Use of Portable Holding Tanks

[LEMII]

Just took delivery of a 32-gallon Tote-Along portable holding tank. We'll mainly use this at a state park campground we really like for grey water.

Anyone out there have any tips or tricks that could benefit us?

I plan to strap it to the front of the HTT resting it on the propane tanks. Any better ideas for hauling it?

Thanks much.

[SoundGuy]

Soundguy wrote
Others may not agree but I'd never own another wheeled tote tank again, not when there are alternative solutions that are so much easier.

Lantley wrote:
While I can appreciate your set up. I don't see it as any easier than just using my 42 gallon tote. I have a macerator but I only use it if I have to. Macerater is just to slow for me and makes dumping more complicated than it needs to be.
YMMV

For sure, to each his / her own. 🙂 I too have a macerator and never line up at a campground dumpstation, instead preferring to service my tanks at home. I can also use it to offload macerated black water while camping into my set of grey water Aquatainers if need be but with the trailer having a 30 gal BW tank that's rarely necessary. For me that then leaves grey water and since it's so easy to offload either by gravity or with a simple 12 vdc pump into inexpensive, lightweight, and easy to store Aquatainers I therefore have no reason at all to own an expensive, heavy, hard to store tote tank. As you say, YMMV. 😉

[Lantley]

Soundguy wrote
Others may not agree but I'd never own another wheeled tote tank again, not when there are alternative solutions that are so much easier.

While I can appreciate your set up. I don't see it as any easier than just using my 42 gallon tote. I have a macerator but I only use it if I have to. Macerater is just to slow for me and makes dumping more complicated than it needs to be.
YMMV

[SoundGuy]

LEMII wrote:
Looks great, but I don't have a pickup truck...unfortunately.

No, but you do have a 4Runner in which you could probably stuff a few Aquatainers that each measure 12" x 12" x ~ 15" tall. Another advantage of course is that they all don't have to be stored in one spot but can be distributed wherever there may be space in the tow vehicle and the trailer. Since I do have a truck and the space to store up to 8 Aquatainers (4 fresh and 4 grey) that's usually what I do but if I sometimes want to store something else in the truck I can easily sit a few 'Tainers in the trailer shower, a couple under the bed ... I'm sure you could likewise come up with solutions that would work just as well for your situation. 🙂

[LEMII]

SoundGuy wrote:
No doubt I'll be very much in the minority here but years ago I bought a 22 gal Tote 'n Store not realizing just how difficult it would be to drag when full of water over a soft ground surface such as sand to the truck, nor how difficult was to later clean thoroughly, and what a PITA it would be to store for travel. After just a couple of uses I sold it to another unsuspecting trailer owner and began using 7 gal Aquatainers labelled with red electrical tape to identify them for use for grey water only. That was years and several trailers ago and I still use this method to offload grey water while camping and while simple gravity will easily do the job I prefer to actually pump it as that means the Aquatainers can already be sitting in the back of the truck and I therefore don't have to lift anything. Pretty well any 12 vdc pump will do but I had a spare potable water pump hanging around in the workshop so that's what I'm using.

Offloading Grey Water with a Pump



I also carry a set of four 7 gal Aquatainers labelled with white electrical tape for collecting fresh water and likewise use another pump to transfer it to the trailer's FW holding tank. Carrying Aquatainers is easy as they each weigh almost nothing when empty and store particularly easily since they're cube shaped, FAR easier than having to fool with a heavy wheeled tote tank.

Aquatainer Storage



Others may not agree but I'd never own another wheeled tote tank again, not when there are alternative solutions that are so much easier. :B

Looks great, but I don't have a pickup truck...unfortunately.

[SoundGuy]

No doubt I'll be very much in the minority here but years ago I bought a 22 gal Tote 'n Store not realizing just how difficult it would be to drag when full of water over a soft ground surface such as sand to the truck, nor how difficult was to later clean thoroughly, and what a PITA it would be to store for travel. After just a couple of uses I sold it to another unsuspecting trailer owner and began using 7 gal Aquatainers labelled with red electrical tape to identify them for use for grey water only. That was years and several trailers ago and I still use this method to offload grey water while camping and while simple gravity will easily do the job I prefer to actually pump it as that means the Aquatainers can already be sitting in the back of the truck and I therefore don't have to lift anything. Pretty well any 12 vdc pump will do but I had a spare potable water pump hanging around in the workshop so that's what I'm using.

Offloading Grey Water with a Pump



I also carry a set of four 7 gal Aquatainers labelled with white electrical tape for collecting fresh water and likewise use another pump to transfer it to the trailer's FW holding tank. Carrying Aquatainers is easy as they each weigh almost nothing when empty and store particularly easily since they're cube shaped, FAR easier than having to fool with a heavy wheeled tote tank.

Aquatainer Storage



Others may not agree but I'd never own another wheeled tote tank again, not when there are alternative solutions that are so much easier. :B

[bikendan]

dvitale300 wrote:
Don't most state parks and national parks say it's OK to dump the grey tanks in the open (as long as they're the tanks from the shower and not the galley?

Don't know where you heard that!
no national parks do and neither do most state parks.

Some do have gray water dumps scattered throughout the campground.
But NEVER on the ground.

[LEMII]

dvitale300 wrote:
Don't most state parks and national parks say it's OK to dump the grey tanks in the open (as long as they're the tanks from the shower and not the galley?

Not in Tennessee.

[Bendder]

I have a tip for you.

ALWAYS open the vent on the tote when dumping your tanks into it, and make sure your hose is well attached.

Trust me when I say its a crappy way to start the day!! I will leave it at that.

I laugh at my rooky mistake now but then it was a different story.

[mbopp]

dvitale300 wrote:
Don't most state parks and national parks say it's OK to dump the grey tanks in the open (as long as they're the tanks from the shower and not the galley?

Absolutely NOT in NY!
Some of our favorite cg's are "dry." My gray water solution is a 30-gallon surplus plastic drum ($10) mounted in the truck bed. Transfer was via a Harbor Freight 12V marine pump but last year I upgraded to a NIB macerator pump I found on Craigslist. Dumping is through an 1-1/2" sump pump discharge hose controlled by a RV gray water dump valve.

[dvitale300]

Don't most state parks and national parks say it's OK to dump the grey tanks in the open (as long as they're the tanks from the shower and not the galley?

[Halmfamily]

I carried mine on the rear ladder on my old fiver and still trying to find a local on our new one. Just remeber it will weigh over 100 lbs full so try to get where you can easily hitch your TV up to it.

[fla-gypsy]

I modified a bike rack to carry mine on the back bumper. Works well.

[downtheroad]

Handye9, here is the pic you were trying to post.

[LEMII]

The one I purchased is supposed to have the four wheels with the drain line coming off the side. I guess I'll know for sure once I get home and unpack it.