RV Black Tank Practices That Actually Work and 2 That Failed. Rv Black Tank Myth Busted.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Here is the video from RV Tips and Travels It is well worth the watch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/iqSvoZSApsaKpqs Liquified : amzn.to/3WPIr9D Liquified Website: liquifiedrv.com/ Flush Valve amzn.to/3WxOLkD Twist on waste valve. amzn.to/3LSFoXO Water meter: amzn.to/3Acjjkq

[@Capt-John-T-Moore]

@@AllAboutRVs I also watch all of Ross’s video’s!

[@websitesbylou]

Ross's black tank video was superb. Being able to see what's going on was most helpful. Lou from Georgia.

[@rickvititoe3814]

@@Capt-John-T-Moore

[@Capt-John-T-Moore]

@@rickvititoe3814 ?

[@dw7094]

Reading some of the comments here you'd think we are building rockets. They key to maintaining a black tank is to use an adequate amount of water during normal toilet flushes.

[@krisjordan8037]

Great video. I am on my 3rd camper now, but still watch these types of videos. You never stop learning!! One trick I learned from another video is to release a small amount of the gray tank first, and then close it back. This way you check for leaks in your hoses!! I would much rather clean a little gray water up, than black water!😂

[@kevinking4371]

I do that also. I agree with the minimal clean up with grey vs black.

[@timsteinkamp2245]

You are a smart and cautious person.

[@nathanurick8320]

There is nothing better when watching KZbin is to find somebody honest and that’s right here. For me over the years is I find that cleaning you tanks as much as you can, run as much water as you can through your tanks. I also put an entire cup of dawn in my tank when I travel also h with about 4 gallons of water.

[@JandAReview1]

We travel with 4-5 gallons in our tanks also.

[@tjshine7444]

Add 1 cup of Borax detergent in there too. Low suds but helps the Dawn clean the sludge out. When you get to your next stop, dump your black tank and you'll see how clean you got it.

[@rabusen]

I tried dawn to lubricate the valve, I had to later replace the valve. However remember you probably have created a half of tank of suds that will affect your tank sensor. I knew the tank was empty but it read half full. A confusing moment.

[@nathanurick8320]

@@rabusen you may be correct in some cases. I’ve done this method probably for the last three years and have no issues so far. I think the biggest secret in this entire issue is to flush your tank multiple times and when I say flush fill it half way up with fresh water and open the valve. I do this if not every other day for sure every 3 rd day and I flush it at least 3 times. It takes ten minutes out of my life and the water is free. I haven’t put a chemical in my tank in 3 years for sure, it’s a waste of money

[@gsxr419]

My last camper, 8 years, was flushed at the end of every trip for maybe 5 minutes. I did let it fill completely before I dumped as we used it. Never a problem.

[@dougmyers8767]

I built my own wand out of pvc fittings I bought at Lowe's. It was easy to build and when I drilled holes into the cap at the bottom I made them very small. That creates a lot more pressure and cleans really well. The supply end of the wand has a simple valve that prevents me from having water where it shouldn't be.

[@RVTIPSANDTRAVELS]

*Thanks for another great video Jared, and thank you for mentioning my test video. I've been watching your content for years, and always learning things. I ditched the storage bins, currently in the process of building a complete external black tank set up for more tests. As always, great information here. Safe travels bud.*

[@mum2jka]

I watched that video and swapped over to Liquified because of it. Thanks :)

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thanks Ross! You do a fantastic job, great stuff. Hopefully our paths can cross some day.

[@dannylayton1106]

You 2 guys are tops​ in the industry. I also want to share my tip that applies at home or RV. Once a year I take a small pressure washer with a small high pressure hose and insert it into the discharge of my RV into my black tank. The secret is this has a 4-way jet, 1 forward facing (to clean) and 3 rear facing (to propel the jet). I learned from a plumber, you have 2 sizes. 1 for the device and 1 for the trunk line. An amazing tool. Anyway thanks to both of you and keep it coming.@@AllAboutRVs

[@georgenettels765]

It would be nice if our channel hosts (alll bout.. & RV tips..) would quick trying to sell us liquified. Both channels provide great content. People care about smell and having no problems when it comes to black tank. As far as I can tell, the digestion process yielded by enzymes in products like liquified produce the stinky gas we all dislike. Both channels highlight rinsing as being critically important. What about the gas created with digestion of waste? Perhaps a video about that? Thanks!

[@mum2jka]

@@georgenettels765 so far I have had zero smell from my black tank and we regularly don’t empty until we start getting burping. If you’re getting a smell maybe it’s actually from the piping to your kitchen sink? That can smell worse than a black tank. As for the liquified, Matt is highly respected in the RV industry which is why other RVers will go out of their way to promote his product especially when it is so good. Having now started using g it myself, I will definitely be promoting it because it is good and zero nasty odor.

[@TheRVPastime]

Dang it Jared! I wanted to see all the footage from inside the tank 😂

[@InnocentStripedTiger-lg6wp]

Me too!

