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Old 06-15-2020, 08:40 PM   #1
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Holding Tank Bacteria

Well now that I've revamped the sanitary system, I have a question. I installed a Raritan Marine Elegance in the rear stateroom, a manual Jabsco in the forward stateroom and tied it all together with new Raritan Saniflex hose. The ME draws fresh water, while the Jabsco draws raw water. I looking to promote a sweet holding tank, but the question is, how do I now sanitize my freshwater system since now I'm flushing a toilet with it? Anything with chlorine is going to kill all the good bacteria in the holding tank, right? Suggestions? Maybe Peggy can chime in.
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Old 06-15-2020, 09:38 PM   #2
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Simple...The sea water toilet won't put any chlorine into the holding tank...so just don't use the toilet that uses fresh water during the 3-24 hours that the chlorine solution is in the fresh water system. You DO have the complete directions for recommissioning the fresh water system???



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Old 06-16-2020, 07:07 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Sidclark View Post
Well now that I've revamped the sanitary system, I have a question. I installed a Raritan Marine Elegance in the rear stateroom, a manual Jabsco in the forward stateroom and tied it all together with new Raritan Saniflex hose. The ME draws fresh water, while the Jabsco draws raw water. I looking to promote a sweet holding tank, but the question is, how do I now sanitize my freshwater system since now I'm flushing a toilet with it? Anything with chlorine is going to kill all the good bacteria in the holding tank, right? Suggestions? Maybe Peggy can chime in.

Why do you use chlorine in your freshwater tank?

We sanitize our system every Spring, but never have to use chlorine again for the rest of a season... and we do drink water from our tanks.

We do double filter water as it goes into our tank, though, and we use a filter pitcher for actual drinking water/coffee/etc...

-Chris
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:03 AM   #4
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Simple...The sea water toilet won't put any chlorine into the holding tank...so just don't use the toilet that uses fresh water during the 3-24 hours that the chlorine solution is in the fresh water system. You DO have the complete directions for recommissioning the fresh water system???



--Peggie
I do have the directions. Thank you Peggy! I didn't realize chlorine dissipated after 3-24 hours.




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Why do you use chlorine in your freshwater tank?

We sanitize our system every Spring, but never have to use chlorine again for the rest of a season... and we do drink water from our tanks.

We do double filter water as it goes into our tank, though, and we use a filter pitcher for actual drinking water/coffee/etc...

-Chris
Chris, During the season I use West Marine water treatment and conditioner which is basically sodium chlorite. We also filter the water before it hits the tanks. I pour a few ounces into the filter before I attach the hose figuring this sanitizes the filter as well. It's very possible I'm overthinking this whole thing.
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:42 AM   #5
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I do have the directions. Thank you Peggy! I didn't realize chlorine dissipated after 3-24 hours.

It doesn't! I have no idea what directions you're following, but they aren't the ones in my book (which your photo indicates you have, although it's not the current revised and updated edition, which you might consider getting.)



This is what you should be doing (same directions that are in both editions of my book):

Although most people think only in terms of the tank, the plumbing is actually the source of most foul water, because the molds, mildew, fungi and bacteria which cause it thrive in damp dark places, not under water. There are all kinds of products sold that claim to keep onboard water fresh, but all that’s really necessary is an annual or in especially warm climates, semi-annual recommissioning of the entire system—tank and plumbing. The following recommendations conform to section 10.8 in the A-1 192 code covering electrical, plumbing, and heating of recreational vehicles. The solution is approved and recommended by competent health officials. It may be used in a new system a used one that has not been used for a period of time, or one that may have been contaminated.

Before beginning, turn off hot water heater at the breaker; do not turn it on again until the entire recommissioning is complete. Icemakers should be left running to allow cleaning out of the water feed line; however the first two buckets of ice—the bucket generated during recommissioning and the first bucketful afterward--should be discarded…bleach does absolutely nothing to improve the flavor of good Scotch!

1. Prepare a chlorine solution using one gallon of water and 1/2 cup (4 oz or 25 ml) Clorox or Purex household bleach (5% sodium Hypochlorite solution ). With tank empty, pour chlorine solution into tank. Use one gallon of solution for each 5 gallons of tank capacity. (Those are the “official” directions. They work out to 1 quart or litre of bleach/50 gallons of water tank capacity , which is MUCH easier to calculate!) I also recommend putting the solution into full buckets of water instead of pouring it into an empty tank.

