Black Water Tank Treatment/Deodorizor

speedo

speedo

Moderator
Member
Joined
Jul 14, 2004
RO Number
14386
Messages
522
Any recommendations for treating and deodorizing the black water tank? In my cuddy, I added some blue stuff to the fresh water reservoir that flushed the bowl. I think my new boat is getting water from the lake, so need a treatment that goes directly into the holding tank.

TIA and Happy Thanksgiving!
 
Ken,

If you don’t already have both port and starboard holding tank vents, add a vent on the missing side. Works wonders for holding tank odor.
 
quote:
Originally posted by PilotError

Ken,

If you don’t already have both port and starboard holding tank vents, add a vent on the missing side. Works wonders for holding tank odor.

Click to expand...
I'll look for that. It's a small boat, so I wouldn't expect there to be two vents, but I'll look.

Thanks for the other suggestions, too. Should plan to flush black and gray water tanks and add KO or Odorlos.
 
I've got a carbon filter on my vent line - expensive to replace, but lasts years.
 
Get the book, "How to Get Rid of Boat Odors" by the head mistress herself, Peggy Hall. Very well known in the marine industry and truly a cesspool of knowledge, pun intended.
 
quote:
Originally posted by sugilbert

KO

Click to expand...


KO works if you have plenty of ventilation in your tank, as it is aerobic.

Most tanks don't have enough ventilation, so Odorlos (anaerobic) works better.
 
Last edited:
I didn't have much ventilation but used KO and KP for years with no problems.

Emptying and flushing the tank frequently helps. Never mix any cleaning chemicals with the KO. If you want to clean the bowl use KP and do it just before pump out.

I always fully flushed the toilet and lines several times then added some KO to let stand in the lines from last flush when I wouldn't use the boat for a while. IMO you don't want stuff sitting in the lines and getting hard.

Always use fast dissolving TP. Take a sample and let it soak in water and see how long it takes to dissolve. Some don't dissolve quickly and will cause clumps.

All the above wasn't really a big deal and for 17 years with two vacuflush systems I never had an odor or blockage problem and never had to change the joker valves though I had spares and was waiting. IMO a clean system will work a very long time without problems.

Never spray water into the vent line when washing the boat if you have carbon filters, they will plug up and no longer work if wet.

I also told any guests how to use the system and to not be embarrassed to ask and that if they plugged it up they would stay and clean it out. :D
 
Gene the tube shaped carbon filters are not hard to rebuild. Carbon granules are available but at this time I dont remember where.
 
Aquarium filter carbon is what I have used. Last new filter I bought was 10 years ago and then I figured out how to recharge them. $10 of filter material lasts 3 years!
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

I didn't have much ventilation but used KO and KP for years with no problems.

Emptying and flushing the tank frequently helps. Never mix any cleaning chemicals with the KO. If you want to clean the bowl use KP and do it just before pump out.

I always fully flushed the toilet and lines several times then added some KO to let stand in the lines from last flush when I wouldn't use the boat for a while. IMO you don't want stuff sitting in the lines and getting hard.

Always use fast dissolving TP. Take a sample and let it soak in water and see how long it takes to dissolve. Some don't dissolve quickly and will cause clumps.

All the above wasn't really a big deal and for 17 years with two vacuflush systems I never had an odor or blockage problem and never had to change the joker valves though I had spares and was waiting. IMO a clean system will work a very long time without problems.

Never spray water into the vent line when washing the boat if you have carbon filters, they will plug up and no longer work if wet.

I also told any guests how to use the system and to not be embarrassed to ask and that if they plugged it up they would stay and clean it out. :D

Click to expand...


I think you mean "CP". That's the only thing I house to clean my toilets
 
thanks to Bruce and Dwight - I'll see if it comes apart easy 'nuff when it gets a bit ripe!
 
I used to use Odorlos, but switched to Happy Camper a few years ago. It works even better than Odorlos. This is for a well-vented tank. I don't think either one would work with poor venting.
 
+1 for Odorlos, more is not better. Do some reading on how a holding tanks works as well. You actually want poo in there to do it's job :)

Amazon.com: The New Get Rid of Boat Odors, 2nd Edition: A Boat Owner’s Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor eBook : Hall, Peggie: Kindle Store

Buy The New Get Rid of Boat Odors, 2nd Edition: A Boat Owner’s Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor: Read Kindle Store Reviews - Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top