bad oder in fresh water tank

[swordfish25]

Have a boat with a 30gal. alumn.fresh water tank. I drain the system in the fall, and antifreeze the pump and lines. Then I blow the lines out. I leave the tank lines unhooked. When I fill it in the spring and let it set 3 weeks or more, the oder is real bad. I have to drain it all out and refill. The next time I fill it, it seems to be a lot better. I have used clorax and bought oder chemicals. What can I do? I just sold the boat and want to make it right for the new owner.::

 

[a70eliminator]

Re: bad oder in fresh water tank

Don't have any experience with fresh water tanks yet, but isn't antifreeze poison and adding it to fresh water tank seems inapropriate?
(not right)

 

[Drowned Rat]

Re: bad oder in fresh water tank

Put clorox in the tank when you winterize it along with the antifreeze and water. Make sure you use enough. About a cup per 10 gallons works good.

 

[Splat]

Re: bad oder in fresh water tank

First off make sure your using a RV antifreeze (it's usally pink in color) and second do not fill your fresh water tank with it. There's no need. Drain the tank, and fill only the lines and pump with glycol.
I think that's what your doing allready just want to make sure.

Odor can be caused from two things really. Could just be from the lines degrading, or from bacteria. Water that sits for long periods of time can become stagnate and smell. The chlorine from the city freshwater supply breaks down over time, thus can allow for bacteria.

I'm sorry I don't really have any ideas on this one, short of mixing bleach in with the fresh water system, then running some through the lines and letting it sit for a few hours. Then flushing throughly.

Your not by any chance using well water to fill your tank are you? Can you describe the smell? Is it a sweet smell, or does it smell like wet dog, or perhaps chlorine, rubber, decay?

Bill

 

[boat1010]

Re: bad oder in fresh water tank

I don't have any experience with boat fresh water systems, but I use to put the pink antifreeze in my camper. Had the same problem. Very bad smell. I stopped using the antifreeze and started draining the system and blowing it out with my compressor. Just turn it down to 30 psi and hook it up where the pump hooks up and open the faucet one at a time until all the water is gone.

 

[swordfish25]

Re: bad oder in fresh water tank

I do use R/V antifreeze, and I do not put it in the tank. The boat was like this when I bought it 7 years ago. I do not know what was put in it then. I have never been able to get the oder out since I bought it. Would like to fix it for the new owner .