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I have a 150 gallon stainless steel bulk tank I use for holding my cooling water. I have the tank full and run a pump that circulates water through my shotgun and dephlegmator. As you would expect, after a few weeks the water starts to turn and the slimly feeling comes in. None of the water is used for anything other than running through hoses and cooling.

Does anyone know of a good method to keep the water fresher longer? I absolutely do not want to use bleach. I know there are chemicals out here, are there any that are good for stainless? Worst case I drain and re-fill every few weeks. With winter I don't want to be doing this in -15F temps.

Something that won't harm the stainless but I can put in the tank to keep nasties from forming in the water? I thought about vinegar but that may have long term affects.

You could try putting a few of these in the tank.
At this price it seems like it would be a cheap experiment.
Let us know how it works out.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/13W-UV-Light ... =101001360

Getcha’ summa’ ‘dis:
https://serenityhealth.com/fountec-alga ... clarifier/

It’ll keep the “fuzzy stuff” under control. And, it’s safe in stainless, copper, plastics, etc. Environmentally safe to boot!
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I would use copper sulfate. It is cheap and quite safe. I learned about it from a water treatment plant operator. They use it in drinking water treatment. Also I have worked on a decorative pond that was maintained with copper sulfate and there was fish living in the water with no ill effect. It probably would not take more than a handful of crystals every 6 months or so.

From:
https://atsinnovawatertreatment.com/blo ... treatment/

9: It is highly corrosive. Another issue with copper sulfate is that it is highly corrosive to steel, iron, and galvanized pipes. It cannot be stored in metal containers and must only come in contact with stainless steel, Monel, or plastic. Copper sulfate’s corrosive nature makes it incompatible with cost-effective methods for storage and thus becomes more of a nuisance to use than a benefit.

It seems killing that algae makes it become food for more nasties making a bigger problem.

Windy City had a good answer.

The rainwater I collect for ice and proofing tastes funky after a few weeks, so I tried giving it half an hour of UV-C then storing it in a dark place. Haven't had the funk since.

UV lamps work if there is sufficient circulation. The problem is that the lamps fade in not that long a time. I worked at an aquarium and that was always a problem. Stainless can handle small amounts of bleach. However, you could get some BLC (beer line cleaner) if you are really concerned. Now that you have resident slime I would treat, drain and then re-fill and treat.

I've used pennies in my bird bath to keep algal growth down... could work for your cooling tank. Or just scrap pieces of copper pipe etc. Also try keeping your water moving when not in use...

Being a water operator by trade, most logical and cheap would be a couple capfuls of standard Bleach when you use the water would be more than enough to keep it clean and algae free. What is your hatred toward sodium hypochlorite (bleach)?

Wonder how much alcohol it would take to treat it? Most of us make more heads than we know what to do with anyway.

use hot tub bromine tablets. works as good as bleach with a 1/4 the smell.

ezlle71 wrote: ↑Fri Dec 18, 2020 7:59 am Being a water operator by trade, most logical and cheap would be a couple capfuls of standard Bleach when you use the water would be more than enough to keep it clean and algae free. What is your hatred toward sodium hypochlorite (bleach)?

bleach eats stainless steel.

Windy City wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:51 am You could try putting a few of these in the tank.
At this price it seems like it would be a cheap experiment.
Let us know how it works out.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/13W-UV-Light ... =101001360

I have an inline UV unit that was for outdoor fishponds. enclosed in 2" PVC. bought as a prepper tool.

I highly doubt you would need that much bleach that you would have to worry about it eating the stainless. I guess i like to adhere to the KISS principle Keep It Simple Stupid. I bet i could dose that 150 gallon water tank where no algae or slime would grow and you would never smell bleach for a full year.

Windy City wrote: ↑Mon Nov 30, 2020 7:51 am You could try putting a few of these in the tank.
At this price it seems like it would be a cheap experiment.
Let us know how it works out.

https://www.walmart.com/ip/13W-UV-Light ... =101001360

I use these also. One light to a 250 gallon tank, on a timer runs for an hour a day! Perfect!

jake_jimmylegs wrote:From:
https://atsinnovawatertreatment.com/blo ... treatment/

9: It is highly corrosive. Another issue with copper sulfate is that it is highly corrosive to steel, iron, and galvanized pipes. It cannot be stored in metal containers and must only come in contact with stainless steel, Monel, or plastic. Copper sulfate’s corrosive nature makes it incompatible with cost-effective methods for storage and thus becomes more of a nuisance to use than a benefit.

It seems killing that algae makes it become food for more nasties making a bigger problem.

This link contains a lot of misinformation.
I don't believe a company that is selling a competing product and publishes information that disagrees with universities.
Don't eat it it or get it in your eyes and don't use it as lotion especially if you have sensitive skin.
I still hold that a couple oz of copper sulfate crystal per 100 gallons every year or so would be all you need. And obviously keep the water clean.
It takes very little copper ion to control biological growth.

http://npic.orst.edu/factsheets/cuso4ge ... an%20occur.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Copper( ... %20sulfate.