Black tank chemicals

[GeocamperAS]

I have searched, with no luck, for the thread on a homemade solution to put in your black tank. I think it had bleach and a water softener.Can anyone help.

[ROBERT CROSS]

The geo method.....

Bob

[Bruce B]

This works!
I used this on our boat to remove about 8 years buildup from the tank and it came out looking like a new tank! I couldn't believe it.....
Bruce

[GeocamperAS]

Thanks Bob. Your the man.I was going to go by memory but the older I gets...
It's a good thing I asked. I forgot about the laundry detergent.
Thanks again Bob.

[mandolindave]

One word.............Ridex

It is an enzyme method, no phosphates, no bleach, less water, easier.
One advantage is...you never have to get your tank totally clean, the enzymes want something to eat. It kills the bad bacteria ( that smells )and keeps the good bacteria

[purman]

Ridex is basically yeast. I pot a packet in my septic tank every week. I haven't tried it in the trailer yet though.

[Janie Q]

Question:

If I use the GeoMethod, what do I do in-between treatments. The article say to do with every 4-10 tank dumps.
Plain water? Seems like I would need something for the
smell?
Our black is small, 72 Tradewind, should I 1/2 the mixture?
Thanks,
Jane

[Lily&Me]

We really like the little blue oxy pods you can buy at Walmart.

Drop one in and it works real well, small and easy to carry.


Maggie

[ROBERT CROSS]

Originally Posted by Janie Q

Question:

If I use the GeoMethod, what do I do in-between treatments. The article say to do with every 4-10 tank dumps.
Plain water? Seems like I would need something for the
smell?
Our black is small, 72 Tradewind, should I 1/2 the mixture?
Thanks,
Jane

Jane,

I've only done it once several years ago.
Now I just add a 1/4 cup of Dawn in both tanks and the "green" Aqua-Stuff in the black.
I'm able to dump the tanks at home, and the tank flush works much better on city water pressure. SFSG.

Bob

[Gene]

I'll run the Geo method by my staff microbiologist. I thought until I clicked on the link you mean you take an old GM Geo, shred it, and then add it to the tank.

Gene

[Minno]

My parents used a solution of Lysol, 20 Mule Team Borax. I'm sorry, I don't remember the proportions anymore: maybe 1/2 cup Lysol, 1 cup Borax. Mix it in a gallon jug with water to the top. Give it a shake every time you use it and use 2 cups in the black water tank. It's cheap but doesn't work in really hot weather all that well. We used it for awhile, but have reverted to boughten stuff. I like the granular TSP the best.

Kay

[Farmer Dan]

Tiger,
A fulltimer / friend we met in Valdez, AK gave me this recipe and we've used it for 5-6 yrs and friends use it, too. It holds odors down and digests solids as well : 1 cup liq Wisk laundry detergent, 1 cup liq Downy fab softener, 1 cup Pine Sol, 1/4 cup lemon Ammonia with water to make 1 gal. solution. Use 2 cups per treatment. If odors persist we just add more solution. I have recently mixed the solution without water and just add water to the bowl and add full strength and flush. It also works to clean the toilet. It needs to be shaken before using as separation can occur. It smells clean, too
Dan

[Minno]

AMMONIA!!! I knew I was missing an ingredient in that recipe I gave: add ammonia to the mix also. It was a 1/2 cup of ammonia, a cup of 20 Mule Team Borax, and a cup of Lysol. Add water to make a gallon, and use 2 cups. Farmer Dans actually sounds more like that Geo method above and perhaps would clean your sensors. I may have to try one of those....

Kay

[Bruce B]

Originally Posted by Minno

AMMONIA!!! I knew I was missing an ingredient in that recipe I gave: add ammonia to the mix also. It was a 1/2 cup of ammonia, a cup of 20 Mule Team Borax, and a cup of Lysol. Add water to make a gallon, and use 2 cups. Farmer Dans actually sounds more like that Geo method above and perhaps would clean your sensors. I may have to try one of those....

Kay

Remember people,,,,,,, Never mix ammonia and bleach! Very very bad.

I posted above that the mix of fabric softener, Tide and bleach worked well to clean a heavily soiled boat blackwater tank and it did! After cleaning the tank we are maintaining it (and the tank on our Bambi) with Odorlos. Natural enzymes do the work and the tank stays very clean now. On the boat the tank is translucent so you can see the results. You need to flush all of the bleach out before you switch to the Odorlos or it will not work. Much safer for the septic sustems that receive the tank contents too.
Bruce

[Secguru]

Oh God!

When I was in military basic training 4 recruits were killed using chlorine and ammonia to clean the latrine. They wanted to make a good impression on their drill sergeant who was critical of how clean their toilet area was after their first effort.

I would suggest against ever using ammonia in holding tanks.

In a confined area like an Airstream, the combination is both deadly and deadly fast. It is likely that you would not have a chance to escape.

[Phoenix]

Secgura is correct; I think chlorine bleach and ammonia combine to make phosgene gas, which was used by the military in WW1. Back in the '60s, some one-stripers in our Air Force maintenance shop did the same thing; and we had to air out the whole building for a couple of hours before anyone could go back in there.

[Friday]

There are lots of 'green' pre-packages options out there... I'm curious why the desire to make your own home-made mix? Unless you were using it in 45 gallon drums... do you really use that much? I bought a bottle of of new 'green nano-technology' stuff that everyone seems to think is the next greatest thing... $20 and it will last me a few years at the rate I go through it...

[Phoenix]

Friday,

I suspect your usage is British Columbia is different from other parts of the Americas. Here in the desert, it takes a higher dose of chemicals to hold down black water tank odor; because when daytime temperatures get to 105-110+ degrees, odors grow faster and stronger. And, the 4-8 ounces of toilet chemicals that may control odor up north, just isn't enough down here.

As the black water tank fills, it may take several 8 ounce doses to keep the odors under control. Therefore, cost becomes a factor. In fact, many of the "green" chemicals are not effective at higher ambient temperatures; and in mid-summer, we often have to switch to the old blue chemicals that contain formaldehyde.

Since the blue chemicals stain really bad, the fumes irritate eyes and nose, they contain known carcinogens, and they are relatively expensive (especially, when it takes 2-4 doses to control odors in the summer), it makes sense to find an alternative that is cheaper, safer and more effective. So, I am trying the "geo method" this summer to see if it is effective at controlling odors. If it doesn't work well, all of the ingredients can be used for their original purpose (i.e., laundry and cleaning).

[murreywalker]

Has anyone given thought to what these various "home brewed" concoction does to the seals in the plumbing/valves?

[Phoenix]

Per the "geo method" author, all of the ingredients are used in a washing machine with your clothes, so they shouldn't harm your RV plumbing.