Bromine tablets in sea strainers?

[riverfrontauthor]

The copper does nothing in the strainer. And I don’t know why. In the summer I grew barnacles on the copper elbows I had in the strainer in less than two weeks

QUOTE=AnsleyS;993123]One can also try putting a copper pipe piece or copper elbow etc in the strainer. Copper is less corrosive than halogens.[/QUOTE]

 

[riverfrontauthor]

I have plastic in my pump and a plastic basket in my strainer and have had no issues on them.

 

[oak_box]

Responding to this older message in the thread:


Originally Posted by OldDan1943 View Post
I would think the through hull opening would plug up first.
Never saw it happen.
__________________
Rich Gano
FROLIC (2005 MainShip 30 Pilot II)
Panama City area

I can tell you that we ABSOLUTELY have zebra muscles in Lake Travis choke thru hulls. Several years ago, I never worried about it. That was before zebra muscles took over the lake. Now I have to have a diver scrub the bottom on a regular basis (quarterly - and some do it monthly).

Bottom paint is VERY effective at keeping them off, which is the GOOD news.
Boats with true inboards do much better than I/O boats.

Zebra muscles will definitely attach to the outdrives, trim tabs, shafts, supports for swim platforms, and as indicated above - they will definitely clog up thru-hulls.

I'm still mixed on using bromine tablets. I'd be more willing to try it on the AC sea strainer first. My thru-hulls are marelon, the hose is plastic, the plumbing in the AC should be copper - and is far enough upstream that lack of light would HOPEFULLY prevent growth up there...

If the bromine tablets would dissolve important things - the AC system would be much easier and cheaper to replace than the engine! Though again, since the AC system is so simple (and probably all copper) - the result of bromine on the engine might be MUCH worse than the result of using it on an AC system.

 

[stubones99]

I've heard that a small copper strip will work.

Or a short section of copper ground wire, bend it in a loop and drop it in the sea strainer. It will kill all invertebrates since copper is deadly to shellfish.

 

[skipgundlach]

We buy copper scrubbies @~ a buck apiece on ebay -Chore Boy, from many vendors.

Pure copper, not plated.

Won't help on mud but keeps all the rest of the growth nonexistent...

 

[Helmsman]

I used bromine for the two AC systems. Once per year. The third year I noticed my aluminum strainer was developing holes on the bottom of it. The bromine did the trick. The first year I used it there was a very noticeable improvement in cooling right after I ran a tablet through. As with anything, probably best to do it in a measured way.