Porta Potty Issues!

[ankrummg]

Ok I am going to try this again... I have a porta potty type head. I posted this in another thread that was probobly not that right place to put it. So here goes.

"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, butIi 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. You never know on this site who will want to know that. Might have something to do with my bowel movements.

Ok now that I have told you about the boat and other information that DOESN't matter, here is my question.

My holding tank smells like SH*T and 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 examples(someone already made a joke, but feel free to add another, they are fun) 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 specific on this topic. 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."

Again this is a porta potty. I believe after being on the boat today and my wife stating that she pumped out yesterday that my tank is not being fully emptied. Is this normal?

And all you guys with 600 foot boats(or any boat bigger than mine), who don't have the porta potty type head and have never had the porta potty type head, please don't talk about your 500 gallon capacity holding tank for your vacuflush... unless you really must.

All joking aside I do value the advice that you folks give me. I placed this in it's own thread becuase I was hijacking another thread that was more related to a vacuflush head which I do not have.

A reply was posted with formaldahyde based deoderants and i will look into those. Any other advice?

 

[H2ONUT]

I have a porta potty.

All I use is the chem from Wal-Mart. Can't remember the name. I only get the head pumped 2 times during the summer, and no odor. I usually dump a 5 gal pail of water in and have that pumped out to kind of flush the holding tank.

 

[ankrummg]

I was thinking about that, adding water prior to pump out to get any of the nasty stuff left behind. Thanks.

 

[Shining]

I have the potti that you have unfortunately! I use the chem stuff from walmart also.
I pump it out more frequently then those with holding tanks.
One of the keys I believe is to "hose and pump"!
I pump and my wife uses a fresh water hose at the pump station to rinse the potti.
When almost full, I pump again. We do this about 3 times and the smell is gone.
She gets the Sh*t end of the job! Maybe she'll get sick and tired of that job and let me buy a new boat!:grin:

 

[ankrummg]

awesome advice, will do that tomorrow!

 

[Four Suns]

Well... it's hard to pick on Mike when he posts his question like that...

Damn..

 

[ankrummg]

I think that it the highest compliment that I have ever seen gary give someone.

 

[DCarl320]

Mike,

I used to work for a charter bus company out of Durham, I dont remember name of the product we used, but It did a really good job. Check with the local charter company down in your area, they would be a good resource for that information also. And if they are really nice they may supply you cheap. :grin:

 

[Dave S]

Mike

My name is Dave and I confess........I too have used the port-a-potty on my previous 240SD for a few sit-down sessions as well and then left it for weeks at a time. But my stuff never smelled because I used Sealand's deodorants in my tank http://dometicsanitation.com/prodsmcon.asp My boat was also dry stored and no one ever complained about the smell.

Now I feel better about having finally come out in the open on that one! :grin:

Dave

 

[chuck1]

.... One of the keys I believe is to "hose and pump"! ....:grin:

Ditto, you have to hose and pump at least three times:thumbsup:, any thing less will end up smelling in a couple days even with the blue stuff.

 

[SCORPIO]

Campa Chem purple, no formaldahyde, get it at Walmart. Use alot and it will work very well. I'm envious, on my old 260, I had to carry my um.. tank to the bathroom on shore and dump the um... contents into the toilet. Not too bad if its just you, but if you've had others ie family or guest use the facility well it gets a bit more um.. gross. Definately rinse and dump/flush to get all remaining er um.. stuff out so it won't smell. Put plenty of Campa Chem in as soon as you empty and add a little water so it will stay liquid.

 

[tphinney]

Mike;

you;re south enough to be in a fairly warm area like me. I too have the same style porta potti and also have the macerator. I normally fill it up with Sealand and a little bit of water prior to re-commissioning it for use after a pump out. but also made the mistake ONCE of not pumping out after it was used. Note I made the mistake once and only once cause the smell was bad enough that you really did not want to use the prota-potti. the heat in the south here cooks that mess into a nice smelly mess. like others have said. I too turn on the shower head on and try to fill up the little holding tank prior to doing a pump out otherwise you dont get everything out. which is a must if you want it not to stink.

I would imagine that if you dry stack, you could also get a pump out each time you come back in. it doesn't tak long to do it.

 

[Kurt]

I posted a simple thread earlier this month and got all kinds of answers. First, for who ever told me to pour the deoderant down the waste pipe from deck, it just came out first when we pumped out so "WRONG ANSWER" . So here is what I did which has worked so far this year and yes my wife is the only one who has used the toilet for 1 & 2 so it has been tested.
I used SeaLands product available at Marine Max and poured 1/3 bottle in the tank and added 500cc H2O. Once full I pumped out and then rinsed with fresh water then pumped again and then added chemical. I also have some Fabreeze fresheners in the head. I used the Walmart stuff too in my previous boat and I hated it. It reminded of how those urinal mints smell. BTW this is in relation to another thread I did not wax the seat.

 

[ankrummg]

Thank you all.
I did a combo of many of the suggestions from you folks. I pumped and rinsed about 3 times and then used a good deoderant and sanitizer. I did that at the begining of the holiday and the toilet area remained stink free. Thanks for the help.

 

[MC1600]

Thank you all.
I did a combo of many of the suggestions from you folks. I pumped and rinsed about 3 times and then used a good deoderant and sanitizer. I did that at the begining of the holiday and the toilet area remained stink free. Thanks for the help.

That is until you get a load of what I left in there when you were out on the waverunner this afternoon!! :wow:

 

[island trek1]

I have the same set up on my 270SE and have been doing the same routine with no problems. I SO want to add a vacu flush with a larger holding tank but wonder if it is worth the time and cost as my Marina's bathrooms are within walking distance (unless it's 3AM and I really have to go) and the pump out at the gas dock is right across the way. Still, would be nice to have a nice large holding tank!

 

[Nehalennia]

Lucky you posted the original one the way you did. Good job feeling out the site, because Gary was ready to pounce.

On my 230OV I had the pump out port-o-potti. The key was flushing with fresh water during and after pumping out.

It sounds like you have it licked.....well you know