Holding Tank Treatments

[Freelander]

My Black Tank is showing that its full, I know it isn't. I believe the TP is hung up on the sensors and is giving me a false reading.

I am using RV TP, and try to go easy on it.
What would be the best holding tank treatments to use that will prevent this?

 

[Cammalu]

If you ever have to run a snake in that tank because it’s stopped up you’ll have a little trash bag for TP in your bathroom. I don’t care what type paper you use. It can happen.

 

[Freelander]

The tank isn't stopped up, the stool sits right about it, the sensors are what the problem is.

The tank is showing full when I know its not. I need something that will break up the paper.

 

[abnorm]

You'll need to jet the tank/sensors

The right hand dump station has an additional Right hand hose bib........attach your garden hose and wash away thru the bowl......you need an extension wand with a ninety degree tip(I have some PEX)

and then maybe you'll decide to "bag the paper" in the future.............

 

[Random Painted Highway]

I just look down the toilet bowl hole to tell how full it is or by sound or god forbid, backsplash scenario!

 

[Freelander]

I do that the Toilet sits right on top of the tank.

 

[Ravella and X]

The only sensor I have in my tanks is my spidey sense. And also, never any TP in there. I know its full enough when I count the days. And also the flush/splash speed reaction speed.

 

[bullfrog]

You really expect things like that to work on an RV for more than a few weeks? As has been said above nothing goes in to the black tank that hasn’t come out of you. My new trailer is equipped with clean out sprayers in the black tank, sometimes they work sometimes they don’t. You can buy a spray wand that attaches to a hose and holding the toilet flush valve open you can attempt to clean the tank, very messy I must say and not always effective. I just look in the tank with the water pump off and use a flash light or pour some water down the hole to get an idea when my calendar tells me it should be close to time. I do use the little packets after dumping you can get at Walmart my kids call “blue berries” but that is mainly to prevent any odors. I know my gray tank is full when the drain water starts to back up in my shower drain as it is the lowest point for water going into the gray tank. Before traveling you can put a couple bags of crushed ice down the toilet and fill partially and take a rough back road allowing the ice to clean the tank some then dump as soon as you arrive at a dump station.

 

[highdesertranger]

I am going to install the sensors that mount on the outside of the tank. Seelevel sensors, they are much more accurate and the wiring is much simpler. I will also install a flushing hose on the black tank. However no TP in the tank is still a good idea. Also both the gauges and flushers are great retrofits for existing RV's and fairly easy to add.

Highdesertranger

 

[Freelander]

I just don't want to have to deal with a bag full of TP.

 

[jacqueg]

I just don't want to have to deal with a bag full of TP.

There's nothing enjoyable about dealing with sewage no matter what you do.

But IMNSHO, dealing with a bag full of used TP is far better than dealing with a messed-up black water tank. Obviously, YMMV.

I've lived in several old houses where the choice was putting your paper in a bag or replacing the septic tank. It was a pretty easy decision to make.

 

[highdesertranger]

"I just don't want to have to deal with a bag full of TP."

I guess you have never been to Mexico. No one flushes TP there no matter where you are at. OK maybe in the big resort hotels, I have never been to one of those.

It's really not bad to deal with a camp fire makes short work of it. All of us that use a bucket deal with it everyday.

Highdesertranger

 

[Random Painted Highway]

Also, taking a fiber supplement, or having a high fiber diet definitely helps in using less TP.

 

[Cammalu]

There is a place in town you can go to have your tanks cleaned. It’s called the RV Proctologist. They make a good living here cleaning out tanks. That should tell you something about TP in the tank.

209-484-9826. You can call them here.

 

[Freelander]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to say this, I changed the wives diapers for several years, before she died. I know all about dealing with poop. I am tired of dealing with poopy diapers. And I am tired of dealing with poopy bedsheets.

All I asked about was the best Holding Tank Treatments I could use. My tank ISN'T stopped up, its that the sensors are not working.

 

[rvwandering]

Our sensors do not work either so we go by the days since our last dump or by looking in the toilet.
We do put toilet paper in the tanks. It's not necessary to buy special RV toilet paper. Test it by putting a few sheets in a glass of water, let it sit a few minutes, and then swirl it around. If the paper has deteriorated into small pieces, you're good. We use Scott single ply.
We've found that the blue chemical from Walmart works pretty good to keep odor down and to help with waste breakdown. The orange chemical is not good - turned everything into a hard block the one time that we tried it. Luckily we caught it before it caused a problem.
Don't skimp too much on the water when you use the toilet and throw some of buckets of water in the tank after you dump until the waste water runs clear.
We've been using an RV toilet for more 20 years and have never had a problem.

 

[bullfrog]

^^^That most likely will come next if you keep putting stuff other than what comes out of your body into the black tank. The system just doesn’t work with low water flow and a holding tank the way it would with a 6” pipe and high water flow in a sticks and bricks house.

HDR I believe you will find that external ones not to work well if the tanks get Even a slight film of coating internally for some unknown reason.

Someone in my family refuses to use cheap toilet paper so she has to bag it. I put in a spray nozzle for my Asian daughter-in-law maybe that would work for you?

 

[Cammalu]

Pat we don’t use anything in our tanks. I don’t know if any of those actually do any cleaning at all. They deodorize but if you have enough water there shouldn’t be a problem unless you have a problem with your toilet vent.

 

[Cammalu]

That saying if you want me to pick you up some at Walmart today we are on our way to Havasu. Text or call if you need anything.

 

[Freelander]

The Chems are supposed tp break everything down into a liquid I have some stuff I can try.

I hear the Happy Camper brand is good.

Also I'm not to sure the sensor are that accurate. I kn ow the one on the Propane tank is off.