Home› Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing

Black Tank Water Treatment....

Deltaboy59Deltaboy59 Member Posts: 315
in Heating/Plumbing & Winterizing
Currently using this....
Any good DIY recipes out there that are cheap and easy...???

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  • sherm2954sherm2954 Member Posts: 38
    Happy camper
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  • DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    Search GEO Method 
    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,367
    I use Walex Bio-Pak.  Great smell.  If they made an aftershave with the same aroma, I'd buy it.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • ericnlizericnliz Member Posts: 4,437
    @OutbackAZ, Yea, but you'd wanna stop at every dump station along the way! :o=)
    2016 T@B MAX S-aka: WolfT@B
    TV: 2006 Chevy Avalanche LT Z71 aka: WhiteWolf, or 1972 Chevy Custom10 P/U aka: SnarlingWolf
    Spokane, Wa.
    Eric aka: Lone Wolf  


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  • Tabaz Tabaz Member Posts: 2,367
    I like it much better than the Hai Karate I usually wear.
    2016 Outback 320
    2024 Ford F150 Supercrew short bed.
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  • gophergradgophergrad Member Posts: 115
    Happy Campers advertises as odor free.... Is it?  Any other suggestions?

    Whatever stuff the dealer provided has a very strong "blue chemical toilet" smell right through the packaging, and spousal unit asked me to find something that won't "stink up the whole camper, geez!"
    2017 CS-S Max (Silver & Yellow), TV 2019 Ram 1500
    Camping under the Big Sky
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    We are doing the GEO method - in a gallon of water, 1 cup powdered Borax / Calgon + 1 cup liquid blue Dawn detergent for the black tank, only the Borax/ Calgon in a gallon of water for the grey tank.  
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • PhotomomPhotomom Member Posts: 2,217
    We use walex  porta paks. They must smell like something good to eat because once Max chewed a hole in the bag. 
    John and Henrietta, Late 2016 T@B S Max in Western New York
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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    edited June 2017
    I used the orange packets for almost two years. It did break everything down to liquid and it dissolved the TP. But, the odor was there.

    I bought a tub of Happy Camper from Amazon and I am happy!  While it may not break everything down quite as well as the orange packets, the odor is gone!  This is based on one tank, so far. 

    You put a spoonful (included in package) in the bit of water in the toilet, and flush until you have sufficient water in the tank, making sure all the powder from the flap goes down with the water.  I think I bought the 64 treatments tub for $46 on Amazon. This may be a bit less expensive to buy in the tub as compared to the packets at Walmart, and it is definitely less expensive than the Happy Camper vendor at Quartzsite!
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • phulishcatphulishcat Member Posts: 89
    We have used happy campers for a few months now. We love it, little to no smell even with long term storage with a half full tank. Happy campers can liquify everything givin enough time.Also one full scoop will treat 40 gallons so one container will last us much longer.
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  • gophergradgophergrad Member Posts: 115
    Thanks!  We'll try the Happy Camper.  Amazon loves me.  The UPS guy? Maybe not so much.
    2017 CS-S Max (Silver & Yellow), TV 2019 Ram 1500
    Camping under the Big Sky
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  • HomebodyatheartHomebodyatheart Member Posts: 2,512
    @gophergrad are you kidding? You are his/her job security! Anyhow, I use Happy Campers, and is scent free. DD is asthmatic, and we are both very scent sensitive. No odors yet, but I've only used the tank twice now. FWIW, my hose doesn't smell, either. Yet. I also like that it is an easy to store, lightweight product, and simple to use. I had a question about the product, called the number on the jar, left a message and the owner of the company/creator called me back. I was impressed!
    2017 T@B 320 Max S silver and cherry red, L@dybug ("Bug" aka my esc@pe pod), TV 2015 Toyota Highlander aka Big Red
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  • DalehelmanDalehelman Member Posts: 2,410
    SAM said:
    We are doing the GEO method - in a gallon of water, 1 cup powdered Borax / Calgon + 1 cup liquid blue Dawn detergent for the black tank, only the Borax/ Calgon in a gallon of water for the grey tank.  
    We have used this method in past RVs with much larger tanks than our T@B for years. At the  proportions you suggest. They seem a little high for the size tanks in our T@Bs
    1. Hash  T@B Fun
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  • HomebodyatheartHomebodyatheart Member Posts: 2,512
    @Dalehelman why would you not put Dawn dish soap in the grey tank, especially since that one would have more food and grease residues? Just curious.
    2017 T@B 320 Max S silver and cherry red, L@dybug ("Bug" aka my esc@pe pod), TV 2015 Toyota Highlander aka Big Red
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    Photomom:  The references said that detergent is already entering the tank via the sink and shower useage, so it is not needed.  I suppose you could add it for periods of storage, which I may do.