[@Fullcrazylife]

Just before pulling the black tank valve open, pull the grey tank for a second or 5, that will put some fluids down the slinky to “lubricate” the side walls a little..less chance of black stuff sticking to the inside of the slinky.. not sure if its needed with the amount of fluids following, but it’s something I was taught 🤙🏻✌🏻

[@Yielar1]

Good way to also check for any leaks as it's better to clean up gray water vs black

[@Rob-Oh]

I’m surprised you didn’t show us the tank level sensors since you had the camera down there.

[@XLSLife]

I'll preface this by saying I'm not an expert on RV black tanks specifically, but I am a civil engineer who specialized in water and wastewater treatment, so I do have a related background. I have the exact same theory about that myth. I've seen plenty of people (usually in campers without a black tank flush built in) just open all the valves at the dump station, wait for the water to stop coming out and just leave. Like you said, and Ross' video showed, if you just let the water out it leaves plenty of solids. I would bet all of those tanks do have stuff stuck in them. Especially if they went straight home and put it away for weeks or months and let the tank completely dry out. Sewage lift stations have something similar happen, especially ones with low flow. Every so often a vac truck has to go clean out the wet well (basically the tank the pump is in) of all the solids that didn't get flushed through.

[@dougcooper7934]

Proper preventive maintenance of lift station wet wells includes manually pumping the well all the way down while hosing down the walls and sloped floor of the well weekly or at least monthly depending on conditions. If grease is a big problem, there are enzyme products that can be added to wet wells to decrease buildup. 35 years wastewater maintenance experience and rarely ever had to vac out a sump or wet well.

[@philbaxter487]

Valterra makes a black tank cleaning wand they call the “master blaster”. It has a single nozzle that comes out perpendicular to the wand, and delivers a powerful stream of water only in that direction. You have to rotate the wand around inside the tank manually to clean all the surfaces, but it does an excellent job cleaning.

[@AllAboutRVs]

I like it but ours has 2 bends before the tank. Much more powerful though.

[@bdmitx]

I have an angel nozzle and a spinner that I use . hooked up to my shower with a splitter thru the toilet , I shut the water off to the toilet and this has been the best for me to get the bottom cleaned out !

[@williammiller353]

I use the gallon counter device, when I purchased mine I tested it on a five gallon bucket and I was surprised that it was real close. I use to use the timing routine, so many minutes but I found that different RV parks with different pressures was not always accurate. Great video.

[@paulwinkelman]

Great information! Having an '06 fifth wheel, ours didn't come with a black tank cleanout. So I actually drilled into the downpipe from the toilet from the storage area, installed a threaded pex fitting with epoxy, and ran pex pipe to a hose hookup above our city water hookup on the exterior of the RV. Now all I have to do is hook a hose to it and let it fill the tank up, and then rinse again. Was a easy solution to an older rv, and have less than $50 bucks in it.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@joesteffler6574]

Nice job, very complete as usual. I have an extra step that works for us. After we dump the black tank, I close the valve on the hose at the dump port and open our grey tank valve. This lets the water gush in from the grey tank and back into the black tank. For my rig, it's quite a gush based on what I hear rushing through the pipes. Then I close the grey tank valve and open the valve at the dump port and watch the additional crud run out of the black tank. Based on what comes out using the flush port, this pre-rinse does 90% of the work.

[@danh8354]

I'm surprised this wasn't mentioned. This works very well for me too.

[@IH-nr7dx]

Thanks Jordan - great video. Both you and Ross are keeping it real. I did want to counter a bit on the Camco RV Flexible Swivel Stik My last camper did not have a a built in tank flush and the black tank was poorly maintained - all sensor lights on solid when I bought it (it was used). I used this spray wand, ensuring to slide it along the bottom of the tank in all directions. A lot of crud eventually came out of the tank and my sensors began to operate normally. I used this method consistently along with a product to break down solids for four camping seasons - never any odors and the sensors operated perfectly when i sold it this spring. I bought another camper this year (also used) and it has a black tank flush from the manufaturer. The sensors were fouled up on this one as well. I set to using the installed unit with limited success in cleaning the sensors. After a few tries I decided to give the swivel stick another try, and you guessed it, some crud that was not loosened by the onboard flush came out of the tank and my sensors were cleaned. I have not been able to determine the placement of the installed flush nozzle, nor have I been able to find any info on the pattern of spray. I am sure it is better than no internal flush for rinsing the tank, but I don't think it is as effective as the swivel stick when it comes to cleaning the sensors - leading me to believe that it probably misses other sections of the tank walls. This not not very scientific but it is my experience. It is important to push the nozzle as far as it will reach along the bottom of the tank in all directions. Flushing thoroughly after draining is a must!

[@joannepepe8512]

Good tips. I got tired of looking for dump stations when I'm out west and finally got a compost toilet. Nature's Head. It's a game changer.

[@ralphb.3802]

Yep. Fill dump, Fill Dump and Fill dump works for me. I use a water meter too. I have a built in tank sprayer. I have had good luck with the toilet wand.

