Foam coming out of fresh water vents

[nautibake]

I always add about 3/4 cup of household bleach when we fill fresh water tanks. 300 gallons is the water capacity. Sometimes white foam bubbles out of the vents as the approach full. Anything to be concerned with? We do drink the stuff daily after 2 levels of charcoal filters.

 

[doc g]

I noticed this also with the "new" no splash bleach and no we do not drink it .....Pat

 

[jrbrein]

We have now and have had on previous boats the charcoal filters. In addition, i have a SeaGull water filter (that removes bacteria and viruses) through its own separate tap in the galley for drinking water, cooking and another line to the ice maker.

Short of reverse osmosis, the water coming from the SeaGull is about as clean as you can get.


Jon

 

[Rich60175]

Use Liquid Pool shock, has no perfumes and is true chlorine bleach, not hydrogen peroxide.

 

[Boatsb]

Chlorine is not good. Pool chlorine is just higher a concentration. No splash has been thickened with an additive to increase viscosity. Usually a soap.

Bleach is caustic, causes eye irritation, gastric burns, is corrosive to metals in high concentration or long exposure. Its not necessary unless you have a contamination in your water tank.

 

[Rich60175]

Thank you good to know, i will not use it anymore.

 

[Glory]

I noticed this also with the "new" no splash bleach and no we do not drink it .....Pat

What about the ice?

 

[jim rosenthal]

Ingesting chlorine bleach in any form is not a good idea.

 

[doc g]

we actually have a seagull filter on the icemaker line, but most of the time we buy ice for cocktails anyway and buy cases of drinking water. What 20-50 year old water tank is not contaminated?? Chlorine is fine as long as not too concentrated, hell every municipal water supply is chlorinated. Our boat water is straight well water and smells like rotten eggs even after I run it thru a softener and charcoal filter. .....Pat

 

[Pascal]

Since city water is already chlorinated you don't need to add any on a routine basis unless you have a problem and need to treat the tanks

A good central charcoal filter plus a UV light if you re going to drive knit or make ice is all you need

 

[Boatsb]

Any tank used continually with city water should stay fine. It's stagnant and contaminated water that makes it smell. Age is not the defining characteristic of a tanks usability.

 

[wpc691]

Thank you good to know, i will not use it anymore.

Just switch to “regular” bleach, and the foaming problem should go away...surprising that it foams at the concentration you’re using. We don’t routinely use our system for drinking water. As Pascal said, municipal water is already chlorinated, so while cruising and regularly adding water, there’s no need to add anything. But while sitting at the dock, the chlorine will dissipate over time, about 2 weeks in my system. I then maintain .5 ppm chlorine in the system, using test strips to check every day, and running water through each tap; you’re using the same dosage rate I use. Add the bleach gradually while filling, diluting each small dose in a 3 quart(ish) pitcher. At that dose, if you hold a glass of the tap water right under your nose, you might get the slightest whiff of chlorine, less than many municipal supplies, especially in summer. The Admiral likes raspberry flavored bottled water, and I prefer quinine flavored, thoroughly sanitized with Ketel One. We keep a couple of 2 1/2 gal jugs of water for coffee and ice; we make a couple of trays of ice every day, and buy ice if we’re having guests. We don’t do any remote cruising, and shop once or twice a week anyway, so it works fine for us.

 

[nautibake]

Thanks everyone, really appreciate the inputs! Sounds like I am okay at these concentrations and maybe just dilute in advance of pouring in to potentially lessen the foaming. We were in fact using the low-splash variety and that definitely sounds like a no no. we live aboard and go through 200 gallons / week on average. Unless of course my boys and their girlfriends are on board, in which case it is 200 gallons/day!!

I would probably feel better if I just open up one or both of the tanks at the flange and have a look inside. Of course the extra measure of protection with preferred vodka (safety first!) is a must...

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Found this online:

Disinfect water using household bleach, if you can’t boil water. Only use regular, unscented chlorine bleach products that are suitable for disinfection and sanitization as indicated on the label. The label may say that the active ingredient contains 6 or 8.25% of sodium hypochlorite. Do not use scented, color safe, or bleaches with added cleaners.If water is cloudy, let it settle and filter it through a clean cloth, paper towel, or coffee filter.
Locate a clean dropper from your medicine cabinet or emergency supply kit.
Locate a fresh liquid chlorine bleach or liquid chlorine bleach that is stored at room temperatures for less than one year.
Use the table below as a guide to decide the amount of bleach you should add to the water, for example, 8 drops of 6% bleach, or 6 drops of 8.25% bleach, to each gallon of water. Double the amount of bleach if the water is cloudy, colored, or very cold.Glass containers with droppers
Stir and let stand for 30 minutes. The water should have a slight chlorine odor. If it doesn’t, repeat the dosage and let stand for another 15 minutes before use.
If the chlorine taste is too strong, pour the water from one clean container to another and let it stand for a few hours before use.

Volume of Water Amount of 6% Bleach to Add* Amount of 8.25% Bleach to Add*
1 quart/liter 2 drops 2 drops
1 gallon 8 drops 6 drops
2 gallons 16 drops (1/4 tsp) 12 drops (1/8 teaspoon)
4 gallons 1/3 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon
8 gallons 2/3 teaspoon 1/2 teaspoon

*Bleach may contain 6 or 8.25% sodium hypochlorite.

 

[Tim Powell]

we actually have a seagull filter on the icemaker line, but most of the time we buy ice for cocktails anyway and buy cases of drinking water. What 20-50 year old water tank is not contaminated?? Chlorine is fine as long as not too concentrated, hell every municipal water supply is chlorinated. Our boat water is straight well water and smells like rotten eggs even after I run it thru a softener and charcoal filter. .....Pat

I had that issue as well. I purchased a culligan water softener small one and put it in the dock box.
put a small house filter behind it. All well now. Yes it is a salt system. Requires a bag of salt each month.... I also wash the boat with it now the light brown is gone....