home subscribe forums magazine news gallery aftermarket rentals brokers manufacturers
Houseboat Forums
Decrease font size
Increase font size
Topic Title: Smelly Flushes
Topic Summary:
Created On: 06/25/2009 12:43:16 PM
Linear : Threading : Single : Branch
Topic Tools Topic Tools
View topic in raw text format. Print this topic.
 06/25/2009 12:43:16 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
BigBadBlue
Member

Posts: 36
Joined: 05/20/2006

Hello Everyone,

I have a smelly issue. When I flush my toilets it really smells outside by the vents. I have 2 holding taknks, raritan toilets and they are all only 2 years old. I have religously used KO and clean with CP.

Should I flush the holding tanks a few times and use something else? Where should I start to solve this issue?

Thanks,

John
 06/25/2009 01:42:01 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
BigBadBlue
Member

Posts: 36
Joined: 05/20/2006

My game plan right now after reading many posts is to throughly rinse out the holding tanks and try again.

I am thinking of swithing to Odorlos - what would I cleaning the toilets with if I switch to Odorlos?
 06/25/2009 02:41:53 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Flatstick
Member

Posts: 35
Joined: 07/20/2007

I use Oderlos. It seems to work very well. The other thing you can do is put new filters in your vent line. They are not expensive, and do the job very well. I still clean with CP.
 06/25/2009 03:00:31 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Jeepster04
Admiral

Posts: 310
Joined: 09/15/2008

We use filters in the vent lines and put Aqua Kem treatment in the tanks which we buy at walmart. The filters are around $60 per filter and the treatment is $8 or so per bottle. I believe each bottle is 64oz and it wants 8oz per 40 gallons. Usually we only do one treatment even though we have 100 gallon tanks but it still works out great. The guys that pump us out always thank us since ours doesnt smell near as bad as the other boats that do not use treatment. When they pump us out the water is actually blue.

And they always flush our tanks out when we get a pump out.

-------------------------
1990 16x78' stardust
Eastern Ky
 06/26/2009 07:09:37 AM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
BigBadBlue
Member

Posts: 36
Joined: 05/20/2006

Awesome info everyone ... thanks

The filter you are talking about ... where are they installed and how hard to install?
 06/26/2009 08:53:01 AM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Flatstick
Member

Posts: 35
Joined: 07/20/2007

If you have access to your holding tank vent lines, they are easy to install. They are in-line filters. Cut vent hose, attach each cut end to filter with clamp---Done!
 06/29/2009 04:08:24 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Jeepster04
Admiral

Posts: 310
Joined: 09/15/2008

We bought our filters from Marine Parts Source when we were at the House Boat Show. The kits are a little more than the replacement filters but the install is easy if you can get to the vent lines easily.

-------------------------
1990 16x78' stardust
Eastern Ky
 06/30/2009 09:00:48 AM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Capt. Ray
Member

Posts: 73
Joined: 10/21/2002

All of the above are suggestions to cover up the smell. Also, even a small amount of moisture will ruin the vent filter.
The only way to eliminate the odor is through proper ventilation and keeping the contents of the holding tank aerated.


Copied from a previous post by Peggie Hall:
"For about the price of 3 filters, you can solve the problem permanently with the Sweetank system.

Filters only last about a year, btw, and are toast immediately if they get wet. They also help to create the problem they're sold to solve (why couldn't I have invented something that does that???) by restricting the exchange of air through the vent needed to keep the tank aerobic.

-------------------------
Peggie Hall, Moderator
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987, Author: "Get Rid of Boat Odors--A Guide to Marine Sanitation Systems and Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor."
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/boat_odors/

-------------------------
Old Hickory Lake
2002 - 16 X 70 Sumerset
 07/12/2009 06:23:46 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Jeepster04
Admiral

Posts: 310
Joined: 09/15/2008

The only thing I cant figure out about letting the tanks 'vent,' even if you have one of those aerators is, if I use the bathroom on a sidewalk its going to have plenty of venting going on but its still going to smell like crap. How does the sewer being in a tank make that any different even if air is being pushed through the tank???

-------------------------
1990 16x78' stardust
Eastern Ky
 07/15/2009 01:31:16 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Head Master
Member

Posts: 106
Joined: 10/28/2002

CP can be used together with Odorlos - CP to clean the toilet, Odorlos in the holding tank; they're perfectly compatible with one another.

Air is pumped into the tank to promote the growth of AEROBIC bacteria. Aerobic bacteria thrives in an oxygen-rich environment, and it doesn't stink. In tanks that are sparse in oxygen, ANAEROBIC bacteria thrive, and overcome the aerobic bacteria. Anaerobic bacteria does STINK !!!
 07/15/2009 04:55:01 PM
User is offline View Users Profile Print this message

Author Icon
Jeepster04
Admiral

Posts: 310
Joined: 09/15/2008

Thanks for the explanation Head Master! Pretty sure I remember seeing Peg talk about that now.

I plan on picking up Odorlos since it seems to be better than what were using now(and cheaper) but what is CP?

-------------------------
1990 16x78' stardust
Eastern Ky
Statistics
2985 users are registered to the Houseboat Forums forum.
There are currently 0 users logged in.

FuseTalk Basic Edition - © 1999-2013 FuseTalk Inc. All rights reserved.