I have left the water sitting in my tanks for too long. The water is a bit on the beak so Im asking has anyone got an idea how to make it a bit nicer and safer? Mind you we are only showering and washing up in it. We drink from the another source.
Thanks in advance, im thinking of putting a few drops of bleach in there.. not too confident with that.
Safe travels
Happywanderer said
07:31 PM Oct 29, 2014
You can use bleach or even baking soda. It doesn't matter on the amounts as it will be a big tank of water.
I haven't used my tank water in the whole of my trip around Aus, there for emergencies, carried 5 x 10 litre bottles of water in the van, I was able to keep refilling.
Better check it out myself.
Dougwe said
07:38 PM Oct 29, 2014
G'day Phil, I have heard that the fake nappy san stuff works well for that as well. I have also been told that a bottle of Milton baby bottle wash does well too.
KFT said
07:56 PM Oct 29, 2014
PhilC it must have been suspect water when you put it in there I would suggest.
My water tanks are always stored full and I have never had an issue over more than 15 years.
I have however been very reliably informed that if you pour in a litre of red cordial(no laughing) then top the tank up and leave it 24 hours and drain/refill/drain/refill it will take any foul taste away.
I am assured this works very well by several people who have done it.
frank
Vic41 said
08:50 PM Oct 29, 2014
You can use the proper tank cleaner available from camping/RV stores.
I have used that and also vinegar and Miltons baby bottle wash, all worked ok. Of course it pays to flush well after you have added these and left them overnight, give the van a bit of a rock or take it for a run around the block while you have the stuff in it etc.
Gerty Dancer said
08:54 PM Oct 29, 2014
That red cordial trick works well in stock water troughs too KFT. Gets rid of green slime nicely!
We have used the Tank Clean stuff from a caravan accessory shop, as we drink the water.
Delta18 said
08:58 PM Oct 29, 2014
I agree with KFT, if there was good water in then you should get good water out. Water doesn't 'go off' by itself, remember, we are using the same water put on this planet millions of years ago. Nobody flushes & refills reservoirs, nor even home rainwater tanks.
A couple capfuls of bleach sloshed around should clean up any bugs from tainted water you may have picked up.
As an aside, red cordial was mentioned....this is just the best remedy for hiccups, 2wo fingers of it neat skulled, guarantee hiccups gone. True!
Cheers Neil
Spelling edited!
-- Edited by Delta18 on Wednesday 29th of October 2014 09:01:13 PM
Peter_n_Margaret said
09:39 PM Oct 29, 2014
I suggest that "good water in = good water out" is a fallacy and leaves you at possible risk.
The water in your tanks should be chlorinated, just like the water that arrives in your house from the town water supply.
There are plenty of bugs that can and do grow in the dark in a tank.
The chlorine in all treated town water supplies does not last long. It breaks down naturally and stops working within a week or so.
Every time you fill your van tank, add chlorine to be sure that nothing "grows" in it.
We use liquid swimming pool chlorine (very concentrated) but household bleach will do provided there is no colouring, scent or other additives in it.
You will need to add about 15ml/100L of tank capacity, even if you just top it up.
If you don't like the chlorine in your drinking water, put a 1um active carbon filter in the line just before the tap (after the pump) and it will all be removed.
For the tank which is smelly, use a strong chlorine dose and go for a drive to slosh it around, then let it stand for a day or so, drain, and refill with chlorine added at a 'normal' rate.
Cheers,
Peter
Delta18 said
10:41 PM Oct 29, 2014
Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
I suggest that "good water in = good water out" is a fallacy and leaves you at possible risk. The water in your tanks should be chlorinated, just like the water that arrives in your house from the town water supply. There are plenty of bugs that can and do grow in the dark in a tank.
So, all the people brought up on farms or regional centres where there is NO town water, or in Adelaide as I was where you couldn't drink the town water as it came unfiltered from the Murray River so you drank tank water, un-chlorinated, un-fluridated - we are dead & have no teeth?
If tank water smells, chlorinate it, if not drink it. I, as I'm sure many others never drain my tank in my van. I refill when necessary. When I get home I top up the tank then leave with that water next trip, whenever that may be.
Cheers Neil
Phil C said
09:25 AM Oct 30, 2014
Thanks folks.
I must say Im not happy to drain the tanks as we have little water to "flush" with. Very dry out here.
I will try the bleach trick as we dont drink this stuff, we buy our drinking water from woolies.
Cheers again for the posts. I love the red cordial idea.
Safe travels
Vic41 said
10:30 AM Oct 30, 2014
The red cordial has to be the normal stuff not the diet one Phil I read at one time.
I have left the water sitting in my tanks for too long. The water is a bit on the beak so Im asking has anyone got an idea how to make it a bit nicer and safer? Mind you we are only showering and washing up in it. We drink from the another source.
Thanks in advance, im thinking of putting a few drops of bleach in there.. not too confident with that.
Safe travels
Hi Phil , mate just get some "white King "( not the lemon one lol ) from the supermarket , half a litre does our 45,000 ltr water tank so a capful should be ample for your tanks ( you'll need to mix it in a bit with either a hose or something to stir with ) .....leave it in there for a day or so then drain it out, that should do the trick :)
l used to work for the local water board and the chemist there recommended white king
-- Edited by kesa32 on Thursday 30th of October 2014 11:40:09 PM
Peter_n_Margaret said
11:33 AM Oct 31, 2014
Delta18 wrote:
............so you drank tank water, un-chlorinated, un-fluridated - we are dead & have no teeth?
