Conflicting info on Black Tank

[rlott2k]

Originally Posted by RKins

I understand the topic asked about Black tank, but the grey can be stinkier than the black tank due to pieces of food and grease in the tank. We use water only in the black and lots of it. After sitting somewhere for a couple weeks I empty the tanks and then add about 3 gals of water in each, then I add a cup of dawn and calgon into each tank - both are very slippery and they coat the tank as you drive to the next location, breaking anything down on the sides and bottom. When I arrive I don't empty the tanks, I use the tanks as usual.

Good plan!

[Leftys]

Use Happy Camper and RV toilet paper. Use lots of water when flushing toilet and when cleaning tank. Use Calgon treatment once or twice per year. Never used pinesol. Calgon on its own cleans out leftover solids.

[IC2]

Originally Posted by Leftys

Use Happy Camper and RV toilet paper. Use lots of water when flushing toilet and when cleaning tank. Use Calgon treatment once or twice per year. Never used pinesol. Calgon on its own cleans out leftover solids.

I think you will find by looking at the on line data information that Rid-X has virtually the same basic ingredients plus a little more as Happy Camper and is a bunch less expensive

[schad]

Water, water, water!

If you need to dump and you're not at least 2/3 full, add fresh water until you are.

After dumping, fill your black tank all the way with fresh water, and then dump again.

Always keep a couple gallons of water in the tank. After dumping, just fill the toilet bowl to the brim with fresh water and put in an enzyme pack. Let it sit for a few seconds -- just until it starts to dissolve -- and then flush.

And don't feel pressured or rushed by people waiting behind you at the dump station. Take your time and do it right.

[Leftys]

Originally Posted by IC2

I think you will find by looking at the on line data information that Rid-X has virtually the same basic ingredients plus a little more as Happy Camper and is a bunch less expensive

I don’t see the ingredients online or on the package so I don’t know about that.

[IC2]

Originally Posted by Leftys

I don’t see the ingredients online or on the package so I don’t know about that.

The magic search term is MSDS:

[PDF]material safety data sheet - RBNAinfo

PDF]msdsmsds - happy campers rv

These may not open as such, but the data sheets (another search term) are both readily available

[Filthy-Beast]

Simple: You notice how much dog doo smells but when you use a toilet not so much? The difference, one is exposed to air the other is floating in water.


Plenty of water helps eliminate the smell and also makes it easier to flush out the solids when dumping. All the different additives can add additional perfumes.



Since most campgrounds are on some type of septic system instead of city waste treatment plant do them a favor and do not use additives that will kill the useful bacteria in their septic system.

[CJ7ole]

You avoid the paper/poo pile at the bend under the toilet by using lots of water as many have said. While you are sitting there, pull up on the flush pedal to add plenty of water to the bowl, then flush. Instruct others similarly, especially the ladies.

I wait until at least 75% black to dump. Even then the whoosh effect doesn't empty everything. I have a quick connect on my city water so I can quickly switch it from domestic water supply to black tank flush. Always surprised how many more solids come glugging out with that flush. And I fill the toilet bowl twice and let-er-rip while dumping the tank towards the end.

[NRR]

Lots of water and a shot of dish soap or Calgon in both tanks.

I prefer to motor down the road with almost full tanks and then dump at my new location. I figure shaking things up with lots of water is a good thing.

[Mark_K5LXP]

Lotsa water, along with a glug of Dawn and a shake of borax.

https://www.trbowlin.com/wp-content/.../Bio-Geo-2.pdf

Some might argue that the soap & softener are superfluous but I don't see what they can hurt.

Contrast that to other tank additives which I learned the "hard" way promotes the growth of struvite, which you definitely don't want.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f84/blac...ry-421757.html

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

[twogypsies]

Originally Posted by NRR

Lots of water and a shot of dish soap or Calgon in both tanks.

I prefer to motor down the road with almost full tanks and then dump at my new location. I figure shaking things up with lots of water is a good thing.

This is a VERY good practice. Let it mix up! We did the same. We boondocked a lot so emptied our soapy dish water in the toilet as the black always had more space that the grey.

[curtsr]

As some have said use plenty of water. Don't dump black tank until it's 60+ percent full. Add water if you need to dump if the level is less than 60%. Use the tank flush after dumping if you have one. Adding 1/2 cup Dawn dishwashing liquid down the toilet to the black tank when odors are present will kill the odor.

[Itchytoe]

Originally Posted by Waltlee

Can you experienced RVers tell me what you use and what you think of the pinesol calgon method.

Thanks
Walt
First trip planned for May, if Coronavirus permits.

It's a waste of Pinesol and Calgon. Just use water liberally. That's all you need to keep everything running smoothly.

[jmck1737]

Our black tank procedures take something from most of the above. First day of a trip I put a mix of laundry soap, calgon, and a little bleach mix in a 1/3 full or so black tank and let it slosh around while we drive. This is a cleaning and gets the side lubricated (maybe?). We also use a lot of water per flush as long as we have full hookups. Also wait until nearly full to dump and then follow with the grey tank and then a good tank flush. I like to leave at least 5 gallons in the black tank to start and add a scoop of Happy Camper.

We continue to fill at least 3/4 and flush and use Happy Camper. Near the end of the trip we will use the laundry soap, calgon, and bleach mix one last time.

So far over the past few years we haven't had any trouble with black tank or sensors using this method. I do also use the soap, calgon, and bleach mix occasionally in the grey tank while driving to get the soap scum out.

I do think water is the greatest impact and waiting until full to dump.

Good luck in your travels.