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Invasive species in ballast tanks/bags?


Kalamazoo

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In my area there are issues with both invasive weed and wildlife species in several lakes.

While some care less, I won't want to add to the problem. Are there any suggestions to somehow 'clean' the ballast bags/tanks easily to ensure any weeds/wildlife are killed?

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My understanding is that most of the lakes will have Zebra mussels. We have them in the lakes down in metro Detroit area. Wasn't aware of the weed issues.

I would imagine that you would have to clean your ballast tanks each time you transfer to another lake

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My understanding is that most of the lakes will have Zebra mussels. We have them in the lakes down in metro Detroit area. Wasn't aware of the weed issues.

I would imagine that you would have to clean your ballast tanks each time you transfer to another lake

sorry, new 'Bu owner here...how do you clean out ballast tanks?

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I filled mine with bleach/water when I visited a lake full of milfoil. That should be enough to kill anyting.

Pour this down the overflow vent on the side of the boat??

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I'm glad you brought this up... I would like to see a locked thread on this site informing all of us boaters about this. and what we should be doing. The invasive species problem is more dangerous than most of us realize... and we as boaters are the biggest problem Because we can bring infected water from lake 1 over to lake 2 in our builge water and balast tanks, even cooling systems.

Zebra muscles for example are really not even visible until they get larger but once they infect a lake you cannot get rid of them. and they do not die easily long term they will clog up pipes and ruin water supply lines for citys.

The most important thing we can do is to pull all drain plugs just as soon as you pull your boat out of the water. then make sure the boat is bone dry everywhere. using bleach in places that you cannot get bone dry will help.

Many lakes here in California have an inspection stations at the launch ramps. They will look inside your whole boat before lauching and if they find any water at all or you have left your plugs in you will have to pay to have your boat de-contaminated before they will let you launch.

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Pour this down the overflow vent on the side of the boat??

That's why I love TMC. Stupid me would have never thought of that. Good call. :crazy:

Edited by Rmack
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According to the rangers here water above 120 degrees will kill them. That is how they decontaminate our boats & ballast systems here

Edited by racer808
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how do you get 120+ degree water into ballast tanks? (sorry if this is a dumb question)

water coming from my shower is scalding hot if i dont mix cold with it... I wonder if you could use the hot water shower to sterilize balast tanks, fat sacs and stuff.??????

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Hey Malibu... I only want 5% royalty on this idea.

Create a sterilization button. Press it just before you are ready to put the boat on the trailor with the engine running a valve opens sending scalding hot water from the engine into balast tanks and the builge areas etc.. then pumps it all out.

Edited by tccombs
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On our lake the lake stewards, who are college kids on summer break making a few extra bucks working at the launch, are going to start giving people a one ounce bottle of bleach to pour in their bilge or ballast tanks. We're also trying to prevent Asian clams.

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water coming from my shower is scalding hot if i dont mix cold with it... I wonder if you could use the hot water shower to sterilize balast tanks, fat sacs and stuff.??????

That would be a great idea but, you probably only have a 40-50 gallon hot water tank in your house.

Your ballast system holds how many lbs.?

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That would be a great idea but, you probably only have a 40-50 gallon hot water tank in your house.

Your ballast system holds how many lbs.?

I mean the hot water shower on my boat.

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On our lake the lake stewards, who are college kids on summer break making a few extra bucks working at the launch, are going to start giving people a one ounce bottle of bleach to pour in their bilge or ballast tanks. We're also trying to prevent Asian clams.

I got Asian clams in college freshman year! It was horrible.

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We have both milfoil and zebra muscles here. The zebras likely come from people who use their boats on the great lakes and bring the zebras to the smaller inland lakes. The zebras come into the great lakes from ocean going vessels' ballast tanks. Then, as suggested, it goes from lake to lake.

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A little bleach will do the trick, at least I hope as that is what we use. I've also thrown a shot of roundup concentrate in the tanks and filled them up. Figured that would wipe out any plant life as well. I clean and purge the tanks when I bottom clean after being in the lake.

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According to the rangers here water above 120 degrees will kill them. That is how they decontaminate our boats & ballast systems here

Not sure I buy that since I have cleaned zebra mussels out of the thermostat in my last boat. They had attached themselves to it, so they were living for at least a while

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Not sure I buy that since I have cleaned zebra mussels out of the thermostat in my last boat. They had attached themselves to it, so they were living for at least a while

Do you leave your boat on the water?

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