Black Tank Treatment

[diamondjindustries]

What is the best black holding tank treatment?

[GaryWT]

Everyone one has their own but similar methods. Water and plenty of it, some only use water. I add aqua chem liquid to my tank after every time I dump the tank as that works for me.

[Javi]

I've never used a "treatment" but I do use lots of water and after dumping at the campground I add a 1/4 to a 1/2 tank of water and several squeezes of either Ivory or Dawn dish soap and then flush vigorously when I get home.

I do this to both grey tanks as well and I've never had problem odor or clumping in the black tank... keeps it clean and lemon fresh...

[JRTJH]

If we're going to be at a campsite with full hookups, I use only water, lots of it. I try to fill and dump the black tank at least every 48 hours, which means lots of added water. If we're going to be dry camping and need to conserve holding tank space, if it's for a day or two, only water, if it will be more than a couple of days, I add a "recommended measure" of Orange TST.

I've found that when we dry camp and conserve water, the potential for odor increases, so it's been my experience that the more water you use and the more often you dump the tank, the more effective the odor control. It's not really about "what flowery smell you add to the tank" as much as how much you dilute and how often you flush before the bacteria multiplies producing even more odor.

It sort of boils down to this: Poo is going to smell, poo mixed with flowers is still poo and the smell will eventually creep into the Rv even though something else is mixed in with it.

[chuckster57]

The TST orange is my favorite. It smells good when the tank is fresh, but as JRTJH says, it doesn't smell good after 1/2 filled tank, it just doesn't stink.

[buzzcop63]

Here is my two-cent worth of opinion. I always use a treatment that does not contain Formaldehyde. Since we camp only at state our county parks we must dump at the end of 5 or more nights out. Along with the treatment at the beginning of our stay I add two caps of laundry detergent and two of water softer. The softener is said to make the walls of the tank slick and less material stays in the tank after draining and running the black tank flush also the detergent helps keep down bacteria so by the fifth night, and with temperatures in the 90's the tank stays reasonable fresh, and I know this by forgetting to turn off the fan while flushing and pulling up air from the tank into the bathroom.

[chuckster57]

Can you even get any treatments that contain formaldehyde? I thought it was banned.

[therink]

After dumping and flushing, I add a 5 gal pail of water mixed with about one cup Arm and Hammer washing soda and about 4 oz dish detergent. Then make sure I use plenty of water every potty event.
We stayed at a seasonal site this summer and dumped the tank once every three weeks. Have not experienced odor issues. Well, except when I go

[JRTJH]

Thetford Aquachem contains formaldehyde.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping...z-bottles/4160

I'm sure there are a number of other brands that also have it in their formula. I do believe it is "banned" in California, but available many other places.

[eddarde]

I ran across this advertisement for poo-pouri. It is really funny,to me anyway. google it and watch the add.

[Desert185]

Are you guys talking about poo or stew? All this talk of different "spices" is making me hungry.

[sherri330]

We use the Aqua Chem drop in packets. After each dump at the campground, we add one packet. After flushing the tank at the end of our trip, we add 2 packets and 5 gallons of water to slosh around on our drive home. We never dump unless the tank is full, even if we have to add water. Also, we prep for "special deposits" by adding water to the bowl first. This helps carry the "deposits" further into the tank where the chemicals are.


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[golfpro]

Over all the years I have RV's I must have used every additive on the market. I have settled on a product called "Happy Camper". it really works to keep the smell down and that is the number one issue with all RV'ers.

[outwest]

Of the various ones I've tried, the one I've had best results with was the liquid version of aqua-chem w/formaldehyde