GEO method, need a couple 'solid' answers

[John4th]

Ok, the day I brought the trailer home I dumped 5 gallons of water into the black tank. It has NEVER been dry, always 5-10 gallons of water in it. I have been using the traditional chemicals, but I a want to switch to the geo method. I have yet to find a straight answer, and that's all I want.
With my 5-10 gallons of water sittin in the tank, I understand I add one capful of the Calgon crystals. This is the tank lubricant. Perfect sense.

Question is the laundry detergent. Do I just use something like Tide, and will any generic brand do? And when do I add it? While the trailer is stored? When we leave to go camp? When we get to the campground? Or when I get ready to dump?
Thanks guys!

[Dave_Monica]

For the GEO method, after the black tank is dumped and flushed, I put a capful of any liquid laundry detergent, a half cup of Calgon dry powder and 5 gal of water poured through the toilet. That's it...it's ready for the next trip. Never have odors and don't add any chemicals to the tank.

The only time the tank is completely empty is for the winter.

Dave

[Arefbee]

This seems to be the best reference for the method:
https://sites.google.com/site/cbruni/

[John4th]

Thanks, I know exactly what I'll be doing now.

[mike2wheels]

Dave, do you add these every time you flush the black tank or after each trip? If we're on the road every day I usually flush the tank every time we break camp so I'm not hauling waste water. With your procedure would I add Calgon and detergent every time I empty the tank?

[RoadTrip]

Originally Posted by mike2wheels

Dave, do you add these every time you flush the black tank or after each trip? If we're on the road every day I usually flush the tank every time we break camp so I'm not hauling waste water. With your procedure would I add Calgon and detergent every time I empty the tank?

yep. every time.

[SCOC]

Originally Posted by mike2wheels

If we're on the road every day I usually flush the tank every time we break camp so I'm not hauling waste water. With your procedure would I add Calgon and detergent every time I empty the tank?

If you are dumping and flushing every day, I think you could skip a day or two. The key is lots of water. Start the tank with lots of water, and before you flush fill the tank full if you can

I've used the GEO method now for a year. I always use the detergent (I use Sunlight lemon scented powder), but sometimes skip or reduce the amount of softener between tanks if I know I'll be able to do a good flush on the next dump. Otherwise I always prime the tank with water and both detergent and softener.

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by mike2wheels

Dave, do you add these every time you flush the black tank or after each trip? If we're on the road every day I usually flush the tank every time we break camp so I'm not hauling waste water. With your procedure would I add Calgon and detergent every time I empty the tank?

I add the water, detergent and softener every time the black tank is dumped. If we've stopped for a night on the road, I don't dump the black tank...usually wouldn't before 3 days collection and then I would add some gray water by the pail into the black tank through the toilet. I do this before I head to the dump station...add gray water through the toilet until I see foam in the drop pipe (ours has a couple of 45 elbows).

Dave

[Arefbee]

I have a minor change - I let a few gallons slosh around on the way home with a little detergent in each tank and do a final dump upon arrival, then add 5 gallons and Calgon, detergent, etc.

[whj77372]

I mix the liquid Calgon, water softner, in a pail of water, about two cap fulls, and into the toilet. Then one cup of any cheap power laundry detergent also mixed in a pail of water. After each dump and I leave it in the tank. We don't winterize in SE Texas. Good Luck

[OldCoot]

A 1/2 cup of Pinesol, 1/2 cup of SuperClean and 2 toilet bowls of water(approx. 1 gal.) after each dump does the same as the geo method from what I have observed. I always empty all three tanks before travel and use the Pinesol/SuperClean/Water in all 3 tanks before leaving.

[kantonburg]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

A 1/2 cup of Pinesol, 1/2 cup of SuperClean and 2 toilet bowls of water(approx. 1 gal.) after each dump does the same as the geo method from what I have observed. I always empty all three tanks before travel and use the Pinesol/SuperClean/Water in all 3 tanks before leaving.

OldCoot,

I know this is a huge bump. I'm searching the Geo Method and I've seen several people recommend SuperClean. Is it not the same a Purple Power, which is available everywhere here?

[itat]

Originally Posted by kantonburg

OldCoot,

I know this is a huge bump. I'm searching the Geo Method and I've seen several people recommend SuperClean. Is it not the same a Purple Power, which is available everywhere here?

SuperClean is a liquid cleaner-degreaser. I haven't seen it in powder form.

[kantonburg]

Originally Posted by itat

SuperClean is a liquid cleaner-degreaser. I haven't seen it in powder form.

Purple power is also a liquid degreaser. That was my question. Will any degreaser work as I can get purple power locally. Super Clear I'd have to order.