[@bobreddert7547]

In defence of the "wand", I find that it is useful specifically when you are trying to clean the tank sensors that are not working correctly.

[@fyfedrum]

Great video, Jared. I've owned several different RV's over the years, and we have always used "Calgon Water Softener(Liquid)" AND the "Rid-X for Black Tanks", in addition to our "cleaner/digester" of choice and multiple rinses with lots of water. Maybe we've been fortunate, but have never had a problem...well, except for a problem we inherited with a used camper...a story for another time! With the new products on the market, it sounds like "Liquified" may achieve the same results we get from our mixture of products. Thanks for sharing!

[@kreutztimothy]

@AllAboutRVs Hey Jared, I haven't read all the comments on this video, but there is a 4th way to "rinse" your black tank. 1. Drain the black tank as usual. 2. Leave black tank valve open, and close the exterior discharge pipe (where your hose connects) valve or reinstall the cap (if you don't have a valve) 3. Open grey tank valve and let it backfill into the black tank for a few minutes. (The grey and black tanks will equalize the amount of water in them) 4. Open exterior valve/open exterior cap and drain entire system 4a. If you have a second grey tank (Gally) you can backfill the black tank again and repeat the drain process. This is process is intended for those who don't have a black tank flush system on their rig.

[@peterdonaldson3030]

I have used the grey back flush method for 10+ years. It works great. I used tank flush also but the back flush always seems to get a little more waste out even after what looks like a clean tank flush.

[@Capt-John-T-Moore]

When I’m at a longer stay at a full hook up site. After I dump and back flush it a couple of times(we don’t have an installed black tank flush inlet). I add back 20 gallons of water plush 5-7 gallons of hot water to a borax and dawn mixture and let it set up to 4-6 hours. Then rinse it out again. Yes liquified is our choice of treatment. One other thing I do is find a couple of gallons of water through the sewer hose by leaving the flush valve open on the clear elbow with the black and gray tank valves closed. In the south the sewer hose is baking in the sun. This procedure lubricates the hose so the gunk out of the black tank doesn’t stick to it and it’s easier to rinse clean when the gray tank dumps. Not my idea I was told about it from another camper. Thanks for addressing black tank upkeep

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@USNavyAR5]

I rinse out both the black and gray tanks 3 to 4 times. Then, apply tank lubricant for the seals, and then the orange pods to both with 5 gallons of water to both tanks until our next trip out. Break open the pods for the gray tank and wash down the drain. Keeps it fresh as well.

[@Austin_Healey]

Jared and Ross are my go to guys! I’ve learned a lot from them.

[@InnocentStripedTiger-lg6wp]

Thank you so much! This was perfect! I've looked and looked everywhere to find out what the rinse connection was. No one else mentions how to use it! I'm new to RVing and have been watching many videos. The one video you mentioned in the beginning is amazing! Both of these videos really helped me understand my system!

[@stevesanders2972]

One thing that I often do that you didn't mention is using the grey water to flush out the black tank. On my RV, the drain pipe has the grey water valve a few inches "upstream" from the black water valve then just a few inches of pipe before the drain hose connection. After emptying the black and flushing, I'll pick up the drain hose, two or three feet from the connection to the RV's drain, and open the grey tank valve. I leave it open long enough to back fill into the black tank and fill the drooped part of the drain hose. Then, by raising and lowering the drain hose, you can flush a good amount of grey water in and out of the black tank. (I've got a clear 45 before the drain hose, so I can see what's happening.) After a few "cycles", let that grey flush water go and repeat. It's pretty effective, but might depend on the specific RV's drain plumbing.

[@stevemacedo771]

I used to do the same with the hose with good results. Then I found the Camco Rhino Blaster Pro w/Gate Valve. Sounds like a commercial. I used this and 2 hoses off a splitter to back flush at the gate valve and one hose to go into the black tank flush. Works amazing. Also allows me to back flush my gray tank.

[@jeremyspecce]

I think you are potentially creating a situation that could cause black tank liquid backflowing into your grey tank by doing this.

[@stevesanders2972]

@@jeremyspecce, I don't think so. I only open the grey water tank to let liquid out. Then I close it before flushing the water in and out of the black tank. Since the grey has more water in it than the black, there's really no way for water to go into the grey tank during the time I have that valve open.

[@HomerVista]

We full-time, so every 2 weeks, after dumping and flushing I add 10 gallons to the black tank plus a half cup of Dawn, then drive to our next destination. Then I dump, flush, add 5-10 gallons plus Liquied as usual. We always drive with 5 gallons so it acts like a washing machine. In 13 months we've never had a poop pile and the sensors work... that's all I can ask for...

[@affboy-ft1lh]

Tks for all the good advice. I have a smaller travel trailer, 22', and I have found that the ice deal really does work for me. The sensors began to work more accurately and the tank cleaned up nicely. I built a water wand out of PVC and it shoots a really hard stream of water. Works well if one has good water pressure. Be careful using it. I once knocked the gasket loose on the flush flap. Toilet paper in the tank? Don't put it in there. We use a Walmart bag and replace it every day.

