Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks

Topic: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success (Read 11303 times) previous topic - next topic

Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

October 04, 2014, 11:03:22 am

Back in June I read about adding 1/2 cup Calgon water softener and 1/2 cup Dawn dish soap to each holding tank--gray and black. We have repeated this "additive" three times since and have had zero readings on both tanks after the first dump. Never, never since we bought the coach four years ago did we get those readings, even tho we have a rinse spinner and use the correct TP. The gray tank always read 1/4 no matter what we did. Now both tanks drain readily down to zero.
I did add the third Valterra valve and do the gray into black also, but the black tank does drain to zero with minimal effort.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #1 – October 04, 2014, 11:19:26 am

Had this issue with our 88.

Here is what we did:

Dawn w 40gal in both tanks measured w 5gal bucket from a hose sitting in the sun into stool and shower. Sit over night.

Drain and watch what comes out.

Prep Coach for driving, we bought a clear elbow to see results when we dump
In this order

Put dawn in grey tank
Fill tanks about 1/4 from the top using a 5gal pail so about 15 gal down the shower and the stool.
Through the stool 20# bag of ice
Put 1# rock salt in grey tank

Take off, go over some bumps, a few hard stops to get it mixing, about 10-15 minutes

Fill both tanks with 25gal from the top

Dump while watching

Fill with 25gal again see if it is better when drained, repeat as necessary

Ours took 2 trys and they worked

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #2 – October 04, 2014, 01:59:34 pm

John, I tried the ice cube route several times. I have a clear 90 degree elbow before the 3rd valve.
Your method undoubtedly works, but I'm a bit lazy at times and I like the idea of treating my system immediately after a dump so it works on the way home. One box of Calgon and one pint bottle of Dawn do not take up a lot of room in our small coach, and we always have a pail along so premixing/dissolving is not an issue. Once dissolved it is easy to get the solution down the drains and into the gray tank. AND, I leave the solution in the tanks until the next dump so I get cleaning and lubrication of the tank walls until I dump.
I just can't seem to figure out a way to get ice cubes into the gray water tank and now the Calgon/Dawn treatment cleaned those sensors. The gray tank 1/4 full sensor previously wouldn't "come clean" and now it does.
I posted my success so others that possibly have the same problem and not the S&B, resources, or time to perform more complex cleaning methods might try this method and post their results.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #3 – October 04, 2014, 02:08:34 pm

Bottle pencil ice cubes L O L I guess.. I actually said in the stool for that and rock salt in the grey glad it all worked.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #4 – October 05, 2014, 12:14:23 am

we have been using the Calgon and liquid landry soap for years and have always had good luck with it. Never any issues with tanks. good stuff.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #5 – October 05, 2014, 12:33:50 am

Calgon

& inexpensive powder laundry soap ( Wall Mart at the bottom shelf) couple of cups of each before and after each trip; I see a clear water at the final rinse every dump.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #6 – October 05, 2014, 08:53:27 am

Thanks for the tips.
We will try the Calgon & Dawn in our tanks also.
Jim

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #7 – October 05, 2014, 10:02:00 am

Interesting information!

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #8 – October 05, 2014, 10:16:43 am

Quote from: Andy 2 – October 05, 2014, 12:14:23 am

we have been using the Calgon and liquid landry soap for years and have always had good luck with it. Never any issues with tanks. good stuff.

Likewise, we found it to be the correct solution for keeping our tanks "non stick" and flowing free.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #9 – October 05, 2014, 12:31:25 pm

We also found The Calgon formula and use it with great results.

Barry & Donna

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #10 – October 05, 2014, 12:38:03 pm

I thought it was 1/2 cup Calgon and 1/4 cup Dawn in a gallon or so of warm water. Mix well and down the ceramic shrine it goes after every dump station visit. Works great! Calgon now comes in a box at Walmart.

Whatever mix seems to work for you must be the right one.

Roger

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #11 – October 05, 2014, 12:57:33 pm

I use one measuring cup of the cheapest laundry soap (liquid) and one cup of 20 mule team borax after each dump. Works great. I also use the same on the grey tank. No odors.

Bill

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #12 – October 05, 2014, 01:43:10 pm

I just use dawn and it works great alone.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #13 – October 05, 2014, 03:44:12 pm

Dawn dish soap at Family Dollar:$1.00 per bottle and we use 1/2 of the bottle when we treat the system. Cheap enough when dumping twice a month. (our black tank is only 80 gallons) Our gray water tank fills quicker, for some reason.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #14 – October 05, 2014, 06:11:44 pm

I use Dawn for dishwashing and most cleaning in the coach is accomplished with a combination of Dawn, vinegar, water and a bit of alcohol in a spray bottle. Baking soda for scrubbing. I pour a good slug of plain white vinegar into the gray & black tanks after emptying. No odor, they flush very clean (we have a clear elbow on the dump hose) and it is cheap, cheap, cheap. Doesn't hurt the environment, either.

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #15 – October 06, 2014, 11:12:00 am

Carol, shouldn't that be : a bit of alcohol in a shot glass?

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #16 – November 26, 2014, 09:45:28 am

Quote from: nitehawk – October 06, 2014, 11:12:00 am

Carol, shouldn't that be : a bit of alcohol in a shot glass?

Yeh how about a shot of tequila in the chief cook & dumper first? Surely that'd make all kinds of jobs easier!

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #17 – November 26, 2014, 04:28:14 pm

I think the shot of alcohol should come after the job is accomplished. It will help clear the nasal passages of any lingering aroma!

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #18 – November 26, 2014, 04:53:26 pm

We have been using Calgon beads with Pinesol and this really works great.

Bob

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #19 – November 26, 2014, 10:10:23 pm

A little "Ice Cubes in the Black Tank" levity...................for those who haven't seen it. This guy is no "Nobel laureate in physics candidate", but just for grins:

Do Ice Cubes in the RV Black Tank Really Work? - YouTube

Ed S

Re: Calgon plus Dawn for holding tanks - success

Reply #20 – November 27, 2014, 09:44:10 am

Great entertainment just before a large turkey dinner at my daughters. I hope she does not serve peas and corn.

" I eat my peas with honey, I've done it all my life, It makes the peas taste funny but it keeps them on my Knife ".

Gary B

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