The dreaded "tank problem"s....I am having trouble with both my gray tank and my black tank.1) My gray tank is continuously clogged. I have to take a plunger to it about once a month to empty it. I have to plunge both inside the tub and on the outside where the valve is. When the water comes out there is a big gush and these white things come out with the water. The debris looks like big white pieces of deodorant though it is not deodorant (just looks like it). I am guessing it is big pieces of grease.2) This morning when I went to flush the toilet I noticed that it appeared to be clogged/full. I went outside and opened the valve to empty it. There was a nice flow into the sewer line for about 5 seconds and then a slow trickling sound of water. I went back inside to the bathroom and flushed the toilet and the toilet was still full. The solids had not moved but it appeared that the liquids had not moved either because as I was flushing I could see the solids moving and floating around. I did not leave the valve open anytime so I am assuming that there is not pyramiding going on.Any suggestions or ideas for both of these issues? Do I need to have someone come suck all this "crap" out? I saw where some people mention different chemicals I can buy. Thanks for the help.

Try The Geo Method in your tanks.Did you try filling the tanks with water and leaving it sit for several days? Maybe it will soften the 'stuff' inside the tank.Another possibility is, put some water in the black tank and dump a couple bags of ice down the toilet. Then take the RV for a drive and allow the ice to slosh around and loosen everything stuck to the walls.You are leaving the black tank valve closed until the tank is about 3/4 full before dumping?

I am guessing you have this in a permanent site and cannot move it..My only suggestion is RIDX for RV's and use according to directions.The white stuff concerns me as if it is grease then maybe a different disposal method for the grease should be found

Dont EVER dump grease down your drains in your RV or at home its horrible on pipes, Your black tank sound like you have a toilet paper clog, we get that every year when my daughter has her b-day party it has been bad enough I have had to snake the drain out, remember to use lots of water, I like to put a little bit of rid-x in my tank along with the deoderant and that seems to make a big difference.

Rv stores and Walmart have the proper chemicals for both grey and black tank. I use them all the time.

gbopp wrote:Try The Geo Method in your tanks.Did you try filling the tanks with water and leaving it sit for several days? Maybe it will soften the 'stuff' inside the tank.Another possibility is, put some water in the black tank and dump a couple bags of ice down the toilet. Then take the RV for a drive and allow the ice to slosh around and loosen everything stuck to the walls.You are leaving the black tank valve closed until the tank is about 3/4 full before dumping?I have not tried filling the black water tank and letting it sit but since I can see water at the top I am assuming that water has been sitting for a few days. For the grey water tank, the water sits for about a week before I try emptying it. I have to plunge it about once a month.I don't have a truck so I would have to get someone to move the rv to get it slosh around. The RV is kind of parked permanently in a park so that would prove tough.I do not have a level or gauge to indicate how full the tank is so I dump it approx. every 5-7 days. I am rarely home, so the toliet is probably used 3x a day. I wonder if the water is evaporating somehow and that did cause a pyramid??? I will check out the link you sent.

Tank Problems | Good Sam Community

22 Replies

mhardin
Explorer
Jul 31, 2014
The white stuff in the grey tank is grease. Find a product that will eat or melt the grease and that problem will be solved unless you dump more grease down the drain.
Yngrver
Explorer
Jul 31, 2014
Thanks for the tips....I have an update.

I did buy the back flush elbow to at least give it a try but I don't have a clear shot to either tank so it really doesn't do any good.

I bought a chemical that the lady at Camping World said would work on the black tank but not the grey tank. The chemical ended up working a little for the gray tank but not at all for the black tank.
I left the chemical in both tanks for about 4 or 5 days. I did nothing for the black tank but really flushed out the water in the grey tank. However the gray tanks is clogged again....The black tank remains clogged. I am guessing at this point I am going to have to call someone in to pump both tanks out. Any clue how much that will cost me?
thomasmnile
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
calamus wrote:
Dont EVER dump grease down your drains in your RV

Or any solid food waste from plates and cookware. If that debris doesn't flush out with draining the tank it stays there and stinks. :E
mhardin
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
I always leave my grey tank open until a day before needing to dump the black tank. After dumping the black, I dump the grey tank to flush everything on down the hose. Then, I leave the grey tank open until the next time.
Nunyadamn
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
If you are connected all the time, you can leave the grey tank valve open all the time (except maybe when it gets really cold - could freeze water in your line if not insulated).

Someone - please correct me if I am wrong.
Vet_Man
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
Looking in the tank my by deceiving you, these tanks are quite shallow so they look full even when not.
myredracer
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2014
Accidental double post... :(
myredracer
Explorer II
Jul 19, 2014
For a badly plugged up tank, try liquid Drano. Our owner's manual says to use it. Needs to be the version that does not attack metal. We had a badly plugged black tank last year and used it and the tank ended up looking like new inside. If you do use it, NEVER dump it into an on-site septic disposal system or you can do serious damage to it.

If your black tank is a problem, you may not be using enough water in the tank. You should put in 4-5 gallons after each dump just before you use it again. And use plenty of water each time you flush, especially with #2. Don't ever skimp on water thinking you can extend the time between dumps. You are asking to get plugged up by skimping on water.

On the grey tank, as said above, it may be due to grease. Avoid putting any grease into the grey tank.

We have a Valterra clear back flush elbow. It kinda works okay, but I find that the tank rinser is better. The elbow is the next best thing to a rinser though. I don't use it for back-flusing anymore now that we have a tank rinser. I always use the clear elbow to see whats coming out and if it is clear water or not.

A tank rinser for the black tank really helps. We have a factory installed one and I can get the bottom of the tank looking clean as a whistle. This one is a Tornado Rotary Tank Rinser. If you have an enclosed underbelly, it will be a challenge to get access. And if you do pull off the coroplast material, I would upgrade to Horst Miracle probes at the same time. The standard OEM button sensors are next to useless.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
nomad297 wrote:
The Flush King is worthless unless you have a straight shot from it to your tank. If there are any fittings in the drain the flow from the hose becomes slack.

Bruce

sort of like trying to push a chain.
bumpy
nomad297
Explorer
Jul 19, 2014
The Flush King is worthless unless you have a straight shot from it to your tank. If there are any fittings in the drain the flow from the hose becomes slack.

Bruce