Black & Grey tank chemicals - What do you use ?

X2 on Happy Camper. Easy to use no strong smells and goes in gray tank as well

FrankShore wrote:
I create bacteria in the tanks to help eat away the gunk, grime and build up. This is the stuff I use

RV Digest-It

Buy a gallon of it and just put 4 oz into the tanks 24 hours before you plan on dumping! 4oz isn't a lot! This stuff is potent!

I create bacteria for the tanks too but I do it the all natural way. I chew up food, pass it thru my internal system and add a new deposit every time I flush.

You don't need to add baceria and other chemicals won't help break things down any faster. More importantly, the systems aren't designed to break things down. They are holding tanks not decomposition tanks.

Just make sure to use plenty of water and as long as the vent is clear, you should never notice an odor and you shouldn't get any blockages.

mowermech wrote:
Keep in mind that if your black tank "goes south", it just might have ammonia in it (urine becomes ammonia when it ages). Ammonia plus chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) reacts violently, giving off chlorine gas, which is deadly.
Be careful.

Since pee is mostly just water and since your gray and black tanks are vented, there's very little chance of this happening.

Keep in mind that if your black tank "goes south", it just might have ammonia in it (urine becomes ammonia when it ages). Ammonia plus chlorine bleach (sodium hypochlorite) reacts violently, giving off chlorine gas, which is deadly.
Be careful.

rockhillmanor wrote:
Answers will vary depending on HOW you RV. Once a month? Every weekend? Snowbird, Full timer, etc. How much you use your coach and in what type of weather you RV in does make a difference on what you will use.

x2 + your access to water & sewer hookups.

While I think flushing with plain water is the best method, it's not always possible. Not everyone camps at full hookup sites so unlimited tank flushing isn't always possible.

When my black or gray tank goes south, I'll just add bleach.

Considering the amount of hot soapy water that goes into the grey tank, I have never found it necessary to add anything.
For the black tank I use whatever citrus scented tank stuff I can find at a low price. Not because I "need" it, but because I WANT it in there. Whenever possible, I run the tank flush for about 5 minutes after dumping, then close the valve, add whatever I happen to have at the time to the toilet bowl, then fill and dump the bowl about 4 times. That ensures that there is enough water in the tank to thoroughly dissolve the chemical packet.
It works for me.

Nothing.

I too, use primarily nothing but water.

However, when we travel, I will put a cup of Calgon water softener and a cup of Oxy Clean (both liquids) into the black tank (this may be only two or three times a year).

The Calgon will coat the sides/bottom of the tank and make it very slick so that solids will not stick to it. The Oxy clean is just a laundry detergent that helps clean the inside of the tank.

I agree with others, if you have an odor problem, putting in chemicals is only a "bandaid" fix and does not address the actual problem. In my opinion, all these chemicals, and deodorizers are a total waste of $$ and are not needed at all.

Flushing the tank at each drain with pleaty of water and keeping sufficient amount of water in the bottom of the tank after flushing, is essentially all you need to do.

That's my two cents.

Ron

We use a cup of liquid detergent and a cup of borax.

I flush with water, it's a great solvent.