Is the RV Doctor wrong?
Getting ready to sanitize my tanks and I just came across a video from a speaker at a RV show describing how using bleach is no good. Over time it eats away at seals and such. He recommended hydrogen ...
Forum Discussion
As a former Pool and Spa Technician - here's what I know about pseudomonas, the most common bacteria you can find hanging around water:
Bleach, bromine, hydrogen peroxide and ozone are all "oxidizers" - they kill bacteria by burning a hole through its outer covering. But the bacteria protects itself by secreting a layer of slime, and adhering to the sides of whatever its living in. That's why the insides of a hose feel slimy. It also smells "musty" when in abundance. Sniffing the water coming out of your faucet often will tell you when it's time to sanitize.
Sanitizing our freshwater tanks probably doesn't get rid of all the pseudomonas - but cuts down its numbers, and that's good. Beach is the cheapest, fastest-acting oxidizer - but it has a short shelf life. If you're going to sanitize - buy a fresh bottle, or you could be wasting your time. I'm not sure how long it would take pseudomonas to re-colonize a freshwater tank - I'm guessing a week?
I prefer to add a little "drinking water freshener" (basically, chlorine) to my freshwater tank each time I fill it.
Bleach shouldn't hurt the silicone o-rings in the toilet and dump valve gaskets - unless you used WAY too much of it - it will have exhausted its oxidizing power before it gets to the gaskets anyway.
Since *I* spend way too much time with "water cooties" - I don't drink water from either of our RVs' freshwater tanks, because I know what lurks in places that can't be physically scrubbed. And if we happen to stay at an RV park with a chlorinated water source - I'll take that opportunity to flush out all the lines and I'll drink water from the city hookup after it runs through my compressed-carbon water filter. Otherwise, I prefer to bring jugs of drinking water.
Bleach, bromine, hydrogen peroxide and ozone are all "oxidizers" - they kill bacteria by burning a hole through its outer covering. But the bacteria protects itself by secreting a layer of slime, and adhering to the sides of whatever its living in. That's why the insides of a hose feel slimy. It also smells "musty" when in abundance. Sniffing the water coming out of your faucet often will tell you when it's time to sanitize.
Sanitizing our freshwater tanks probably doesn't get rid of all the pseudomonas - but cuts down its numbers, and that's good. Beach is the cheapest, fastest-acting oxidizer - but it has a short shelf life. If you're going to sanitize - buy a fresh bottle, or you could be wasting your time. I'm not sure how long it would take pseudomonas to re-colonize a freshwater tank - I'm guessing a week?
I prefer to add a little "drinking water freshener" (basically, chlorine) to my freshwater tank each time I fill it.
Bleach shouldn't hurt the silicone o-rings in the toilet and dump valve gaskets - unless you used WAY too much of it - it will have exhausted its oxidizing power before it gets to the gaskets anyway.
Since *I* spend way too much time with "water cooties" - I don't drink water from either of our RVs' freshwater tanks, because I know what lurks in places that can't be physically scrubbed. And if we happen to stay at an RV park with a chlorinated water source - I'll take that opportunity to flush out all the lines and I'll drink water from the city hookup after it runs through my compressed-carbon water filter. Otherwise, I prefer to bring jugs of drinking water.
