Log In | Register
Skip to main content
Topic: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines (Read 412 times) previous topic - next topic
0 Members and 3 Guests are viewing this topic.
Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Hello again!

Thinking about sanitizing the fresh water tank. Thinking this Purogene product is a good bet.

My question is --- everything I have read says to NEVER put anything that kills the bacteria (ie bleach) into the black tank or else your good bacteria will die and horrible smells will result.

If I treat the fresh water with a bacteria killing solution - either this Purogene product or a dilute bleach solution - ultimately this solution will end up in the black tank / grey tank.

Please advise - Am I just over thinking this?

Thanks!!
Jodi, Kevin, and Lincoln (the crazy doodle dog)
2011 TK - also the "DogHaus"- adopted October 2023
2000 30IB - the "DogHaus" - adopted April 2020 - rehomed October 2023
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #1 –
I have used Purogene a few times.   You will use a lot of water.   I live in a place that can be very sensitize about water use.   Off the top of my head three maybe four full tanks of water will be use before you get clean clean water.   

As for killing germ in the black tank -- after a 'good' cleaning of black tank it takes only one use of said tank to 'seed' the tank.   BTW the smell mostly comes from the 'gas' produced in the effluent. 

glen
personal fine art photo stuff
TF Mack | Flickr
It's all good .......
2014 Twin King
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #2 –
Quote from: JodiH  - 
If I treat the fresh water with a bacteria killing solution - either this Purogene product or a dilute bleach solution - ultimately this solution will end up in the black tank / grey tank.

I know nothing about Purogene, but I don't see how either it or chlorine could end up in your black tank since you're going to drain and rinse the fresh water tank before using again after you've done the sanitation.

I agree with Glen, though -- a little dilute chlorine in the black tank isn't going to hurt anything.  I don't recommend, however, the GEO cleaning method that advocates the use of 1/2 - 1 gallon of chlorine along with other items to clean the black tank. 
Linda Hylton
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #3 –
Hi Jodi;  Overthinking a little.  If you can taste or smell chlorine in the fresh water from your tank, then there may be too much treatment. I've only 'shocked' my tank once in 20+ years. I replace my water monthly, (water sensitve area here too in San Diego, so I use a bucket for my potted plants).  The water I put back in is chlorinated by the municipal water supplier, so I don't add any chlorine.  It is my emergency supply in case of earthquake, or fire, so I keep it full.
     I use an 'enzyme' water treatment for the black and gray tank, and I've never had a problem with tank smells.   RonB  
RonB (Bostick) living in San Diego
Original owner of "Bluebelle" a '99 TKB
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #4 –
From my "Water, water..." handout done for Ladeze gatherings; HTH, but, as always, YMMV.

"How to Sanitize a Fresh Water Tank

This process should be done when taking delivery of a new RV, when buying a used rig (it’s very likely that the previous owners haven’t done this!), or when bad water has contaminated your tank and lines. 

This whole 'steppy', water-use intensive process does no good if you're putting nasty, sediment-filled water back into the tank!  At the very least, get an inline water filter and use it every time you fill your fresh water tank; depending on its efficiency, a good filter will take out most particles, sand, sediment, and general crud from the water.  Of course, if the water is microbiologically unsafe, don't fill the tank with it, even if you don’t plan to drink it or cook with it! 

Steps to sanitize a fresh water tank:

Drain the water tank completely, then refill halfway with clean, fresh water.

Mix 1/4 cup of household bleach for every 15 gallons of tank capacity in a container with a gallon or two of clean water, and pour this mixture into the water tank.  Use a funnel and a helper to hold the funnel in position or pour the water from the bucket into the tank.  Using a greater concentration of bleach is not more effective, and only makes it more difficult to flush the 'bleachy water' out of the system!

Add fresh water to the tank until it’s about half full.

Drive the rig around for a short time to mix the solution.

Pump water through each faucet so that all the lines are filled with the bleach/water mixture from the tank. Usually, running about a quart of water out of the tank from each faucet is sufficient.

Run the hot water faucets (or turn the kitchen faucet handle to the Hot position) until about 6 gallons of bleach/water have passed through; this is to assure that the "old" water from your hot water tank has been replaced with the 'bleachy water'.

NOTE: The water should not be hot for the sanitizing procedure.

Let the water stand in the tanks/lines for several hours or overnight, then drain the whole system, including the water tank.

NOTE:  Some people skip these last steps; they don’t care if their tank water smells or tastes chlorinated.  YMMV.

Mix 2-3 cups of baking soda with a gallon of water, pour this into the tank, and fill tank with fresh water. (You can also use white vinegar instead of the baking soda; I use a gallon of white vinegar per 15 gallons of water. The process is the same as for the baking soda.)

Pump the baking soda (or vinegar) solution through the lines and water heater, and let it sit for a couple of days. (You can drive around to slosh up the mixture.)

Drain the system and refill with fresh water; the filter should be attached at the water supply source (or between the source and the tank fill.).

NOTE:  If you are somewhere where water is plentiful and/or you are particularly sensitive to the taste/smell of any left-over bleach/baking soda/vinegar, you may want to flush the system  with fresh water again after the baking soda/white vinegar flush." 
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #5 –
Bumping this older thread because i have a question and I’m a newb.

We disinfected the water system this Spring per the instructions above and everything went fine.  Now we’re entering the hot summer days (I’m in NJ) and I keep thinking about the tank, full of fresh water, sitting in 90 degree weather. Normally I would worry about algae growth or the like. Should I?
Chris - 2001 MB
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #6 –
Quote from: Remicks  - 
We disinfected the water system this Spring per the instructions above and everything went fine.  Now we’re entering the hot summer days (I’m in NJ) and I keep thinking about the tank, full of fresh water, sitting in 90 degree weather. Normally I would worry about algae growth or the like. Should I?

Are you living in the RV, or is it in storage?  If the latter, I'd drain the fresh water tank or, at the very least, drain and refill on a periodic basis (when our RV is in storage, we drain both the fresh water tank and the water heater).

If you're living in the RV, use the water pump either all the time so that fresh water is always in the tank, or use it on a periodic basis to drain the tank and then refill with fresh water.
Linda Hylton
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #7 –
Quote from: Remicks  - 
Bumping this older thread because i have a question and I’m a newb.

We disinfected the water system this Spring per the instructions above and everything went fine.  Now we’re entering the hot summer days (I’m in NJ) and I keep thinking about the tank, full of fresh water, sitting in 90 degree weather. Normally I would worry about algae growth or the like. Should I?
How likely is it that algae spores can even get in the tank, much less grow in chlorinated water, without sunshine or carbon dioxide? For decades, I've left my water tank full of water from March through September, filling it when it's low, but sometimes it's a month or more between fills, and never had algae in the tank. Be happy, don't worry.
2005 Jayco 24SS
Re: Purogene - Sanitizing fresh water tank / lines
Reply #8 –
"How likely is it that algae spores can even get in the tank...?"

I can't say how likely, but they can get in through the freshwater tank's vent--that little round mesh-covered opening next to the freshwater fill port. As you use water from the tank, air is sucked in through that port to take its place. Don't know about algae, but I've seen some pretty nasty-looking mold/mildew growths in the small clear hose that leads from the tank to that vent.
Andy Baird
2021 Ford Ranger towing 2019 Airstream 19CB
Previously: 1985 LD Twin/King "Gertie"; 2003 LD Midbath "Skylark"