2. Complete filling of tank with fresh water. Open each faucet and drain cock until air has been released and the entire system is filled. Do not turn off the pump; it must remain on to keep the system pressurized and the solution in the lines

3. Allow to stand for at least three hours, but no longer than 24 hours.

4 Drain through every faucet on the boat (and if you haven't done this in a while, it's a good idea to remove any diffusion screens from the faucets, because what's likely to come out will clog them). Fill the tank again with fresh water only, drain again through every faucet on the boat.

5. To remove excess chlorine taste or odor which might remain, prepare a solution of one quart white vinegar to five gallons water and allow this solution to agitate in tank for several days by vessel motion.

6. Drain tank again through every faucet, and flush the lines again by filing the tank 1/4-1/2 full and again flushing with clean water.


An annual recommissioning according to those directions should be all you need to do to have water that's at least as "good" as the water from any faucet on land. If that doesn't suit you, put a faucet filter on the galley sink. No need for any water "treatment "...nor should it be necessary to add anything to every fill. No wonder you're filtering it going into the tank AND at the galley faucet...you're putting enough chlorine into your water to make it taste/smell like a swimming pool! And yes, that will make bio-active holding tank maintenance difficult, if not impossible.

--Peggie
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Old 06-16-2020, 08:58 AM   #6
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Chris, During the season I use West Marine water treatment and conditioner which is basically sodium chlorite. We also filter the water before it hits the tanks. I pour a few ounces into the filter before I attach the hose figuring this sanitizes the filter as well. It's very possible I'm overthinking this whole thing.

I dunno... we're on a well water system at our marina, but even then I've not ever had to do anything other than Spring commissioning. No other additives, etc...

The filters we use are dual-gradient 25 micron/1 micron and then a .5 micron carbon block.

Plus the filter pitcher for coffee and actual drinking water, but mostly useful at docks with chlorinated city water.

And we cycle the tank water a lot; seldom actually hook up to dock water...

-Chris
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Old 06-16-2020, 09:14 AM   #7
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I used twice as much chlorine as Peggy recommends and I now realize that it was to no advantage. Sterilized is sterilized and I am now seeing just how much water has to pass through before the chlorine smell dissipates. Less would normally be better. In my case, it isn't too bad because I also started a project of replacing all my water lines with PEX. Since the tanks were shocked with chlorine, all of my new plumbing is getting the treatment.

One of the things that I found in my system was dead end lines. There had been a manual hand pump at the galley sink, but it was disconnected and the line simply plugged. The head also had a hand pump at the sink that appeared to have been inoperable for years. Both were on long lines that ran back and connected to the tanks prior to the system pressure pump. In other words, when the FW system was shocked with chlorine, these "dead end" lines would not be sanitized and simply sit there waiting to taint the main tanks again with whatever had grown in them in the last decade.

I think that Sidclark's concern is kind of related. The FW plumbed head would be sort of a dead end line that should be flushed with the chlorine solution to complete the sanitation. But that water, maybe a flush or two, will go into the holding tank. Another reason not to go overboard on the chlorine concentration in the system.
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Old 06-16-2020, 09:33 AM   #8
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Peggie,
Thanks for the reminder! The only thing I could add would be to make sure the filling hoses and deck fill fittings to the tank get washed with solution port & starboard. My tanks did not stay clear for long until I made sure the fill hoses (and vents out the side) flushed with solution both sides of the boat. That means deck fill fitting off port & starboard to remove the big bubble below the deck fitting.
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Old 06-16-2020, 09:39 AM   #9
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I think that Sidclark's concern is kind of related. The FW plumbed head would be sort of a dead end line that should be flushed with the chlorine solution to complete the sanitation. But that water, maybe a flush or two, will go into the holding tank. Another reason not to go overboard on the chlorine concentration in the system.


There's a very simple "cure" for chlorine in the holding tank: Pump out the tank and thoroughly rinse it out ...which should be done 2-3x/season to get rid of sludge anyway.


--Peggie
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Old 06-16-2020, 11:11 AM   #10
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Peggy, I misunderstood what you meant about the 3-24 hours for the chlorine. Got it now.
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