    Dale:  you are right, I can cut back, or maybe float away on the bubbles!

    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • larrygonlarrygon Member Posts: 255
    Keeping the tank clean is also a must. I diligently rinse after use and fill when stored.
    "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." Albert Einstein
    2015 T@B M@X S White with Grey trim | TV 2021 Ascent Touring | Flagstaff AZ.
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  • Michigan_MikeMichigan_Mike Member Posts: 2,861
    larrygon said:
    Keeping the tank clean is also a must. I diligently rinse after use and fill when stored.
    I agree...  I took Verna's suggestion (buying an attachment jet) and bought the clear attachment with the hose fitting (jets water into black tank) and that does a decent job of loosening things up and flushing the tank out.  

    I also use some dish soap and Downy fabric softener occasionally in the tank and all of the above seems to work well.  
    Mike - Elmira, Mi / 2019 T@B 400 / 2021 Chevy Silverado LTZ
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  • irvingjirvingj Member Posts: 335
    "... and fill when stored."  Care to elaborate on that please?
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  • larrygonlarrygon Member Posts: 255
    irvingj said:
    "... and fill when stored."  Care to elaborate on that please?
    I keep water and some chemclean in the tank just in case there is still something hanging on in there!  :o
    "Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds." Albert Einstein
    2015 T@B M@X S White with Grey trim | TV 2021 Ascent Touring | Flagstaff AZ.
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  • Sharon_is_SAMSharon_is_SAM Administrator Posts: 9,760
    I think that it is a good idea to leave some water in the tanks to prevent drying of anything left on the bottom.  GEO method has you adding the Dawn and Borax/Calgon with a gallon of water.  That should do it with our little tanks.
    Sharon / 2017 T@B CSS / 2015 Toyota Sienna Minivan / Westlake, Ohio
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  • marilyncpmarilyncp Member Posts: 117
    Quick question... I'm using Walex PPRVLAV Porta-Pak Lavender Breeze, so far so good but my question is do I need to add a new pack after everytime I dump my black water?  I'm using my toilet as a tingle pot!  =) Nothing else goes down as I keep my TP contained and toss daily.  I do add water and a very little Dawn to my tank afterwards.  So far I have used a new pack before every trip, just seems that there is still some left after I dump because I see a little lavender liquid coming out before I cap off again.  

    Any thoughts?  Thanks in advance!

    M@rilyn
    Previous 2017 T@B S owner... c'est l@ vie
    But still passionate about the brand!

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  • VernaVerna Member Posts: 6,878
    Use more water when you put your Lavender pack in to allowit to disolve. And, yes, you do need to put treatment in each time you dump, otherwise there will be an odor. 
    Verna, Columbus, IN
    2021 T@B 320S  Boondock “The T@B”
    Towed by a white 2019 Ford F-150 4x4 Supercab, 3.5L V6 Ecoboost “The Truck”
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  • marilyncpmarilyncp Member Posts: 117
    @Verna. Thanks!! 
    M@rilyn
    Previous 2017 T@B S owner... c'est l@ vie
    But still passionate about the brand!

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  • kybobkybob Member Posts: 232
    We use Odorlos and there is no smell what so ever. My nose starts to itch and eyes water just walking through the toilet chemical section of Camping World. We only use the commode for #1, but Odorlos works well for us. 
    2018 Outback S, Silver/Black - 2015 Silver Honda Pilot 4WD - Florence, KY

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  • ColoradoJonColoradoJon Member Posts: 415
    I also use Odorlos with excellent results.  My dealer gave us a sample of RV Digest but I haven't tried it yet.  I have a RV dump installed at my home septic tank so I don't like to use harsh chemicals.
    Jon & Angela | Florissant Colorado | 2017 Outback S
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