# Black Water Tank



## Sacmetrofire (Sep 21, 2005)

Should I keep water in my tanks? If so how much?I heard I should always keep water in my black tank.

Tim


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Tim I keep a couple of gallons in my black water tank along with some of the toilet chemicals. Over the winter months I drain it and dump some RV anti-freeze in. Where you are at though that shouldn't be an issue.


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## Thor (Apr 7, 2004)

Y-Guy said:


> Tim I keep a couple of gallons in my black water tank along with some of the toilet chemicals. Over the winter months I drain it and dump some RV anti-freeze in. Where you are at though that shouldn't be an issue.
> [snapback]60613[/snapback]​


Ditto

Thor


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## HootBob (Apr 26, 2004)

Same here









Don


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## 7heaven (Jun 4, 2005)

We keep a couple of gallons in there, along with toilet chemicals, water softener and a little liquid Tide. Overkill maybe.... Now, for the winter, we keep it empty here!


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

Sacmetrofire said:


> Should I keep water in my tanks? If so how much?I heard I should always keep water in my black tank.
> 
> Tim
> [snapback]60602[/snapback]​


As we use our camper all winter, I keep antifreeze in the gray and the black. Friday, just before we leave, I add some water and chemicals to the black. That's when I fill the fresh water tank too.

You aint lived until you've returned from a weekend and had to empty the black tank mix of water, antifreeze, chemicals and . . . other stuff, by making trips to the house with a five-gallon bucket. It's usually the highlight of my week.


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## camping479 (Aug 27, 2003)

> You aint lived until you've returned from a weekend and had to empty the black tank mix of water, antifreeze, chemicals and . . . other stuff, by making trips to the house with a five-gallon bucket. It's usually the highlight of my week.Â


Full hookups @ home??

I wish we had had our trailer before we re-did our driveway 5 years ago. I would have put in full hookups and widened it while everything was torn up. Oh well

I do the same as the other guys, drain completely and put some anti freeze in there.

Mike


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## W4DRR (May 17, 2005)

For the care and feeding of my black tank, here is my procedure: Dump the tank and spray with the wand thingie at the dump station as usual. Fill the tank about 1/4 full with water to slosh around on the way home. When I arrive home I back-flush and pump out with the FloJet pump through a hose into the house a couple of times. Then I fill the tank all the way to the top and add the green chemical...NOT THE FORMALDEHYDE STUFF! The green chemical promotes bacterial breakdown of solids, and that is what you want. By filling the tank to the top, any paper or "other solids" (yecch!) that might be clinging to the sides or sensors will be broken down and dissolved. I let this brew "ferment" for at least a week or two and then either pump out, or dump in the yard. Yes, believe it or not, the green stuff does such a good job of breaking down the solids that it can be dumped on the ground. Usually, no odor, or solids come out. If it looks like it isn't 100% clean, then re-fill, add more chemical, and let it sit another week or so.


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## PDX_Doug (Nov 16, 2004)

OK, I understand the antifreeze part in the winter, but what is the reason for keeping water in the tank otherwise? Does it help keep the seals in good shape or something?









Happy Trails,
Doug


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## bill_pfaff (Mar 11, 2005)

OK, I'll jump out there as the bad guy.

This is our second TT and although it is our first winter with the OB I'm doing the same thing I have done in the past with my other TT tanks,,,,,, nothing.

All I have ever done is to clean out the tanks after the last trip of the season just like any other trip, put in the usual dish detergent treatment, add the usual pack of "the stuff" and then when I winterize I split whatever is left in the antifreeze jug (after I do the rest of the TT) between the two tanks, which usually isnâ€™t much.

Never had a problem but then again I'm in DE and although we get hard freezes here I know they aren't as bad as the ones you guys get in your neck of the woods.

Bill


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## Humpty (Apr 20, 2005)

[/quote]
You aint lived until you've returned from a weekend and had to empty the black tank mix of water, antifreeze, chemicals and . . . other stuff, by making trips to the house with a five-gallon bucket. It's usually the highlight of my week.








[snapback]60636[/snapback]​[/quote]

I had to do that "bucket thing" when I installed the QF. NOT FUN!!


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I don't keep a STITCH of water in my tanks over the winter.

All it would be is a SLUDGE-CICLE!









I lubricate the tanks with RV Anti-freeze after a good flushing.


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## Martybeech (Mar 13, 2004)

Summer - yes some water always in black with mix of bleach and calgon water softner.
Winter - clean as a whistle, well maybe some RV antifreeze from the drains.

On a side note, I stopped using RV chemicals after reading a lengthy article on the subject. Last 2 summers have been a mix of bleach and calgon water softener. Then I use a wand to flush once in awhile. I have no use for the RV chemicals. IMO they never really controlled the odour properly nor kept the tanks clean. A hassle to buy as well. After having an inground pool for 10 years I have a lot of more confidence in controlled amounts of chlorine. Why do you think our water is chlorinated? I also cholorinate the fresh water tank a couple times a summer. I don't buy the argument it can have a negative effect on plastic or rubber as long as it is used in reasonable amounts. I have no odour when the toilet is flushed and we are heavy users with 2 teenage boys







.


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