Heads up if you use Aqua-Kem "toss-ins"
I changed to these early this year and thought they was the cat's *** but it turns out they are trouble! I have discovered that the "plastic bag" that is suppose to dissolve in water is not doing so a...
Forum Discussion
Hehe, threads like this, where folks suggest that no chemicals should ever be used 'cause black or grey tank should never have an odor, really make me laugh.
To those that say the tanks should never have an odor, so no need for chemicals: Enjoy living in your dream world, where everything always works perfect and ideal. However, do know that one day something WILL go wrong for you, too - a seal will wear out, a check valve will get clogged (that you can't easily fix on the fly), a sewer hose will spring a leak....And your dream world will come crashing (stinking!) down around you. :)
Its another example of idealism vs reality here. Yes, in an ideal, perfect world where nothing wears out or breaks and everything always works perfectly, yes, RV holding tanks should not ever have an odor.
HOWEVER, reality is that none of us really live in that world. In the REAL world, where things wear out and/or break, people make mistakes, and the perfect, permanent solution to a problem often cannot be implemented right away.....Yes, odors can and DO on occasion escape from the tanks, and it can stinketh badly. When (not if) that happens to you, you will wish very much that you were using chemicals, if you were not. So will those camping around you (or those in line behind you at a dump station, haha!)
THAT is why chemicals of some form are a good idea. That way, if odors do escape from the tank on occasion, it will not be as bad to deal with. Sometimes, things just happen - a seal wears out and you aren't in a good position, place to repair it immediately, a black tank vent line gets clogged, or a sewer hose leaks just a few drops of nasty stuff when dumping (and it only takes a very few drops to have quite the nasty smell if no chemicals are being used, haha).
I agree, though, that it is very questionable how much chemicals help with breakdown of solid 'waste'. And, one does have to be careful which chemicals they use, so as not to damage a campground's septic system or cause other environmental issues. However, there are several good products out there that provide good odor control, without harming septic systems or the environment.
That is why I use a chemical called Odorlos - To prevent/minimize the odor, so that if odors do escape from the tank on occasion, it will not be as bad. And, I can tell you from personal experience of having a mishap when dumping the tanks once (don't ask for any more details, haha), that this Odorlos stuff DOES drastically reduce the odor. In some cases, it eliminates the odor entirely. I won't camp without it, no matter what the 'GEO method' folks say. :)
Poop stinks, bottom line. If it didn't, there'd be something very seriously wrong with the person that 'produced' it, haha. :) When you store stuff that stinks that badly just under your floor in a plastic holding tank for long periods, then manually dump it via a vinyl sewer hose...There are going to be lots of opportunities for that odor to escape. THAT is why chemicals are a good idea, as 'insurance' for when (not if) things don't work perfectly.
To those that say the tanks should never have an odor, so no need for chemicals: Enjoy living in your dream world, where everything always works perfect and ideal. However, do know that one day something WILL go wrong for you, too - a seal will wear out, a check valve will get clogged (that you can't easily fix on the fly), a sewer hose will spring a leak....And your dream world will come crashing (stinking!) down around you. :)
Its another example of idealism vs reality here. Yes, in an ideal, perfect world where nothing wears out or breaks and everything always works perfectly, yes, RV holding tanks should not ever have an odor.
HOWEVER, reality is that none of us really live in that world. In the REAL world, where things wear out and/or break, people make mistakes, and the perfect, permanent solution to a problem often cannot be implemented right away.....Yes, odors can and DO on occasion escape from the tanks, and it can stinketh badly. When (not if) that happens to you, you will wish very much that you were using chemicals, if you were not. So will those camping around you (or those in line behind you at a dump station, haha!)
THAT is why chemicals of some form are a good idea. That way, if odors do escape from the tank on occasion, it will not be as bad to deal with. Sometimes, things just happen - a seal wears out and you aren't in a good position, place to repair it immediately, a black tank vent line gets clogged, or a sewer hose leaks just a few drops of nasty stuff when dumping (and it only takes a very few drops to have quite the nasty smell if no chemicals are being used, haha).
I agree, though, that it is very questionable how much chemicals help with breakdown of solid 'waste'. And, one does have to be careful which chemicals they use, so as not to damage a campground's septic system or cause other environmental issues. However, there are several good products out there that provide good odor control, without harming septic systems or the environment.
That is why I use a chemical called Odorlos - To prevent/minimize the odor, so that if odors do escape from the tank on occasion, it will not be as bad. And, I can tell you from personal experience of having a mishap when dumping the tanks once (don't ask for any more details, haha), that this Odorlos stuff DOES drastically reduce the odor. In some cases, it eliminates the odor entirely. I won't camp without it, no matter what the 'GEO method' folks say. :)
Poop stinks, bottom line. If it didn't, there'd be something very seriously wrong with the person that 'produced' it, haha. :) When you store stuff that stinks that badly just under your floor in a plastic holding tank for long periods, then manually dump it via a vinyl sewer hose...There are going to be lots of opportunities for that odor to escape. THAT is why chemicals are a good idea, as 'insurance' for when (not if) things don't work perfectly.
