Fungle growth in water tank

[Lady A]

End of season maintainace has thrown up a couple of problems.

 

Whilst changing the fresh water pump I find that the stariner is full of a soft grey putty like material :-(

 

Any ideas on how to flush the sysytem which includes two 200 liter stainles steel tanks with no access covers?

 

Martin

[David Schweizer]

End of season maintainace has thrown up a couple of problems.

 

Whilst changing the fresh water pump I find that the stariner is full of a soft grey putty like material :-(

 

Any ideas on how to flush the sysytem which includes two 200 liter stainles steel tanks with no access covers?

 

Martin

I usully add Milton Fluid to the tank, fill it right up and leave it for a few hours, then empty it all out and re-fill with fresh water. They use it in Hospitals for sterilising, and parents have used it for decades to sterilise babies bottle feeders.

[chris w]

I have always (for the past 16 years) added one level teaspoon of chlorine to every 200 litres of water. Never had an issue with any growth (including my own!!!).

 

You will find that swimming pool chlorine powder is EXACTLY the same stuff as the water purifying tablets but the powder is a fraction of the cost of the tablets.

 

Chris

[Lady A]

I have always (for the past 16 years) added one level teaspoon of chlorine to every 200 litres of water. Never had an issue with any growth (including my own!!!).

 

You will find that swimming pool chlorine powder is EXACTLY the same stuff as the water purifying tablets but the powder is a fraction of the cost of the tablets.

 

Chris

 

 

Interesting. What does it do for the taste or does it make it undrinkable. On the advoce of another boater I have just tipped a bottle of Domestos in to be left overnight before flushing through.#

[chris w]

Regarding taste, I have a water filter on the tap in the galley so there is no apparent taste or smell of chlorine. I calculated the appropriate dose of powder by analysing and weighing purifying tablets so that the powder is the exact equivalent dose.

 

Chris

[DHutch]

I thought bleach/chlorine was bad for stainless steel?

 

I dont have any backing for that, but just about everything stainless steel says do not clean with bleach or chlorine.

 

 

Daniel

[ChrisPy]

sounds likk a load of fungle bungle to me

[chris w]

I thought bleach/chlorine was bad for stainless steel?

 

I dont have any backing for that, but just about everything stainless steel says do not clean with bleach or chlorine.

 

 

Daniel

 

 

Chlorine is bad for stainless steel at high temperatures.

 

Chris

[Alan Saunders]

Waterways World, September 2007 had a good article on cleaning hoses, storage tanks and water systems based on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulations for commercial vessels. They measured the chlorine in the tap water and found a significant loss by the time it reached the storage tank and a further loss when reached the boat's taps. Their bug count was also impressive.

 

They recommended thin bleach, Somerfield own-brand is about 40p for two litres. Thick bleach contains corrosive chemicals like sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). Thin bleach is usually 5% chlorine. You might want 0.5ppm in your tank, 50ppm to clean the system and 100ppm to clean the hose; 1ml, 50ml and 100ml per 100 litres respectively.

 

Add 0.5ppm before filling the tank.

 

Add 50ppm to the tank annually and run through all pipes until you can smell chlorine at each outlet then top up the tank with the same strength solution. Leave for at least four hours then empty tank and flush through with fresh water.

 

Twice a year fill the hose with 100ppm solution and leave for an hour. After each use the hose should be drained and the ends plugged.

 

Much more good advice in the article - worth £3.40!

 

The soft, grey putty is probably Plumbers Mait (jointing compound)!

 

Alan Saunders

[blackrose]

Chlorine is bad for stainless steel at high temperatures.

 

Chris

 

What about mild steel? (I've got an integral tank.)

 

Last time this came up someone said that Milton had instructions that it was not to be used with metal items. My tank is painted but it might need redoing soon.

[PaulW]

What about mild steel? (I've got an integral tank.)

 

Last time this came up someone said that Milton had instructions that it was not to be used with metal items. My tank is painted but it might need redoing soon.

