Best filter for foul tasting tank water

[POG]

Ahoy Garner and other old timers!

I need a recommendation for the best filter insert to use in a regular house filter holder to make the plast-icky tank water at least somewhat potable.  I think I noticed you use a charcoal filter, Garner.  Does it do the job?  Where to buy?  I didn't find any at the Home Depot or OSH yesterday.  Just regular sediment catching filters.  

The summer of 2010 I spent 22 days struggling to open my water tanks, sand and clean, repair loose baffles and coat with "Brewcoat" - a solvent free epoxy coating approved by the FDA for food and water storage tanks - and then glassing the tanks closed again.  This epoxy coating was truly the concoction from hell to work with, like trying to paint with thick molasses.  While I was at it I also cut off the forward part of the bow tank at the baffle plate and rebuilt it as a smaller tank using the plate as the forward wall.  I did this to get my 100 feet of 3/8" chain further aft, instead of right up at the bow.

When I was finished I was so sure I would now have water of spring-like quality that I removed the water filter that was in place in the galley sink cabinet.  No such luck.  The result of all my work is a disappointment and the filter is coming back on again.

What I need is something that will not just remove sediments and the mysterious nig-nags that the "Brewcoat" environment seems to give birth to, but makes the water safer and less foul tasting.

Sooner or later I will post something on this unsuccessful project that may be helpful to fellow P 365ers to avoid the same trap.

Carl  

[Dale Tanski]

Carl,

Activated carbon is what you are looking for. I use one under the sink at home for a dedicated drinking spigot to remove an iron taste from our well water.  We also have one on every drinking fountain at work to remove the awlfull taste of municipal water. As long as you change them once a year they work fine. On a boat with such little usage, they would probably last several years. The ones we use are Aquapure and purchased at Grainger Supply. I did a little research and came up with this...

Carbon is a substance that has a long history of being used to absorb impurities and is perhaps the most powerful absorbent known to man. One pound of carbon contains a surface area of roughly 125 acres and can absorb literally thousands of different chemicals. Activated carbon is carbon which has a slight electro-positive charge added to it, making it even more attractive to chemicals and impurities. As the water passes over the positively charged carbon surface, the negative ions of the contaminants are drawn to the surface of the carbon granules.

Activated carbon filters used for home water treatment typically contain either granular activated carbon (GAC) or powdered block carbon. Although both are effective, carbon block filters generally have a higher contaminant removal ratio. The two most important factors affecting the efficiency of activated carbon filtration are the amount of carbon in the unit and the amount of time the contaminant spends in contact with it. The more carbon the better. Similarly, the lower the flow rate of the water, the more time that contaminants will be in contact with the carbon, and the more absorption that will take place. Particle size also affects removal rates.

Activated carbon filters are usually rated by the size of the particles they are able to remove, measured in microns, and generally range from 50 microns (least effective) down to 0.5 microns (most effective).

The block carbon filters are the best but more expensive and harder to find. Hope this helps. Here is a link to the Grainger's filters.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/AQUAPURE-Filter-Cartridge-1P754?Pid=search


Dale

[SailingSeaDragon]

Carl

Dale said it best..

I picked up the unit I have at Home Depot for about 30 bucks as a test. It has worked well.. I have it set up so that all water passes through the charcoal filter. The unit is a little large and at some point I will take the time to track down a smaller more compact unit. But for now, the unit will stay in place as the cartridges are cheap and easy to find.

Drinking water is further filtered with a General Ecology Seagull IV at the galley sink.

http://generalecology.com/category/marine-rv/product/seagull_iv_x-1f_purifier_with_faucet

While expensive, the Seagull unit has unmatched specs and worth investment.

Garner

[POG]

Thank you gentlemen, as always.

I am installing the filter in the fresh water foot pump line.  I have some concerns about having enough pressure to get a decent flow and not over-stressing the little pump. Will start by trying not finer filtration than 5 microns.

Carl

[RayNWanda]

Carbon is the way to go to improve taste. The 2"X10" filters should be widely available and cheap. I know the Ace hardware store here stocks them. Also, look for the old thread about water tanks. I installed 6- 6" hatches in the water tanks in Abracadabra to make the tanks easy to clean. There is a hatch in each tank section between the baffles.

[Sta-Sea-Dawn]

Carbon is the way to go to improve taste. The 2"X10" filters should be widely available and cheap. I know the Ace hardware store here stocks them. Also, look for the old thread about water tanks. I installed 6- 6" hatches in the water tanks in Abracadabra to make the tanks easy to clean. There is a hatch in each tank section between the baffles.

that is a good idea...I might put that on my todo list......