Is black water tablets bad for compost ?

[rving mr]

Hi

 

I have been making a compost with my black tank. After 8 months now I noticing my black tank is not emptying all the way and is getting full (clogged by toilet). Is the desolvant tablets bad for soil ?

[2gypsies]

You're asking two different questions.  I know nothing about compost from black water. 

However, your toilet may be backed up because you're not using enough water when flushing or using too much toilet paper.  A good working toilet shouldn't need any additives.  All we every used was plenty of water and no smells or clogging issues.

[rving mr]

1 hour ago, 2gypsies said:

You're asking two different questions.  I know nothing about compost from black water. 

However, your toilet may be backed up because you're not using enough water when flushing or using too much toilet paper.  A good working toilet shouldn't need any additives.  All we every used was plenty of water and no smells or clogging issues.

Cool ty. I'll start using more water. I wasn't peeing in it due to save space/time for dumping and I have not look'd to see what ph it does to compost. I thout every one use the tablets to reduce smell and liquify paper and clunk(pooh).

[Kirk W]

The natural process will take care of any solids in the black tank, as long as you use enough water. Most of the fulltime RV people stop using any chemicals after a time.  If you use too little water there is no chemical that will resolve the problems. It sounds like you already have a build-up of solids in your tank and you would be very wise to find some way to get that out before it gets any worse. If you do not solve this, you will not be able to empty the tank at all at some point. 

[SWharton]

Do you keep you black tank valve closed between dumpings? It i critical that you do.

[sandsys]

4 hours ago, Kirk W said:

It sounds like you already have a build-up of solids in your tank and you would be very wise to find some way to get that out before it gets any worse. If you do not solve this, you will not be able to empty the tank at all at some point.

Here's how you dissolve the mound of solids if you have one. Fill the tank all the way up with water. Let it sit for as long as you can. The water level will drop as the mound dissolves. Add more water and let is drop again. Keep repeating until the level no longer drops. It will then be liquified so you can dump your tank. A friend of mine used this on her system (bought used) and that of a friend so I know it works.

Linda Sand

[rving mr]

15 hours ago, Kirk W said:

The natural process will take care of any solids in the black tank, as long as you use enough water. Most of the fulltime RV people stop using any chemicals after a time.  If you use too little water there is no chemical that will resolve the problems. It sounds like you already have a build-up of solids in your tank and you would be very wise to find some way to get that out before it gets any worse. If you do not solve this, you will not be able to empty the tank at all at some point. 

Good. I have not used any chemical but was to spearing on water. I see a thing call'd a swizzle stick or some thing like that. I will try a wand of some sort. And if that don't work I'll try tank blaster(chemical that site's over night).

13 hours ago, SWharton said:

Do you keep you black tank valve closed between dumpings? It i critical that you do.

Yes. I have portabul tote that I dump it in to and than compost it.

11 hours ago, sandsys said:

Here's how you dissolve the mound of solids if you have one. Fill the tank all the way up with water. Let it sit for as long as you can. The water level will drop as the mound dissolves. Add more water and let is drop again. Keep repeating until the level no longer drops. It will then be liquified so you can dump your tank. A friend of mine used this on her system (bought used) and that of a friend so I know it works.

Linda Sand

I see a thing call'd a swizzle stick or some thing like that. I will try a wand of some sort. And if that don't work I'll try tank blaster(chemical that site's over night).

 

I also saw a article stating ice cubes. And another one stating hot water. 

[Kirk W]

Just water may work if it has not been too long, but in most cases that I have observed, it took more than that. The ice cube thing may work to clean the sides of the tank, but probably won't do much for your problem. The Master Blaster or similar tool may do the job since it hasn't been too long. 

                                                                               U

I suggest that you mix up a few gallons of trisodium phosphate in a very strong solution and allow that to soak a while and then agitate it by towing around some before dumping. That product was recommended to me in a seminar put on by Thetford quite a few years ago. 

[2gypsies]

2 hours ago, rving mr said:

I see a thing call'd a swizzle stick or some thing like that. I will try a wand of some sort. 

 And if that don't work I'll try tank blaster(chemical that site's over night).

I also saw a article stating ice cubes. And another one stating hot water. 

It sounds like you don't have enough room in your tank to use a wand. I believe they're mainly used after dumping to clean the excess & walls.  If your tank is so full adding hot water won't do anything.

I never heard of a product called 'tank blaster'.

Definitely forget about ice cubes.  That's a myth!

Good luck.... work on it before things freeze!

 

[rving mr]

22 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Just water may work if it has not been too long, but in most cases that I have observed, it took more than that. The ice cube thing may work to clean the sides of the tank, but probably won't do much for your problem. The Master Blaster or similar tool may do the job since it hasn't been too long. 

                                                                               U

I suggest that you mix up a few gallons of trisodium phosphate in a very strong solution and allow that to soak a while and then agitate it by towing around some before dumping. That product was recommended to me in a seminar put on by Thetford quite a few years ago. 

the wand thing is what i'm going to try first for bulk.

21 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

It sounds like you don't have enough room in your tank to use a wand. I believe they're mainly used after dumping to clean the excess & walls.  If your tank is so full adding hot water won't do anything.

I never heard of a product called 'tank blaster'.

Definitely forget about ice cubes.  That's a myth!

Good luck.... work on it before things freeze!

 

Freeze is a few hr away now LOL