Black tank chemical

[filrupmark]

I have used formaldehyde based chemical in our black tank for many years with no issues. The brand I have been using is getting hard to find. We don't like the formaldehyde free stuff. What do you recommend.

[WILDEBILL308]

rk911 wrote:

WILDEBILL308 wrote:
...By the way formaldehyde based tank treatments are banned now.
Bill

by who? some campgrounds/rv parks don't want them but there is no blanket ban that I'm aware of.

Hey I read it on the internet it has to be true. Most campgrounds,State parks and National parks don't want you to use it.
I don't use any chemicals and don't have a problem.
I have camped where it is hot as southwest Texas and didn't have a problem. I have never had a problem with my black tank building pressure. If you do you need to fix your vent.
Bill

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
Turn exhaust fan on so that it blows in when flushing....

How do you get it to "blow in" if it's called an "exhaust" fan. LOL :h

[2gypsies1]

LOVE these black tank posts. 🙂

RE: the tank sitting a foot below the floor...the tank is sealed. You could set it on your picnic table and it wouldn't smell.

RE: smell when dumping....the sewer is full of grey water, too. Have you ever smelled grey water? It's worse than black.

We've full-timed for 16 years, used only water, and no smells. We've boondocked for up to 12 days at a time....no smells. We run the fan...no smells. We stayed in hot areas....no smells. The seconds it takes to flush...no smells.

All I can say is plain water works for us.

[EsoxLucius]

I can't believe how these threads go on and on. Black tank odor is caused by anaerobic bacterial action. Anything that indiscrimately kills bacteria is not worth throwing down the black tank. Something that promotes aerobic bacteria can be beneficial. If you fill your black tank quickly and dump often, water may be all you need. If stuff sits for more than five days the system can benefit from biologically active or promoting (aerobic) treatment. If you have to put something down the black tank let it be water and Happy Camper Organic Holding Tank Treatment.

[Bumpyroad]

PackerBacker wrote:
I'm still able to get formaldehyde based Campa-Chem at Walmart; bought a 6-box of 8oz bottles this past Friday at the Plattsburgh NY Walmart. I've also been able to get it at the Kings Road Walmart in Myrtle Beach when we were down there in March.

yep, just checked this pm. have both types, with formaldehyde and without.
bumpy

[Old-Biscuit]

Turn exhaust fan on so that it blows in when flushing....


IF (that has been a few times in 30+ years) I get stink inside my RVs I locate source and FIX it

Couple times is was toilet floor flange (replaced it), sometimes toilet bowl seal (cleaned it or replaced it), one was a toilet that had 'overflow' that went directly to tank (plugged it off) and a couple AAVs that failed to close (Grey stinks also....replaced them) AND then there was having the exhaust fan on blowing OUT which would pull stink up when toilet was flushed.

But that few minutes was no worst then when someone 'went poop' and didn't linger
Besides poop just smells -well natural. Better than CHEMICAL POOP smell

Water provides a great odor barrier......that is why 'P' traps were designed to hold water, why residential toilets have built in 'P' traps.
Water is a 'solvent'---------natural
Water is heavy and will move boulders so and poop/TP will get carried out of holding tank if one allows level to be high enough

I just find 'chemicals' unnecessary... and after ALL the 'pros' for chemicals posted -----STILL find them unnecessary.

[ata3001]

S&B's toilets have a trap to them. The toilet in my camper does not. When flushing, you can see directly into the black tank. The only vapor barrier is that thin layer of water left in the toilet after the trap door closes. Thats why I use chemical. Repeated hot summer days with the camper closed up & in the sun, is when the smell gets worst. This is with the black tank already dumped. After it's dumped it's not like you got in there & scrubbed it out. It does get to smelling bad but not of I add chemical & fresh water making it ready for the next outing, which, by the way, may be 3 or 4 weeks away.

[Community Alumni]

I'm still able to get formaldehyde based Campa-Chem at Walmart; bought a 6-box of 8oz bottles this past Friday at the Plattsburgh NY Walmart. I've also been able to get it at the Kings Road Walmart in Myrtle Beach when we were down there in March.

[Turtle_n_Peeps]

DwayneN wrote:
I have always believed the idea of controlling holding tank odors is something created by the chemical industry to sell products rather than to alleviate a problem. For those of you who swear by chemical use did you have odor problems that led you to use them? With so many of us not having odor problems without chemicals why not at least try plain old water?

