Sea water instead of fresh in porta potty???

[Contest1]

I recently replaced my smelly old Jabasco toilet with a marine version Telford Porta Potty.
Moved it to the space under the vee berth infill and converted the old toilet space to an open wardrobe for hanging cloths..
Worked out great on my marina based semi live aboard. I have the hold down kit but current position dose leave modesty concerns if overnighting at anchor
Very pleased with it as its rarely used and easy to discharg at the toilet block.. No smells and easily cleaned.
Its designed for fresh water but as I plan to be a little more adventurous this year I wonder if sea water would be ok for the flush tank as I understand sea water is antiseptic so seems to be a sensible choice.
Any thoughts???

 

[Momac]

Sitck to fresh water flush.

 

[Bru]

If you use seawater it will stink! (Unless you use LOTS of chemical and perhaps even then).

Porta Pottis use teeny amounts of water to flush, it's not worth the hassle for the amount of water you'll save

 

[pvb]

I'd stick to fresh water. It's also worth using a little dose of the pink flush additive.

 

[chewi]

Don't do that, you'll regret it.

seawater has living organisms, they either live and breed (and smell) or die (and smell).

 

[CCJ]

I recently replaced my smelly old Jabasco toilet with a marine version Telford Porta Potty.
Moved it to the space under the vee berth infill and converted the old toilet space to an open wardrobe for hanging cloths..
Worked out great on my marina based semi live aboard. I have the hold down kit but current position dose leave modesty concerns if overnighting at anchor
Very pleased with it as its rarely used and easy to discharg at the toilet block.. No smells and easily cleaned.
Its designed for fresh water but as I plan to be a little more adventurous this year I wonder if sea water would be ok for the flush tank as I understand sea water is antiseptic so seems to be a sensible choice.
Any thoughts???

Seawater + urine will produce calcium

 

[thinwater]

It's not the organisms. It is that seawater contains a lot of sulfate (part of the salt). Without air, bacteria convert sulfate into sulfide, which stinks.

And there will be more scale because seawater is nearly saturated with calcium, freshwater generally less so.

(I've done a lot of head testing for magazine articles)

 

[Contest1]

Thanks all.
Clearly I was on the wrong track.
I'll stick to fresh water with a squirt of toilet duck.

 

[Bru]

Thanks all.
Clearly I was on the wrong track.
I'll stick to fresh water with a squirt of toilet duck.

Don't use any domestic chemicals! They'll damage the seal and stain the plastic

Use the proper stuff - Aqua Kem Blue or Green in the waste tank (added BEFORE toy put the top back on the tank, never added via the bowl or they'll stain it) and pink in the flush tank of you insist although we never bothered

If you're going to be chucking the waste overboard you really ought to use Aqua Kem Green but it's not as effective as Blue

 

[burgundyben]

YBW solves another question!

 

[Arcady]

I must be in the minority here: I have a porta potti that must be twenty + years old on our Liberty 22. I’ve only ever used seawater for flushing and it still works fine. In fact I am amazed at the quality of the construction and seals: it leaks not a drop when carrying a full cassette, which isn’t bad at all for something that old and which I’ve never serviced (although I do use the proper blue stuff in the waste tank).

 

[burgundyben]

Ahoy Porta Potti Skippers!

Do you empty the porta potty after each trip?

 

[Bru]

Ahoy Porta Potti Skippers!

Do you empty the porta potty after each trip?

Nope, the longer it festers, the easier and less unpleasant it is to empty (as long as you've put enough chemical in)

 

[neil_s]

No. but as Bru says above - you must use the correct amount of blue chemical and no peeing over the side, either.

 

[Gumpy]

Don't use any domestic chemicals! They'll damage the seal and stain the plastic

Point of order.
I have been using cheap bio washing liquid for 20 years with no degradation to the seals.
Its bio friendly and works.
I also empty the cassette be it caravan or boat before I leave them for any period of time longer than a few days.

 

[Bru]

Point of order.
I have been using cheap bio washing liquid for 20 years with no degradation to the seals.
Its bio friendly and works.
I also empty the cassette be it caravan or boat before I leave them for any period of time longer than a few days.

You're doing it all wrong!!!!

Bio washing liquid won't do the seals any harm it's true. It's bleach, toilet fluids and the like that need to be avoided

 

[harvey38]

Blue in the bottom to keep smells at bay and break down solids, pink in the top to look after seals and assist things slide in the pan........

 

[burgundyben]

Blue in the bottom to keep smells at bay and break down solids, pink in the top to look after seals and assist things slide in the pan........

Oh.

I put a slosh of blue in the top with the fresh flush water.

No pink.

 

[Bru]

I put a slosh of blue in the top with the fresh flush water.

Not a good idea! It will stain the plastic in the bowl sooner or later

 

[Andrew_Trayfoot]

I have the hold down kit

Don't trust the hold down kit!