Head chemicals

[HeadMistress]

A blocked vent will pressurize the tank--the whole system in fact, creating back pressure when you flush that won't let bowl contents go anywhere or will start causing the toilet to burp and/or gurgle when you flush....your first clue.

While not impossible,a blockage in the vent LINE isn't common...the exception can be a spider nest in it. The two most common locations for a vent blockage are the vent thru-hull and the other end of the vent line--that end of the hose and the vent fitting on the tank. Start by cleaning out the thru-hull...use a screwdriver blade, ice pick--whatever works. Better yet, just replace the "vent" thru-hull with the open bulkhead fitting I described above. (If the blockage is in the thru-hull, be prepared for a spew out the side of the boat when it comes out.)

If that doesn't result in a spew out the vent, you'll need to relieve the pressure before removing the vent line from the tank to clean them out...so open the deck pumpout fitting VERY CAREFULLY with a hose at the ready. Be sure you're UPwind of it! Scrape out that end of the vent line and the vent fitting on the tank...reconnect the vent line.

If there's a filter in the vent line, remove it...once a filter gets wet--which can happen when a tank is overfilled or even due to heeling--the charcoal swells and blocks the vent.

As with most things, prevention is easier and often a lot cheaper than cure. An open vent thru-hull that allows the vent line to be back flushed by putting a hose nozzle against it is cheap and easy blockage prevention.

--Peggie

 

[backinblue]

Thanks Peggy. I'll take a closer look this season, winter here now. I like the idea of backflushing with a hose. In fact, if that works I would do it regularly, like after a pumpout.

 

[Sea Q]

Again, no vent odor when flushing, but odor when pumping off. Had sweet tanks etc., these are not the question, the question is what is the active chemical in Hapoy Camper that seems to out perform NoFlex Digester

They are not the same . Smells at pump out will be sludge and waste on the side of tank How long have you been using Noflex and what size is your tank
Mr. Noflex

 

[Greg Sutton]

Try Tank-teria from https://marinesan.com/tank-teria-10pk/

I've used this alone for over a decade now and only have a mild oder at pump out, which is not a problem for me. It's a balanced shot of Micro-0rganisms that really seem to take care of ... "business".

 

[Hippocampus]

Think many of us pump out not only when the tank is full or in preparation for leaving the boat for awhile. Think occasions arise when the tank is partially full and it’s bumpy or you suddenly accelerate or for other reasons its contents slosh around and the inner walls get coated.

Any enzyme or chemical you put in won’t impact that stuff if you put it in at the slip and just let it sit unless the tank is full at that time. Think lumps of that stuff eventually fall off. Think there’s more anaerobic activity in sludge than in effluent. So sludge causes more smell.

We use no chemicals beyond olive oil. On occasion when we have the opportunity of both having shore fresh water and a pump out we fill the tank and drain. Several times if the station allows it. Think it’s good for the tank and the hoses(pipes).
Think if you are going to use additives time to do so is before a trip. Contents will slosh around. Get more aeration. Get more benefits.

Peggy-Is that a reasonable practice? Thanks

 

[HeadMistress]

Peggy-Is that a reasonable practice? Thanks

I've always recommended thoroughly flushing out the tank 2-3 x season or every 3-4 months if you're a live aboard. However, I'd never recommend using olive or any other oil as a tank treatment because oil creates a "skin" on top of the contents that doesn't let the contents "breathe," and actually help the tank walls to collect waste that builds up on tank walls and inside hoses, "helping" salt and sea water mineral buildup in them.

Tank products that work WITH nature instead of killing bacteria--No-Flex, Odorlos, K.O. etc--help with breakdown of waste, reducing sludge and buildup, and should be used as directed continuously because they work equally well when the boat is at rest or underway.

--Peggie

 

[Hippocampus]

Put a few drops to just wet the O ring on the ball at the toilet. Turn off water supply first and drain the bowl first so it gets there and nowhere else. Amount is trivial.
Boat has two totally independent vacuflush systems. Had marine elegance on prior boats but can’t see replacing the VF as it works just fine. System is fresh water only.

Should I just stop using even that little bit of olive oil?

 

[Cigatoo]

FWIW. Last weekend I installed an aerator as others have done. Easy job and odors are gone…….Completely! When I first turned it on the odor from the vent was overwhelming. Really ugly! But weather was bad so no neighbors around. 24 hours later 90% better. 4 days later completely gone as per sniff test at the vent outlet. Worth much more than the $50 in materials and easy effort it took to install. Bubbler draws just under .5 amps @ 12 volts dc.

 

[HeadMistress]

Your startup experience explains why it's necessary run aerator 24/7 even while away from the boat. 'Cuz without a continuous supply of oxygen the tank contents will revert to their pre-bubbler state and you won't always be lucky enough to have enough time to restore the aerated condition when no one else is on the dock.


--Peggie

 

[HeadMistress]

Should I just stop using even that little bit of olive oil?


Yes, but only because it just washes out in a few flushes. Switch to a thick silicone grease like SuperLube (the one in a tube, not their liquid or spray), available from Ace Hardware, that'll last a while.


--Peggie

 

[hmason]

This is the most effective tank treatment I've ever used. We have zero odor from a 110 gallon holding tank. I add a couple of ounces after each pump out.
https://www.justscience.com/tanktechsrx-probiotic-rv-tank-treatment
I had no success with Noflex or any other brand. I have no relationship with this company; just a very happy customer.

 

[Moonfish]

This is the most effective tank treatment I've ever used. We have zero odor from a 110 gallon holding tank. I add a couple of ounces after each pump out.
https://www.justscience.com/tanktechsrx-probiotic-rv-tank-treatment
I had no success with Noflex or any other brand. I have no relationship with this company; just a very happy customer.

We agree 100% with Howard, and have been using it consistently for 8 years. Some people might be familiar with the previous name, Forget About It. Just Science is the "new" brand name and is the same exact probiotic treatment. Which is also the same exact thing as the original Tank Techs RX home septic tank treatment. Although we do have a relationship with the company, as we sell it in our store (for the same exact price...).

We wrote a blog post about our experience with then-named Forget About It 3 years ago, which includes a little video of me explaining the virtues of using the product as liveaboards: https://www.pacificnwboatertested.c...get-about-it-holding-tank-probiotic-treatment