Drinking from freshwater tank

Once and Future

2013-11-24 17:02:35

Has anyone solved the puzzle of keeping freshwater tank tasting good enough to drink and make coffee from? I know lots of people give up and just bring bottled water. But I'd rather not deal with something else to store, plus the empty bottles.

There are tablets you can put in to keep water fresh, but at the rate they recommend you'd spend a small fortune.

So I have been experimenting with charcoal filter cartridges, and have wasted a lot of time, money, and effort. HUGELY misleading advertising. I have learned it seems to come down to micron size, and the manufacturers are not very forthcoming with that info.

I FINALLY got a filter that works as far as taking bad flavor out. It is a two stage filter, called a "carbon block" and it goes down to .5 microns. Disadvantage is that slows the water down to a trickle. So now I guess I am going to have to add a dedicated small faucet for drinking water.

One solution is those fittings that go right on the existing faucet with a selector valve so you can choose between filtered or full flow. But when I looked closer at one of those - guess what - 50 microns! Useless! And another brand did not list the microns at all. So has anyone else found a good solution?

Kelper

2013-11-24 19:06:42

Thanks for the timely question. If you don't mind, I'll add a question of my own. I've been debating what I'm going to do with my freshwater tank. I have a steel (30+ years old) freshwater tank. It's a 100 gallons. It sits right in my stern, in an already stern heavy boat. I'm thinking of draining it, and putting in another smaller tank up mid ship to help with my weight/balance. My question to the forum is how many gallons of water do you typically use in a 4 day trip? I'm a local fisher, and won't be straying from town much. I can't imagine using too much. You think I could get away with a new plastic 10-20 gallon tank? They seem to be reasonable, and would be an easy swap if it ever went sour on me.

JYDPDX

2013-11-24 20:53:24

I had a 70 gallon tank that was sufficient for 2 trips with a deckhand on the boat if we used the water very miserly. I could get three trips solo. I know that fisheries supply has very reasonably priced 50 gallon plastic tanks. I end up getting one for emergency fuel and I think it cost only a couple hundred bucks. Shipping might nullify that option though.

I did not like the water my old steel tank was supplying even though with a filter it was not colored and looks and tastes fine as long as the level isn't too low, I haven't trusted it after seeing what it looks like when the dregs from the bottom are sucked out, even through the filter. Fine for dishes but I didn't want to consume it. I bought a couple 7 gallon camping jugs from the sporting goods store in sitka and a couple of nalgene water bottles. Less than ideal but a perfectly sufficient work around to replacing a tank if you aren't ready. Make sure to keep the spare full in case filling the working jug gets forgotten.

7 gallons was always enough drinking/cooking water for two people for one trip in my experience.

I would think that a 10 gallon multipurpose water tank would not be enough and there is nothing worse than running out of water mid trip. Actually there's probably a lot of things way worse!

entropy1

2013-11-24 20:55:45

Old timers tip from out in Sandpoint was, after draining the water tank for the winter, pour a bottle of PA vodka into the tank. Serves as antifreeze and kills any bacteria that might be present. It actually works! Takes the funny taste out of fiberglass tanks too.

Kelper

2013-11-24 22:29:08

Thanks JYDPDX,

I had the same experience yesterday and I turned on the faucet and some brown came out. Figured it was time for a new tank as I'm not drinking that water. I'm trying to add up in my head what I'll need water for. Cooking, drinking, dishes, and hand washing.. Am I missing anything? (no shower or toilet on my boat) I'm trying to stay small with the tank to avoid chopping any holes in the boat to get it in.

Drew

2013-11-24 22:58:44

I have large water tanks that I only for washing dishes and taking showers. For drinking I use 3, 6 gallon jugs. When you only use these for drinking and cooking that 18 gallons lasts at least 2 trips (usually longer when I'm by myself). I'm planning to eventually to put a small 20-30 gallon stainless tank on the roof for drinking water.

I think that for drinking water having a smaller tank just for drinking water is the ideal solution. Drinking out of aluminum, fiberglass, or rusty steel tanks is not good for your health in the long run. But then the problem is that you end up getting your water out of the tanks of tenders half the time, so you're screwed anyways.

akfish

2013-11-25 02:04:22

I have two 100 gallon steel tanks I drain them every year and throw in a small capfull of bleach every time I refill and water taste find. Take medicine, coffee, cook, etc... nover had anyone notice the difference. The tanks are less than 10 years old though maybe that makes a difference.

John Murray

2013-12-01 23:00:52

Something simple we use is a Brita filter deal.It takes out tank taste as well as other stuff.It does take a bit of counter space.

Housephone

2013-12-04 07:45:15

We have 2 25 gallon plastic tanks from fisheries supply, in the boat for about 5 years. We use the water for drinking & dishes (no shower, head is salt water). The 50 gallons we carry lasts a week or more. We were out hunting 2 weeks ago & the weather was @ 16 degrees for days. After the 5th day the plastic tanks in the stern froze. When the weather warmed up, they thawed with no leaks. I was thinking they would have burst. Lucky. Anyway I'm happy with them.

Fishnmike

2013-12-19 20:44:25

This is a late response to this question but for you guys with steel tanks that are getting the off color and taste, it is mostly likely iron bacteria that are doing it. Same bacteria live in wells and will give that water an off color and taste. What will help is to flush your tank once or twice a year to get the sediment out and then pour a cup of bleach in it and fill it with water. Let it sit for a couple hours or days then flush the tank again. This can also be done with plastic tanks just to help keep them sanitary.

I'm not a commerical fisherman but I do do water quality stuff for a living. Hope this helps someone.