Aluminum boat gas tanks can last for decades if you care about them properly. Without proper maintenance, however, these types of tanks can start to leak in a few years. The most common problem is a tank resting on moisture and getting corroded and failing. Other failing reasons are:

• Prolonged exposure to saltwater
• Manufacturing problems
• Contamination
• Contact with other metals 

Once failure happens, the best course of action is to replace the whole tank which can be way too expensive and requires a lot of work. In most cases, you need to cut out pieces of the boat to remove the faulty aluminum boat gas tank and replace it with new parts. These parts on the other hand might take a long time to be delivered to your location. And no one likes to keep their boat docked for too long. 

In order to avoid such hustles, you need to maintain your aluminum boat gas tanks properly. Here are some tips on what to do: 

• Keep copper and other metals away from your boat’s aluminum fuel tank. 
• Make sure the tank is not in contact with moisture or wet materials for too long. 
• Allow air to flow underneath the tank. 
• Keep the interior of the tank clean. Even water can contaminate the fuel tank as it sinks to the bottom of the tank and touches the surface. In addition, water creates bacteria within the tank which damages the protective film around the surface of the tank and results in tank failure. 
• Test the tank for problems through pressure tests to verify the integrity of the tank. This can only be done when the tank is empty so make sure to get that step right. 
• Make sure the deck is not leaking onto the tank. Seal any leaks if possible. 
• Keep the tank almost full even when the boat is docked. By doing so you will avoid condensation and possible problems that arise from it. 
• Use proper fuel additives to protect aluminum boat gas tanks. 
• You can also use fuel polishers to preserve the quality of the tank, and especially the surface at the bottom where most aggregates reside. 
• Inspect the tank every few years to check on what is going on. Make sure to inspect every chamber of the tank so that you do not miss anything. Get in touch with the manufacturer if you need more information about your boat’s aluminum fuel tank. Add this step to your checklist. Use TheBoatApp alerts, maintenance checks, tasks, and checklist to make sure you never forget this step. Owning a boat means having to take care of many issues simultaneously and getting sidetracked is easy. Therefore, using a boat management and maintenance app to help you out is the most sensible thing to do. 
• Know the identification plate of your tank so you can always search its features and find out more about how to fix any possible issues. 

Make sure not to neglect your aluminum tank and you will be able to use it for years without any problem. Be proactive about the integrity of every part of your boat.