[@rvgearandfar]

Fantastic video Jared! Ive looked at that flexible - spinny- down the toilet wand as well and wasnt impressed. However, the cheaper one - thats just a tube with a 90* nozzle- is SUPER powerful - so much so that I had to order a splash guard for it that Camco makes. Benefit of that is you can also clean the downpipe from the toilet into the tank. The septic/holding tank will never die, but we can all agree on this: water water water 💧

[@AllAboutRVs]

Well said! Thanks!

[@kevincameron8437]

When I dump/flush...I flush until the black water turns clear. I then go inside and fill and flush the toilet 4 times and put in Unique tank treatment. Then, the next time we go camping, that's when I put in a treatment of Liquify. By putting in the Liquify when we set up, this not only adds it to our tank for treatment, it also kills any odors that have accumulated since the last time we camped. Thanks for sharing some great information.

[@dme2453]

Take videos like Ross’s with a grain of salt. Testing black tank behavior with food that doesn’t break down and floats on top is not real world. Feces will sink to the bottom, even floaters will end up on the bottom after a day or so. The camera is the best idea and helped me to understand how to get my black tank clean. Good no BS video!

[@markratliff7991]

Jared, Love the different perspective on the dreaded black tank topic! I am also a fan of the black tank flush method and also typically do 2 flushes when able after every dump. The one additional thing I do after the second flush and drain is I reset the meter to zero and add 5 gallons of water and leave that in the tank and then add the Liquified treatment to the tank. This seems to work well during travel to help with additional cleaning

[@toddramsay977]

When I use the black tank blaster, I put a water volume counter in-line so I know how much water I push up into the black tank. That way I don’t get a disaster like in the movie RV with Robin Williams. Plus when you get the black tank quite full that extra force helps clean the walls. Great video! Thanks for the tips!

[@JeffDentler]

I also use a meter when I rinse my tanks. I fill mine to 75% while I run a stop watch. I then set a timer for the subsequent rinses so I am alerted in case I have been distracted by something else. We have used the Bio-Geo method from Day 1 and our water runs crystal clear after 2-3 rinses. Our sensors still work perfectly after 5 years.

[@larryvincent1083]

Although not full time, I’ve RVd for about 30 years. I arrived at the same conclusions you described in this video. Feels good to be verified by a professional I respect! Thank you for the video.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thank you! That is very kind.

[@scrub175]

Great shoutout to Ross at RV Tips and Travels. Excellent video here as well.

[@AllAboutRVs]

Thanks so much. He really did a great job and I know he has more coming soon as well as RV Gear And Far looks like he has a great test lined up as well.

[@scoobalou]

Thank you for another well thought out vid.... I'm gonna add,... Due to the way the "plastic" tanks are made and installed, the bottom of the tank is either mounted on a completely level floor, Or, if they are under belly tanks they will have a large sag in it them that can hold back up 5gallons of sludge... Either installation is not perfect for a good thorough draining of sludgy effluent.. flushing the system with a high flow of water is the answer... Oil and grease will always rise to the top of the contents that are being held in the tank, as long as there is ENOUGH WATER.. causing bits and particles to stick to the tank and sensors as the water drains away... with enough of a good "surfactant" all the greases and oils will emulsify into the the rest of the effluent and will drain away with it, leaving the tank top and walls as clean as is possible.... Usually, people choose to use an "additive" only when there is a problem.... When, if they use a good product "all the time", and use and drain the system properly, there will never be an issue for them to worry about... Personally, I use borax. One cup in my 40 gallon tank keeps it fresh and clean for about two weeks... Which we usually dump sooner than that. It works well for us.

[@Maxid1]

My camper has a spray unit in the tank. I've looked at what I can see of the bottom of the black tank with the water pump turned off and the toilet flush valve open after I empty it and act on what I see (it was always negligible prior to my, event). I did recently start using RV Digest-it (due to a cataclysmic event that I'd rather not discus and I'm pretty sure no one wants to hear about) which I've been pretty happy with the results of the Digest-it. It was borderline miraculous how it liquified the solid waste.

[@ICanDoItMyself]

I made my own wand from 1/2" pvc. I drilled holes in it to spray at different angles. Then stick that down the toilet, move it around, and it doesn't take long before it flows clear.

[@wvillewhippoorwill]

A similar set up works best for me as well.

[@joelcatlin7246]

I did this also when we we stationary and had issues.. I capped the PVC and drilled holes in the side of the cap, it worked great! One thing I just thought of recently, the shower hose is 1/2 pipe thread, so the PVC could be attached to the shower hose instead of a garden hose that would need to be pulled inside!

[@riccochet704]

I use the black tank flush sprayer to clean the tank. I'll just let that run, dump, close the dump valve and let it fill back up for a few minutes, dump, repeat until it's clear water and I don't see any solids/tp coming out anymore. It's easy and quick. 4-5 flushes like that and it's pretty clean. Maybe 5 minutes.

