes, it probably does but at a very high level of dilution. I myself have never flushed my tank out in this way, relying instead on the level of chlorination in tap water to keep the water sufficiently bug free, but I would doubt if it were a big issue in the scheme of things. Washing powder for one I should think would be far more harmful.

[RobinJ]

Any recommendations on tried and tested methods, what is best to use? We had trouble with our 'Aquafilter' so removed it. So thought maybe good idea to treat the tank before this years cruising. Can anyone on here give any recs that they use and are happy with? Do you add to tank, leave. then empty flush through etc before refilling, how long before re-treating? Are there any ones that you can add without empting and refilling... do they taste? Any replies would be very appreciated before purchasing the wrong thing. Thanks

You can get (sort of sterilisation) tablets from sea chandlers and camping outlets, which occasionally it is a good idea to use (especially if you have a plastic tank as more susceptible to algae growth).

We just empty ours down in winter (mostly to prevent freezing), flush it out well (gets rid of the spiders etc.) and rely on the filters!

[Nose Miner]

You only need a small amount of bleach to sterilize a tank, and it breaks down, I think to salt and water, releasing the chlorine as gas. So it it should be harmless by the time it gets in the canal. Usually it's passed through me and sprayed on the hedgrow!

[Semitrad]

Any suggestions as to what a "small quantity" is please? For example my idea of a small quantity of wine is different to my wife's.

[saltysplash]

Any suggestions as to what a "small quantity" is please? For example my idea of a small quantity of wine is different to my wife's.

 

I used to put 2 table spoons of thin bleach in the water tank.

[Terence]

Thanks to Karma Dreams for posting this topic. I've been needing the same help and advice.

 

Just one added question if anyone can help, how many days in general would you expect a 200 litre tank of water to last (washing domestic and hygienic)?

Thanks in advance.

 

Terence

[Tim]

I am advised, by my friend who works in water treatment, 200ml chlorine per 1000 gallons and leave for 1.5 hours before flushing.

[RobinJ]

Just one added question if anyone can help, how many days in general would you expect a 200 litre tank of water to last (washing domestic and hygienic)?

Very difficult question!

Depends on showers, washing etc., but a guestimate is between 10-50 litres per perosn per day?

Kids always use more!

[Terence]

Very difficult question!

Depends on showers, washing etc., but a guestimate is between 10-50 litres per perosn per day?

Kids always use more!

 

Many thanks Robin.

We don't have a washing machine but do have shower so possibly 20 days max to 4 days min. That's a great help thanks once again.

 

Cheers,

Terence

[headjog]

I am advised, by my friend who works in water treatment, 200ml chlorine per 1000 gallons and leave for 1.5 hours before flushing.

 

In the last two weeks I've been browsing the threads for this info, and now I'm confused. The last figures I got were, ( for thin bleach)

 

20mls in 900ltrs - no leaving time,

100mls per 100ltrs -run all taps until smell chlorine,top up tank &leave 4-12hours,drain & refill.

2Litres in 100/150litre tank- go shopping-drain, refill running taps, leave 30mins,drain & refill

 

Er......?? My tank is in gallons- 150galls- which I calculated to be roughly 700 litres.I was going to do it last week, but couldn't calculate bleach in mls and tank in galls..I don't work in 'foreign' as a rule.

 

I was planning to do it today, so any advance on the above, preferably before I poison the kids???

[RobinJ]

Er......?? My tank is in gallons- 150galls- which I calculated to be roughly 700 litres.I was going to do it last week, but couldn't calculate bleach in mls and tank in galls..I don't work in 'foreign' as a rule.

 

I was planning to do it today, so any advance on the above, preferably before I poison the kids???

Quick average of 707ml per 383l or 84 gallons, gives 1.5 teaspoons per gallon!

[headjog]

Arrgh!! Help, How many tea spoons in pint??

 

Okay, I make that roughly 38ozs or around 1ltr for my 150gall tank - is that about right??

Edited April 21, 2011 by headjog

[RobinJ]

Arrgh!! Help, How many tea spoons in pint??

96!

[headjog]

16ozs or half a litre then?

[WotEver]

16ozs or half a litre then?

No, around a litre.

 

1.5 teaspoons per gallon and 15 gallons gives (1.5 x 150) = 225 teaspoons.

 

96 teaspoons to a pint gives (225/96) = 2.3 pints (just over a litre).

 

Tony

[headjog]

Thanks Tony got my pints and gallons twisted then! Cover me I'm going in...

[WotEver]

Thanks Tony got my pints and gallons twisted then! Cover me I'm going in...

I've got your back...

[windy miller]

To keep the water sweet in the tank when it's infrequently topped up and sits unused for weeks on end, I add 20ppm of chlorine in the form of thin bleach. Can't remember how I did the original calculation, but that's the equivalent of 36mls of bleach to 150 gallons. Sorry to mix ppm(parts per million), metric and imperial, but it makes a decent cup of tea and hasn't poisoned us yet, (probably because we drink bottled water unless it's boiled.)

[Tim]

Instructions from my water treatment friend:

 

add chlorine at a rate of 200ml per 1000 litres, this should give approx 30ppm chlorine.

run through each tap until you can smell the chlorine.

leave to stand 1.5 hours.

empty, refill, flush through, empty and refill again.

only use chlorine with poly or s/s tanks, it could cause severe corrosion on mild steel.

[headjog]

Didn't get it done today after all. When I started the engine, the siren kept going on 'run' so I turned it back to stop, but that didn't appear to be putting any charge in the batteries. I left the engine running, without charging anything, & went to do some cleaning. Went back later - possibly about 20 mins, and tried the 'run' position again. This time, no siren & batteries appeared to be charging, but by then I'd lost my nerve & didn't want to start filling & draining a tank, if there was a chance the power was insufficient to do it twice. I know this probably sounds pretty stupid to some of you, but it's all new to me, & trial and error, in a lot of cases. I may try again tomorrow if I can summon the nerve.

Apologies to the OP for the off-topic bit, hope the rest of the info was useful to you- I,at least, have a better idea of what to do now, when I get round to it.