Oh, for those of you who believe you add chemicals to assist in breaking down the waste you are simply wasting money. As some others pointed out RVs have holding tanks not treatment systems. Kind of reminds me of all the snake oil salesmen that sell products to help septic systems break down wastes.

Several reasons. One is negative pressure and the other is what time of year you camp and even where you camp.

Raw sewage smells; no doubt about that.

One reason is negative pressure. Some trailers have negative pressure, some have a positive pressure even without any fans on. I don't have AC in my trailer so almost always it's in a negative pressure situation. When anybody in my trailer flushes the sewer smell runs into my trailer like race car because the black tank is hotter than the inside of my trailer and because of the living bugs in the tank make it even hotter yet.

Heat is the other. I camp in June and July almost every year. Where I camp the temperature can be around 100 degrees. After towing in 100 degree heat for all day the inside of my trailer can get to over 130 degrees easy. That heat and gas in the black tank will gas off when you flush the toilet. Not only that, the black tank has a vent in it. That will gas off too. This can cause some problems.

As you can see, you mileage may vary depending on how and even where you camp.

[vic46]

2012Coleman wrote:
Formaldehyde does not assist in breaking down solids - it kills odor causing bacteria. Would love to have a link to this CDC study.

Google - CDC + Formaldehyde

Your will get lots of rather disconcerting information, not the least of which is the stuff is a carcinogen! Not something I have any intention of sharing with my family.

I use the GEO method and have done so for 10 years and have had absolutely no odor or sensor issues. I also use a tank flush attachment on the outflow to flush both the black and gray tanks.

[mlts22]

I just squirt some Dawn hand dish soap down the toilet after a tank dump, add a gallon or two of water, call it done. The soap does a great job at breaking down grease on dishes, so it does the same thing in the tank.

As for other stuff, I don't bother. Why throw money down the toilet (literally), when one doesn't have to? As for smells, I can turn on my bathroom vent with the toilet open, and it smells fine.

[2012Coleman]

Formaldehyde does not assist in breaking down solids - it kills odor causing bacteria. Would love to have a link to this CDC study.

[rockhillmanor]

It breaks down the waste and paper. Both of which stick to the sensors AND it liquefies it so dumping is fast and clump clogging free. Chems have been around for years for marine and RV. There IS a reason it is used.

And YES it smells without chems. Sady, Many CG's do not require a donut or screwed in elbow when dumping at the site. IT SMELLS all over the CG when campers dump a tank without chems into an open sewer hookup.

Not a one of you who do not use chems can say you can stand right over that sewage hose while you are dumping without gagging,and say the sewer gas doesn't stink up the air.

And inside? The toilet is NOT your residential toilet plumbing there is NO us shaped p-trap to stop sewage gas. Every time you step on the pedal to flush it is OPEN directly right straight to the tank and all that untreated sewage smell and bacteria emits right into your RV. There is NO p-trap. Just let it fill up sometime if you don't believe it, and shine a flash light down the toilet opening and you will see raw sewage floating around right up to the toilet

I will not help a fellow camper or show a fellow new camper how to dump if they have not added chems to the black tank. The stench is not worth my time or health to help.

Just RV once in the southern states and god forbid during their summers you WILL smell your untreated black tank which is sitting outside acquiring the ambient temps of over 98 degrees just boiling that sewage. Then step on the toilet pedal to flush and open it right up to your tank and all your untreated sewage, and get back to us. :W

[beemerphile1]

steveh27 wrote:

Old-Biscuit wrote:
What is the reason for the 'chemicals' -----in other words WHY do you need to use it or want to use it :H

RVs have waste holding tanks, not treatment tanks

I use water and have GREAT results.

My Class B has a Thetford recirculating toilet with no black tank. So I definitely use the chemicals.

Oh YUCK! I had one of those in a 1968 TT. You actually have a black tank, it just flushes with black water rather than fresh water. Just a day or two and that thing would be stinking! After all, the toilet flushes with urine.

[DwayneN]

I have always believed the idea of controlling holding tank odors is something created by the chemical industry to sell products rather than to alleviate a problem. For those of you who swear by chemical use did you have odor problems that led you to use them? With so many of us not having odor problems without chemicals why not at least try plain old water?

Oh, for those of you who believe you add chemicals to assist in breaking down the waste you are simply wasting money. As some others pointed out RVs have holding tanks not treatment systems. Kind of reminds me of all the snake oil salesmen that sell products to help septic systems break down wastes.