Smelly holding tank - tempted to add chemicals..

catlotion

catlotion

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I know it's an old topic but...

we're still having issues with our stainless steel holding tank. The breather emits a strong rotting cabbage smell when the heads is flushed. We've had the tank out and flushed it properly, changed all hoses, increased the breather size and avoided putting any cleaning products down it (according to Peggy Hall advice).

However, it's stinky again now. We fill it with water and flush it through when emptying but it isn't always left empty (not always convenient to pump out if you're on your own and weather is bad).

So, I'm kind of tempted to start putting cleaning products down it. I know that'll stop aerobic processes but it seems they're not working well anyway. Thoughts anyone? We'll prob replace with a new tank (plastic) but can't afford to at the moment...

boat is on Windermere so freshwater...
 
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jon711 said:
I would imagine that the smell is coming from the breather pipe, probably better to put an activated carbon filter on the breather to reduce the smell...

Jon
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+1 every time you pump something in even freshwater air has to exit and that air has been hanging around with bad company, plus there may be some of those smelly buggy thingies pumped in with the incoming flush water. When we lived on board and had two loos feeding a huge holding tank, we cured all external breather smellies with a carbon filter fitted by the male equivalent guru locally of Peggy Hall.
 
Little trick with getting some stubborn solid deposits out of holding tanks - empty it & put a load of ice cubes in then go for a sail - preferably over some waves & chop - the ice cubes will break up said deposits and you can then empty them out with the now melted cubes.

Another bit of advice I've heard is that cheap cola drink is good for cleaning grey water tanks, but I assume this is for plastic tanks ...
 
What calibre is the breather hose? The important thing is to allow aerobic fermentation and not anaerobic fermentation to take place in the in the tank, so you need a good size hose. The breather on mine is 1.5 inch hose and the tank never stinks. If the tank has been allowed to fill up and some of the contents have found their way up the breather, it may be necessary to replace the hose: the standard sanitation hose starts to get permeable to smells after about 5 years.
 
iirc, Peggy's main advice (assuming she was the 'headmistress') was to ensure good ventilation across the tank promoting aerobic bacterial action. Achieving that pretty much requires two vents which pick up the wind from either side, not easily achieved. Another possibilty is some sort of aerator bubbling through the contents, bit like a fish tank system. I think she argued against filters as they blocked whatever air might be getting in. When I pump out, I do about 50 'empty' strokes to try and suck fresh air into the tank - not sure its too effective though
 
MoodySabre said:
I use a Vetus No Smell Filter. Does what it says.
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+1 for Vetus, an excellent product. I only fitted it this year, 7 years after installing a holding tank. I still expected a bit of a whiff as the breather outlet is next to the toilet window, but there was none, even with a 3/4 full tank on a hot summers day. I wish I'd installed it when I put the tank in, it used to get a bit embarrassing when we had guests.
 
Many in the motorhome fraternity swear by Lidl or Aldi bio detergent capsules in their toilet cassette, they say it smells sweet and everything is kept clean.
 
Try Noflex Digestor it will get rid of the smells and sludge you can get it in the UK now

Peggy is correct about the vents they should be 3/4 inch or bigger and have no blockages (like fine space screens)
 
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