Holding tank treatment recommendations

[Scarpo]

We are getting ready for our first season of camping and I was looking through the RV catalog and there are a bunch of different holding tank treatments. What does everyone use? Are some better than others? We have a seasonal site with a pump out service. Also is there really a difference between regular toilet paper and what is sold as RV type paper?

[SAD]

We just regular Angel Soft TP. Same stuff we us in the house (on septic). 10ish years and no problems so far.

[f6bits]

I use Pure Power Blue:
http://www.opproducts.com/PurePowerBlue.html
Mostly because my trailer was “almost new” when I got it and want to make sure the tanks are as clean as they can get.

Some people who are really on top of things go for a more basic approach:

Two cups Calgon water softener into one gallon of hot water. Pour down black or grey drain.
Follow up with one cup of Dawn detergent.

The Calgon keeps stuff from sticking to the sides of the tank. The Dawn helps break down what’s in the tank.

If you Google “RV Tank Maintenance,” you’ll get quite a bit of interesting info.

[DJ85]

I use the tst stuff from wal-mart have had no problems to date. If you look around you will find a million rememdies that poeple use I suggest you find something you like and stick with it.

[SteveC7010]

Any TP that is labeled "safe for septic tanks" should be just fine for an RV waste system. Most commercial TP's are these days, but it never hurts to read the label. It just means that it breaks down quickly when immersed in water.

The stuff they sell in RV stores is pretty flimsy and way over priced.

[hankaye]

Scarpo, Howdy;

Not familure with 'pumpout services' must be neat.

I use Scott single ply (wimmin folk refer to it as 'the rough stuff'),
Generaly stick with the single plys... less bulk, easier breal down.
when I've emptyed my tank I treat with 2 scoops of oxy-clean,
and 2 capfulls of Downey... acts like a water softener (makes things
slippery = less cling). Follow that with 3 bowls of water...

hankaye

[f6bits]

Originally Posted by hankaye

Follow that with 3 bowels of water...

That’s a lot of pee. Maybe you meant “bowls.” Hard to tell since we’re talking about filling up the black tank.

[Festus2]

Numerous tests have been conducted by RVers to find out if the toilet paper they are using or considering using is RV friendly. It seems that most tests have shown that there are many brands of "regular" TP that are quite suitable for use in RV's. Whatever brand you use, it should be readily water soluble, reasonably priced and one that your DW will give it her stamp of approval.
If you are bored sitting around waiting to get away in your RV, you can do one such test yourself. There are a number of variations of doing the testing but here is one that seems fairly common:
1) Get a glass or clear plastic jar and fill it 1/2 full of room temp water.
2) Place 1 or 2 sheets of TP in the jar.
3) Stir a few times or shake gently once or twice. Lid on please! (Holding tanks are not subjected to a lot of bouncing while you are parked so no need to shake hard)
4) Let stand for 2 hours then check to see if the paper is breaking up.
5) Have a look every 2 hours to see what is happening.
It should disintegrate reasonably soon.
Note: Apparently, there are some brands that break up quickly but have a nasty habit of sticking to the walls of the tank. No mention was made that I could find of which brands did that.

When you find a brand that passes your test, you can buy in bulk to save yourself a few dollars. Before you buy a whole bunch of TP rolls, don't forget the final test -- your Good Wife's Housekeeping Seal of Approval!
If you do happen to conduct a test, how about sharing the results with us?

[Tim&Patty]

As the time nears for most of us to head out and enjoy our RVs for the season it would seem that some of us have been cooped up way too long! We have our Canadian Brothers that have lost their cents, and our American Brothers that tried to hijack an informative thread of “Traveling to Alaska” to a Second Amendment rant (I do carry, but I respect another countries laws). It’s been a long winter (sorry to those that have a couple of more months to go) and the sounds of the season are in full swing:

Hankaye running thru the campground yelling “MY POOP DON’T STINK + IT’S SOFT, UNWRINKLED AND STATIC FREE”

To the sights of spring:

Festus2 sitting at his picnic table with 12 jars of decomposing TP and a swizzle stick, waiting to announce the winner.

To me siting in the shade, cold one in hand waiting for the next couple to demonstrate their love and affection for each other by parking a RV. It just don’t get any better than this!!

