has anybody put anything into their black water tank like Ridex or a enzyme eater of some kind to clean the tank?
lenny

quote:

Originally posted by lenny and judy:
has anybody put anything into their black water tank like Ridex or a enzyme eater of some kind to clean the tank?
lenny

We use Happy Camper. It is a pretty good product, but they are lying about it being completely odorless. When I gravity dump the Blue Boy, it smells like sewage.

Another good product is Pure Power. I have used it, but it was a while ago, and don't have a good memory of its finer points, just that it worked OK.

We never dump unless we are 3/4 full. If we want to dump and are less than 3/4, we add water to assure a giant FLOOOOSH as the dump valve is opened. This assures a good vigorous outflow which cleans the bottom.

Cleaning and rinsing are overrated. Our black tank has never been flushed, rinsed or cleaned in the last ten years. Just one quick dump and off we go. I know it is clean because it shows daylight down the hole until it gets half full or more.

Many folks say use plenty of water, but we have found it unnecessary. We are super stingy with our water use. Our toilet has no water connection. We flush it with gravity followed by a quick squirt from a pinpoint sprayer on a hose as a rinse. All this water conservation means a very long time between dumps. It also means our black tank contains a thick sludge, not a liquid. Nevertheless, it dumps well and never needs cleaning or rinsing.

Years ago, I made up a super-duper high velocity cleaning wand and clear back flusher, but they are no longer needed. Sitting in a box in storage somewere.

It is a "holding" tank not a "septic" tank and those additives don't even work for their intended purpose.

We recommend using enzymes that are made for septic tanks. You add a few tablespoons through the toilet and fill the tank to the top of the highest sensor. Let it sit for about a week (best done in storage) and it will breakdown the sludge and solids that accumulate on the sensors, returning your gauge to operation. While in use the tank will grow algae on the sides and particularly in the little sensors which results in some or all the sensors being coated and not providing a ground path for the gauge. These enzymes do not destroy enzymes, they make the digestion of waste efficient and ultimately reduce the contents to sludge (which can be further digested with more enzymes) and water. After a week just empty the tank and connect the hose to the flush spigot connection on the side and let it run for about 10 minutes. You will remove all sludge, clean any residual off the sides and remove all odors.

I've never used anything in our tank but good ol' water. Especially no chemicals, despite the huge number of them for sale on the shelf in any RV section of a store. If your black tank vent pipe is working properly, odor inside the coach shouldn't be a problem. I have read that Rid-X or similar can be useful for getting some good bacteria into a tank, to start the process of breaking down the solids if you have built-up gunk in there. Otherwise I don't think there's any need to use it on a regular basis.