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Old 06-30-2014, 09:36 AM   #1
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How to avoid mould in water tank between uses

Hi, sorry for the pretty simple question but I can't figure out what is best to store the trailer water tank over the summer......right full or empty? If empty, how do you drain it so that it actually dries completely and does not start any mould? This would be on our trillium 4500. I have a tank drain, but it does not drain every bit of water. I did put in a tiny amount of bleach when I filled it up for our maiden voyage over the past weekend as we are on well water not chlorinated city water
Thanks!
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Old 06-30-2014, 09:47 AM   #2
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Hi, sorry for the pretty simple question but I can't figure out what is best to store the trailer water tank over the summer......right full or empty? If empty, how do you drain it so that it actually dries completely and does not start any mould? This would be on our trillium 4500. I have a tank drain, but it does not drain every bit of water. I did put in a tiny amount of bleach when I filled it up for our maiden voyage over the past weekend as we are on well water not chlorinated city water
Thanks!
John
I would always store with a full tank. Less air less chance of bugs growing.
Get a good ceramic water filter and always use it when fill the water tank.
Once a year drain, and sanitize the tank. I use a cleaning and sanitizing 2 part that I purchased from Camping World. There's enough in the kit to last for as long I'll be needing it. Here it is.

FYI this has worked well for me for the past 8.5 years.
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Old 06-30-2014, 12:12 PM   #3
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The pioneers used to toss some silver coins in their water barrels before heading out in the Conestoga wagons; silver kills a lot of stuff. I wonder if it would be practical to drop a couple of old dimes or quarters into the tank? They should be heavy enough to not rise into the outlet and go anywhere, seems like.

I read just the other day that if residentially-treated water is used, it should be fine for 6 months.
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Old 06-30-2014, 01:28 PM   #4
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I read just the other day that if residentially-treated water is used, it should be fine for 6 months.
I think chlorinated water is fine left in the tank but as I found out the hard way it may not be such a good idea to leave well water sitting (picked up along your travels) in a tank in warm/hot weather - whether it be fresh or hot water tank. Could end up pretty stinky after a week or two....
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Old 06-30-2014, 02:15 PM   #5
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I carry 2 blue 7 gallon jugs plus my 15 gallon water tank(and 6 gallon water heater) when i travel. My mom's well tastes good and is tested....who knows what the water is like in strange places. Spent 4 days upstate NY, a shower each night and came home with one full water jug and some in the tank...was also probably drinking a gallon of it a day too.
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Old 06-30-2014, 04:00 PM   #6
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Stop worrying and filter

To all you that worry about the water. Get a good ceramic filter, one with a charcoal core is best. FILTER all water before it enters your fresh water tank. The small cost of a filter is well worth the savings in work and possibly a ruined trip. It doesn't matter if it your city water or your well water, or campground water, filter it all.

Clean and sanitize the tank one a year.

Keep the tank full as much of the time as possible. Stuff can't grow is water without air. Stuff grows in moist areas not flooded areas. The insides of an almost empty tank are moist and can grow all sorts of stuff, the sides flooded and it's a different matter.

If you're still obsessed with it add a teaspoon of Clorax to a full tank.

Now don't worry about the water just go out and enjoy.
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Old 06-30-2014, 11:23 PM   #7
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Understood thank you all. Seems like I'm on the right track, but did want to clarify I was wondering how, say at the end of the season how you would get the tank dry so as not to grow any unwanted friends. I was thinking of keeping the fill cap off , drain open, and air compressor line stuffed in with low volume air.. probably overkill ....but seriously I think I remember a photo of a very black trillium water tank with mould and do not want that to happen and I figure only way is to get the tank very dry.
? Maybe rubbing alcohol would dry it out?
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Old 06-30-2014, 11:27 PM   #8
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If you added a couple tablespoons of chlorine bleach to the tank, filled it, and gave it a couple days before draining it, any remaining water would have been treated and not be an issue.
And, I see you are in BC, so there is a good chance that the water you have been using is already chlorinated.
I keep 100 litres of water in plastic containers in my carport as part of my earthquake emergency kit. I add a few drops of household bleach to each 20 litre container. I drain and refresh every six months.
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Old 07-01-2014, 03:16 AM   #9
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Good comments have been made for you. You may also want to look into installing a deck plate to your tank for cleaning. There are a number of posts on them.
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Old 07-01-2014, 03:16 AM   #10
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You need a deck plate, we have one and I love it as you can get right in there remove all the water and clean it.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...all-64849.html
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Old 07-01-2014, 01:22 PM   #11
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Ok great! Thanks again. I have never heard of a deck plate until now so I will definitely look into that.
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Old 07-01-2014, 01:55 PM   #12
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Curious, are the deck plates 'food safe' ?
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Old 07-01-2014, 04:59 PM   #13
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Curious, are the deck plates 'food safe' ?
Probable as safe if not safer than the plastic used to build the water tank in your 78 Trillium

