Easiest way to disinfect fresh water tank?

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by toskeysam

Back in the days of wagon trains.......silver coins were put into the water barrels. The silver ions, generated by the coins sloshing around in the barrel, kept the water potable. Too bad we don't have silver coins anymore.

Doesn't need to be coins. Any silver that will tarnish will work, including antique silver table settings, jewelry, etc.

I didn't know about pioneers using silver for water treatment, but I'm well aware of silver's antimicrobial properties. When I caught an MRSA infection after foot surgery, I needed to have a large fraction of my (infected) left heel bone removed, and the incision had to be kept open for over over a month until the incision healed from the inside out. If the incision had been stitched closed, the infection would have been sealed in and I'd never have healed. I had to repack the wound daily with a material called "silver alginate" to keep the open incision from getting reinfected and to keep it from closing too soon as well.

Anyway, the problem with using silver as an antimicrobial water treatment is that you need to have a solution of about 1 part per billion silver ions in the water to kill microbes, but how much silver metal do you have to add to obtain that concentration? Too little and it doesn't kill the microbes, too much and it can hurt you to drink the water; silver is a poison for humans as well as for microbes and werewolves.

[0557]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Doesn't need to be coins. Any silver that will tarnish will work, including antique silver table settings, jewelry, etc.



I didn't know about pioneers using silver for water treatment, but I'm well aware of silver's antimicrobial properties. When I caught an MRSA infection after foot surgery, I needed to have a large fraction of my (infected) left heel bone removed, and the incision had to be kept open for over over a month until the incision healed from the inside out. If the incision had been stitched closed, the infection would have been sealed in and I'd never have healed. I had to repack the wound daily with a material called "silver alginate" to keep the open incision from getting reinfected and to keep it from closing too soon as well.



Anyway, the problem with using silver as an antimicrobial water treatment is that you need to have a solution of about 1 part per billion silver ions in the water to kill microbes, but how much silver metal do you have to add to obtain that concentration? Too little and it doesn't kill the microbes, too much and it can hurt you to drink the water; silver is a poison for humans as well as for microbes and werewolves.

If Colloidal silver can be used for killing viruses and bacteria in people
It can be used in this situation.
It all depends on how it is made.

[toskeysam]

I doubt the conestoga crews had definitive guides for water treatment. Lots of "rules of thumb" I am sure. That coupled with theft and desperation probably precipitated a lot of the cholera outbreaks that decimated wagon trains...........wow do I digress....Sorry guys......

[Marks71]

Originally Posted by toskeysam

I doubt the conestoga crews had definitive guides for water treatment. Lots of "rules of thumb" I am sure. That coupled with theft and desperation probably precipitated a lot of the cholera outbreaks that decimated wagon trains...........wow do I digress....Sorry guys......

wow ...this forum is really comprehensive when you can get your questions answered about water treatment in wagon trains!

[Airtandem]

Copper wil do about the same thing. We at one time put copper scrubber pieces in humidifiers to reduce eliminate bacteria build up.
Article by Bird PhD.

[Airtandem]

The main bacteria found was Pseudomonas. Smells like grapes. Do not stick your nose in it, that infection could be bad. Vinegar or bleach will kill the bacteria.

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by Jekerrville

What is the inside of the tank lined with?

It's not lined, read the specs from Atwood.

Larry C

[Larry C]

Originally Posted by Jekerrville

Wierdstuff,

Lots of good recommendations here, but a few details may be needed.

It takes about a tablespoon of common household bleach to disenfect 200 gallons of water! Don't go crazy with a cup or two of bleach in a 50 gallon tank.

In a previous life I was associated with a beverage company and clean tasteless water was mandatory. What you are looking for is about 200 parts per million chlorine to a volume of water for about 20 to 30 minutes. In this way you don't trash out any of the water system.

Chlorine is a reactant and it CAN damage features of a water system.

So, a tablespoon of chlorine in 50 gallons is going to be about 1000 PPM. Household bleach will be somewhat less than pool chlorine or USP chorine. No problem.

Let the solution (chlorine & water) stay in the fresh water tank for about 30 minutes then flush through every valve in the vehicle. Sink, Showers, hot and cold valves and commode. Try not to splash it on you, what your wearing or your AS.

Then flush out every tank with fresh water and you are done. Remember also that you do not need to heat the hot water heater water in any way.

Also prepare to change the water filter associated with the kitchen sink if there is one. The activated charcoal filter will trap the chlorine and reduce the filters effectiveness.

It does not hurt to pour just a cap full of chlorine (household bleach) into the fresh water tank ever so often to keep the little bugs in check.

Chlorine breaks down when exposed to air and sun light so it will go away after a very short while.

All the best and Happy Trails.

PS, where you smelling foulness when you were running hot water or when you ran any water? If only hot water you took on a load of "h2s" laden water (hydrogen sulfide) and the sacrificial anode in the hot water heater was liberating rotten egg smell. It's harmless in small concentrations.

Atwood hot water heaters do note require an anode, nor is one recommended by Atwood....

Larry C