[@okinawadonkichi]

More or less what I do. I do put more water into the tank after the flush, with a little treatment, just for agitation and to keep everything moist. At the end of the season I do a deep clean as well.

[@scotttaylor3598]

Good tips, as usual. Besides the built-in tank flush, I have found the simpler tank wand (just the PVC pipe with multiple holes at the end, vs the flexible style you used) has proven to be very effective when I need to do a "deep clean" if the sensors aren't behaving, etc. We, too, have switched to "Liquified", and so far I've been pleased with the results.

[@mikecolie9290]

Another outstanding, useful video as always. I have followed your technique on black tank care for years and have never had a problem.

[@mikeweis5925]

My 5th wheel is 20 years old and the black tank gages do and always have worked great. I do exactly as Jared says for years. Two rinses of about 12-15 gallons each. Add 4 gallons in before taking off. Use bacteria /enzyme treatments. Happy Camper and/or Liquified. Happy tank, happy sensors. I 100% disagree with those who say the sensors only work on first time out. Both my RVs have always had working sensors.

[@airstreamhappyours7548]

Great explanations on various flush methods and tips. We do use Liquified RV which works great. I haven't used a meter on the water inlet for the flush but I always set a timer on my phone so if I get distracted, the alarm reminds me to get back and release the valve, shut off the water, etc... and multiple flushes are always done.

[@JamesJohnson-ru1jy]

Disagree on that exact model wand. Tip 1, don’t use water through your regulator/filter. You want max available pressure. #2, put a backflow preventer outside your rig, #3, install a shutoff on the toilet. You don’t want a waterfall in the bowl while you work. #4, while the wand will do some tank cleaning, your biggest goal is to clean the sensors. I always clean with the built-in flush, but every few weeks (when the sensor is stuck on 2/3) I wand and get the sensor back to empty. I also use Liquified. It has become my favorite. Takes pretty much one whole bottle a treatment at a time before your tank really starts running well with continued use. Don’t give up too soon.

[@MatthewYBarbo]

This is great information for the RV community. You really showed off a lot of helpful tips that I'm sure will come in handy for many. Great job!

[@ThomasStone-ul4yk]

Definitely agree on flushing it twice. With my trailer it seems to work best when you leave the dump valve open on the first flush. Then fill the tank up about halfway (done with calculations cause whose level indicator actually works) and let it rip again with the water still running.

[@trooper5157]

Good info, thanks for sharing. As for us, we opt for "never do, number two" in the camper. If you only use your black tank for urine, and never have fecal matter enter the tank, its a whole other ball game for cleaning it out. The females in our family still introduce toilet paper but only a limited amount and the tank is always very easy to keep clean. This does take some planning, some luck and sometimes inconvenient and hurried shuffles across the campground or parking lot, but when it comes time to empty the tank, its so worth it. #yellowtank

[@TravelingwithBeigeBettyRV]

I have an older trailer so I don't have a flush valve but I do all of them to make sure it's flushed. Flushing with lots of water is a must. I count to 8

[@luvRVing]

As always pragmatic and straight to the point. Absolutely love your videos. Quite honestly, when I am looking for help it is your channel I scan first to look for answers. I appreciate all the effort and work you and your family put into this channel. thanks

[@angelaklinger2951]

Another fabulous video. Thank you for all your hard work that you do for us Rv folks 🇺🇸

[@AllAboutRVs]

You bet. Thanks!

[@ldcooper1]

If you have a fifth wheel and the bathroom is above the living room. The wand may not be long enough to reach the bottom of the black tank. With my bumper pull travel trailer the wand worked perfectly as the toilet was directly above the black tank. No lengthy piping from the toilet to the black tank….it was a direct drop😅

[@TheMadC]

Jared as always enjoy your stuff. I do something similar to your fill the bowl. I will about 2/3 way fill up a 5 gallon bucket and dump down the toilet a couple of times. The extra water all at once gives it a good swoosh out. Hope this helps. Thanks.

[@RanceMcManus]

I used to have a want that went in through the toilet that jets water into the tank. Worked great.

[@birdmandave]

Very informative video. I ordered liquify and used it once, then I seen a video telling me not to use it because the black tank is not a septic system.but to use the homemade stuff from pearls and pines oil. Not saying the homemade won’t work. Just you can watch 100 yt videos and get 70 different ways to treat the tank and 10 ways not to do it.

[@calledtojourney]

I think that Jered and Ross have conclusively shown that the 'black tank is not a septic system' idea is very flawed. The more that the solids in the black tank can be broken down, the more that will come out with regular dumps and, importantly, tank flushes. Kleen Tanks is definitely trying to sell their services.

[@2112johnny]

Great video Jared! You have taught RV'ers so much! One question I have about flushing. Say you have a 50 gallon black tank. When flushing, is it better to fill it up fully, then dump (50 gallons at once) - or fill up 10 gallons and then dump - and do this 5 times. Seems like the latter would do more "flushing" with the same amount of water?

