# Black Tank Question



## Racechasers (Feb 22, 2005)

I've dumped my black tank, filled it again and dumped again to flush it out good and I would like to soak the tank with some sort of cleaner to kind of help with the odor. Any suggestions?


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

http://www.geocities.com/ndjollymon/Outbac...54796803?200717

Here s a good place to start


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## Racechasers (Feb 22, 2005)

I got "page cannot be displayed"?? Any other way to get to the topic?


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## Nathan (Jan 2, 2007)

There are commercial cleaners available. Are you having a odor problem with the tank? If so, you might want to look at the chemical mix you are using and how you flush it each time.


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## Racechasers (Feb 22, 2005)

Yeah, I've had the Outback for 3 years now and never had a problem but now recently it has gotten bad. I was lookin for a maybe a simple household remedy. Maybe putting some clorox down and filling it up with water. Or something along those lines??


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## tdvffjohn (Mar 10, 2005)

I ll retry but yes. Main forum page under Outbackers,com FYI

John

Geocities seems to be down because I cannot either . Try later, I guess


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## jetjane (Feb 8, 2007)

Racechasers said:


> Yeah, I've had the Outback for 3 years now and never had a problem but now recently it has gotten bad. I was lookin for a maybe a simple household remedy. Maybe putting some clorox down and filling it up with water. Or something along those lines??


Maybe you have a different problem like a blocked vent stack??


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## Racechasers (Feb 22, 2005)

jetjane said:


> Yeah, I've had the Outback for 3 years now and never had a problem but now recently it has gotten bad. I was lookin for a maybe a simple household remedy. Maybe putting some clorox down and filling it up with water. Or something along those lines??


Maybe you have a different problem like a blocked vent stack??
[/quote]

Know how to check that?


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## jetjane (Feb 8, 2007)

Racechasers said:


> Know how to check that?


I've never done it myself, but I would think you go up on the roof, pop the cap off the vent stack, shine a flashlight down there and look and then if it is blocked, get a hose and try spraying some water down it. Others here will chime in if I am wrong or if there is a better way.


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## battalionchief3 (Jun 27, 2006)

I put a few gallons of water in, follow by a bunch of ice a dash of Thetford tissue digester, shake while driving and dump and flush at the campground.

Thats my recipe for a clean tank.

I still use my flush king and tornado and throw in some water softner.


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## OregonCampin (Mar 9, 2007)

battalionchief3 said:


> I put a few gallons of water in, follow by a bunch of ice a dash of Thetford tissue digester, shake while driving and dump and flush at the campground.
> 
> Thats my recipe for a clean tank.
> 
> I still use my flush king and tornado and throw in some water softner.


X2 minus the flush king and tornado!


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Maybe those folks that make the Roomba could come with a Poopba....it would live in the black tank and scrub it night and day.


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## Paul and Amy (Jul 8, 2007)

Racechasers said:


> I've dumped my black tank, filled it again and dumped again to flush it out good and I would like to soak the tank with some sort of cleaner to kind of help with the odor. Any suggestions?


There was an previous post on this subject that you may be able to find the link to. In that post the writer uses calgon (water softner) with each use of the black tank as well as the grey tank. The idea is that the tanks will stay cleaner since the calgon inhibits the ability of things to stick to the lining. I do follow this, but have missed time or two. I have to be honest, everything looks pretty clean when coming out. I also add 5 gallons of water and one cup of bleach to each tank after dumping. I usually let it stay in there untill our next trip so the tank will agitate on the way. Paul

Able to find link:

http://www.geocities.com/ndjollymon/Outbac...54796803?200713


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## Moosegut (Sep 24, 2005)

jetjane said:


> Know how to check that?


I've never done it myself, but I would think you go up on the roof, pop the cap off the vent stack, shine a flashlight down there and look and then if it is blocked, get a hose and try spraying some water down it. Others here will chime in if I am wrong or if there is a better way.








[/quote]You might also try the shop vac on reverse. Just make sure it's REVERSE.


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## wicandthing (Jul 11, 2005)

I started having some odor problems this season. I do the whole chemicals, water softener, detergent, quickie-flush routine everytime and still had the problem. Last trip out the wife dropped one of those blue tidy-bowl tablets in. No more odors after about 24 hours. Went out and checked it out this past weekend after sitting up for 2 months and still no odor....


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## jlukens (Oct 3, 2006)

I have found that filling up your fresh tank with SOFT water to begin with helps quite a bit, if you have the facilities and resources to do so.


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## Lmbevard (Mar 18, 2006)

I thought I would start up this line again to tell about my experience trying to get my Black tank cleaned out. I was getting terrible smells from my tank in the camper even using the Calgon/Detergent in the tank. I tried several different chemical and finally found a combination Emzyme/baterial that seems to help a lot. I also ended up buy a swivel stick (see at http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/...el-stiks/15716) to help clean it out because I didn't want to install an in tank cleaner and at the time I didn't have enough water pressure at the house to do any good. The DW and I were out shopping and found a package of wet wipes that were suppose to be septic tank safe and dissolve on the way down, at least that is what the package said. Don't believe it! I emptied the tank at the campground because it is a straight drop and usually clears out the tank better than what I could do at home. When I got home I started cleaning out the tank with the swivel stick and you can imagine the mess. Had several of the toilettes stuck in the elbow (have a clear elbow to see what is coming down the pipe and a bigger mess in the tank. Took me over 45 minutes to finally get everything flushed. Lessons learnt; don't alway believe what a package says; remember that anything that goes down the toilet will have to come out. Thanks goodness I finally got everything flushed so that nothing is left in the tank so I can start next year with a clean tank. After 45 min. of flushing I even got the sensor on the Black tank to show empty! A first after the first use.


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## campingnut18 (Mar 11, 2004)

We had a slight stinch at one point but we were able to solve it by: quickie flush fill and dump method, blue stuff, water softner, and recently tried out some good ol' baking soda and a few gallons of hot water for a traveling slosh. If you're into natural solutions, someone mentioned vinegar also for a cleaner but we haven't tried that yet. No stinkie here... A nice hot day helps, um stir it all up ... ugh








Good ol' maintenance after each trip has been good for us.

C-


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## Sayonara (Jul 23, 2007)

I installed a quickie flush soon after we bought our 32BHDS. I dump/flush/dump/flush/dump each time and have never had a odor problem. Using a clear elbow is a good idea to confirm how clean it is.


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## Oregon_Camper (Sep 13, 2004)

Sayonara said:


> ....Using a clear elbow is a good idea to confirm how clean it is.


Not the prettiest stuff to watch, but it sure is helpful to see when the tank is running clean.


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## campfirenut (Aug 9, 2006)

LabbyCampers said:


> I've dumped my black tank, filled it again and dumped again to flush it out good and I would like to soak the tank with some sort of cleaner to kind of help with the odor. Any suggestions?


There was an previous post on this subject that you may be able to find the link to. In that post the writer uses calgon (water softner) with each use of the black tank as well as the grey tank. The idea is that the tanks will stay cleaner since the calgon inhibits the ability of things to stick to the lining. I do follow this, but have missed time or two. I have to be honest, everything looks pretty clean when coming out. I also add 5 gallons of water and one cup of bleach to each tank after dumping. I usually let it stay in there untill our next trip so the tank will agitate on the way. Paul

Able to find link:

http://www.geocities.com/ndjollymon/Outbac...54796803?200713
[/quote]

x2 on the water softener but you don
t need to put it in your grey tank, the dish detergent soaps will do the same as the water softeners.

Bob


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