# Forum Home Renovation Water Saving Garden Ideas  Bladder Tanks - how to clean?

## GreenCut

Hi all, 
About 3 years ago we got a Rain Reviva 5000L bladder tank installed, which has serviced us very well.
However, after the last dry spell (around the time of the dust storms), we noticed that the tank water was beggining to smell, and is now to the point that whenever I water the garden, the water stinks like something died in the tank! We have the fine grated leaf guards on both the downpipes connecting to the tank, so nothing could get into it that way.
Perhaps a rat or something crawled up through the overflow pipe? 
Can anyone suggest on how we can clean out such a bladder tank? 
Thanks!

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## cherub65

Think your only option is to flush it out with clean water, 
Maybe add some liquid chlorine and leave fo a couple  of days before you flush

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## dquinn246

You may like to contact the guys that I bought my water bladder tank through, Aquaclad. They are pretty cluey about things like this. I've had them on the phone at least 4-5 times since getting my modular/slimline water tank installed. They are very helpful - I am sure they won't mind that you bought from one of their competitors  :Wink 1:

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## 1luckygirl

How did your tank cleaning go? What did they do and the outcome?

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## Danny

The water has to be stagnant to smell and this requires a nutrient source for the bacteria. In effect, the bladder is probably replicating a wet system; ie. no water/air interface, a sediment buildup and anaerobic conditions.
Your `fine grated leaf guards' are not helping. Phosphate enriched bird droppings and decayed organic matter simply drop through the outer mesh, then wash through the finer mesh and yes, l know the QLD regulations do stipulate their use!
Very hard to say what to do as l cannot see your system, but dosing will only provide temporary relief. At some stage, you will have to have the bladder cleaned, then address the core problem. 
Do you also have a freestanding tank or are you able to buy one? If so, you could divert water to the (settlement) tank, then slowly transfer the water to the bladder once the water has settled after a day or two. 
I assume you have tank/bladder cleaners in Brisbane. Most can clean water with little wastage and would have the experience to give the best advice for a solution. 
Do you have a roof TV antenna or an overhanging tree near your main collection point? Not all dinosaurs died out 65 million years ago, their descendants love nothing better than hiding in the trees and pooping on your roof! In this situation, harvesting other downpipes or moving the antenna may help.
There are many products far superior to agricultural leaf guards but they do cost, but the benefits are often worth the outlay.

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## Danny

If you google *harvesting water that falls on country*, you should bring up a document by *The Centre for Appropiate Technology.* Figure 7 @ 3.2.5 shows a small and simple but very effective settlement tank.
If you don't want to go down this path, a first flush diverter would also be of help although the rainhead would limit it's effectiveness due to it's ability to capture, hold then flush through bird droppings.
Bladder tanks are a great idea but the supply of clean water is critical and cleaning/de-sludging needs to be more frequent than for tanks if the same quality water is diverted.

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