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Old 07-05-2023, 08:08 AM   #1
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Happy Campers RV Holding Tank Treatment Vs. GeoMethod

I want to keep my gray and blank tanks clean, odor free and the sensors working. Which do you use and why?
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Old 07-05-2023, 08:24 AM   #2
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I use Happy Camper or Zaal Noflex Digestor ( used on marine holding tanks) a few times a year....usually when I come back from a trip and it's going to sit for a while.... we usually take 3 trip of 3 months each year plus a few shorter trips. While traveling, I see no need to use anything other than water.
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Old 07-05-2023, 08:32 AM   #3
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Good experience with both and Unique RV Digest-It, which I use on my boat's holding tank.
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Old 07-05-2023, 09:20 AM   #4
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After emptying I dump in a few gallons of fresh, a dash of borax and a glug of dawn (geo method). Could be argued that the borax and dawn are superfluous but it is soundly in the can't hurt, and costs little category. PO of my RV used "something" in the black tank that caused struvite formation which necessitated replacing the blade valve and chipping out concretion by hand. With that experience under my belt you won't find me putting any chemical treatments into the tank. Years later, I have zero issues with filling, draining or sensors so I'm sticking with the geo method, and the practice of ensuring a full tank when dumping (topping off with fresh if not already full).

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Old 07-05-2023, 09:22 AM   #5
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4 motor homes 200,000+ miles and we just use water. LOTS of Water!!!
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Old 07-05-2023, 09:58 AM   #6
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Plain old water here
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Old 07-05-2023, 08:52 PM   #7
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Read Sodium percarbonate works turn into hydrogen poroxide in water..something about aerobic versus anaerobic bacteria.
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Old 07-06-2023, 05:43 AM   #8
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Read Sodium percarbonate works turn into hydrogen poroxide in water..something about aerobic versus anaerobic bacteria.
Sodium Percarbonate (SPC) is the active ingredient in NoFlex and is very popular with boaters for treating black holding tanks.
Adequate venting... getting air into the tank encourages aerobic bacteria breakdown which us desirable... think earthy smell of a compost pile that is stirred periodically. Anaerobic bacteria & breakdiwn is the smelly stuff. SPC turns into/ forms sodium peroxide when added to water and then breaks down releasing O2 which is the key for aerobic breakdown.

On boats, the preferred vents are large dia hose run a short distance, avoids bends or elevation change and has a wide open straight thru hull fitting to allow enough air to enter the tank. I had trouble being able to access and run the vent as recommended and chose to install a 12V fish tank bubbler to add air directly to the tank. This solved our smell problem immediately. We are still using our remaining NoFlex to be safe and it helps clean the tank walls. My plan is switch to SPC when I finish up my NF supply. It doesn't take a large dose... about 1 Tbsp/ day works for us with a 40 gal tank.

The motorhome vents are large dia, with straight runs and large opening but I question how much exchange of air there is into the tank (other than when dumping). I use NF/SPC in my MH black tank if I get smells or close to when the MH is going back into storage. I will sometimes add a small amount of soap/ or detergent at those last dumps before storage.

Note... Generic SPC is readily available (online) and rather inexpensive in bulk (5#-10#). 1 Tbsp into the toilet every day is about the right dose for 2 people and the avg tank.
Hope that helps

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Old 07-06-2023, 07:34 AM   #9
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I put a big cheap bag if SPC on my Amazon watch list but went out of stock and now seems NLA during supply chain shortage. Hate you find best price ever and miss it. Seems to be bags at good price are back just not super deal lol.
Quote:
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Sodium Percarbonate (SPC) is the active ingredient in NoFlex and is very popular with boaters for treating black holding tanks.
Adequate venting... getting air into the tank encourages aerobic bacteria breakdown which us desirable... think earthy smell of a compost pile that is stirred periodically. Anaerobic bacteria & breakdiwn is the smelly stuff. SPC turns into/ forms sodium peroxide when added to water and then breaks down releasing O2 which is the key for aerobic breakdown.

On boats, the preferred vents are large dia hose run a short distance, avoids bends or elevation change and has a wide open straight thru hull fitting to allow enough air to enter the tank. I had trouble being able to access and run the vent as recommended and chose to install a 12V fish tank bubbler to add air directly to the tank. This solved our smell problem immediately. We are still using our remaining NoFlex to be safe and it helps clean the tank walls. My plan is switch to SPC when I finish up my NF supply. It doesn't take a large dose... about 1 Tbsp/ day works for us with a 40 gal tank.

The motorhome vents are large dia, with straight runs and large opening but I question how much exchange of air there is into the tank (other than when dumping). I use NF/SPC in my MH black tank if I get smells or close to when the MH is going back into storage. I will sometimes add a small amount of soap/ or detergent at those last dumps before storage.

Note... Generic SPC is readily available (online) and rather inexpensive in bulk (5#-10#). 1 Tbsp into the toilet every day is about the right dose for 2 people and the avg tank.
Hope that helps

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Old 07-06-2023, 09:49 PM   #10
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Usually I don't use any chemicals in my tanks, just flush the black tank out with lots of water using the built in flush spray nozzle when I dump. Occasionally I will use Happy Campers Treatment if the tank will be sitting with 'stuff' in it for a while.
Thanks,
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Old 07-10-2023, 10:14 PM   #11
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4 motor homes 200,000+ miles and we just use water. LOTS of Water!!!
Keep all solids covered with water and all is good. IMO the "geo-method" is a crock of it, the guy came up with it about 15 years ago and tried to sell it here, but the voice of reason prevailed.
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Old 07-10-2023, 10:41 PM   #12
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I'm not concerned with how clean the waste holding tanks are.
They 'hold' waste and then get filled again with waste

I dump when they get FULL, add WATER back in after dumping to keep bottom of tanks and any stuff wet.
Repeat when full

Odors .....
I don't smell any cause the toilet bowl holds water (vapor barrier), toilet floor flange gasket is intact/sealing (mechanical battier), the 'P' traps hold water (vapor barrier), Air Admittance Valves seal (mechanical barrier) and waste tank vents are free/clear

So if you smell odors inside RV find/ID source and fix it
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Old 07-12-2023, 09:30 AM   #13
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Old-Biscuit is right on. If you have odors inside the camper you have some sort of hardware problem. The geo method that people use is not for smells but to make the walls inside the tanks slippery so the sensors work better.
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Old 07-12-2023, 10:46 AM   #14
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How much of each do you use. How often do you use them.

Thanks
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