ok i have a question regarding "geo-method"

[murry52]

Originally Posted by mikey

Just received a shipment of powdered Calgon from Amazon.com. Came 3 days after I ordered it.

I have found powdered Calgon at Home Hardware

[BigTJohn]

Got to LOVE the answers from Herk! Never did I thin k I would EVER learn so much from an Air Force delivery jockey! Not after being sohaphazardly dumped in the wrong "spot" for para ops. All kidding aside, Lou is one of the best for info - on almost anything.

[murry52]

Originally Posted by rschoono289

Dave

quick question, where are you buying the Calgon, I didnt find it in Georgetown or Brampton.

thanks

Calgon at Home Hardware

[rschoono289]

murry52

thanks for info. I just came back from the FROG Intl Rally in Goshen, Indiana and bought 7 bottles of liquid Calgon at Wal-Mart so good to go for a while LOL

btw, what is correct ratio of detergent/Calgon/water

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by rschoono289

murry52

thanks for info. I just came back from the FROG Intl Rally in Goshen, Indiana and bought 7 bottles of liquid Calgon at Wal-Mart so good to go for a while LOL

btw, what is correct ratio of detergent/Calgon/water

I normally use 1 cup of ws and one cup of detergent for black tank.
But I put in at least one gallon of water in tank first as to fill up outlet pipe first .

[Los Popes]

If you are unable to find Calgon, we've found that Borax will also work as a water softener. We've used the GEO method exclusively since we bought our rig and never had any problems with odors or the gauges.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by Los Popes

If you are unable to find Calgon, we've found that Borax will also work as a water softener. We've used the GEO method exclusively since we bought our rig and never had any problems with odors or the gauges.

Bubba,

Here is an excellent article on Borax; its use and dangers. It is NOT a water "softener" and as such does not replace what Calgon and other softeners do.
In fact it will make hard water slightly "harder" by the addition of more "salts" to the mix. The release of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) when added to hot water makes it a great disinfectant for clothes but will kill most beneficial bacteria.

Of particular interest is the fact that it is a poison (something not well known). How Does Borax Clean?

[murry52]

Originally Posted by rschoono289

Dave

quick question, where are you buying the Calgon, I didnt find it in Georgetown or Brampton.

thanks

I have bought Calgon at Home Hardware in Oshawa And Lindsay. I use two cups of Calgon to one gallon of water pre mix in Pail before dumping in black tank

[Bluebyu]

Ok, new here..and new to the TT world. So, I've been combing the website for any and all info that is helpful. I found this one. Question, when I picked up my trailer I was given a bottle of Blue Chem stuff (I think was the name) and was told to add a bottle every so often. But on this thread it looks as if you folks are using Calgon instead. Is this correct and does Calgon break down the "items" in a black tank or does it just help "clean" out the tank. Sorry if this question seems silly...just trying to decipher between what's what.

[TURBS]

Calgon makes the tank slippery so as all flows out and no sticky sticky.

Turbs

[Bluebyu]

Got it! thanks

[brokenaxle]

I'm just so confused!!!!! I always was told the geo method was equal amounts of laundry soap, calgon,and bleach and have been using it for years successfully. Also as much as I hate to enter the doors I found calgon liquid at our local walmart. Meijers usually has it but they were out the last time I was there. Also the more you are in rural areas the more apt you will be to find it. I also found it at a couple markets in small towns in northern Mi. They tend to have harder water than most places and have the need for it.

[10x]

Originally Posted by herk7769

I use a "modified" geo method to keep my tanks clean.

I use 1 cap of Calgon water softener (to make the tank sides slick) and a cap full of Liquid Laundry soap with 3-5 gallons of water to "start" an empty tank and after every tank dump.

At the end of every season, I but a full bottle of RV-Digest-It by Unique Unique RV Digest-It Unique Distributing in the gray and black tanks and fill them up with water. Let "cook" for 72 hours then dump and flush.

Tanks always dump clean, never smell, and the probes work great.

Would RID X work the same too?

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by 10x

Would RID X work the same too?

As a replacement for end-of-season "Unique RV-Digest-It", yes.

Like RV-Digest-It, Rid-X is an enzyme and bacteria mix that takes a minimum of 24 hours to work. In a mobile holding tank environment, (where tanks are dumped regularly) using this type of product just does not do very much, IMO; as there is is just not enough time between dumps to actually work.

[brokenaxle]

the mobile RV mechanic that comes to our campground reccomends rid-x to clean tanks that have become full of solids put it in and let it work. Not all of our sites have sewer hookups and the majority of these use the hiney wagon service from the campground. Eventually they get full of solids because they aren't there when he comes with the honey wagon and the tanks never get really flushed out good so this is a common problem. I have a couple friends that tried this and it worked for them. some rid-x and water let it set a few days and use the bathroom in the bath house instead of your rv's. then flush the whole thing out real well. Depending how bad it is you may have to repeat the process.

[Herk7769]

Yep, the "full" and "soak a few days" are operative words. It is always best to avoid getting it clogged in the first place (Geo Method or the modified one); but once it is clogged an enzyme/bacteria treatment is the only other way to go.

[brokenaxle]

Most of our campers use their campers more like cottages and don't move them until the roof caves in lol. When you move your rigs and travel it is much easier to agitate the tanks and clean them. When they sit in one place like our campground and the honey wagon comes to pump them out without rinsing out the tanks they tend to accumulate solids. It is much easier to keep the tank clean but some people are just clueless when it comes to these things lol. I had a good friend that fell victim to this the guy is not dumb but just uninformed about rv maintenance. His tank was blocked so bad all that would come out of the black valve was a trickle. It was corked so bad the C.G. guy with the hiney wagon didn't think there was anything in the tank lol. The rid-x worked for him but he had to do it 3 times to see the bottom of his tank again lol.

[Herk7769]

Originally Posted by brokenaxle

Most of our campers use their campers more like cottages and don't move them until the roof caves in lol. When you move your rigs and travel it is much easier to agitate the tanks and clean them. When they sit in one place like our campground and the honey wagon comes to pump them out without rinsing out the tanks they tend to accumulate solids. It is much easier to keep the tank clean but some people are just clueless when it comes to these things lol. I had a good friend that fell victim to this the guy is not dumb but just uninformed about rv maintenance. His tank was blocked so bad all that would come out of the black valve was a trickle. It was corked so bad the C.G. guy with the hiney wagon didn't think there was anything in the tank lol. The rid-x worked for him but he had to do it 3 times to see the bottom of his tank again lol.

I can see how this could be a problem.

However if city water is available, perhaps keeping the wagon hooked up and a "turboflushed fill" and pump out every third dump might be a good preventative measure.

[brokenaxle]

That's what the smart ones do. But some just pay to have it pumped after they go home after the weekend and the CG guy doesn't have access to get in their trailers to fill the tank to flush it and most do not have turbo flush systems he could run from the outside. I have full hookups and flush it every dump.