I live in Florida where the lakes have a high algae content and the tap water has a high chlorine content. After a lake dive I can never decide if I want to risk my gear (especially wetsuit) smelling of lake or risk it being degraded by the chlorine after a rinse. What do you guys and girls think?
Do you rinse your gear after a lake dive?
- Thread starter Aeropl
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I can't imagine the tap water chlorine is that significant. As you note freshwater can have a very high bio load so I always do a quick dunk at home. I don't worry about the BC bladder or some of the cylinder regulator soaking intended to deal with salt. It will be back in the ocean getting the full treatment a dive or 2 latter.
Around here many freshwater sites have so many pine needles and stuff that in spite of tarps and such we inevitably have a bunch of that debris to rinse off anyhow.
Pete
Around here many freshwater sites have so many pine needles and stuff that in spite of tarps and such we inevitably have a bunch of that debris to rinse off anyhow.
Pete
Hemlon
Contributor
I rinse my gear any time it gets wet.
The vast majority of my diving is fresh water, either quarries or the Great Lakes. Typically I just hang everything up or lay it out until it's thoroughly dry. If I happen to get any dirt, sand or muck on or near any critical components like inflator valves, exhaust valves, 1st or 2nd stages, I'll rinse everything thoroughly before hanging it to dry. Approximately every 3-4 months I will wash everything in the appropriate McNett product (BC soap, Drysuit/Wetsuit soap), rinse thoroughly and then hange to dry.
Heck no! The dive is my rinse and then I just let it air dry. I do try to rub the silt off while I am still underwater. Before I pack it up, I rinse it in the lake or quarry to get the debris off. Most of my gear never sees tapwater. I do rinse out the drysuit plumbing at the end of the day! 
zen_man
Contributor
Tigerman
Contributor
With the water quality in the lakes I usually dive, lets just say the tap water wouldnt be much cleaner..
The times I rinse my gear is when I dive saltwater or have gotten debris and muck on it..
The times I rinse my gear is when I dive saltwater or have gotten debris and muck on it..
I clean my gear at the end of each dive day. regardless of water type.
I dump my BP/w and wet suit in a 50 gal tank of tap water over night, then hang dry,
I fill the wing with tap water and then flush it out and refill with some air and hang to dry .
Jim breslin
I fill the wing with tap water and then flush it out and refill with some air and hang to dry .
Jim breslin
dittohead
Contributor
Chlorine is not a big deal especially at the 0.4-0.7 ppm range that is typical with most city water supplies. I would worry more about soaking your gear in areas that use chloramine, amonia/chlorine combo. It is detrimental to most rubber type components. Silicone is relatively impervious to it. If you have a water softener, or a simple carbon filter this will greatly reduce or eliminate this issue. Check out this link if you want to see the ultimate water treatment system for a home without getting into whole house R.O. Support Groups for Jeepaholics - water system complete!
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