[@mike.pollard]

I had my tanks cleaned earlier this year by Kleen Tank, they mentioned my tanks were one of the cleanest they seen. All I did was use a reverse flush valve, when I can, and do Happy Camper treatment after flushing/cleaning

[@GreenCtry]

We used liquify since new and we use a ton of water and also flush the tank a bunch, when I had my tank professionally cleaned it had a ton of “peanut butter” in it. I’ve stopped using and switched since then. But I’m not sponsored.

[@AllAboutRVs]

I would tell you if I found it and found no sludge with the camera. My honesty isn’t worth a sponsorship.

[@vairon7474]

Maybe too much peanut butter is being eaten 😳(don’t take me seriously)

[@benadams9037]

Good info. Still going to stick with the Kleen Tank recipe because it's easy to make, easy to get the products while traveling, cheap, and it's working well for my system. I'm in agreement with everything else you've settled on. It really is a simple model for success.

[@jimegan7077]

I use the Camco TST MAX orange tank pods. I chose a dry pod mainly because I had one of the liquids spill and make a mess. A secondary reason is that the pods weigh less, especially when I carry just enough of them for the trip. I'm on a mission to reduce the weight of what I carry in the RV. I triple rinse the black tank using the San-T-Flush port. Like Jared said, that happens when the queue at the dump station allows time. I do close the black tank valve when using the San-T-Flush port. I prefer to have a rush of fluid coming out of the black tank, not a dribble. I don't let it fill the black tank for more than about a minute. I have a water meter but prefer to use it only for filling the fresh water tank. No possible contamination. I have an 18 year old toy hauler with a 40 gallon black tank. Zero issues. I mistakenly grabbed one of the Camco tank pods instead of the Tide pod when doing laundry one time. My clothes were clean but they had absolutely no scent. Jared, the picture-in-picture, popups or whatever you call them are annoying. A link in the description section is fine.

[@donaldbailey5576]

Liquid Calgon and Pine Sol mixed 50/50. Half a cup in my tank. The Pine Sol smells great and the Calgon keeps everything slippery and moving. WAY cheaper than all the RV store bought stuff.

[@island7458]

I prefer the peanut butter river any day over the alternative! I agree on lots and lots of water, even if it means dumping more frequently. I used a 3 gallon mop bucket to determine the toilet bowl volume so I know how many bowls to reach my preference of 5 gallons to start. Last the paper, get a bidet or a wand, you will clean places you didn't know you had. Step in the shower or paper for dry cycle/ confirmation...

[@robh063]

I've tried every tank treatment out there and I agree Liquified and also Unique Digest-it work well but I stopped using them and went back to Happy Camper because neither of those do anything for odors which has been our biggest issue over the years when dealing with holding tanks. We also use Kleen Tank every other year to pressure wash the inside of the tanks which helps with any "pancake batter" or other "stuff" that may be inside the tanks. We use our RV for six months as snowbirds. If we used the RV less, we could hire Kleen Tank every 3-4 years. Well worth the $300 they charge.

[@JudyGraesch]

We have a motorhome that doesn’t have a flush system like Jared’s so we flush a bit differently. We dump, then pour buckets of water down toilet until only clear water comes out. Close valve. Then we put deodorant pod down toilet and dawn and add two buckets of water. While doing this we flush grey tank which washes out hose. Then we use hose at dump station to rinse hose again. Before storing Rv, the last time we dump, we also use wand to rinse tank and of course do not add water and pod as we live in cold weather climate. Doing this every time we dump seems to keep everything clean. Our system is a straight drop to tank so this works well.

[@JustinOneal-r1y]

This is exactly how I flush my black tank while living full time and is spot on! When I am at a spot that alllows more rinsing, I will fill and flush 5 to 8 times. Along with that, I add a gallon of fabuloso when I am on travel day and let it slosh around then immediately rinse at the next stop.

[@DNukinFutz]

Using a wax on the valve arm works good too and doesn’t leave a mess or attract as much dirt.

[@robertburns5145]

I flush and rinse our black tanks 3-4 times before dumping the grey tanks. We also use Liquified tank treatment. It’s the best we have used👍

[@Natedoc808]

I used Dawn with some borax for a couple years, which worked well, then I ended up with a couple tide pods as swag when I bought detergent, so I drained my black tank then closed it, tossed ‘em (2) in there then hit used the tank washer to fill with valve closed. The amount of crud that came out of that black tank was surprising.

[@codeman99-dev]

4:02 My rule is very simple - stand next to the valve and verbally count. Much less likely that someone will interrupt you if they hear you counting. Much less likely that you'll get distracted as well.

[@jorgecervantes7644]

So many methods so many no good some ok few are great. For myself I put a quart/litre of regular yogurt and powder up a bunch of digestive enzyme pills and add to the blackwater tank at the beginning of each camping trip and anytime its emptied. When done camping I make sure the tank is 3/4 full and drive away. Once nearer home or after a few hrs of driving I find a dump station and drain the tank then fill 3/4 full of water and drive again allowing the sloshing to rinse. Some dishsoap at this time seems to help with the rinse. The yogurt and enzymes over the 2wk camping trip seems to keep solids/paper dissolved and getting a good empty is easy.. for me this works awesome..

