Bugs in Black Water Tank

[KJRitchie]

I have the AS at home and I can dump the black water into a 5 gallon bucket then close the valve and haul it to the nearby power room toilet in my house. I've used the black water flush to clean out the tank and as the water cleared I noticed what seems to be insect larvae in the water. Anyone notice this? Would using tank deodorant prevent the bugs?

Kelvin

[Lily&Me]

Ick!

Have never noticed that, but I would sure do whatever is needed to get rid of them. And, not sit on that toilet til I was sure they were gone.

Sounds like your tank is not being emptied completely, perhaps?? Maybe find a dump with a long hose, put it down the toilet and give it a good cleaning.

You can also buy an attachment for a garden hose that creates pressure and do the same thing.


Maggie

[dznf0g]

Fly larvae?????? What Maggie said...they need poop to lay eggs. Flush it good. I have never seen that either. Something must not have gottten cleaned out last time

[Ag&Au]

I am very curious about how long the black tank was left without being emptied.

Keep in mind that insects can, and probably occasionally do, access both the black and gray tanks, through the roof vents. A good ripe black tank would probably lure a lot of flies. I wouldn't be concerned, unless bugs start flying out of the toilet when you flush it.

I would just empty it, flush it, and in the future don't look to see what comes out of it when you drain it.

Ken

[A W Warn]

I seen that sometimes, especially when going down south where it is warm and humid.
Flies and gnats can get down through the plumbing vents into the tanks.
Dumping every 4-5 days and taking time to rinse and flush really good after dumping the waste tanks solves this problem.

[KJRitchie]

No bugs found in the toilet bowl or the trailer. Usually when I'm at a campsite with water before I go to the dump station I fill the black tank almost full with the black water flush. They are small, 1/4" long x 1 1/16" wide. Maybe they are mosquito larvae. Maybe I'll put some chloride don't the tank before I go out next weekend.

Kelvin

[Ag&Au]

This is what water mosquito larvae look like if you scuba dive in your holding tank.

Controlling Mosquitoes at the Larval Stage | Mosquito Control | US EPA

I'm guessing yours were some sort of fly larvae(maggot).

Ken

[mccrosti]

How can mosquito/ fly larvae survive the chemicals we add?


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

[Ag&Au]

Originally Posted by mccrosti

How can mosquito/ fly larvae survive the chemicals we add?


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

I'm sure it depends which of the many various products are used. Some are simply deodorants. Some are biologic enzymes that break down the waste. Some people probably don't use any.

Maybe they use floating objects as rafts.

Ken

[Protagonist]

Living in an area where mosquitoes grow the size of Cessnas, this is a subject near and dear to my heart… The accepted method of killing mosquito larvae (and by extension any insect larvae) in standing water is:
1 - Add mineral oil to the water. Mineral oil floats, and forms a barrier that prevents the water from being oxygenated.
2 - Squirt in dish soap. This poisons the water and kills the little buggers that survived the mineral oil. If you wash dishes in a washbasin and dump the basin in the toilet, that works too, in addition to stretching your gray tank capacity.

Sidebar— The fact that dish soap kills insect larvae is one reason why you only see the larvae in the black tank, not the gray tank.

[Lily&Me]

That's good info, Protag.

There are at least a few pans of dishwater in every tank we dump, always. May have been accidentally preventing insects all along.

This also makes a good case for dumping frequently.....not usually a problem when you have small tanks like ours.

If I were to find insect larvae moving around in my toilet, I would be one freaked out woman.


Maggie

[Rhino33]

Protag - That is a wonderful idea about the dishwater. I had no idea the dish soap would kill those insects in the black water tank. (though we have always used plain Dawn on the many rescue dogs and puppies we fostered to kill fleas) Now that we are finally getting on the road, this is a great tip!

[KJRitchie]

I don't find the bugs in my grey water so the dishwater must do the trick. They are not mosquito larvae looking at a previous post link so must be something else. They almost look like seeds but there seems to be a small head at one end. Several flushes of the tank in preparation for monitor recalibration and I still saw some in the bucket. I'll add some dish soap to the tank before heading out this weekend.

Thanks

Kelvin

[polarlyse]

I'm sure a bit of chlorox in the black tank would effectively terminate any residuals that may have survived your prior efforts. It would also end any biologic action going on and then that would need to be regenerated on it's own time. I guess that I have unknowingly prevented such growth by the occasional dishwater deposited in my effort to save some grey tank space. Amazing some of the good things that happen out of ignorance.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by polarlyse

I'm sure a bit of chlorox in the black tank would effectively terminate any residuals that may have survived your prior efforts. It would also end any biologic action going on and then that would need to be regenerated on it's own time.

Actually, while dish soap kills aerobic (oxygen-breathing) mosquito larvae, it doesn't actually kill the anaerobic (non-oxygen-breathing) baceria that breaks down solid waste. Otherwise a residential septic tank would never work. You can add enzymes at the same time you add dish soap, and both will still work.

On the other hand, chlorine kills all organics, including the beneficial anaerobic bacteria. Don't add chlorine to your black tank.

[withidl]

If you really want to kill the little devils go to Home Depot or Lowes and purchase some pool shock. Mix up a little in a gallon of water and pour down through the toilet (be careful as it turns into ~90% chlorine and will bleach/eat almost anything ) followed by filling the tank; let steep about an hour and dump tank; fill and dump tank twice to remove the shock and ALL living things will cease .

[Foiled Again]

Pool shock treatment might be a bit too harsh. I'm sure it wouldn't cause immediate failure of the tank, but over time it could accelerate normal wear making it brittle and subject to leaks. A quarter cup of bleach may be just as effective and you're bound to have some already.

Part of what dish detergent does is lower the surface tension of the water. If you ever watch mosquitos, the mature ones will literally walk on water. If you have a sadistic streak (and I do hate mosquitos) just add a squirt of detergent to any stagnant water and the skeeters will start sinking like rocks. The larvae may simply lose the the integrity of their outside membrane once dish detergent enters the picture.

Carrying buckets of effluvient. This is a job for the Sewer Solution. If your plumbing is less than 60 years old, you are sure to have an "outside cleanout" somewhere on your property. Even if it is slightly UPHILL from your Airstream, the Sewer Solution, with assistance from water supplied via garden hose, can drain your tanks. It's certainly neater than the bucket route, and no tripping and spilling "IT" all over your bathroom!
Look at their website to see how it works.

Paula

[withidl]

Originally Posted by Foiled Again

Pool shock treatment might be a bit too harsh. I'm sure it wouldn't cause immediate failure of the tank, but over time it could accelerate normal wear making it brittle and subject to leaks. A quarter cup of bleach may be just as effective and you're bound to have some already.

Paula

I agree it's harsh, but after two flushings (complete tank fill) it is essentially all removed. I use it since I have a pool and it's readily available; additionally I do have a sewer clean-out which I use 2" PVC to gravity flow to; it's located literally within two feet of my pool steps, go figure .