Freshwater filter

Maryland_boater

New Member
Joined
Sep 3, 2023
Messages
3
Reaction score
0
Points
1
Age
45
I own a used 2019 freedom 275…(love the boat). I’ve been trying to clean the freshwater tank. I’ve filled it, placed 1tsp of bleach per 20-gallons and I get tons of green, algae growth coming out of the fill when I overfill….the water pressure is low. I can’t find a schematic plan of where the freshwater filter is located. Any help would be great. thanks
 

Hookup1

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Oct 16, 2007
Messages
3,035
Reaction score
855
Points
113
Age
70
Location
Cape May, NJ
Model
Islander
Download the owners manual from GW site. It should help you find the pump. Probably no filter just the pump overwhelmed.

Freshwater System
The 275 comes with a pressurized freshwater system. The freshwater pump is activated by the freshwater switch on the helm switch panel, and supplies water from the 20 gallon (75.7 L) water tank to the freshwater components on board. The freshwater pump can be accessed through the access plate in the lid between the consoles. The water tank is located just aft of the lid between the consoles.

 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Peter A

seasick

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2008
Messages
9,531
Reaction score
1,420
Points
113
Location
NYC
My 208 has a filter that is screwed into the input port of the fresh water pump. I have to clean it every year.

As you have kind of figured out, putting the nozzle of a water hose into the fill anf filling so that the water flows our of the fill port can be effective way to both stir up and flush the growth out of the tank. Keep overfilling until the overflow runs clear.
You can probably add a bit more bleach to the tank, maybe a half a cup as a preventative dose, more for a cleaning. In hot weather the gunk grows quickly.
 

Sardinia306Canyon

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Oct 11, 2023
Messages
524
Reaction score
101
Points
43
Age
60
Location
Island of Sardinia
Model
Canyon 306
You may check in RV Vehicle shops what they have available over there.

Here in Europe are several different liquids to sterilize rv vehicle tanks.
I used successful a kind of silver net to drop in the tank and it releases slowly silver ions who sterilize the water without being toxic or otherwise harmful.
But those nets need a big opening to drop them in and catch them later after the season, and boat water tanks don't have those openings. The big opening with screw on cover is mainly used to scrub the tank inside what would be useful in boats as well.

There are also liquids to clean filthy water tanks, the lines and remove scale residues.

Water seems clean and not smelly in my new Canyon, but i need to check that and see if i continue to add chlorine or use something else like the silver nets or balls.

Chris
 

glacierbaze

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 6, 2012
Messages
2,488
Reaction score
644
Points
113
Age
75
Location
Chapel Hill and Pine Knoll Shores, NC
Model
Seafarer
What is your end goal? I don’t know anyone who drinks out of those tanks. Do you also get green algae at the sink and at the freshwater wash down in the cockpit? That would indicate the tank. If it is only the backwash at the fill, it sounds like your fill hose is the problem.
On my 2000 SF 228, there is a filter at the pump, which gets clogged and restricts flow.
I would be much more aggressive with the bleach, if I were going for a cleanup. I wouldn’t be shy about dumping a gallon in a 20 gallon tank, if I thought that’s where the problem was. Then leave it in there while you use the boat or drive it around on a trailer, and pump it out through all of your outlets.
1 teaspoon per 20 gallons sounds like a drinkable dose for purification purposes.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sardinia306Canyon

Doc Stressor

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 13, 2009
Messages
1,186
Reaction score
295
Points
83
Location
Homosassa, FL
Model
Seafarer
The standard dose of bleach for sanitizing boat and RV tanks is 1/4 cup per 10-15 gallons of water. Let stand for at least 3 hours before flushing.

But if you have a lot of algae or mold in there, you will need to use more bleach, maybe 1 cup per 10 gallons. Higher bleach levels can damage the rubber or silicon seals in the pump, filter, and faucets. So if slime is still present after one treatment, do it again. The color should disappear after the first treatment, so look for slime, not color. The slime is viscous DNA that is released from the algal cells. It is more resistant to bleach than green chlorophyll or other pigments.

As stated above, the filter will always be located close to the pump.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Sardinia306Canyon

Sardinia306Canyon

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Oct 11, 2023
Messages
524
Reaction score
101
Points
43
Age
60
Location
Island of Sardinia
Model
Canyon 306
https://cheaprv.com/rv-ownership/ou...best-rv-fresh-water-tank-sanitizers-reviewed/
https://wm-aquatec.de/en/shop/silvernet/
https://www.octomarine.net/water-filtering-purification/water-sterilization.html

So if slime is still present after one treatment, do it again. The color should disappear after the first treatment, so look for slime, not color. The slime is viscous DNA that is released from the algal cells. It is more resistant to bleach than green chlorophyll or other pigments.
Exactly,
to get rid of the slime inside the hoses can be a huge PITA.

Best is prevention using a sanitizer always and on any water fill.
The best, longest lasting and less smelly experience i made was the above linked silver net,
but as already said, it will not work reasonable if no hand size opening on the tank is installed and reachable.

Chris
 

Halfhitch

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Nov 11, 2017
Messages
1,412
Reaction score
457
Points
83
Location
Venice, Florida
After bleaching the tank as described by Doc Stressor, put a section of flexible hose with no fitting on the end onto your garden hose and push it down the fill tube till it is in the bottom of the tank and turn the hose on full. That will stir things up good inside the tank and force the junk back out the filler. Let it run till you can find no sign of the algae.
 

DennisG01

GreatGrady Captain
Joined
Sep 1, 2013
Messages
7,190
Reaction score
1,341
Points
113
Location
Allentown, PA & Friendship, ME
Model
Offshore
Side note, on my last boat, I never had any issues using the onboard tank for drinking. I kept up on the maintenance (actually quite easy if you stay up on it) and it was always fresh.

Maryland, 1 teaspoon is a maintenance amount - meaning the amount you would use each time you fill up.

I'll add one extra note to Doc's response... fill up the tank with the solution and then run it through the lines till you smell bleach water coming out of each faucet. NOW let it set for a while.

Your filter will be attached to the pump, itself. Typically, it's just a removable/cleanable SS mesh.