 

 

Chlorine,

 

Just one point about this is that it is apparently a known carcinogen. I.E may cause cancer. It is used in swimming pools as normally a person is not exposed to enough to create a dangerous build up. I know several people with hot tubs who have gone away from using it due to increased risk due to higher exposure. I suggest you research this carefully before adding it to drinking water on a boat. Just my opinion, for what its worth

 

Paul

[chris w]

Chlorine,

 

Just one point about this is that it is apparently a known carcinogen. I.E may cause cancer. It is used in swimming pools as normally a person is not exposed to enough to create a dangerous build up. I know several people with hot tubs who have gone away from using it due to increased risk due to higher exposure. I suggest you research this carefully before adding it to drinking water on a boat. Just my opinion, for what its worth

 

Paul

 

Milton et al sell chlorine tablets to sterilise water for drinking, for sterilising salads and for sterilising babies food utensils etc. I add chlorine in exactly the proportions recommended by them for drinking - although I use the equivalent ppm in powder form rather than tablets.

 

In our homes, chlorine is added to our domestic drinking water mains. Chlorine has to be used carefully, but it is harmless when used in very small amounts as a disinfectant to treat drinking water. It is also commonly used in various brands of sterilisers for baby feeding bottles and equipment. It is also used in higher concentrations to disinfect water in swimming pools.

 

Extract below from UK Drinking water Inspectorate:

 

 

 

Why use chlorine?

It is absolutely essential that drinking water should be safe to drink and contain no harmful bacteria capable of causing diseases. Chlorine is a very effective disinfectant. It has been used for 100 years. The addition of chlorine in small amounts at water treatment works gives maximum disinfection action before water reaches your tap.

Why can I taste or smell chlorine in my water?

To be absolutely sure that disinfection is maintained throughout the water mains, small amounts of chlorine are allowed to stay in the water supplied to your tap. This may result in an occasional slight smell of chlorine when you turn your tap on or a slight taste of chlorine in the water. A good, safe way to overcome this smell or taste is to place a covered jug of water in the fridge before drinking - cool water always tastes better, but throw away any unused water after 24 hours.

Are these low amounts of residual chlorine harmful?

No. The small amounts of chlorine in your water prevent harmful bacteria growing in the water mains or your pipes. You can rest assured that the usual amount of chlorine in water leaving treatment works is safe and well within the World Health Organisation guidelines.

[ChrisPy]

Normally the only time you will notice chlorine in your tapwater is when the water board has made a repair somewhere and has purged the system with chlorine to kill any local contamination. It takes time to get flushed out of the system.

 

It is common for the water board to test the water at the 'far ends' of the system occasionally to ensure there is a small level of residual chlorine in the water. That implies that any bacteria have been killed off and the water is safe.

[Jason Wilson and Family]

I've heard a bottle of whiskey in the tank does just as well. Although a grey putty-like mass sounds more like silt build-up than fungus.

[Moley]

I've heard a bottle of whiskey in the tank does just as well.

 

What a waste!

 

(Even if you do spell it with an 'e', or happen to have some Glenfiddich knocking around).

[Jason Wilson and Family]

What a waste!

 

(Even if you do spell it with an 'e', or happen to have some Glenfiddich knocking around).

You stil get to drink it Moley... you just have to drink a whole lot more.

[AndyM]

Does anyone have any experience, or know how good the Screwfix water purifier/filters are, compared to the "Nature Pure" filter/purifier that converts canal water into drinking water as demonstrated at the numerous boat shows?

[ChrisPy]

You stil get to drink it Moley... you just have to drink a whole lot more.

nuthin wurse than over-diluted whisky

[Lol]

Regarding taste, I have a water filter on the tap in the galley so there is no apparent taste or smell of chlorine. I calculated the appropriate dose of powder by analysing and weighing purifying tablets so that the powder is the exact equivalent dose.

 

Chris

 

Just come across this thread and had to comment.

 

Its not a good idea to Chlorinate your system and then allow this solution to pass through your filter as the filter will almost certainly have a carbon element to it, the Carbon will react with and remove the Chlorine (hence no taste/smell) but at the levels of Chlorine mentioned here the Carbon will be quickly depleted and become inactive.

 

 

There are filters and filters:

 

Most Basic - There are filters that just mechanically filter out undissolved lumps such as sand silt rust some micro-organisms - ceramic or micron or sediment or depth filters.

 

Good - There are filters that react with the water in some way to remove things such as Chlorine, Organics, pesticides, Iron(Carbon or Silver or Iron removing or combinations).

