Ok to leave the black water tank 1/2 full while in storage?

[precioustime]

We always try to empty our black and gray water tanks before heading home to our storage. At times it doesn't always work out and we end up leaving the tanks half full, no more, and put the rv in storage. It is not there for too long, 2 months max. It is in storage in Miami, not a cool place in temperature. We always drop in the blue packets of tank deodorants every time we dump and fill up again with 1/4 of water. Is it bad to leave the black water tank 1/2 full for 2 months in storage?

[jjrbus]

I had a 100 gallon black tank and left it for months at a time! When I had to pull the tank to repair something else the walls of the tank were clean.

All the products for black tank are garbage, a waste of money or bad for the environment and septic systems. Some states are exploring banning it. A properly functioning system does not stink! Unless you go up on the roof and stick your nose in a vent.

http://www.trailerlife.com/uncategorized/new-law-would-ban-use-of-holding-tank-chemicals/

http://www.eplerwood.com/beta/images/Tomasso%20Grad%20Project_RV%20park%20sustainability_2010_XII.pdf

Bit of a disclaimer on this, If your product has dried or congealed, you will not be able to dump it right away, will need to get some water in there to rehydrate it. This can be done by simply using the tank and using extra water when flushing, so leaving more than 1/2 a tank might not be a good idea.

Don't take my word for this take some dried out doggy do and toss it in water to see what happens!

[rhagfo]

JaxDad wrote:

Atlee wrote:
To the OP

No. Never leave it for that long. As mentioned, it will dry out, become a hard mess and you'll have a dickens of a time trying to get that stuff out.

valhalla360 wrote:
Lots of paranoia here:.

No $h1t........ LOL.

I bought my C from the estate of a guy my father knew. It was parked in the driveway of his house, just south of Tampa. He had been sick and bed-ridden for most of a year before he passed. He had fallen ill while away in the C and drove it (for the last time) home and parked it. When I picked it up it still had all his dry & canned foods in it, kitchen supplies, etc, etc. The only things that had been taken out of it (everybody thought he’d be back on the mend in no time) were perishables and his dirty laundry, even his clean clothes were still in it.

When I checked it over before heading home I discovered the black tank was still 3/4 full ...... after almost a YEAR.

I the dumped the black, grey and water (after about an hours drive) at Lazy Days in Seffner, just east of Tampa.

The black tank was as clean as clean could be.

The sky is NOT falling............

Oasisbob wrote:
Friend you need to dump. Solids will become more so and really really hard to get out. So many reasons why

This is 100% incorrect, solids tend to break down the longer they sit in liquid, I have let mine sit for a month in the summer to help clean out. I actually added Rid-X to the contents, and some extra water. The secret is to make sure it is a least 1/2 if not 3/4 full.
When I did this I drained one quick flush with flusher, or bucket of water down the toilet, and my Black Tank sensor worked great!

I REPEAT The sky is NOT falling............

[rhagfo]

Oasisbob wrote:
Friend you need to dump. Solids will become more so and really really hard to get out. So many reasons why

This is 100% incorrect, solids tend to break down the longer they sit in liquid, I have let mine sit for a month in the summer to help clean out. I actually added Rid-X to the contents, and some extra water. The secret is to make sure it is a least 1/2 if not 3/4 full.
When I did this I drained one quick flush with flusher, or bucket of water down the toilet, and my Black Tank sensor worked great!

[valhalla360]

Dave H M wrote:
I just have a basic education but do not understand how all the H2O can evaporate once the air in the pocket above the liquid in the tank becomes 100% humidity. I say it is impossible for all that moisture to circulate/rotate or whatever out the vent. There is no means for air to exchange.

The vent provides air exchange, particularly if you are talking weeks or months...might be if it's only a 1/2 inch before it becomes an issue. I haven't experimented with how fast the water evaporates but no doubt it does.

[valhalla360]

wa8yxm wrote:
I too would not recommend but if you must add a waste digester type product to the tank... Might as well chew up any solids while it's parked.

"digester type products" are a waste of money. The bacteria that eat poop are already present in large numbers.

They are selling snake oil.

[Charles2222]

Sky is not falling but Murphy’s law is still around

[JaxDad]

Atlee wrote:
To the OP

No. Never leave it for that long. As mentioned, it will dry out, become a hard mess and you'll have a dickens of a time trying to get that stuff out.

valhalla360 wrote:
Lots of paranoia here:.

No $h1t........ LOL.

I bought my C from the estate of a guy my father knew. It was parked in the driveway of his house, just south of Tampa. He had been sick and bed-ridden for most of a year before he passed. He had fallen ill while away in the C and drove it (for the last time) home and parked it. When I picked it up it still had all his dry & canned foods in it, kitchen supplies, etc, etc. The only things that had been taken out of it (everybody thought he’d be back on the mend in no time) were perishables and his dirty laundry, even his clean clothes were still in it.

When I checked it over before heading home I discovered the black tank was still 3/4 full ...... after almost a YEAR.

I the dumped the black, grey and water (after about an hours drive) at Lazy Days in Seffner, just east of Tampa.

The black tank was as clean as clean could be.

The sky is NOT falling............

[ralphnjoann]

I accidentally did that once. It was mostly water which, during the cold weather, froze in the external drain pipe. Had to replace said pipe.

[Jayco-noslide]

I agree -NO. Gross.

[Oasisbob]

Friend you need to dump. Solids will become more so and really really hard to get out. So many reasons why

[ppine]

Hell no. This is trolling.

[Dave_H_M]

valhalla360 wrote:
Lots of paranoia here:
- Odor...not significantly different than 2-3 days holding...as long as your vent is clear no reason to expect a build up of odors.
- Solids...1/2 to 3/4 full should be fine, the solids will actually break down naturally (that's how a septic tank works) and there is enough water that it's not going to dry out.

Where you could run into trouble is if it's only got an inch or two of water in the bottom and it evaporates over a few weeks leaving the solids cemented to the bottom but as long as it's not all the time, it shouldn't be a big deal.

I was not gonna reply but ole valhalla came along, Strength in numbers you know. :W I have gone a month many times with no ill effect. I just have a basic education but do not understand how all the H2O can evaporate once the air in the pocket above the liquid in the tank becomes 100% humidity. I say it is impossible for all that moisture to circulate/rotate or whatever out the vent. There is no means for air to exchange. Anyhow that is my two cents and I am sticking to it.

In the mean time I bet the OP has lost some sleep thanks to all the "good and well meaning" opinions. :h

[wa8yxm]

I too would not recommend but if you must add a waste digester type product to the tank... Might as well chew up any solids while it's parked.

[valhalla360]

Lots of paranoia here:
- Odor...not significantly different than 2-3 days holding...as long as your vent is clear no reason to expect a build up of odors.
- Solids...1/2 to 3/4 full should be fine, the solids will actually break down naturally (that's how a septic tank works) and there is enough water that it's not going to dry out.

Where you could run into trouble is if it's only got an inch or two of water in the bottom and it evaporates over a few weeks leaving the solids cemented to the bottom but as long as it's not all the time, it shouldn't be a big deal.