 |
|
07-05-2023, 08:08 AM
|
#1
|
Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Ford Super Duty Owner
Join Date: Mar 2023
Posts: 562
|
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?
__________________
2023 Newmar Bay Star 3014
Norton, MA
|
|
|
 |
Join the #1 RV Forum Today - It's Totally Free!
iRV2.com RV Community - Are you about to start a new improvement on your RV or need some help with some maintenance? Do you need advice on what products to buy? Or maybe you can give others some advice? No matter where you fit in you'll find that iRV2 is a great community to join. Best of all it's totally FREE!
You are currently viewing our boards as a guest so you have limited access to our community. Please take the time to register and you will gain a lot of great new features including; the ability to participate in discussions, network with other RV owners, see fewer ads, upload photographs, create an RV blog, send private messages and so much, much more!
|
07-05-2023, 08:24 AM
|
#2
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Apollo Beach & Key West , FL
Posts: 4,145
|
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.
__________________
2013 DS 4338
2015 F-150 toad with kayaks,bicycles and a Harley in the back
new toad 2023 Sprinter with all the toys inside
|
|
|
07-05-2023, 08:32 AM
|
#3
|
Community Moderator
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 7,632
|
Good experience with both and Unique RV Digest-It, which I use on my boat's holding tank.
__________________
2025 Riverstone 39RKFB Legacy / 2024 Ford F-350 XLT DRW 4x4 6.7L diesel crew cab long bed
|
|
|
07-05-2023, 09:20 AM
|
#4
|
Senior Member
Winnebago Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Nov 2018
Posts: 2,994
|
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).
Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM
|
|
|
07-05-2023, 09:22 AM
|
#5
|
Senior Member
Entegra Owners Club
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Cape Cod, MA
Posts: 1,851
|
4 motor homes 200,000+ miles and we just use water. LOTS of Water!!!
__________________
Jeanie, Ed & Otis the GSD
Cape Cod, MA
2017 Entegra Aspire RBQ & Silverado Crew or GC
|
|
|
07-05-2023, 09:58 AM
|
#6
|
Senior Member
Country Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 8,226
|
Plain old water here
__________________
Don
2002 Country Coach Intrigue
#11427
|
|
|
07-05-2023, 08:52 PM
|
#7
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Braidwood Il.
Posts: 8,300
|
Read Sodium percarbonate works turn into hydrogen poroxide in water..something about aerobic versus anaerobic bacteria.
__________________
95 Monaco Crown Royale
M11 400hp, 4060 trans.
Aquahot, Generac Guardian7.5k
|
|
|
07-06-2023, 05:43 AM
|
#8
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Western NY
Posts: 6,155
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by 153stars
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
Sent from my SM-T878U using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app
__________________
Don & Marge
'13 Newmar Ventana 3433 - '14 CR-V TOAD
'03 Winnebago Adventurer 31Y - SOLD
|
|
|
07-06-2023, 07:34 AM
|
#9
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Location: Braidwood Il.
Posts: 8,300
|
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:
Originally Posted by Winemaker2
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
Sent from my SM-T878U using iRV2 - RV Forum mobile app
|
__________________
95 Monaco Crown Royale
M11 400hp, 4060 trans.
Aquahot, Generac Guardian7.5k
|
|
|
07-06-2023, 09:49 PM
|
#10
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Location: Nacogdoches, TX
Posts: 1,831
|
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,
__________________
Wade & Debby Griffin
2024 Brinkley Z3100 5th Wheel, 20K Goosebox hitch
2023 RAM 3500 Diesel Dually
2018 Tiffin Allegro Open Road 32SA
|
|
|
07-10-2023, 10:14 PM
|
#11
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: North America somewhere
Posts: 32,232
|
Quote:
Originally Posted by Cousin Ed
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.
__________________
2000 Winnebago Ultimate Freedom USQ40JD , ISC 8.3 Cummins 350, Spartan MM Chassis. USA IN 1SG 11B5MX,Infantry retired;GS Life member,FMCA " My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. John F. Kennedy
|
|
|
07-10-2023, 10:41 PM
|
#12
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 28,332
|
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
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
|
|
|
07-12-2023, 09:30 AM
|
#13
|
Member
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 47
|
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.
|
|
|
07-12-2023, 10:46 AM
|
#14
|
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Kent, WA
Posts: 1,093
|
How much of each do you use. How often do you use them.
Thanks
__________________
Arnold 
2006 Holiday Rambler Endeavor 40 PAQ
2017 Ram 2500 Big Horn 6.4 Hemi
|
|
|
 |
|
Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
|
|
Thread Tools |
Search this Thread |
|
|
Display Modes |
Linear Mode
|
Posting Rules
|
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts
HTML code is Off
|
|
|
|
» Recent Discussions |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|