Suggestions for a bladder type water tank n pickup bed.

ctilsie242 wrote:
My one issue with bladders is mold growth. Even when empty, they remain wet inside, and wind up growing colonies of the bad stuff unless there is some way to completely open the bladder and air out every square inch of it.

My thoughts exactly, though you'll no doubt be criticized by some here who don't agree. When we return from a camping trip my fresh water Aquatainers hang on the garage wall with the caps off for a few days so they dry thoroughly inside. Every once in awhile I'll give 'em a dose of bleach mixture and have never any issues with "funny stuff" growing inside them. :B

ctilsie242 wrote:
I am a fan of Waterbricks.

I'd never heard of Waterbricks but Holy Smokes at only 3.5 gals each I'd need 10 of them to make up the same capacity offered by five 7 gal Aquatainers which I can buy here in Canada for $15 Cdn apiece, ~ $12 USD. :E

ctilsie242 wrote:
Of course, they can be a tempting target for thieves, but a tonneau cover should deter opportunists.

Hard to imagine where you're camping that this would be an issue, has never even crossed my mind that anyone could be bothered walking off with a few water containers. :h Anyway, I do now have a tonneau cover on my Silverado so I guess that's an advantage - out of sight, out of mind. :)

My one issue with bladders is mold growth. Even when empty, they remain wet inside, and wind up growing colonies of the bad stuff unless there is some way to completely open the bladder and air out every square inch of it.

I am a fan of Waterbricks. They cost $35.48 + shipping for two, are easy to air out and sanitize (toss a tablespoon of bleach, add water, shake, let sit overnight, dump), they interlock and stack up to four feet high, can take a heavy pounding, and are individually not too heavy (at 3.5 gallons, weigh about 30 pounds each when full), seal well, and be stored open, so they completely dry out and not invite mold/mildew growth. You can get half bricks, which hold 1.6 gallons.

Of course, they can be a tempting target for thieves, but a tonneau cover should deter opportunists.

Regardless of what version of water transport anyone uses, it really is nice to be able to transport without breaking camp! Often times, at home, when the forecast is predicting inclement weather, not only do I fill the fresh water tank in the camper at home, but I also fill the 35 gallon tank. If we don't loose power (we are on a well), eventually, that water gets pumped into the camper, so it's never water lost.

The versatility of having a container (of any type) is priceless ... more than just for camping! It's saved our keesters many times!

I use the AQUATANK2 that others have mentioned and Iternant1 pictured. The 60 gallon one fits nicely between the hitch and tailgate.

I use the camper's onboard water pump and my anti-freeze inlet to suck water from it. The downside is that it is deathly slow and uses battery power the whole time. But, no extra parts is convenient.

I did look for a higher flow pump that is 12v AND drinking water safe and it got more expensive that I would prefer pretty quickly.

SoundGuy wrote:

Itinerant1 wrote:
X2^ plus the possibility of the containers growing legs and migrating to greener pastures.

Seriously? And a bladder or anything else in the truck can't? :R

I was thinking more or when you go by camps and everything they own is sitting out unsecured.

Bobbo wrote:
The thing I like about the "outrageously" priced bladders is that they fold down to the size of a high school student's 3 ring binder when not in use. They are not taking up hardly any space as opposed to those rigid containers that don't collapse.

As I explained already, space at the front of the cargo box is that which I don't use for anything else, even with a short box, so containers I don't have to move or do anything with at all work best for me as they just sit there ready for the next use. :B A bladder I'd have to disconnect, fold up, and put away, then repeat the process in reverse anytime I wanted to use it, which for me is daily. :( To each his / her own but I think I'll stick with my tried 'n true rigid Aquatainers. :B

Itinerant1 wrote:
X2^ plus the possibility of the containers growing legs and migrating to greener pastures.

Seriously? And a bladder or anything else in the truck can't? :R

I, at one time carried about 10, 5 gallon jugs and used air pressure to get the water into the trailer. I then went to a 45 gallon hard, plastic barrel that I got from an orange juice company here in the city. Then I went to a 50 gallon hard container like DutchmanSport shows above but still used an air compressor to move the water. I just drilled out the vent in the cap and installed a tire valve. Used that for quite a long time. Now I have two collapsible containers. One is 50 gallons and the other is 60 gallons. Now I have an 8 foot box and do haul a 5er. The 60 gallon one goes just in front of the 5th wheel and behind the aux. fuel tank. The other one goes in the space near the Tgate. I use a regular trailer water pump and adapted it to plug into the rear 7 pin plug. The 45 gallon one came from Camping World and the other one looks like a large AWOL bag as shown on this site, http://discrv.tripod.com/waterboy.html.It took a while to get to me and the pump that came with it was broken. Everything fits into a container when folded up and that goes in the basement storage area. It's all a lot easier on my back.

X2^ plus the possibility of the containers growing legs and migrating to greener pastures.

The thing I like about the "outrageously" priced bladders is that they fold down to the size of a high school student's 3 ring binder when not in use. They are not taking up hardly any space as opposed to those rigid containers that don't collapse.