Portable Waste tank

'Course there's a few folks that refuse to use their holding tanks. Cheap way to solve the problem I guess... :R

If you think you'll only need one occasionally, another option is using a CG's honey wagon service if they have one. Usually they're only available once or twice a week tho.

We have an 18 gal. Thetford and only use it once or twice a year at most. No problem being smaller and it's easy to toss into the back of the truck. Rather have a Barker but the Thetford was on sale for cheap at the time. When you need one of these things, they're sure nice to have.

One issue with these things is storage. The big ones are hard to stash somewhere and don't exactly look pretty lashed to a ladder at the back. Some have use a BAL hide-a-spare carrier or a similar DIY version. 18 gallons is just light enough that the two of us can hoist it into the truck and not have to tow it.

If we were to need one on a regular basis, I'd def. be looking at a bladder and macerator pump. Hmm, maybe a person could offer your own honey wagon service in a CG and make a few extra bucks! :)

We LOVE our sewer bladder. I can move 100+ gallons of gray or black water at a time. We user our camper like normal when we don't have sewer hookups- showers, laundry, let the kids do dishes, you name it. No stress.

http://learntorv.com/sewer-bladder/

I got the Barker 42 gallon (https://www.amazon.com/Barker-30844-4-Wheeler-Tote-Tank/dp/B000OR18BE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1528248070&sr=8-1&keywords=barker+tank+42+gallon)

A bigger tank can do the same as a small tank and then some for a little more money. Sometimes I use it to just empty black water but mostly I empty black water and then grey water and since I use a flojet macerator to push it into my elevated truck bed, I also put plain water to clean the lines.

I highly recomend that tank and as recommended by people on here, https://www.amazon.com/Flojet-18555-000A-Portable-Macerator-Carrying/dp/B001HKZHIW/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1528248321&sr=1-1&keywords=flojet+macerator.

mosseater wrote:
I've had the Barker 4 wheel 42 gal one for 10 years and it works great. Pnuematic tires and very quiet. Don't think I've ever used it on the black tank.

2edgesword wrote:
Our former TT had 20 gallon black and gray tanks. With just me and my wife we never filled the black tank even though we try to use ample water during each flush. That being the case our portable tank was only used for gray water.

mosseater wrote:
Yes, I've taken it many times and didn't use it. But when you need it...you need it. I'm not breaking camp and hitching up just to go dump.

All good reasons to just not bother with a heavy wheeled tote tank and just use a set of inexpensive lightweight portable containers for off loading grey water. :B

out_for_a_rip wrote:
Hi Everyone - I am considering buying a portable waste tank for some longer trips we have coming up and am looking for advice. What is a good model? Do you recommend for both black and gray? My tanks are both 30 gallon, what size should I target?

Thanks in advance!

Depends on how many trips you want to take to the dump station. I've used my Thetford for both black and gray water. It has a pop yup indicator that tells me it's getting full. You can use gloves on the black water if it makes you feel better. But as others have stated, the black tank doesn't fill up as fast. I would look at the Barker tank with pneumatic tires. I'm not sure what size they come in. My last trip, I pulled my tank to the dump station since it was close. Other times, I tow it with my truck.

2edgesword wrote:

mosseater wrote:
I've had the Barker 4 wheel 42 gal one for 10 years and it works great. Pnuematic tires and very quiet. Don't think I've ever used it on the black tank. The gray is what gets full more quickly. My tanks are 40 gal, so one dump and I'm good for another 3 days or so.

Our former TT had 20 gallon black and gray tanks. With just me and my wife we never filled the black tank even though we try to use ample water during each flush. That being the case our portable tank was only used for gray water. Now that we've recently upgraded (40 gallon black and gray tanks) I'm guessing we will rarely use the portable even for the gray but better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

Yes, I've taken it many times and didn't use it. But when you need it...you need it. I'm not breaking camp and hitching up just to go dump.

We have a 28 gallon tote-n-store that we purchased from someone off of Facebook. I paid $40 for it. We used it for the last time a few months ago at a state park. We have 50gal tanks. I only used it for grey water, and did not overfill it.

Dick_B wrote:
Although others will disagree I never use my tote for Black Water. As previously mentioned it is virtually impossible to get all of it out so where does it get stored that the smell isn't a problem?

Not sure what kind you have, but I've got no problems with smells from my Barker I've had for years now. (Thinking back, we got the tote when we got our first TT. I think that was 2004).

I have found to get everything out of the tank, after it finishes running (dumping), to simply tip it sideways and the remainder on the bottom will run out. I don't remove the hose at all.

At a dump station I can rinse it with the station water hose and clean it out. I transport it in the bed of my pick-up truck that has a shell. I keep the caps on it, and I've not had smells at all.

In the winter, I'll store it with the caps off and the slide valve open so air can circulate through it. It's stored in my garage, under my utility trailer, as it fit very nice there and out of the way. No smells.

At home (because we driveway camp all year round when not on the road), I can rinse it out with my garden hose and flush it down my septic tank. But often, I'll drain the black tank first and dump the tote. Then I'll drain the grey water second (after back flushing the black tank in the trailer), and the grey water will clean up the tank, just like the grey water does on your "stinky-slinky" hose. No smells, ever.

Yes, it takes an extra amount of effort, but for the convenience of not having to move your camper to dump the tanks every other day, well ... it's definitely worth it.

I can see where those folks who have larger tanks can go for several days. But for those of us with smaller tanks, the tote is priceless!

mosseater wrote:
I've had the Barker 4 wheel 42 gal one for 10 years and it works great. Pnuematic tires and very quiet. Don't think I've ever used it on the black tank. The gray is what gets full more quickly. My tanks are 40 gal, so one dump and I'm good for another 3 days or so.

Our former TT had 20 gallon black and gray tanks. With just me and my wife we never filled the black tank even though we try to use ample water during each flush. That being the case our portable tank was only used for gray water. Now that we've recently upgraded (40 gallon black and gray tanks) I'm guessing we will rarely use the portable even for the gray but better to have it and not need it then to need it and not have it.

I've had 3 different Barkers and they all developed leaks. This current one is the largest one they make and it appears the leaks are around the bolts that hold the front wheel assembly on. I pulled the four bolts out and applied Gorilla Glue to the threaded inserts and bolts then re-assembled. After it set up I've not had another leak.