DAVID D WILEY wrote:
Just found your information--had heard about it but hadn't read the whole story. I have a question I didn't see addressed in your article--about using bleach in the tanks. I had heard that bleach will damage rubber seals--is this true? Also--chlorine and ammonia don't mix--is there
enough ammonia in urine to make a different and vent dangerous fumes? Taking a whiz into a newly cleaned toilet that has not been flushed will show what I am talking about!
I've been doing this since 2002 with no apparent damage to anything. This includes two six month periods of full-timing. From my experienceThe Geo Method is very effective, inexpensive, AND harmless. cb
The tanks are vented through the roof to the outside. I'm certain there must be at least a chlorine bleach smell, but I've never even noticedthat when flushing the commode or at any other time. cb
In 40 years of RVing we've never had a black tank problem (except when we cracked one going up a bank after crossing a stream!) We dry camp mostly--use minimal water when flushing but dump all sink water, with detergent, into the toilet. We keep water and chemical in the tank when not using it, until we store it for winter. We sometimes go 2 weeks before dumping during hunting season. Fill tanks, if not already so, before dumping. We have found that public dump stations don’t have hoses that will attach to a Flush King, and frankly don't have enough room to carry a non-potable one with us. We pay $5 for each dump--if we then take it home and do a flush, we have to haul it back to the private campground and dump again for the same price before heading for the storage lot. We always use RV paper, and wet-only paper goes into a plastic bag lined waste can, not flushed. We do use a toilet chemical. Can water softener be used with these chemicals? We are using Odor-less at the moment. If not, we could add water softener after dumping, no chemical, with the 5 or more gallons of water we add to the tank. It sloshes the 5 miles home, then 6 more or so to storageafter we unload the trailer.
Don't mix chemicals unless you know what you're doing. All I'm suggesting is using laundry products in normal combination to clean waste water tanks; not mixing something else in there with it. I am NOT mixing chemicals in unusual or novel combinations, and advise others notto do so. cb
I wouldn't make an extra trip to dump. You can use The Geo Method whether the tanks are empty or full of waste water. If the tanks are empty fill them about half way first, then let them sit with water softener, detergent, and chlorine bleach, until you're ready to dump again. I've let the solution sit in the tanks for over two weeks at atime. cb
The Geo Method WILL make the stuff let go of the insides of the tanks. However, without a thorough flushing, my tanks can't move all that stuff out of the drain hole without the Flush King. My tanks sag at thebottom. Your's may be different. cb
Thanks for providing this information. I am going to add a link to our Northwood Owners Forum (Nash, Arctic Fox and Desert Fox trailers and5th wheels).
Great! Thanks. cb
Linda Wiley
Salem, Oregon
2002 Arctic Fox 25R
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