Rust in the water?

[mestrezat]

I have begun to have a yellow color in the water from our fresh water tanks. I put a filter in line and in a few weeks, it showed a bunch of yellow(almost dust like when dried)sediment. I fear it's rust in our stainless steel tanks. We have four of them originally installed back in 1982(yes, I know that's old). Any one have any idea how to stop it? An application that can be applied to the inside of the tanks? I'd hate to have to tear up all the floor boards to get the tanks out.

[RaymondR]

If the tanks are stainless steel and have been in since 1982 and you have not had the problem before I doubt that the discoloration is due to rust. Give them a good flushing out and see if it re-appears. I have not tried it but have been told that sodium bicarbonate mixed into the tanks helps keep them clean so it might help to flush them with a bicarb water flush.

[GILow]

+1 to a good flush before you worry. Ours had a very rust coloured sediment that turned out to be from the local water supply. Likewise they are 1982 vintage stainless steel.

Matt


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[thinwater]

Is the water filtered before filling? It could be that simple.

While there are many in-line filters, a bag filter is often more effective for fine sediment.



A DIY Water Filter - Practical Sailor Print Edition Article

[Russ]

Assume you must have access hatches to tanks. Suggest you 1) Look and 2) Clean them out. I clean my tanks yearly before I go off on a cruise. If you don't have hatches, install some and make them BIG, isn't that hard to do. R

[mestrezat]

Just about every drop that has gone into our tanks goes through a paper filter and then through a charcoal filter before it gets anywhere near our tanks. Worst water was either in Fiji after a rain or Kota Kinabalu in Malaysia. The Kota Kinabalu surprised us as its a mega million dollar resort with two big hotels and a large Marina yet our paper filter came out black after we filled the boats,tanks. Go figure. As we hold 270 gallons of water it's going to take a few months to get them down enough to clean them. Probably in South Africa. We have taken off the inspection ports and found the yellow sediment on the bottom and sort of cleaned them in the past. There are several spot welds here and there inside the tanks where someone may have done so repair work years ago. More inspection is warranted.