Black and Grey Tank

[Kiwi Camper]

I always dump after every camping trip, I don't see the need to leave anything in the tanks between trips.  If you are worried that there will not be enough water in the black tank to clear out the solids  wash your dishes using a dishpan and add dump that water into the commode.
I also have a backwash elbow bracket that I attach to my sewer pipe and once the black water has stopped flowing I attach the water hose and let it run until the water starts coming out again.  This is the only way I know to make sure that the tank is empty.
After I have dumped the black tank I add some chemicals (Odorloss) and a few gallons of water for storage.

[Oz and Us]

I always dump after every camping trip, I don't see the need to leave anything in the tanks between trips.

After I have dumped the black tank I add some chemicals (Odorloss) and a few gallons of water for storage.

I dump and clean my tanks after each trip also, as much just because I can, using my Poop Cannon to macerate and pump black / grey water into my house sewer stack.  However, I use the Geo Method which manages the tanks for exactly what they are - temporary holding tanks.  In your case you're wasting your energy dumping after each trip as Odorlos requires time to promote an environment in which "good" bacteria can flourish and destroy "bad" bacteria ... by dumping after each trip you're not giving it that time.

[Kiwi Camper]

  In your case you're wasting your energy dumping after each trip as Odorlos requires time to promote an environment in which "good" bacteria can flourish and destroy "bad" bacteria ... by dumping after each trip you're not giving it that time.
[/quote]

What should I use instead?  My camping trips are usually a minimum of 3 nights 4 days.  Is there another additive that would serve me better?

[Oz and Us]

What should I use instead?  My camping trips are usually a minimum of 3 nights 4 days.  Is there another additive that would serve me better?

I used Odorlos myself for awhile with our previous hybrid but once I invested in a FloJet Macerator Pump and had the ability to service my tanks at home I had no reason to not do this after returning home from each trip so I ended up in the same situation - not giving the Odorlos not enough time to work.  I'd suspect that most trailer owners just use one of the countless available chemical tank treatments from companies like Thetford, Dometic, etc, which are available in both liquid and packet form and which can be purchased just about anywhere.  I've tried a few of them but find the heavy chemical smell irritating and I'd sometimes still get some tank smell so not long after we bought our Spree I switched to the aforementioned Geo Method and find it works just fine.  It's economical, rarely do I ever experience any tank odour, and because it's based on common household laundry products there's no heavy chemical smell.  You might want to give it a try as you can always return to more conventional tank treatments if you're not satisfied with the results.  The only caution I'd offer is to make sure you flush the tank well before introducing any bleach into it and should you decide to later return to using conventional tank treatments make sure you flush the tank well to get rid of any bleach to prevent it from mixing with any other chemicals.

[TyroneWoods]

OZ what store stock Calgon in Canada? Have been looking for it tried:
- Metro
- Walmart
- Home Depoit
- Canadian Tire
- Home Hardware
- Loblaws

 

[Oz and Us]

OZ what store stock Calgon in Canada?

Yeah, it's tough to find but a discount grocery store here in Burlington (just around the corner from Shum) called Rob's No Frills sells it so that's where I get mine.

[bikendan]

with Odorlos, i go weeks before i dump the black tank. as Oz said, if you always dump after only 3-4 days, you're barely giving the Odorlos time to work.

[shum]

I just use Tide with "Bleach" in powder form and lots of water.  Mix up a gallon jug of it with a pretty heavy dose of it and add that to about 3 gallons of water in the tank.  No real complaints, but as usual YMMV.

With the KZ in the drive every once in a while I'll give the tanks a good flushing between the Flojet and the wand down the toilet. 

Lot's of water though is the real secret, don't skimp on it.

[Snow]

OZ what store stock Calgon in Canada? Have been looking for it tried:
- Metro
- Walmart
- Home Depoit
- Canadian Tire
- Home Hardware
- Loblaws

 

I cleaned out Home Hardware in Parry Sound when I was camping up there a couple weeks ago ..  it is hard to find..

[TyroneWoods]

I just use Tide with "Bleach" in powder form and lots of water.  Mix up a gallon jug of it with a pretty heavy dose of it and add that to about 3 gallons of water in the tank.  No real complaints, but as usual YMMV.

With the KZ in the drive every once in a while I'll give the tanks a good flushing between the Flojet and the wand down the toilet. 

Lot's of water though is the real secret, don't skimp on it.

So Shum is this what you use to clean your tank or as a general odour care?

[Oz and Us]

So Shum is this what you use to clean your tank or as a general odour care?

There is no "or" ... it's the same thing.

[miatared]

OZ what store stock Calgon in Canada? Have been looking for it tried:
- Metro
- Walmart
- Home Depoit
- Canadian Tire
- Home Hardware
- Loblaws

I am in Pickering, just East of T.O. and I can find it at Loblaws.

Ask a clerk - I did - a few times - and they started stocking it.

Going on our 3rd summer with Calgon and we love it. We also do many long weekends, when we leave we dump at the campground, put it the 'mixture' of Calgon and when travelling back home it 'coats' the inside of the holding tank when stored for a week or so.

Good luck.

[Kiwi Camper]

[http://www.drugstore.com/calgon-water-softener/qxp78736?catid=184416

Is this the stuff?  It seems expensive.  Maybe not?

Thank you all so much for your help, I am really learning a lot about something that I thought I already had covered.  You guys are so helpful!

[Between Trips]

I use something similar Camping World was selling during the time they ran out of Odorlos....just a shot after dumping and all is well. Since I usually only empty the black tank after each trip rather than flush it out, any remaining contents will be consumed by the good bacteria until the next trip. I used to do the Geo Method but for me it got old mixing various items to "clean" the tank when all I really wanted was to prevent odors inside the trailer.

[rdwallace47]

What should I use instead?  My camping trips are usually a minimum of 3 nights 4 days.  Is there another additive that would serve me better?

I used Odorlos myself for awhile with our previous hybrid but once I invested in a FloJet Macerator Pump and had the ability to service my tanks at home I had no reason to not do this after returning home from each trip so I ended up in the same situation - not giving the Odorlos not enough time to work.  I'd suspect that most trailer owners just use one of the countless available chemical tank treatments from companies like Thetford, Dometic, etc, which are available in both liquid and packet form and which can be purchased just about anywhere.  I've tried a few of them but find the heavy chemical smell irritating and I'd sometimes still get some tank smell so not long after we bought our Spree I switched to the aforementioned Geo Method and find it works just fine.  It's economical, rarely do I ever experience any tank odour, and because it's based on common household laundry products there's no heavy chemical smell.  You might want to give it a try as you can always return to more conventional tank treatments if you're not satisfied with the results.  The only caution I'd offer is to make sure you flush the tank well before introducing any bleach into it and should you decide to later return to using conventional tank treatments make sure you flush the tank well to get rid of any bleach to prevent it from mixing with any other chemicals.


is the flojet what you refer to as the poop cannon?