You do need to watch what you seal it with though.
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Old 07-08-2014, 06:00 AM   #14
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I'm not sure about this mold issue. I guess I should be on the lookout for it? I do see little circles on the top part of the plastic water tank when you're looking down on it. Didn't look like mold to me.

I did re bleach my water tank again. After going to a campsite with rusty water a month ago I just thought it prudent. Would wAter smell funny if mold was in tank? I purposefully swished it around in my mouth after this bleaching and rinsing and it tasted great. I imagine the water might taste like a musty basement if it were moldy? Please advise...so much to think or worry about!


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Old 07-08-2014, 06:09 AM   #15
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If you're worried about the inside of your water tank, consider that the trailer water pipes are a simple extension of the tank and probably also contain mold. There's someone on the site who worked extensively with food grade systems and has commented how difficult it is to keep mold out of systems.
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Old 07-08-2014, 06:32 AM   #16
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Norm,
Do you do anything special to your Scamp's water system to keep it clean and disinfected?

Carl
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Old 07-08-2014, 06:50 AM   #17
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Water

Like most people, I put a little bleach in a full water tank a couple times a year and pump it into the system. I usually do it while home in the summer, letting it sit in the system. Before we leave in the fall I flush the water system from our city water supply.

On our trips to Newfoundland there is often a boil water notice in every provincial park and many towns. Ginny is very tense about water though when you ask they Park rangers they typically say they drink the water, that the notice seems to be a park spring time pro forma action that the locals just ignore.

Taking water with us from home is not an option though we do always have a case of bottled water in the car.

We do have an advantage because we use our water continuously except for the summer.

In the motor home we used to have a super low flow filter that literally took everything out of the water, even viruses. Now we often use a primary filter on the water when hooked up to water.
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Old 07-08-2014, 07:05 AM   #18
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How to avoid mould in water tank between uses

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Originally Posted by honda03842 View Post
Like most people, I put a little bleach in a full water tank a couple times a year and pump it into the system. I usually do it while home in the summer, letting it sit in the system. Before we leave in the fall I flush the water system from our city water supply.

On our trips to Newfoundland there is often a boil water notice in every provincial park and many towns. Ginny is very tense about water though when you ask they Park rangers they typically say they drink the water, that the notice seems to be a park spring time pro forma action that the locals just ignore.

Taking water with us from home is not an option though we do always have a case of bottled water in the car.

We do have an advantage because we use our water continuously except for the summer.

In the motor home we used to have a super low flow filter that literally took everything out of the water, even viruses. Now we often use a primary filter on the water when hooked up to water.
Norm,
Thanks, for the information! Prevention is worth a pound of cure! Being sick of the road is no fun! Bad water can cause stomach issues! Keeping bottle water handy is a good idea, when traveling!

Carl
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Old 07-08-2014, 07:19 AM   #19
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We carry it in the car because we're sometimes in places, like desert roads, where there is little or no water. It's really a back up. It's also nice while driving. We are big water drinkers, having given up carbonated drinks, another RV benefit for us.

We have been a lot of places that admittedly have bad water and have no gotten sick, admittedly Ginny is more careful than I am. We do not drink 'stream water'. For super emergencies we carry a very good million gallon filter should the world collapse.

On Fogo and Change Islands off NL, we never had a water hook up and filled our tanks primarily from our collapsible plastic container. The water was the color of urine but tasted fine, though the locals never used it for making tea. On change island the water was lighter colored but still yellow. I never could figure out what the colorant was, there was no odor so I assume it's not a sulphur compound.

I'll have to search water colorants.
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Old 07-08-2014, 07:26 AM   #20
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The sulfur water that I have seem is off color (yellowish), but it had the smell of sulfur! But, you could sure taste the sulfur! Old timers claim that in the early days the rail road workers uses this water in the hot Arkansas summer and that it would prevent heat strokes. I do not know this to be true or not. But, you can get free sulfur water at the city park in Heber Springs, Arkansas! All you want!
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