Holding tank vent odor

Richard (CPSS) said it all - I agree with everything he said in his last posting. [:-bonc01]
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

Richard (CPSS) said it all - I agree with everything he said in his last posting. [:-bonc01]

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The Tide idea comes from the Sealand literature that came with our new boat.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

Richard (CPSS) said it all - I agree with everything he said in his last posting. [:-bonc01]
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Well, I certainly cannot argue with the experts! Of course, I also have a tendency to stick with what's working for me.

BUT, and this is a BIG BUTT-- we don't do #2 in our head (inland lake), and we tell guests the same. Therefore, I think our need of friendly bacteria is seriously minimized--yes?

Whatever the case, ours has been odorless ever since the bleach treatment.

Paul
 
I had a tremendous odor problem. Turns out my boat a 1993 hadn't had a single hose changed since it was built. The old owner left the broker with a 35 gallon tank of crap that sat for at least a year. Other than the obvious the hoses were permeated the aluminum tank was saturated and leaking. I replaced everything including the head to a VacuFlush and after 3 months we have no odors and I don't expect any for some time. I use the Sealand blue treatment and the system has a filter that I intend to change annually. The fix was expensive but worth every dollar. When leaving the boat we always run about 2 gallons of fresh water through the system to clean all the components to the tank. Regards Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by AustinPaul

Man, all this talk of filters and this and that. We had the same problem on mine. A terrible rotten egg odor if the tank was left unpumped for a few weeks in the heat.
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My boat has a 100gal holding tank under the bed in the Master stateroom, actually there is a A/C unit under the bed and under that is the holding tank- the air intake for the A/C is in the bed frame
SO if I got any odor, not only would I smell it in the bed but the A/C would push it around the Master & 3rd stateroom
I use KO exclusively (a few times I used odorless) and clean with CP and sometime we can go for 2-4 weeks without a pump out.
The only time we have had odors is when I have use some sort of cover up product in the past – will not do it again
I am just getting over some minor surgery that has kept me from the boat for 4 weeks & the Tank has been ½ full (50Gals of ‘stuff’)for about 5 weeks- I will be going down tomorrow and I am sure there will be no smell
BTW: I have a filter on the vent line – it’s over 2 years old and I guess it’s still working because there is no odor
 
I am just getting over some minor surgery that has kept me from the boat for 4 weeks & the Tank has been ½ full (50Gals of ‘stuff’)for about 5 weeks- I will be going down tomorrow and I am sure there will be no smell

I sincerely hope the surgery was not on your nose....you might get a realistic surprise!!!

Sorry Andy but ...you fed me the line....and I just couldn't help myself.
David
 
quote:
Originally posted by davita

I am just getting over some minor surgery that has kept me from the boat for 4 weeks & the Tank has been ½ full (50Gals of ‘stuff’)for about 5 weeks- I will be going down tomorrow and I am sure there will be no smell

I sincerely hope the surgery was not on your nose....you might get a realistic surprise!!!

Sorry Andy but ...you fed me the line....and I just couldn't help myself.
David

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No problem David – your right I guess I unthinkingly set it up:D
No surgery with the Nose –its working fine -and I guess I now have to report back after today’s trip & pump out
 
Glad you did not take offense Andy. Whilst reading your post I was reminded of a joke that must have come from the ark....
Drunk in bar said "My dog doesn't have a nose!"
"Then how does he smell?" his partner asked.
"Bloody awful!" was the reply.
Bah Bing
Time for bed
David
 
From Austin Paul - BUT, and this is a BIG BUTT-- we don't do #2 in our head (inland lake), and we tell guests the same. Therefore, I think our need of friendly bacteria is seriously minimized--yes?

I'll sidestep the comment on big butts (I think I fall under that category myself), but I will mention that if you don't put #2 into the tank, none of the bacterial additives will work: KO, Odorlos, et al.

Urine, unless you're a very sick person, is sterile. Therefore, with no #2 in the tank, you're not putting anything in there to feed the bacteria additive, and they will soon die off - they actually starve to death. But the urine smell will remain! So with #1 only in the tank, KO, Odorlos and any other bacterial additive will not work. Don't blame the product if it isn't being used properly.
 
And bear in mind things like formaldehyde are a) bad for the environment and b) corrosive to plastics and rubber.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Vic Willman

From Austin Paul - BUT, and this is a BIG BUTT-- we don't do #2 in our head (inland lake), and we tell guests the same. Therefore, I think our need of friendly bacteria is seriously minimized--yes?

I'll sidestep the comment on big butts (I think I fall under that category myself), but I will mention that if you don't put #2 into the tank, none of the bacterial additives will work: KO, Odorlos, et al.

