holding tank smells

jrcinnh said:
It's just sometimes the "I won't answer without all the facts" theme gets me down. I can understand it when someone might get hurt but we're talking about a stinky holding tank here.
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jrcinnh said:
In the abstract, I agree that more information is better and mandatory technical details would lead to a more concise answers. But is that why this board exists? Are we mostly concerned with making Wikipedia for Searays? Or is this Club Searay, where we can laugh, joke and meet people, as well as give advice and personal experiences on our boats and boats like them?
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You're right, that and the "Search" answer given upteen times a day. There are only so many boat questions, and most of them have been asked and answered. Pretty soon there will be no need for interaction, just "searching".
I know, I know, no one likes repeating the same thing over and over but there are quite a few new members who don't know the "procedure" yet.
Now back to our scintillating poopie discussion...
 
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Four Suns said:
I'm surprised no one gave me grief on the bleach thing. Just so everyone knows, Dometec states not to use bleach in a vacuflush system as it can degrade the rubber seals.
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No grief from me, but one point on the bleach. It is counterproductive for those who use Odorlos or KO because it kills the 'good' bacteria that they produce - rendering them ineffective. A good substitute (and really good all-around boat head & drain cleaner) is Raritan's CP ('Cleans Potties').

CP_bottle_small.jpg


http://www.raritaneng.com/products/cleaning_maintenance/cleans_potties.html
 
Same deal with formaldehyde products, like bleach they also destroy the useful and necessary bacteria needed to properly control holding tank conditions. If you're going to use products like Odorolos and KO then BE SURE not to use other products that kill them. Otherwise you're just wasting your money.
 
With Vacuflush, the Mfg recommends the use of their own concentrated blue stuff. i use it and my sh** never stinks ... well almost never.

The vent filter needs recharging every year or so.
 
Sundancer said:
And if we DON'T have a vacuflush what do we do? :) Many of the older boats and smaller boats don't have the alleged whooooosh, slam system. I've heard it's next to sliced bread on the list, but I don't know?


For the record, I have a Raritan manual flush, to a holding tank on my 300 DA. The 250 has a Jabsco to a holding tank. Both vents are less than ideal at about 1/2 inch. No Charcoal on the 250, haven't looked on the 300 yet? I'm sorry I don't have that information.
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I notice the vent line in my 330 is small as well, and comes with a filter. I am sure they engineered it that way for a reason, but I am not a big fan of it.

Prior to my 330, I had a 2465 Regal. The holding tank vent line was somewhere in the 1.5 to 2 inch arena. I bring this up for a reason. When I started experiencing odor problems (Jabsco manual flush head) I found no matter how often I pumped out, the smell remained. I discovered the smell was actually remains that the pump out station could not lift and a great deal of that was actually stuck to the tank itself. This particular pump out station was brand new and could suck a tennis ball through a garden hose. To alleviate the problem, I shoved a length of old garden hose up the vent as far as I could and turned it on full blast. I then proceeded to continue to pump out the tank. I would venture to guess I pumped the tank for another 2-3 minutes before the waste water flowing through the site glass was clear. After that, the smell disappeared almost immediately.

Because the vent is so small on the Sea Ray, you may want to consider adding one of these to the tank"

http://www.camco.net/Menu.cfm?SupCategoryId=10000&SubCategoryId=211&ProductId=2049

40126.jpg


A friend on another site installed on on his Sea Ray and extended the connection to the exterior of the boat . It is a nice setup and makes for a clean tank.

You may want to consider putting some Calgon in the tank as well. The water softener makes it very difficult for the effluent to stick to the plastic tank.

HTH
​
 
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That's a good idea! That's best thing added to this forum today other than the tax debate... I can see adding one of those to the nasty sump box as well.
 
Ok, I am going to ask the same question that the original poster did, but before I do I will try to answer all of the inate questions that some of you have so that you will not be mad at me.

2007 240 sundancer with a 5.0 Bravo III

It is dry stacked and kept in Wilmington NC. (really doesn't matter but someone will want to know)

I use the boat in salt water. (kind of implied in that last statement)

The head is the porta potty type (NOT vacuflush, and yes i know i should have gotten the vacuflush, but i got what i got)

That tank that is used for "clean water" is filled from the fresh water tank.(no salt water in the system)

I poop on the boat but don't tell my wife.

I eat healthy, lots of fiber!

I believe it has a 5 gallon holding tank, again not a vacuflush.

I am a gemini but sometimes a cancer... I was born on June 21st. You know, right on the cusp.

Ok now that I have told you about the boat and other information that DOESN't matter here is my question very much related to the original poster.

My holding tank smells like SH*T or P*SS!! What is the best chemical that I can use to fix it. I don't care what is cheap or expensive or if it is organic or synthetic. I just want something that works well. I pump out often but sometimes it sits from sunday to thursday or friday between pumpouts. I would love solid example and testimonials and i like a little sarcasim too. But I really don't have to ask for that here, do I?