[@CardelliFamof8]

Started using Liquafied. No issues so far. We are stationary for week and even months at a time at the places we tend to visit more.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@seanLeprechaun]

I swear by Unique RV Digest-It. I was having smell problems on every flush, even when the trailer was new. I started flushing the black tank at the end of each trip, then closing the drain and counting to 20 while water kept going in through the flush valve. Then I poured 2 oz of Digest-it in and let it slosh around on the drive home. While it sits at home, it's dissolving things and keeping the tank smell free and it's ready to go next trip. I do the same thing on my gray tanks. Bonus, I can use regular toilet paper in the black tank with digest-it.

[@OldManandtheSuperC]

I’ve found the wand works on the black water pipes that some RV’s have. Have also used it on the hoses.

[@designbuild7128]

As someone who had to 1st time RV and shakedown all on a major pre-planned trip, I can say the "flushking" solution was helpful for us only along with the downstream valve. I think we got a paper clog at the manufacturer's valve and being able to backflow water pressure into the tank cleared it really quickly as nothing else worked before that. I did make sure to keep some liquids in there at all times, but we were back to normal once the valve cleared. I am curious about how 'pristine' others feel they need to get if you are constantly using; and not sitting unused for long periods. It seems as long as there isn't solid build up or paper wads, you would just need to drain and put a little water in bottom to perpetually prevent issues until you stop camping.

[@XLSLife]

I've been following similar steps with my tank. Haven't had any issues (except at a few campgrounds I couldn't rinse at) in 2 years of full timing. I picked up a gauge but discovered that my tank flush is about 2/3 of the way up the tank and I can audibly hear when the water level reaches it. So if I have time at the dump station I'll fill it to there twice. Usually the water comes out about as clear as black tank water ever can after that. After I close the valve I'll let it run another several seconds to get a couple gallons of water in the tank to start it out. If I can't rinse, because there's a line or they don't allow it, I'll try to throw maybe 1/4-1/3 of a tank of water in it and dump at the next campground when I arrive. Since I full-time I'm almost always heading somewhere else with a dump station, so I can usually pull it off.

[@SpykersB]

I like Matt from RV reviews been watching him for years, but well i'm not blind, n that so called surfactant in liquified, was clearly 1/2 as good as the other bins walls in that rv tips n travels video comparison. My sensors are my priority n if my sensor's work well then I don't need to be spending 30-50$ bucks on liquified or any other commercially made over priced tank treatment, cause Kleen tanks formula costs me pennies to make in comparison n keeps the stink down n my sensors work. So bottom line rinse your tanks people, and all the 💩 gunk whether liquified or not will leave the tank. 😂🍻

[@neilevenden3481]

Because of how our camping began, using Tents & Tent Trailers, we have developed some practices that we are comfortable with. We rarely, and I mean very rarely use our toilet during the day. We use the nearby out houses or comfort stations. We also limit our toilets us to urinate only. Bowel movements are NEVER done in the trailer (Well almost! Once in 11 summers). I know this is not necessary and that some prefer using their systems as designed, but when you first camped for over 20 years without the option of using your on board washroom, it has been easy to continue using the Park's facilities. This makes dumping and cleaning a little easier. I still follow many of the practices that you do. I almost always will go into the trailer and flush some clean water into the Black Tank to do a final rinse. I also add lots of water to the tank, especially if its only been a couple of days since the last dump. How much Fresh Water do you carry on board when travelling? In the past we have emptied our Fresh Water to reduce weight on travel days. This was because our tow vehicle was nearing its limits even with our small trailer. We now have a much more robust tow vehicle so weight is less of an issue. We also had a situation during this summer's travels where we arrived a campground and found they had a "Boil Water Alert", so we did not take on any water. Fortunately we had some bottled water on board. After that experience, we began refilling our Fresh Water Tank as we left each campground. This summer we stopped at 8 different campgrounds and a friend house. We were lucky that when leaving the campground with the water issue, we stopped at a friend's house and took on a full load of water. The next campground (a National Park) did not have a fill station. We also now carry a full Blue 20L Jug during our travel days.

[@tomloveday615]

The sprayer tube, I call it the S**t stick. works really good for getting rid of a poop matterhorn if you get an rv that has not been maintained well. if you take care of your tank, you don't need it.

[@edgramza]

When you put the camera down there we’re you able to see the dreaded tank sensors and if they were covered with residue? They never seem to work properly after the first time you use your RV.

[@GailBaxter]

I've been a RV owner for decades. Never had a tank flush until my current Class A. Honestly I think most people are too hung up on their black tank. Hell, I use Charmin! I've never had an issue with build up in the tank. I do use treatment pods; can't say I have a preference. I do use lots of water and try not to leave the tank dry. I've had no issue with clogs or smell.

