These minerals calcify and form deposits inside your water heater which eventually causes enough stress to crack it.
Atwood water heater tank cracked.
New seal rings gaskets kit available atwood 96010 should come with new tank if that is way you go.
If you have an atwood and it is functional other than the leak get it repaired.
It is not expensive.
All atwood tanks are aluminum and can be welded if cracked leaking hopefully with tank still attached to front of water heater drawn pan etc if tank needs to be separated from drawn pan etc then the seal rings around combustion chamber and exhaust port have to be cut off t p relief valve removed old version uses 1 2 style.
I d replace the water heater.
The pic in your signature suggests that there are more than 2 of you so i d upgrade to a 10 gallon if there was room for it to fit.
Trailer life and motorhome magazines bob livingston and bill gehr show you how to replace the inner tank of a leaky atwood rv water heater.
Most water heaters rely on a simple set of heating elements piping and controls in order to operate.
The tanks are so thin that welding a crack isn t likely to succeed.