Urine, unless you're a very sick person, is sterile. Therefore, with no #2 in the tank, you're not putting anything in there to feed the bacteria additive, and they will soon die off - they actually starve to death. But the urine smell will remain! So with #1 only in the tank, KO, Odorlos and any other bacterial additive will not work. Don't blame the product if it isn't being used properly.

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That must explain why the bleach process works so well for us. I like a nice and tidy head system!

Next boat will be a different story.

Paul
 
I dont mean to bring this back from the dead, but Ive always used Campa-chem from Wal-mart in my holding tank (20 gals). I have a friend who used KO and the stench every time he flushed was HORRENDUS! He eventually switched over to campa-chem after I gave him a bottle of mine and it eliminated the smell.

Who cares if the stuff "breaks down" or not?? And just so you know, when stuff "breaks down" (think decomposition) there is always an aroma!

This isnt a septic tank - septic tanks you get pumped out every, what, 10+ years or so?? You should be pumping out your marine holding tank often so it doesnt permeated the hoses and tank. I could give a crap about the bacteria in the holding tank (no pun intended) and Ive never had an odor problem, and we use our head all of the time. Campa-chem definately gets +1 in my book.
 
KO and other bacterial additives will work if the tank's venting is adequate (and if you have both #1 and #2 in the tank). The bacteria additives require plenty of oxygen coming into the tank through the tank's vent(s). In many cases the builder uses 5/8" I.D. vent line hose, which won't allow nearly enough air to come into the tank for the additives to work. We recommend a minimum of 3/4" I.D. vent lines, and larger if possible - and two vent lines on opposite corners of the tank and exiting through opposite sides of the hull. Ideally, they would be 1 1/2" I.D., just like the input and pumpout lines.

I use Campa-Chem myself, in my RV, and it seems to work pretty well. On an RV, the vent pipe is like a vent stack in a house; it goes straight up and out through the roof - that configuration doesn't allow much air to get into the tank. I've used KO in it, but it only worked marginally, so I tried Campa-Chem from Wal-Mart and it seemed to do the trick. But, from an environmental viewpoint, it really isn't the best way to go.
 
Chris said, "Who cares if the stuff "breaks down" or not?? And just so you know, when stuff "breaks down" (think decomposition) there is always an aroma!"

I have to take issue with that.

Actually, when a holding tank gets enough air into it, it is sort of like a septic system out in the country, and the solids and paper do break down and liquify. Oxygen is the key ingredient; the bacteria additives simply speed up the process. Breakdown and liquification of the solids and paper inside the tank makes it easier to pump out the tank, and lowers chances for a sludge buildup inside the tank - and also reduces chances for a clog in the pumpout lines.

When a septic system out in the country is working properly, there is absolutely no smell associated with it. But when it isn't.... Your neighbors aren't your friends any longer!

So as the effluent breaks down with the proper bacteria having been added, and sufficient amounts of oxygen getting into the tank, there won't be any smell from the holding tank, either. It's just that there are very few holding tanks that are set up properly.

The GROCO Sweet Tank system has an air pump that forces air into the tank on a continuous basis, with no additives whatsoever, and the tank smell soon goes away. So again, the key is having adequate amounts of oxygen coming into the tank.
 
Thetford, maker of Campa-Chem also makes a more powerful product called Aqua-Kem for holding tanks. Why not use the stronger product?
 
I have fallen under the spell of Vic Willman over the past couple of years and he has made so many subliminal suggestions that I recently pulled out my 5/8" vent and hose and replaced it with a 3/4" hose and a new "mushroom-type" thru hull. I hope he is not subliminally asking me for $$$, because I keep catching myself placing $20.00 bills into an envelope and starting to write his name on it. LOL
 
Champa-Chem comes in two formulas at Wall - Mart. Blue lid or Green lid, If you read the labels one has Foremeldahide and one is a green version. For long term and winter storage i use the Formeldahide formula. But for summer cruising and when the head gets used more often we find the greener version works good. and is better for us all in the long run.
 
Tom, according to my wife, I'm about as subliminal as a stick of dynamite! [:-jump]

Funny, those $20 dollar checks don't seem to be arriving... [:-brokenheart]
 
So that's why I keep getting 20 dollar bills in the mail w/ Vics name on them?

As powerboaters, we all have a large carbon footprint. It's part of the game. Still, I like to take reasonable steps to preserve the environment that we all enjoy and depend upon. It's not always a compromise either - sometimes being green is EASY and BETTER.

The (my) cleaning rule of alwasy using the most mild product that will effectively do the job applies to MSD's as well. It's better for the environment, better for your system and if you're careful, can save money too.
 
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