Water ballast tank cleaning.

[macsandy]

Got the boat out of the water and emptied the ballast.

Putting it politely, the smell was "offensive".

Any recommendations for cleaning and preventing future smells!

[Gazmn]

A Pt of bleach or pool chlorine tabs, while in the water & ballast filled. For winter layup I got nothing. Smell should go away - Unless something died in there

[Russ]

A Pt of bleach or pool chlorine tabs, while in the water & ballast filled. For winter layup I got nothing. Smell should go away - Unless something died in there

+1

How about doing this in reverse. Dump some bleach in there and fill the ballast with a hose via vent. Let it sit for a day and drain it.

If you can leave it open, once it dries out the smell will likely stop. However that might take some time.

--Russ

[cptron]

A Pt of bleach or pool chlorine tabs, while in the water & ballast filled. For winter layup I got nothing. Smell should go away - Unless something died in there

++1
We do about the same except we use the pool shock crystals for pools. I think we use it a little heavy and use about 1/4 bottle per ballast tank fill. Cleared out the smell from having salt water living in it for several months and then emptying it. Just 1 treatment and smell has gone and not returned since we use in every fill of the ballast.