Watertank in van not used for 6 years.

[kitacooch]

Hi there, i have inherited on loan basis a family caravan :D which hasn't been used for 6 years :o, been getting it up to scratch but was wondering about the water tank, i have cleared the lines of the wasp nests etc and filled the tank and got it all working fine. Clean water coming out but just wondering if there is some kind of conditioner or method for sterilising the tank before using it for drinking water. Has anyone got any tips or advise. Should i just take seperate drinking water???
Cheers.

[incisor]

a couple of steradent tablets left in for a couple of days, and give the van a shake every now and then.

flush then fill with fresh water and add some liquid bleach and do the same as before.

then flush a couple of times and you will have a nice clean tank..

you can buy a special tank conditioning powder from camping and outdoors places if you prefer to use a purpose made product.

[87County]

.........

and add some liquid bleach and do the same as before.

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CAUTION:... don't use bleach if there's any aluminium in the system... (BANG!)

[incisor]

if you use a 10% or more solution i believe..

now read what i said, fill with fresh water and add some liquid bleach..

most liquid bleach is only 4% raw out of the bottle....

a 48hr soak isnt even enough to start chlorine corrossion in my experience

i should have added that one you have the solution in the tank run the tap in the for a couple of minutes to make sure it is in the lines and gives them a clean as well...

pool chlorine is another story... it is pretty much 10% to start with....

[Blknight.aus]

I'll be having to decontaminate the water tanks on the IMV's next year. (jan/feb) If you like I can find out what we're supposed to use and let you know where to get it.

[CaverD3]

A bit of Betadine would be my suggestion. Then flush.

[DiscoTDI]

I give my tanks a flush with bleach if I have not used them for a while, better than getting crook on a camping trip:cool:

[kitacooch]

Thanks guys, not sure which way to go yet but i at least have some options now, i like the steradent option, seems cheap and effective with no obviouse side effects, i did find some specific tank sterilizing solution at a camping store but got a shock at the $28 price tag for one treatment.
Anyways thanks for you advice, and everyone have a merry, and safe Xmas.
cheers

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

You should be able to get sterilizing solutions from a Home Brew supply store. After all no one gets crook from drinking beer.:D

[waynep]

Sodium Metabisulphite is the chemical used for sterilising home brew beer bottles. I think it is also the active ingredient in baby bottle sterilising liquid. ( e.g. Miltons ). It won't leave an aftertaste like bleach.

[It'sNotWorthComplaining!]

Sodium Metabisulphite is the chemical used for sterilising home brew beer bottles. I think it is also the active ingredient in baby bottle sterilising liquid. ( e.g. Miltons ). It won't leave an aftertaste like bleach.
That's the Stuff, I never had much to do with the Miltons stuff as I was a breast feeder. LOL:D

[clean32]

Bleach, or a good bleach is 96% water, 1.5% hydrogen peroxide and 3.5% chlorine.

Pool Liquid chlorine is about 13% active 87% water, but this degrades quickly depending on how it has been stored. Usually 1 month say 8% active.

Cal hypo (powder) is about 70%active

Di clor is about the same but only use unstabilized (indoor pools)

To sanitize a tank you need a solution at about 14% active chlorine, 3 hours. That at least will or should get rid of the hard shield nasty’s.

Followed by at least 2 flushes

NB chlorine is a gas with no odor color or taste, so it needs to be added or locked into some thing else, like salt or calcium etc.

NB if you smell chlorine ( its not) add more.

Ideally the PH of the solution should be about 7.2

[rovercare]

You should be able to get sterilizing solutions from a Home Brew supply store. After all no one gets crook from drinking beer.:D

That's not what my stomach is telling me now:(

Oh, it must of been the scotch or maybe the vodka:D