There is a big thermal stability difference between domestic tank water and the tank in an RV.
Higher temperatures promote bacteria growth.
Cheers,
Peter
kesa32 said
10:29 AM Nov 1, 2014
Hi again Phil, sorry was on nightshift when l last wrote lol , yeah a capful might be a bit much , it's strong stuff , even though you don't intend to drink this water you don't want to irritate your skin either ( sorry I forgot you intend to not flush the tanks )
I'm not sure in your case as clearly your water has got bacteria overgrowth and is stagnant , I work on 100ml per ten thousand Litr of water for drinking grade dosage in tank water , you could probably double that for your water and give it a day and see how that goes
Hi all
I have left the water sitting in my tanks for too long. The water is a bit on the beak so Im asking has anyone got an idea how to make it a bit nicer and safer? Mind you we are only showering and washing up in it. We drink from the another source.
Thanks in advance, im thinking of putting a few drops of bleach in there.. not too confident with that.
Safe travels
I haven't used my tank water in the whole of my trip around Aus, there for emergencies, carried 5 x 10 litre bottles of water in the van, I was able to keep refilling.
Better check it out myself.
My water tanks are always stored full and I have never had an issue over more than 15 years.
I have however been very reliably informed that if you pour in a litre of red cordial(no laughing) then top the tank up and leave it 24 hours and drain/refill/drain/refill it will take any foul taste away.
I am assured this works very well by several people who have done it.
frank
You can use the proper tank cleaner available from camping/RV stores.
I have used that and also vinegar and Miltons baby bottle wash, all worked ok. Of course it pays to flush well after you have added these and left them overnight, give the van a bit of a rock or take it for a run around the block while you have the stuff in it etc.
We have used the Tank Clean stuff from a caravan accessory shop, as we drink the water.
I agree with KFT, if there was good water in then you should get good water out. Water doesn't 'go off' by itself, remember, we are using the same water put on this planet millions of years ago. Nobody flushes & refills reservoirs, nor even home rainwater tanks.
A couple capfuls of bleach sloshed around should clean up any bugs from tainted water you may have picked up.
As an aside, red cordial was mentioned....this is just the best remedy for hiccups, 2wo fingers of it neat skulled, guarantee hiccups gone. True!
Cheers Neil
Spelling edited!
-- Edited by Delta18 on Wednesday 29th of October 2014 09:01:13 PM
The water in your tanks should be chlorinated, just like the water that arrives in your house from the town water supply.
There are plenty of bugs that can and do grow in the dark in a tank.
The chlorine in all treated town water supplies does not last long. It breaks down naturally and stops working within a week or so.
Every time you fill your van tank, add chlorine to be sure that nothing "grows" in it.
We use liquid swimming pool chlorine (very concentrated) but household bleach will do provided there is no colouring, scent or other additives in it.
You will need to add about 15ml/100L of tank capacity, even if you just top it up.
If you don't like the chlorine in your drinking water, put a 1um active carbon filter in the line just before the tap (after the pump) and it will all be removed.
For the tank which is smelly, use a strong chlorine dose and go for a drive to slosh it around, then let it stand for a day or so, drain, and refill with chlorine added at a 'normal' rate.
Cheers,
Peter
So, all the people brought up on farms or regional centres where there is NO town water, or in Adelaide as I was where you couldn't drink the town water as it came unfiltered from the Murray River so you drank tank water, un-chlorinated, un-fluridated - we are dead & have no teeth?
If tank water smells, chlorinate it, if not drink it. I, as I'm sure many others never drain my tank in my van. I refill when necessary. When I get home I top up the tank then leave with that water next trip, whenever that may be.
Cheers Neil
I must say Im not happy to drain the tanks as we have little water to "flush" with. Very dry out here.
I will try the bleach trick as we dont drink this stuff, we buy our drinking water from woolies.
Cheers again for the posts. I love the red cordial idea.
Safe travels
The red cordial has to be the normal stuff not the diet one Phil I read at one time.
Here are a couple of links that may help;
http://www.abc.net.au/health/talkinghealth/factbuster/stories/2010/01/21/2797762.htm
http://baliforfamilies.com/bali_belly.htm
http://www.juliemeek.com.au/newsletter/news-october10.html
always drain mine and close the taps works for me
Taj
Hi Phil , mate just get some "white King "( not the lemon one lol ) from the supermarket , half a litre does our 45,000 ltr water tank so a capful should be ample for your tanks ( you'll need to mix it in a bit with either a hose or something to stir with ) .....leave it in there for a day or so then drain it out, that should do the trick :)
l used to work for the local water board and the chemist there recommended white king
-- Edited by kesa32 on Thursday 30th of October 2014 11:40:09 PM
There is a big thermal stability difference between domestic tank water and the tank in an RV.
Higher temperatures promote bacteria growth.
Cheers,
Peter
I'm not sure in your case as clearly your water has got bacteria overgrowth and is stagnant , I work on 100ml per ten thousand Litr of water for drinking grade dosage in tank water , you could probably double that for your water and give it a day and see how that goes
Cheers ken