Sequence to use to clean up "black water tank",please.

Demetrio wrote:
Many thanks,no,the RV is stationary,but I'm planning to clean it regularly,I was told,in my particular case,every two or three weeks.Once cleaned,how much water
should I put in the tank,a gallon,maybe two? I'll do it with a solution from WM.

You were told wrong.

I've never "cleaned" the black tank and I've been camping for close to 50 years (and we've had stationary sites at times).

Use plenty of water when you flush and let the tank get at least 3/4 full before dumping. No need for chemicals or other treatments.

Try as you might, Demetrio, but my RV roof and black tank are the cleanest in the land...not that it matters.

I EMPTY BLACK AND THEN FLUSH THE LINES WITH THE GREY TANK. LEAVE THE BLACK TANK OPEN AND USE THIS WAND.



RUN IT IN AND OUT A BUNCH TWISTING THE HOSE TO HIT ALL AREAS OF THE TANK. YOU CAN ALSO COME IN THE OTHER END WITH IT.
I DON'T KNOW WHAT YOUR COMMODE LOOKS LIKE BUT I CAN STICK A MIRROR DOWN IN MINE AND SEE IT IS SPOTLESS.

Demetrio wrote:
Many thanks,no,the RV is stationary,...

If the camper is stationary, then here's a good alternative:

1. Dump tank completely.
2. If you have a built in tank flusher, use it. If not, go to #3.
3. Flush the tank with a toilet-tank wand on the end of a garden hose.

Click here.

4. Fush with it as long as you want. If you use a clear section of sewer house on your bank outlet valve, you can see the contents when the water starts running clear with nothing mixed with it.

Easiest solution here.

If I were parked permanently, I'd probably do this after every dump.

Hopefully, you are letting your black tank fill up before emptying. If your valves are open all the time, nothing is getting flushed out the black tank except water. Your solids are building up. You need water to move the solids out. Otherwise, the solids will begin to build up and next thing you know, you've got a tank full of solids and ... well ... solids are just that ... solid, and simply get harder and harder and harder. Then you've got problems.

Close valve, use the tank till almost full, then dump. Every now and then use the wand to push the solids out that don't move. Clear section will let you see what's really coming out.

Good luck!

Do you have a built in black tank flush? A hose connection port labeled “Black Tank Flush”?

I have used a black water tank wand once in a while with great success.

Other than that make sure it's full when you dump and most all the contents will flush out. Also dump most of my kitchen sink water down there as well and that helps quite a bit.

Keep it simple, it's not rocket science.

Hook up the hose
Open black tank valve. Let most drain out.
Close valve
Turn on flusher
Listen for tank to get half full or so
Open valve again keeping flusher on
flush for a few minutes
turn off flusher
let tank drain.
Close black vanve
Opengray water valve and do the same.
I DO NOT see the need to put any chemicals in your tank. Bad for the envirnment. Bad for your wallet. Money down the drain IMHO No need for RV toilot paper either.

Many thanks,no,the RV is stationary,but I'm planning to clean it regularly,I was told,in my particular case,every two or three weeks.Once cleaned,how much water
should I put in the tank,a gallon,maybe two? I'll do it with a solution from WM.

Well, I suppose that depends upon how dirty it is, an if you have any solids stuck in there, like the famous "poop pyramid."

Assuming you have no hard build-up, cleaning the tank is really pretty simple.

1. Drain the water and contents.
2. Fill with water.
3. Dump.

It's really that simple.

To clean a little better, for example, if your sensors are not working quite right.

1. Dump your tank.
2. Fill the tank with water and dump again.
3. Fill the tank with about 5 gallons of water and bit of laundry soap or a few good squirts of Dawn dishwashing liquid and take the camper for a good 20 minute drive with lots of turns and stops and goes. This will let the water slosh and beat up the insides of the tank, breaking anything free that might be stuck to the sensors.
4. Return home and dump the tank immediately.

You can incorporate back-flushing with a Flush King, you can incorporate spraying down the inside of the tank with a toilet wand on the end of garden hose, you can add a bit of bleach and go for a drive, any number of thing like this. All will work well to keep the tank clean.

Clean water sloshing when on the road is really the most effective way to keep them clean. Dump immediately when stopping.

Do you have a solid waste blockage, or what? just my humble opinion but... it IS a sewage holding tank, it doesn't need to be clean.