Head Chemicals

wayne0

Active Member
May 4, 2014
568
Newburyport, Ma.
Boat Info
2000 340 Sundancer
Engines
Twin 7.4 ltr.V-drives
I know this subject has been beaten to death, but I'm too lazy to go through all the search BS.
I used NoFlex last season with mixed results. I can't justify the cost.
Has any one found something that really works at keeping the odor in check, and the tank clean?
TIA
 
I use the blue stuff made by Sealand. About a large bottle every summer. Works great.
 
If you want the truth: Don't s*** on your boat. Otherwise, I've had good results with a good "fart filter" and the NoFlex stuff. Yes, the screw you on shipping.
 
Walmart sells various sizes of a citrus head treatment in their camping section. We buy gallon size but they also have quarts. Never have an odor issue using this and its price and convenience are a real plus.
 
Did you properly flush the tank to remove all of the blue stuff before using the Noflex? Any remnants of the blue stuff kills the good bacteria that makes Noflex work. Make sure your vent hose is clear as you need oxygen in the holding tank to keep the bacteria alive. Nothing wrong with crap in your holding tank as that is what the good bacteria eats.
 
About the best chemical for heads and holding tanks is sodium percarbonate - found in many “Nappy cleaners” and laundry boosters.

It’s cheap, relatively environmentally friendly and it works.

Careful with many other tank treatments- lots work by using strong chemicals like formaldehyde to sterilise the tank contents, but this can prevent them being broken down, ever, and can even prevent proper treatment at the sewage works, or poison septic tanks at pump out stations
 
About the best chemical for heads and holding tanks is sodium percarbonate - found in many “Nappy cleaners” and laundry boosters.

It’s cheap, relatively environmentally friendly and it works.

Careful with many other tank treatments- lots work by using strong chemicals like formaldehyde to sterilise the tank contents, but this can prevent them being broken down, ever, and can even prevent proper treatment at the sewage works, or poison septic tanks at pump out stations

That is marketed as Oxyclean here. Sodium Percarbonate is the main ingredient in Noflex too. I think you probably need to be careful how much you use, since it degrades first to hydrogen peroxide, which is a disinfectant that kills bacteria. Then the peroxide degrades and releases oxygen.
 
In my opinion noflex works perfect if you use it properly. Yes we crap on the boat and I have no smell issues. You need to clean the tanks and lines with larger doses then normal of noflex. Then keep up with the 2tbsp per day regimen.

It’s much less expensive from fisheries supply. They give you a quantity discount at 4 bottle and 100 dollars you get free shipping.

Frank webster started me on no flex and I now have 6 boats using it on our dock. I order it in quantity and then we split the bill.

When you leave the boat sprinkle some in the toilets. They will be sparkling clean when you return.

Also. I use it for the gray water as well. Simply fill up the galley sink half way and then dissolve so no flex then drain. This noflex infusion sits in the sump and you have no issues there either.
 
I tried happy camper as well. I have not looked at the msds but I think they are similar products.
 
I tried happy camper as well. I have not looked at the msds but I think they are similar products.
There's no daily regimen with Happy Camper. One scoop in an empty holding tank and no odors or clogs. All my indicators work as well (at least empty and 1/2 full...I never let it get to full). I also use Dawn in both heads at each pump out.
 
I started using Noflex as per the directions on the bottle last year and so far it has been the best thing I ever used. I get no stink at all.
When I changed the waste tank filter this year, the one I took out had no stink. Got the volume discount and free shipping to bring the cost down.
Started putting a bit down the shower drain a couple of weeks ago to see what it does for the sump.
 
There's no daily regimen with Happy Camper. One scoop in an empty holding tank and no odors or clogs. All my indicators work as well (at least empty and 1/2 full...I never let it get to full). I also use Dawn in both heads at each pump out.

I use Dawn for a lot of things. It’s an incredible product for cleaning and degreasing. I keep large bottles of it in my garage, in the shed at my dock property, and on the boat.
But the one thing that you need to be careful with it is that it will dry out rubber. For that reason, you may want to reconsider putting it directly in the head.
 
I use Dawn for a lot of things. It’s an incredible product for cleaning and degreasing. I keep large bottles of it in my garage, in the shed at my dock property, and on the boat.
But the one thing that you need to be careful with it is that it will dry out rubber. For that reason, you may want to reconsider putting it directly in the head.
Thanks for the tip. Perhaps adding it to the tank is a better practice.
 
Thanks for the tip. Perhaps adding it to the tank is a better practice.
Should be no problem adding it directly to the tank if you always use a pump out, but if you go out in the ocean to use the overboard discharge, then I might hold off on the Dawn all together.
 
How long between pump outs for you guys? I've used a couple different products from Walmart, don't know if one is any better than the other, my shit don't stink. The only thing I do special is flush a cup of Tide once in awhile if I know the seas will be rough enough to slosh things around real good.
 

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