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

[Demetrio]

To a kind soul......please,,reply with the sequence used to clean
black water tank.
Many thanks in advance,Demetrio.

[austinjenna]

As others have said I use a lot of water and dump when full. Occasionally when I think of it I throw in a few buckets of hot water and a squirt or 2 of dawn detergent and let it slosh around the tank while I drive to the campground.

[mtofell1]

More water generally takes care of a lot of black tank problems. I've had good luck cleaning/deodorizing mine by filling it completely full of water and letting it sit for a few days or longer with a strong dose of chemicals. That should dissolve anything stuck to the sides.

[sgfrye]

valhalla360 wrote:

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.

X2 on this

I never dump with less than 3/4 full black tank. Even with a full hookup at campground I always tow home with black tank almost full. I have a clean out connected to our septic tank at home that I can position out TT next to. I dump black tank then fill back to 3/4 full to full with garden hose then dump again. Sometimes twice till clear elbow on swer hose shows clear water draining. I stopped using chemical treatments a long time ago.

[Demetrio]

To each and everyone kind enough to give of your time:
A million thanks and God bless you all for your kindness.
araucano.;)

[DogTrainer]

Instructions are pretty good from what I have seen.

We always add a bag of ice before we leave and a gallon of water and it knocks all of the poo loose...and if you add it before you arrive and dump when you get there you will see a beautiful brown agitated solution come out.

Sorry but it is true.

[Veebyes]

Get at least 3 days worth before dumping. Hook up rinser & turn on to add at least a few gallons of water. Open dump. When most is out close dump while letting rinse system spray away. As long as nobody is waiting at dump let it run for a few minutes. Open dump valve again & let it run till just rate of water going is is flowing out. Close dump valve & let rinser run another minute or so to have a few gallons in the tank to slosh around.

The only time the tank is left as empty as possible is for winter storage.

[keymastr]

You don't need anything in the tank but water. Soaps and other chemicals just leave buildup and film on the tank and sensors. When you are done flushing tank put 5 gallons of water in so the "solids" stay submerged and do not dry out and make concrete.

[laknox]

Demetrio wrote:
To a kind soul......please,,reply with the sequence used to clean
black water tank.
Many thanks in advance,Demetrio.

Many people swear by the "GEO Method" of keeping their holding tanks clean. Don't know the exact proportions, but you'd likely want to tailor a bit depending on tank size. Boils down to some original Dawn dishwashing soap and come Calgon (or other) bath water softener. Dump a "dose" down the tank, then use lots of water when flushing. Leave your black tank CLOSED until ready to dump or the liquids will run out leaving the solids behind. Personally, when I dump, I hook up the flush hose and turn it on for a few seconds before pulling the handle, just to get more water in the tank, and I leave it running while dumping. When it gets down to empty, I'll close the valve and leave the hose running for a few minutes (DO NOT WALK AWAY OR YOU'LL FORGET, TO YOUR REGRET!!), then dump again. Repeat. After that, I dump the grey tank to help wash out the hose. Again, personally, I've never used a clear elbow, nor felt I needed to, and I've never had an issue. YMMV... Also, personally, I twist the ends of the hose together to seal them, then toss them in a plastic bin. :B

Lyle

[wing_zealot]

Do you leave your black tank valve open all the time? Or do you leave the black tank valve closed and empty the tank when its almost full, then close the valve again?

[Hondavalk]

valhalla360 wrote:

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.

X2

[valhalla360]

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.

[Lwiddis]

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

[Dennis12]

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.

[DutchmenSport]

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!