Mold doesn't need light (quite the opposite: UV exposition might even inhibit mold).
But a clear tank helps determining if it is clean. And also if it is empty.

BTW: OP almost certainly did not have mold, but algae.
Had that myself once, coffee maker is placed right at a window...

Retro_unlimited@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 265d

Yes sorry, I did mean algae. All the coffee makers I think of have a black plastic tank. Some have a little window to see the water level.

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 4 pts · 265d

Better than opaque where the average person who doesn't pay attention to anything would never see it.

My bigger complaint is the weird shape that's hard to clean with either a dishwasher or by hand.

My machine has a simple rectangular one where the end is open - easy to wash by hand or in dishwasher.

Diddlydee@feddit.uk · 5 pts · 266d (3 replies)

I will never get a hot drink from a machine, or an ice cream for that matter. I'd wager most of them are dirtier than you'd expect on the inside.

phdepressed@sh.itjust.works · 4 pts · 266d (1 reply)

Most of them do get cleaned, its a food safety and therefore corporate policy. It does depend where you are and how well your state takes food safety though. But thats broadly all restaurants though.

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 3 pts · 265d

Yea, nearly every restaurant I've worked at was hot on food safety. Getting shut down because of your laziness is a surefire way for owners to find new managers.

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 4 pts · 266d

Unless it's McDonald's.

Part of the reason their's are always down is the cleaning specs are too tight.

homesweethomeMrL@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 265d

Good man.

BuckWylde@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 264d

I did that recently too. My tank is clear and the machine was right next to the window. It was algae for sure.

Multiplexer@discuss.tchncs.de · 2 pts · 266d (5 replies)

Where are you from?

I wonder if anyone in the U.S. ever has experienced that, as their water is supposed to be heavily chlorinated, which might just kill any algae right from the start...

UncleArthur@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 265d (3 replies)

We're in the UK; England/Wales border. The water here is chlorinated and I only use boiled tap water anyway, but it still gets manky after a while.

khannie@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 265d

I have in the back of my head that boiling gets rid of the chlorine. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

Zombie@feddit.uk · 2 pts · 265d (1 reply)

What's the purpose of boiling the tap water? In the UK it should be safe to drink directly from the tap, no?

Or is it a limescale thing? I'm north of the border where we have incredibly soft water so limescale is alien to me.

UncleArthur@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 264d

It's meant to be safe to drink (and I'm sure it is) but we moved 180 miles to here and the local water made me feel ill; since I've been boiling it, I've felt much better. This is probably just 60 years of being acclimatised to South East Water, which is very different to Welsh Water's product.

Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe · 5 pts · 265d

It still happens in the US.

Chlorine breaks down when exposed to oxygen and light (note it's a clear tank).

My unit at home has a clear tank that's inside the unit - it builds up a slick layer of something, so I wash it weekly.

Edit: chlorine is also not effective against everything. Having managed outdoor pools, algae can be pretty indifferent to chlorine levels. If a pool gets an algal bloom, chlorine won't stop it - you need heavy filtration to mechanically remove it.