 

Advanced - These filter types can be combined which is what you see in most of the commercial ones.

 

Ultimate - The distinctly different "filters" are Reverse Osmosis membranes that actually remove both undissolved and dissolved matter these usually have the previous types of filter in front of them to protect the membrane - these can easily be used to fill you water tank from the canal if your that way inclined.

 

 

As for cancer and Chlorine at normal drinking water levels its not the Chlorine that has become an issue but its reaction with certain Organic compounds that can be in the water and the resultant product can be carcinogenic. Most water authorities remove these organics if above certain levels.

 

The effects of Chlorine on Stainless Steel can be bad but the relatively low levels discussed here (100ppm) and the low temperatures are not normally an issue. Neat bleach is usually 5% Chlorine which is 50,000ppm and can be a problem.

[1066]

End of season maintainace has thrown up a couple of problems.

 

Whilst changing the fresh water pump I find that the stariner is full of a soft grey putty like material :-(

 

Any ideas on how to flush the sysytem which includes two 200 liter stainles steel tanks with no access covers?

 

Martin

 

This might help, Martin.

 

 

http://www.searoom.com/fresh_water.htm

[Bojangles]

Cheapest and best way !

 

Pop down the pub and enjoy a few beers. Ask you friendly landlord for some pipe cleaning fluid ( I used to give it free to good customers as it's very cheap). Then flush your pipes and tank. Then fill and leave in overnight. Next morning flush out with fresh water and you're ready to serve some good ale - oh sorry, water!

[Bones]

Cheapest and best way !

 

Pop down the pub and enjoy a few beers. Ask you friendly landlord for some pipe cleaning fluid ( I used to give it free to good customers as it's very cheap). Then flush your pipes and tank. Then fill and leave in overnight. Next morning flush out with fresh water and you're ready to serve some good ale - oh sorry, water!

 

I was wondering about how to maintain my water tank, and now have a filter on the inlet of the pump side which sorts out the leaves and debris that falls in. As for the wateritself I put some chlorine etc in every time I fill and I don't have to pay a penny for it - it comes free with the water down the hose.

[Broughton 2]

Waterways World, September 2007 had a good article on cleaning hoses, storage tanks and water systems based on the Maritime and Coastguard Agency regulations for commercial vessels. They measured the chlorine in the tap water and found a significant loss by the time it reached the storage tank and a further loss when reached the boat's taps. Their bug count was also impressive.

 

They recommended thin bleach, Somerfield own-brand is about 40p for two litres. Thick bleach contains corrosive chemicals like sodium hydroxide (caustic soda). Thin bleach is usually 5% chlorine. You might want 0.5ppm in your tank, 50ppm to clean the system and 100ppm to clean the hose; 1ml, 50ml and 100ml per 100 litres respectively.

 

Add 0.5ppm before filling the tank.

 

Add 50ppm to the tank annually and run through all pipes until you can smell chlorine at each outlet then top up the tank with the same strength solution. Leave for at least four hours then empty tank and flush through with fresh water.

 

Twice a year fill the hose with 100ppm solution and leave for an hour. After each use the hose should be drained and the ends plugged.

 

Much more good advice in the article - worth £3.40!

 

The soft, grey putty is probably Plumbers Mait (jointing compound)!

 

Alan Saunders

 

Confirmation of the above, if needed. Jabsco pumps (ITT Industries) seem to agree with Waterways World (or did WW get it from Jabsco?). Either way, instruction sheets that come with their new pumps recommend "sanitizing" using "common household bleach" at a rate of 100 ml of bleach to every 100 litres of water, leave for 4 hours, drain then purge the plumbing of all sanitising solution. Doubling the strength of the solution will halve the time to 2 hrs.

 

Alan

[steelaway]

Does anyone have any experience, or know how good the Screwfix water purifier/filters are, compared to the "Nature Pure" filter/purifier that converts canal water into drinking water as demonstrated at the numerous boat shows?

Perfect -- I have had one under my sink for three years with no problem. I have piped it to my standard mixer tap because we only use this tap for the kettle ect. You change the 10" filter when it becomes blocked. Cheap as chips

 

Alex

[RobinJ]

Chlorine,

 

Just one point about this is that it is apparently a known carcinogen. I.E may cause cancer.

How about the old traditional Bicarbonate of Soda?