Water tank maintenance

[family affair]

How do you clean it?
How long do you let water stay in it before replacing with new?
If I use half the tank, how long can it sit before mold grows?
How do you prevent mold growth?

Any other advice is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[rml2112]

Since I trailer my boat, Drain my water tank after each use if I don't plan on going out for a while .
I use about a cup of bleach in my tank fill it up and run it through the sink faucet and wash down, Then drain and refill with fresh water.

 

[BobP]

I recall it being a ratio of 8 oz regular clorox bleach per 15 galls, overnite soak, make sure full and into all lines and faucets.

Drain and fully fill and flush with fresh water twice more via all faucets (unless you can drain all water out of tank, mine holds about 3 qts so I dilute whats left of the clorox by flushing).
If one can drain perhaps then one flush.

Do it again if water still smells.

Clean the aerator screens from faucet outlets afterwards.

You'd be surprised how well it works. Smells fresh too. That's how I know, the water turns a kind of odd sour smell, after the clorox smells fresh.

In general, use bottled water to drink and brush teeth, tank water to wash.

There is also a maintenance dose but I don't recall at the time.

I do this every 3 weeks or so during summer.

 

[Doc Stressor]

I use 1/2 cup of bleach per 10 gallons of water for 1-5 hr. But it's warmer where I live than most places, so overnight might be better. The bleach can damage your hoses and gaskets if you leave it in too long.

I sterilize twice a year. In fact, I'm letting the bleach sit in the tank as I type this. I do it once in May when I start to use the freshwater system and once again about the end of July. I keep the tank empty starting in late October, but I put a gallon of RV grade antifreeze (propylene glycol) in the system after finding the water strainer bowl cracked from ice after a freeze. The antifreeze also keep bugs from growing in the water lines over the winter.

I replace the water in the tank if it has been sitting for more than a few weeks.

 

[seasick]

That's probably more bleach than needed.
here is what Surflow has to say:
SANITIZING:
Potable water systems require periodic maintenance to deliver a consistent flow of fresh water. Depending on use and the environment the system is subject to,
sanitizing is recommended prior to storing and before using the water system after a period of storage. Systems with new components, or ones that have been
subjected to contamination, should also be disinfected as follows:
1. Use one of the following methods to determine the amount of common household bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
A) Multiply "gallons of tank capacity" by 0.13; the result is the ounces (oz.) of bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
B) Multiply "Liters of tank capacity" by 1.0; the result is the milliliters of bleach needed to sanitize the tank.
2. Mix into solution the proper amount of bleach within a container of water.
3. Pour the solution (water/bleach) into the tank and fill the tank with potable water.
4.Open all faucets (HOT&COLD) allowing the water to run until the distinct odor of chlorine is detected.

Note that the above procedure is for sanitizing a potable water system. Although bleach can be added in this concentration, if the system is clean, even less will do for general treatment. A big factor is the temperature: The hotter, the faster things will grow.

 

[Doc Stressor]

That's the standard treatment for sanitizing an RV tank. It comes out to about 1/4 cup per 15 gallons. The mixture needs to be in contact with the water system for 3-5 hr. The warmer the temperature, the faster the bleach kills the bugs. You still need to flush the tank. That's a lot more bleach than is found in chlorinated drinking water.

It is not a good idea to drink water containing bleach.

While the lower concentration of bleach will sterilize the tank on a routine basis, it won't remove accumulated gunk. I've had to use 2 consecutive treatments with 1 cup of bleach per 10 gallons to dissolve away black water mold that had accumulated in my system. That's why I now use antifreeze when I'm not using the water system.