How often and how to clean black tank
We have sani flushed the tank only once in 3 years. Recently I read I should be doing this more often. On the other hand some places say not to empty black too often because then there is an inadequat...
Forum Discussion
rvshrinker wrote:
3. Add some bleach
That is generally a bad idea. If the dump station or campground uses a septic system, the bleach will mess up the decomposition process.
As mentioned, a clear elbow is essential to the process because you need to know the state of what's coming out of the tank. We always camp with full hookups & only rarely use dump stations.
This is my routine:
- When the tank needs dumping, I turn on the sani-flush for about 30 seconds to "stir the soup", then open the dump valve. The sani-flush stays on for the duration of the dump.
- When the water is coming out clear, the dump valve is closed. The sani-flush then serves to put water back in the empty tank. I have one of those garden hose water meters & it lets me know when I have about 5 gallons in the tank.
- When breaking camp, I do the dump, but I'll put about 15 - 20 gallons back in, then dump again. Then I'll fill the tank with about 20 gallons and 1-1/2 cups of HE (low suds) laundry detergent. That mix stays in there until I get to a dump station that is close to home and completely drain it, put in 5 - 10 gallons, and completely drain it if it's the end of the season. If not, 5 gallons goes back in.
It's amazing how much gunk gets cleaned out by the detergent and the agitation of driving down the road for a couple of hours. I also give the galley tank the same treatment at the end of each system. I don't use any other tank chemicals.
The final dump of the season takes 10 - 15 minutes, so I do it at a dump station close to home where it costs me $10 to dump & I don't have to feel bad about taking my time.