And oh yeah... I have done a search of the forums but could not find one that was very helpful. So please tell me to search the forums and then give me a link that goes to the forum that I could not find. I will not feel stupid at all.
 
ankrummg said:
I would love solid example...
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Wanna rephrase that one?

For a porta-pottie you'll probably want to use a formaldehyde-based product. Sealand, Thetford, Aquachem and others all have this and give similar results. I'd say try them all until you find what works best for you. If nothing else, you may prefer the packaging of one over another.

The bottom line though, is that the absolute best solution is to get the 'stuff' out of there as soon as possible.
 
Going back to the original question...... I have not had any noticable odor from any component of the holding tank. I attribute this to the great advise Frank W has shared with me adding in a couple of rules.

1. The toilet is scrubbed and cleaned after every trip no exceptions.
2. I pump out at the end of every trip no exceptions. No storage of waste.
3. On longer trips I plan for a pump out once tank indicator reads 1/2 full.
4. Use correct amount of treatment for full tank always. Ensure boat is fully stocked with treatment.
5. Before final rinse pump out add a couple of squirts of dish washing fluid to toilet and flush.
6. After adding treatment to toilet flush down a bit a water to clear treatment from the lines.

Pump Out Routine:

1. Pump Waste
2. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
3. Pump filled tank
4. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
5. Pump filled tank
6. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
7. Flush a couple of pumps of dish soap down toilet
8. Flush full bowl of water down to clear soap from lines
9. Pump filled tank
10. Flush down holding tank treatment for 30 gallons
11. Flush toilet to clear the lines of treatment
12. Flush toilet to clear the lines of treatment

Never the slightest odor from the waste system. At home when on the trailer we do tests for odor throughout the year.... me within a few inches the vent ouput wife flushes the toilet.... I am amazed at the lack of odor. I have not had to change the filter yet.
 
280 SeaRay said:
Going back to the original question...... I have not had any noticable odor from any component of the holding tank. I attribute this to the great advise Frank W has shared with me adding in a couple of rules.

1. The toilet is scrubbed and cleaned after every trip no exceptions.
2. I pump out at the end of every trip no exceptions. No storage of waste.
3. On longer trips I plan for a pump out once tank indicator reads 1/2 full.
4. Use correct amount of treatment for full tank always. Ensure boat is fully stocked with treatment.
5. Before final rinse pump out add a couple of squirts of dish washing fluid to toilet and flush.
6. After adding treatment to toilet flush down a bit a water to clear treatment from the lines.

Pump Out Routine:

1. Pump Waste
2. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
3. Pump filled tank
4. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
5. Pump filled tank
6. Refill just past 3/4 full per indicator
7. Flush a couple of pumps of dish soap down toilet
8. Flush full bowl of water down to clear soap from lines
9. Pump filled tank
10. Flush down holding tank treatment for 30 gallons
11. Flush toilet to clear the lines of treatment
12. Flush toilet to clear the lines of treatment

Never the slightest odor from the waste system. At home when on the trailer we do tests for odor throughout the year.... me within a few inches the vent ouput wife flushes the toilet.... I am amazed at the lack of odor. I have not had to change the filter yet.
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Where do you pump out? Here in the Garden State if we tied up the Marina's dock while pumping out and re-filling our tank 3-4 times we would be shot.
 
Usually at a local Marina. I do have a portable pump out cart for home that allows me to perform the same function at home just takes a little longer. If the pump out dock is busy (very rare) I just do it as soon as I get home. The entire process takes about 25 - 30 min at a decent pump facility. My tank is only 28 gallons. If the pump is slow or the fresh water hose is slow then it can add time. 3 rinses seems to do the trick (output water is clear).
 
Looks like a good routine, but if I took that long at a pump out dock around here someone would torpedo my boat.
 
trying to backfill water into my holding tank through the deck fitting would take probably 20 minutes to fill an 80 gallon tank. Geez... I usually just pump it out and drop some chemicals in each toilet.
 
I use to me closer to Jim’s routine.

Frankly I’m getting tired of spending 2-3 hours on cleaning for every hour of boating.

I’m trying my best to reduce my ‘boat work’ routine. From the pump out perspective I fill the toilet full of water and flush clean water three times at the slip to get the vacu-flush system cleared out then head to the pump out station. I pump, backfill from a hose for about 2 minutes then re-pump. Flush a chemical pack and I’m done.

There are many other items were I am backing way off from past years cleaning / polishing.

That stupid foot well in the cockpit leading to the cabin gets cleaned out 1x per weekend. In past years I think I cleaned it out every time a person went into or out of the cabin, or it seemed like that is what I did. That foot well gets very dirty very fast.

The first guest that makes a comment about a spot on the windshield or dead bugs on the corner of the dash next to the windshield will be handed a bucket full of cleaning supplies then I will sit back and have a cold one wile they clean.
 
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I have a similar problem. I have a vacu flush head, and it only stinks in the cockpit when I flush. Any suggestions. If it is a filter problem, do I just get one from west marine, and does one size fit all. I have a 2003 30 DA. Thanks.
 
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