I will immediately plead ignorance here and apologize in advance for the layman type questioning. Please do not assume I have not done research as I have done plenty; however, just wanted the input from some seasoned experts such as yourselves. (Take the compliment and share on social media if you'd like haha) Tank Chemical Recommendations: I know I will need these; what's the best stuff out there, does it matter which one, any cons with the ones recommended such as hardens water etc. Anyone in Central WA State? I am active duty military and moving there, I know there are actually some pretty nasty areas in regards to property theft, is a lug covering boot sufficient or should I be looking for more means to secure my RV (normal storage will be on a military installation, I am more concerned with while away from my TT while camping)Thanks again for your candid feed back!!Jon

Thank you for serving our country.When it comes to chemicals for the holding tanks, there are many opinions. Some insist on using chemicals. Some use only water. Some (me) use The Geo Method or something similar.Some just use a cup of lemon dish washing detergent.Try all your options, see what works best for you.I have seen, on the forum, many use a chemical called Happy Camper and are pleased with the results.As for theft deterrent, most will probably tell you not to camp in areas with known theft problems.As we all know, if a thief wants something, they will get it. With all the cordless tools available it is not difficult to cut chains, cables, covers, etc..Enjoy your travels.

My choice for the black tank!I've been using Happy Campers for a couple of years and like it better than anything else I've tried. And, I like the fact that it doesn't use any harsh chemicals.

jernst1978 wrote: Tank Chemical Recommendations: I know I will need these; what's the best stuff out there, does it matter which one, any cons with the ones recommended such as hardens water etc.You'll find as many recommendations as there are chems, from nothing but water to bacterial acting formulations to chems that contain formaldehyde to those that don't, with everyone swearing what they use is the best. :S I've tried quite a few over the years, didn't care for bacterial products like Odorlos and Happy Campers, can't stand the heavy chemical smell that many products have, but have always found The Geo Method to work just as well as anything else, but inexpensively. A year ago I had the opportunity to try some tank chems by Walex and really liked the results so these days I now only use Geo when I service the tanks here at the house and then prep the tanks for the next camping trip by adding Walex to both the grey and black tanks ... works well for me. :)

Over the years, we have tried a little bit of everything. Remember, your holding tanks are just that ... "Holding" tanks. They are not septic tanks, or city sewage stations. They "hold" the contents until you can dump it.All you need to do is attempt to keep the odors down, when the tank has "stuff" in it and when it is "empty".The absolutely BEST thing you can do to prevent odors is to keep some water over the valve seal in the bottom of the toilet! Really, that's it! Everything else is just a personal choice.Another thing, keep a couple gallons of water in the black tank when traveling. Put a couple squirts of Dawn Dishwishing liquid down the toilet, and drive away!The sloshing action of the water and dishwashing liquid will keep your tanks clean. Very simple! You will NEVER NEVER NEVER get the tanks clean like new again. But you can come close.

jernst1978 wrote:Anyone in Central WA State? I am active duty military and moving there, I know there are actually some pretty nasty areas in regards to property theft, is a lug covering boot sufficient or should I be looking for more means to secure my RV (normal storage will be on a military installation, I am more concerned with while away from my TT while camping)I use a coupler lock when leaving my trailer unattended. It has a piece that inserts where the ball goes.Chemicals... I rarely use them. Really about the only time I use them is on an extended trip. Weekend trips I don't. If it were more than one person using the commode, then I'd use chemicals, but since it's just me, I don't. Were are you moving to in WA? I'm in Spokane.

Must Haves for New to RV World (Chemicals) | Good Sam Community

jernst1978
Explorer
Apr 21, 2016
Thank you all for the recommendations. I TOOK DELIVERY TODAY and the wife, myself, and kids are on cloud nine. First trip is two days away....not wasting any time!
K-9_HANDLER
Explorer
Apr 18, 2016
I only put in some laundry detergent after emptying the black water tank.
Community Alumni
Apr 18, 2016
I just use a little dish soap in the tank and dump it when it's close to full. I have a tank flusher, but it seems like a good ole fashioned tank wand is more effective. When it goes to storage I'll place a little oil on the seal to prevent the seal from drying out. The oil also helps prevent sticking valves.

A latch lock and a tongue lock should be all that you need for reasonable effort to prevent the theft of the trailer. Lock your doors and compartments while away. Remember that just about any lock can be defeated so carry insurance if the trailer is worth enough.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Apr 18, 2016
For bad connections to the sewer pipe, try using a rubber doughnut. I use toss-ins from Walmart to keep the wife happy, but I can't smell a flowery odor or anything worse, which means things are working as they should.

I've considered the GEO method, and I'm sure it works, but it seems like a lot of time/money to invest for something that is not a problem. As the MOD suggested, use a wand to clean out the tank.
Dennis_Smith
Explorer
Apr 17, 2016
We use the GEO. End of year dump and drop some bleach in and drive home and leave it in till next year. 10 years no smell
jernst1978
Explorer
Apr 17, 2016
MKirkland wrote:
We live in North Central Washington (Wenatchee). You are close to some great camping areas. The Yakima area is mostly a drier climate. One of our trips this summer will be to go down through Yakima and over to Maryhill State Park on the Columbia River. From there, we will travel over to the Oregon Coast. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.

Thank you, I am quite familiar with the area, up until 2013 I had spend 5 and half years living near Fort Lewis and spent the better part of a year over that time training at Yakima Training Center. I know the surrounding area is fantastic for camping, just Yakima itself has little to be desired IMHO.
MKirkland
Explorer
Apr 17, 2016
We live in North Central Washington (Wenatchee). You are close to some great camping areas. The Yakima area is mostly a drier climate. One of our trips this summer will be to go down through Yakima and over to Maryhill State Park on the Columbia River. From there, we will travel over to the Oregon Coast. If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message.
jernst1978
Explorer
Apr 17, 2016
deltabravo wrote:

Were are you moving to in WA? I'm in Spokane.

Don't laugh to hard, but Yakima. Fortunately, that puts me only close to the fun stuff in the Cascades and only about three hours from the coast, Canada, and some of the less populated but nice areas of Norther OR and Eastern WA etc.
jernst1978
Explorer
Apr 17, 2016
deltabravo wrote:

Were are you moving to in WA? I'm in Spokane.

Going to Yakima area as of right now. Not much in the immediate area, but less then 2 hours from some pretty nice Cascades area camping and a little over 3 hours from the coast.
RV_daytrader
Explorer
Apr 16, 2016
Another vote for Happy Camper! Everyones poop stinks and that smell comes out the black tank vent on the roof. Depending on the air currents, you would get the smell at ground level. With Happy Camper there is no smell! I go for a month now without emptying the black tank no with no odors!