[hankaye]

Tim&Patty, Howdy;



hankaye

[Festus2]

And the winner is ........Tim & Patty for making light of the dark days of winter!

[Tim&Patty]

Man, this is like winning the lottery!!!! I wasn't sure that I was eligable until reading the fine print Now the problem is finding more storage for the prizes (more fine print):

1. Package of Angel Soft Butt Wipe
2. One box of Calgon (missing 16oz)
3. One box of TSP (1/2 missing)
4. One box of Oxy-Clean (2 scoops missing)
5. One bottle of Dawn (32oz-40z)
6. One bottle of Downey

For those of you that played and lost, it sucks to be you! Me I'll have the cleanest black tank in the hood and forever will be looking forward to my next dump

Tim

[hdblues]

The Calgon & Dawn does work well!!! On the way home from camp we put about 3 Gals. of water with a few drops of dawn to slosh around on the way home. Once home I use a Swivel Stik down the john.

[CincyGus]

I use a scoop of Calgon and a scoop of whatever cheap powder laundry detergent I can find at the dollar or grocery store. Mix the two scoops in a gallon of hot/warm water, stir it up and down the toilet it goes with a few more gallons of water by holding the flush down a minute or two. Keeps it slippery and smells nice and seems to break everything down as I see nothing "solid" coming out the hose when I dump. I usually do this before we leave the house so I can have the full 30 gallons of water i the fresh tank instead of 27 if we are using the fresh tank. Plus I think the agitation of the road trip makes sure everything in the tank gets coated. Not sure if that plays a role or not but it makes sense that it would help.

If I will have water hookup, I'll wait and do it at the site unless it's going to be a long trip and we may use the bathroom before we get to the campground.

As mentioned, any TP that says safe for septic systems is likely ok. You don't have to buy the more expensive RV Paper. If in doubt, do the jar test.

[mapleman3]

Originally Posted by hdblues

The Calgon & Dawn does work well!!! On the way home from camp we put about 3 Gals. of water with a few drops of dawn to slosh around on the way home. Once home I use a Swivel Stik down the john.

Where do you dump the remaining black/dawn water when you get home?

Jim

Sent from my SCH-I510 using Tapatalk

[mikell]

Really any TP will work if you travel before dumping. Water softener and soap work well to help things along. We have a big square maybe 1/2 mile in our campground and I tell people to go around a couple of times before dumping. Fill the tank first tap the brakes a few times them let her rip at the dump station

[f6bits]

I don’t know where they keep their trailer, but my storage facility has a dump station on the way in.

[suza]

Our Cougar came with a "complimentary" bottle of tank treatment - Pure Power Blue. My husband can't tolerate the smell of the stuff, so am looking for an alternative.

My sister-in-law has a product, TST with coconut oil. It is yellow (not the TST Blue, Green or Orange), but I don't find it anywhere. Perhaps it is an older product.

Aside from "home recipe" treatments, does anyone know of a tank treatment that does not have the powerful odor of the "blue stuff" but that also works, especially for keeping sensors clean and preventing solid build-up in the black tank.

I also heard that some RV parks prohibit the use of the blue treatment when hooking up to their systems or using their dump facility

[JRTJH]

Most RV parks either "frown on" or prohibit using formaldehyde based chemical additives. Most of the blue stuff is formaldehyde based. One of the "least smelly" alternatives I've found is the Orange TST. It does have fragrance, but isn't that objectionable (at least to us).

A quart should last nearly the entire summer if used sparingly and only when needed. Calgon and Dawn (or cheap alternatives) will keep most tanks clean and relatively fresh. Remember, any fan pulling air out of the RV when you flush will pull odor into the camper through the open toilet valve, so shut off the exhaust fans before flushing.

[suza]

Originally Posted by JRTJH

Most RV parks either "frown on" or prohibit using formaldehyde based chemical additives. Most of the blue stuff is formaldehyde based. One of the "least smelly" alternatives I've found is the Orange TST. It does have fragrance, but isn't that objectionable (at least to us).

A quart should last nearly the entire summer if used sparingly and only when needed. Calgon and Dawn (or cheap alternatives) will keep most tanks clean and relatively fresh. Remember, any fan pulling air out of the RV when you flush will pull odor into the camper through the open toilet valve, so shut off the exhaust fans before flushing.

I didn't think about making sure the vent fan is off when you flush for that tip.