[@markmortier5317]

Another excellent video! We have had similar results with the same simple process you use and Liquified. Thank you for always mentioning common sense tips for being a courteous camper! I see people doing maintenance with no regard for the mess they leave in a campsite.

[@robertpearson8798]

After a camping trip and at the end of the season I flush the tank out again at home with the black tank flush and use a five gallon pail for disposal in a toilet. I use a flushing wand down the toilet but one with a single jet rather than the 360 degree spray that you used and I move it around in all directions to blast the sides of the tank and break up any solids until the water runs clear.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@100pyatt]

Calgon Water Softener worked wonders in cleaning out our black tanks

[@EarlBalentine]

Some go the home remedies work but not as good as good as others. All those homer remedies have been scientific tested and works so so compare to actually commercial treatments. If something works for you then by all means stay with it.

[@DW-qe7qe]

One cup Calgon, one cup Borax, one cup Fabuloso and three gallons of water poured into a flushed 4x black tank every time. I drag my garden hose into the trailer and completely fill the tank and empty. I do this four times and when drained add the mixture and done.

[@fdale83]

Serious question do you also use that remedy in your gray tank

[@DW-qe7qe]

@@fdale83 Short answer. No. But, since I have access to a water hose next to my trailer I flush the gray tank three to four times. If I detect a bad smell from food scrapes I might pour some Fabuloso down the drain. But I don’t use any Calgon or Borax in the gray tank. The key to cleaning both tanks is using plenty of water to flush.

[@fdale83]

@@DW-qe7qe Thank you and yes multiple flushes is what I do each time I drain tanks

[@DW-qe7qe]

@@fdale83 You’re welcome! Have fun

[@marcomorissette7940]

Thanks again for this clear way to explain black tank! I used Liquified also and rinse using my black tank flush when traveling and my flush king when at our park!👍 thanks again!🇨🇦

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@windrider65]

For the past 4 years, after I get my black tank clean, I put about 8 to 10 gallons of water back into the tank before I use it again. The more water you have over the solids, the better it cleans out the first time.

[@gary-gilbert]

We keep some water in our fresh tank or a few gallon jugs of water with us. If using a dump station I dump the black and my wife fills and drops the bowl full of water in the tank a couple times. To help flush the solids out. Then we close the black tank and my wife fixes the tank back with chemicals water (couple gallons). This seems to keep our black tank fresh during the camping season. In the winter we winterize as normal.

[@timr6290]

We use Liquified also and I flush my black tank 2-4 times when I dump. Then I fill the bowl and put Liquified in it and drop that into the tank when we're travelling.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼

[@WillBelden]

I would suggest that those hose-at-the-valve gizmos could be good for purging any clogs (toilet paper) you might get in the outlet pipe. Have had that happen (once, switched to thinner TP), and it would've been good for that.

[@EarlBalentine]

great video. I never did believe ice would help clean your black tank, it doesn't hurt if you have ice to throw away. Ice floats so it's only going to scrub a small area of of the side when it's the bottom of the tank that needs scrubbing. Another guy did a video with a black tank mounted in the bed of his pickup truck for a test. he poured ice into and and drove like a maniac slapping on the brakes, excelerating fast and during figure eights in the parking lot, no one would do this in their Rv and the ice had very little effect of scrubbing your black tank. Do like you said, try not to put as much toilet paper down the toilet, use Liquified tank cleaner, flush and rinse tank, keep 5 or 10 gals of water in it after flushing.

[@jerrytalley802]

Another awesome video, I learn something new every time, thanks

[@AllAboutRVs]

Glad to help thanks!

[@bookooc5605]

Love your channel! Such a great resource, and minimal commercials.

[@mikewebster2984]

I use the flushking because I do not have a tank flush usually fill it 2 to 3 times if possible and always keep water in the black tank with tank chemical.

[@Zippermaze]

Great info dude. Keep making them.

[@williamfry6087]

Well you finally went to the Dark Side and I am following you. !

[@douglasdillon9280]

You and Ross do such great jobs with sharing helpful and insightful information! Thanks for the consistent high quality

[@davemorin3327]

I always set a timer for the black tank flush!

[@garryhammond3117]

Great "insight" to the inside of the black tank Jared - Thanks. - Cheers!

[@davevoecks6264]

I normally use the built-in flush, but I'm a giant fan of at least periodically dumping a few 5-gallon buckets of water down the toilet as fast as I can. You get the benefits of flushing, but you also get the benefit of all that water crashing down right where the solids also land.

[@jeremyspecce]

Oops, just made almost the exact same comment before I saw this. 😂

[@BuildingByFaith]

I've been using the pinesol calgon mixture for almost two years since the rv was new. We still get odor and stuff stuck on the sensor. I'm going to try the liquified, but it's expensive. I find using the internal tank sprayer for at least 15 minutes works for cleaning the tank. I split my water hose before the filter. No sense in filtering water for the black tank. Also higher pressute before filter. I put the regulator after my filter.

[@AllAboutRVs]

👍🏼