Black gelatin in 5 gal diesel jugs?

[inode]

I buy diesel from various car fueling stations in my area. I buy at stations where there is turnover of diesel and it's not there long. With that said, I store my fuel in the yellow 5 gallon containers such as the No Spill containers. I usually put 1 ounce of DIESEL Stabil in the fuel and store them at the farm on a storage rack (i.e. off the concrete floor) in a concrete block milk barn.

With that said, I usually use the diesel within a 1-3 month timeframe. However, in that time, I have lumps/particles of this black gelatin stuff in the bottom of the container. The amount of this material looks to be about 1-2 ounces in the 5 gallon container. Can someone explain to me what this is? I had originally thought that it was algae growing in water. However, I'm not sure sure as I add Stabil and it's still occurring. Could it be the actual Stabil turning black?

I'm at a loss here and really don't like pouring this into my tractor's fuel tank.

 

[Diggin It]

No, it's probably algae. Stabil doesn't deal with that. You need a biocide, but I'd like to find one less than $20/quart.

 

[inode]

I bought some biocide and used it in one 5 gal tank per the directions. It too had the black stuff in it. Where is it coming from and why? Water condensation from being stored in a bricko block structure?

 

[ericm979]

I've had dark red stuff in the bottom of my 5 gallon plastic cans. Stabil is supposed to make any water unavailable for microorganisims but it did not help. Biocide does not seem to make a difference either. My solution has been to clean the cans with soap and water once a year.

 

[shooterdon]

Likely happening in the fuel tank as well.

I use three additives, Stabil, biocide, and another for water. To early to tell if they are working or not. I use a 50 gal reefer tank to store my diesel fuel. I keep the tank in the pole barn

 

[5030]

Red stabil isn't worth the bottle it comes in, quit using that stinky crap years ago. I use the Marine Stabil (blue) and it's expensive, in all my e-gas powered equipment plus a but of sea foam in every gas can full without fail.

In my diesel's it's always Powerservice and a biocide. I learned the hard and expensive way about algae years ago and I NEVER use B20, That stuff is an algae magnet.

I don't see how people refine fryer grease and use that for fuel, I'd think that crap would really grow algae.

 

[Rock knocker]

I bought some biocide and used it in one 5 gal tank per the directions. It too had the black stuff in it. Where is it coming from and why? Water condensation from being stored in a bricko block structure?

Once you have a little algae, you'll get more.

And the algae will produce water as a byproduct of it's digestion of diesel, so they problem manifests itself logarithmically

 

[5030]

Once you have a little algae, you'll get more.

And the algae will produce water as a byproduct of it's digestion of diesel, so they problem manifests itself logarithmically

I'm not a math whiz but I agree, once you have it (algae) it's like trying to get rid of an ex wife. You cannot without paying big bucks.

 

[5030]

No, it's probably algae. Stabil doesn't deal with that. You need a biocide, but I'd like to find one less than $20/quart.

Part of the price you pay for being enviromentally green.... Does that make you feel better?

 

[5030]

Thought I'd add this tidbit.... The red stinky Stabil is about as worthless as teats on a boar hog. The ONLY Stabil worth a darn is the blue Marine Stabil and it isn't cheap but in reality it only works on E-gas. You all know, the crap that gums up your fuel systems on you gas motors. I use that stuff religiously in every can full of weasel pee E-gas I buy for the lawnmowers. That and a little Sea Foam too.

Far as diesels go, Powerservice Biocide and Tank Clean (both expensive) and Powerservice white bottle in the winter. I hear Stanadyne is good too but Powerervice is locally available, Stanadyne isn't.