Clean Fresh Water Tank

redlightning

redlightning

Active Member
Dec 26, 2016
108
Beaver Lake Arkansas
Boat Info
2012 390EC
Engines
8.2l
I follow the standard procedure sanitizing my fresh water tank. Bleach and cycle 2-3 tanks of water thru the system. I have followed this on 3 cruisers now. Most recent boat seems to have had some minor mineral build up at the faucets. I noticed it also in the head sink. I used some vinegar to deal with it and all good. I didn't use the boat much last year and when we did the water had strong sulphur smell. I drained the tank and had it winterized for the season. Ok, so this coming season I am considering pouring a strong concentration of vinegar in my fresh water tank and follow the same procedure for sanitizing. My thoughts are, if there is some mineral build up or residue in the tank or lines this will disolve it and be flushed out with a couple of tank cycles. Any thoughts on this idea?
 
Pirate Lady said:
I use vinegar, never bleach. Why would you put poison in your fresh water supply?
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Ohh boy. $10 says you protested fluorine being put into our water systems at some point in your life? :)


@redlightning I'd suggest you start filtering your water based on the sulfur smell. Bleach the heck out of your system this year and then start using a charcoal filter when you fill your tank. You can buy them cheap or make your own with nicer filters from places like Home Depot.

You'd need to soften the water to reduce the mineral build up. I assume you're filling up at a marina that uses well water? Can you fill up at a gas dock or somewhere that has city water? That would likely help...if you're not afraid of the poisonous city water :):)


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I would do a vinegar flush and rinse, followed by a bleach flush and rinse. Cleaning vinegar is stronger and works a bit better and quicker. Don’t leave either one in the system for more than a few hours before flushing. A rough boat ride with the chemicals will help clean up the tank.

You will want to check the pump filter while doing this. The gunk being dislodged can clog the filter.
 
You're on the right track. But I don't think the mineral build up is the cause of the smell - that smell is typically just from stagnant water. I've found the hot water tank is the worst culprit (for both things). The cleaning vinegar mentioned above would be my go to, as well, for the buildup. It may take a while to get the smell all the way out, though. Normal vinegar is about 4% vinegar - cleaning vinegar is something like 30%. You can get it at HD or Lowes. Bleach should still work well for the smell, though.

But adding on to what I mention above about the hot tank... I'd focus your attention there. You could disconnect the tank from the rest of the system and fill it manually so you don't supersaturate the entire system.
 
The super smell is from water heater. Run the flush and it will get it out. I always start the flush in HW side then finish on cold water side.
 
I went crazy trying to get rid of the smell before my water heater rusted through. After replacing it I haven't had a smell again. Lending credence to the water heater theory above
 
We always start winterization with the water heater. We turn off all other valves and run 30% rv/ Marine antifreeze about ten gallons through until filled then run each facet until we see pink. After we do fresh water side two more 5 gallon buckets.
 
Stee6043 said:
Ohh boy. $10 says you protested fluorine being put into our water systems at some point in your life? :)


@redlightning I'd suggest you start filtering your water based on the sulfur smell. Bleach the heck out of your system this year and then start using a charcoal filter when you fill your tank. You can buy them cheap or make your own with nicer filters from places like Home Depot.

You'd need to soften the water to reduce the mineral build up. I assume you're filling up at a marina that uses well water? Can you fill up at a gas dock or somewhere that has city water? That would likely help...if you're not afraid of the poisonous city water :):)


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thanks. I have always used these filters when filling the tank. My last boat came from an area with exceptionally hard water. I had to soak all of the faucets in vinegar. also the water heater was a mess. I pulled it and rigged up a plug to power it up in my garage. Filled it with vinegar and let it cook overnight. Cleaned up like new. Just want sure about the whole water system. Cant imagine any real negative. vinegar should dissolve any solids and flow out.
 
Vinegar won't get rid of the bacteria that are dying in the water heater - it's the dead bugs that create the smell.
I have a 120 gallon water tank with large water heater - three or four full cups of Clorox in a partially filled tank then fill it full. Then run all of the taps until chlorine can be smelled on each cold and hot including the heads and anchor locker.
Then I let it steep for at least four hours then drain, fill, drain again then fill.
Never an issue with water purity.
 
anyone have any input as to concentration to use in the full water system. I used normal household vinegar to descale my hot water tank on another boat. I guess household vinegar is about 5%. I was thinking about doing 10%.
 
Pirate Lady said:
I use vinegar, never bleach. Why would you put poison in your fresh water supply?
Click to expand...
Hey slow down there buckwheat…. I learned the bleach thing from Trump….. he also says if you get Covid it will cure that as well…. Problem is I haven’t had Covid yet to give it a try :)
 
redlightning said:
anyone have any input as to concentration to use in the full water system. I used normal household vinegar to descale my hot water tank on another boat. I guess household vinegar is about 5%. I was thinking about doing 10%.
Click to expand...

I mean if you're going to do it, go all-in man.

1707914247408.png
 
I have always read all the different ways people winterize and wondered why they don’t put directions in the manual on how to do it right.
My RV owners manuals have detailed instructions on how to winterize and mostly all RVs are plumbed the same for winterizing. Hot water heater bypass and freshwater tank bypass is accomplished with a turn of a knob too keep pink out of those tanks, it has no business being in there. The instructions also tell you to leave the drain plug out of the hot water heater so it can breathe. Mine even came with a replacement plug with a screen to keep bugs out while in storage. RVs all have “winterizing ports” to hook your pink bottle directly to. Couldn’t be easier. Also tells you how to sanitize the system when returning to service by adding 1/4 cup of household disinfecting bleach in a 1 gallon jug of water for each 15 gallon increment of freshwater tank capacity, pour it in the tank, fill the tank with water, return the bypass knobs to normal so that the bleach solution goes in the hot water heater, run all of the fixtures. Leave it set at least 4 hours, not more than 24 hours and rinse. I’ve never had smells or any other problem. It just takes a lot longer to do the boat than the RV, like an hour and a half vs 15 minutes, because nothing is easy on a boat, sometimes by design.
 
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