The dreaded black triangle of whatever it is....

[harper223]

So I just put in a new flush valve on my toilet Because the old one busted a leak during the winter months. Long story short, the black tank developed this rock hard and large deposit. I've heard of this before, I just can't remember what we rvers call it. First time for me though. I though, since the toilet is now fixed, to fill the black tank, put in a treatment, and wait a few days and try to drain. Is there a better way to do this?

[harper223]

Well I had the tank filled for two days, and not much has changed. It's either blasting caps, or just taking it out camping with ice, detergent, and agitation from the road. Thank y'all for all the responses and help!

[Jimmie2]

Sounds like a severe case of "turdation"!!!

[Nvr2loud]

When we bought our trailer, I'm pretty sure it was 'close' to the dreaded black pyramid. When we filled the tank with water / pee / poop and attempted to drain, it barely flowed out the discharge. I then started the following process....

After dumping I put in about 4 gallons of water down the toilet with a cup of laundry detergent. I left that in the tank for the trip home, and sitting at home, and the drive back to the next campsite.

When I arrived at the next campsite, I immediately dumped that water YUCK!!! And filled again with about 4 gallons and laundry detergent.

Use the toilet for the entire camping trip. On the last night of camping, I completely fill the black water tank with water. It sits overnight while we sleep. Next morning we pack up, drain, and repeat..... 4 gallons and laundry detergent.

Since doing this for the past few trips, We have perfect flow now and lots of solid chunks coming out. The tank level sensors are actually beginning to function.

[GpaVader]

We've been lucky in that regards. Our Black water tank has a whirly bird in it and I also have one of the attachments where you connect your hose and back flush the tank. I have to say I am always surprised how much stuff comes out. The attachment I mention is clear 45* bend you connect to your discharge connector. Our process is:

1) Connect all the plumbing
2) Dump Black water
3) Use Whirly Bird
4) Dump 5 gallons down the toilet
5) Repeat Whirly Bird
6) Connect hose to back flush on adapter and spray until clear
7) Close off everything and dump 5 gallons of water in Black water tank and add chemicals...

[dewey02]

roam1 wrote:
So that's how the ancient pyramids were built.........who da thought!

But remember, Pharaoh had a million slaves .. and all that #2 had to go somewhere.
Final joke was on Pharaoh...having a grave and spending eternity in there. Maybe he should have been buried with a "wonder wand!"

[joefrog]

Here's the best how-to I've seen. I didn't realize I was doing it wrong with my first TT. This time I plan to do it right with the new one!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I6sv4d3PsTo

[skipnchar]

Leaving the black tank empty is the main reason for the "poop" mound in your tank. IN THIS case you didn't seem to have any choice in the matter but you'd be surprised how many folks drain their black tanks while in storage. It's likely a large number of them will face the same situation. Sometimes it takes the services of a honey wagon and their high pressure sprayers to break it down.

[harper223]

I used to light m80s with my friends when I was a kid. Might drop one of those in. 😉

[JJBIRISH]

Long story short… :B

Better winterization, better tank flushing practice is the answer… but lacking those skills up front, a poop pyramid is what you might end up with…

Fill the tank with water and some digester as some have suggested, cross your fingers and hope for a few days… agitation might help to… drain and do it again…

in the end it might take high pressure stimulation or some mechanical form of stimulation to break it up…

good luck…

[roam1]

So that's how the ancient pyramids were built.........who da thought!

[mlts22]

You may not need enzymes. Plain old dish hand soap does a very good job at removing and dissolving grease, and poop is quite similar. Might just squirt some of that, add water, let sit, and it might just do the job.

So far, the best way I've seen of cleaning a black tank was an access panel on top, then going at the inside with a wet/dry vac, mop, and a plastic scraper.

[harper223]

I've thought about bleach because it's more corrosive, but I'm worried what that would do to the any rubber gaskets and seals. Time to let it soak with an enzyme and get out the pressure washer.

[grandpalarry]

Yes it'll take time.
I took my garden hose with a high pressure tip, the kind that screws on with no controls,it ran through the window of the bathroom, the garden hose has about 55 to 60 psi pressure, I took the toilet cleaning thing and propped the valve open enough to allow the hose in about a foot (My pipe is straight down)then I turned on the hose for about 2 or 3 min. and dumped the tank, the idea being high pressure works good--just don't go away and have a beer!!!!

[harper223]

Glad I have full hookups at home. This may take a while......