How much liquid water softener for Geo method

[larry2c]

I have been looking for powdered Calgon so we can try the geo method on our new TT but it is difficult to find. I can get the liquid version pretty much anywhere. So my question is, does anyone know the ratio of liquid Calgon to dish soap for the geo method? With the cost of the powdered online it may even be cheaper but without knowing the ratio, it's hard to say.

[Leatherman]

I can't find the powdered stuff either.

Following.

[Leatherman]

I can't find the powdered stuff either locally. Its $20 on amazon for 40 oz. with free shipping.

Following.

[HangDiver]

I use two cap fulls of each. Before I dump I fill the black tank with water and let it sit for a few hours.
Edit: I use liquid laundry detergent, not dish soap.

[debit]

I saw this thread earlier, and went on line to Amazon -ordered a 2 pack (that is the way it comes) of powder $29.99. It arrived last week two days later, via mail box.(no shipping, no tax).

...........................
ram 2500 diesel/FR251rks

[Evereddie]

Check out a direct replacement for Calgon called Rain Drops. Been using it this season and it is the exact same as Calgon. Available on Amazon.

[kenword]

I use a cup of liquid Calgon and a cup of Dawn dish washing soap. Sometimes I'll add 10-20 lbs of ice and then drive home. That seems to work just fine

[Scotsman]

I have found the liquid version of this product at WalMart in Florida and NY. It's out there and at a great price. Seems pretty pricey on Amazon. Good Luck.

[DouglasReid]

WE use the Dawn without any softener, seems to work wonders!

[Swampy]

try 2 capfulls of liquid Calgon and 2 cap fulls of cheapest laundry detergent you can find (I use Sun from Dollar General.) ...... Swampy

[Cherokeerose]

@ DouglasReid: I note that you are not using any Calgon and I, too, cannot find any anymore here in Canada, so your method without Calgon would a real advantage. Can you tell me how much Dawn you are using? I normally just put the blue stuff and about 2 Tbsp. of Dawn down my toilet bowl, but perhaps that is not enough? Thanks.

[kayo]

I am still, after 15 yrs on the road, mystified why so many seem to think a clean black tank is such a big deal. . It is a septic tank folks, part of a house in the country sewer system. Nothing more, nothing less! At one stick house we had for twenty years, we had a septic system. The fluid would drain out to a leach bed and the solids were pumped out every few years, and at no time did I ever put anything there to sanitize it. And do not do anything like it today. We dump once a week, add 5 gal. of water, several oz. of Odorless which cuts the odor and breaks down the toilet paper and the solids, and do nothing else until we dump the next week. No "germs" are going to come up through the toilet - that's what the water in the bowl prevents

[Decon Blue]

I have used the cheapest laundry fabric softener that Sams Club sells and Dawn dish liquid for 20 years and never had a problem. 1 cap full (witch is about 4 oz.) and a healthy squirt of Dawn with about 2 gallons of water in black tank after I dump each time. I always use single ply tissue and plenty of water. Water is your freind.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Cherokeerose

@ DouglasReid: I note that you are not using any Calgon and I, too, cannot find any anymore here in Canada, so your method without Calgon would a real advantage. Can you tell me how much Dawn you are using? I normally just put the blue stuff and about 2 Tbsp. of Dawn down my toilet bowl, but perhaps that is not enough? Thanks.

Sure, we buy the Dawn from the Dollar Tree or Dollar General stores. $1.00 buys an 8 oz bottle of non-dilutable Dawn. We use 1/2 a bottle and 5 gallons of water, so it costs $.50 per trip.

For those who think this is a waste of time I will tell you why we do this. Prior to using the Geo Method our black tank always seemed to seep a bit which I attributed to the seals of the valve not sealing well. Since We have been using this method we no longer have any seepage and the resulting unpleasant liquid escaping when I take off the cap at the dump station.

If this is the cost I must pay to be more sanitary, so be it!

[Decon Blue]

Originally Posted by kayo

I am still, after 15 yrs on the road, mystified why so many seem to think a clean black tank is such a big deal. . It is a septic tank folks, part of a house in the country sewer system. Nothing more, nothing less! At one stick house we had for twenty years, we had a septic system. The fluid would drain out to a leach bed and the solids were pumped out every few years, and at no time did I ever put anything there to sanitize it. And do not do anything like it today. We dump once a week, add 5 gal. of water, several oz. of Odorless which cuts the odor and breaks down the toilet paper and the solids, and do nothing else until we dump the next week. No "germs" are going to come up through the toilet - that's what the water in the bowl prevents

It's not so much the "cleaning of the tank" as it is trying to not let stuff cling to the sides IMHO. On a plus note the fabric softener helps with the odors.

[Evereddie]

A black tank is not a septic tank. A black tank is a HOLDING TANK. The processes that take place in a septic tank cannot, and do not, take place in a holding tank. People like to keep it clean cause after a while it can smell and to prevent build up on the sensors. I use GEO and my sensors work perfectly. Been so for 5 seasons. .

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by kayo

I am still, after 15 yrs on the road, mystified why so many seem to think a clean black tank is such a big deal. . It is a septic tank folks,

Its not a septic tank. Its a holding tank. Big difference.

[Swampy]

If you really want powdered, 20 MULE TEAM BORAXO is a good cheap water softener. Just treat your holding tanks at the beginning of the season and you should be good for the whole season. Not necessary to do it every time used. Use with about 5 gallons of warm water down the toilet for Black and down the sink for Grey. And down the shower if you have a second grey. I normally use 2 caps of liquid Calgon and the same with Cheapest liquid Laundry detergent. add 5 gallons of water and let it sit for ride home or site to site. Never have false readings on tank sensors.

Swampy

[Evereddie]

The GEO Method dictates water softener, not fabric softener. Big difference there.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by kayo

I am still, after 15 yrs on the road, mystified why so many seem to think a clean black tank is such a big deal. . It is a septic tank folks, part of a house in the country sewer system. Nothing more, nothing less! At one stick house we had for twenty years, we had a septic system. The fluid would drain out to a leach bed and the solids were pumped out every few years, and at no time did I ever put anything there to sanitize it. And do not do anything like it today. We dump once a week, add 5 gal. of water, several oz. of Odorless which cuts the odor and breaks down the toilet paper and the solids, and do nothing else until we dump the next week. No "germs" are going to come up through the toilet - that's what the water in the bowl prevents

Actually, No it is not a Septic Tank - it is a Holding Tank.

Your analogy to a S&B Septic toilet system is also faulty. A S&B Toilet is not the same as a RV Toilet (Unless you have a high end electric flush or macerator), you step on a pedal a valve opens and the bowl contents dump (Gravity fed) into your holding tank.

As for chemicals, I agree with you - we do not use them either. We used to do the GEO system until we realized just how many nasty chemicals we were putting into the sewer systems (and aa LOT of CG Sewer system are Septic with real leech fields and so forth So all those chemicals are going into the ground and the ground water

We have found that (like you) using a biologic to break down waste and TP is the optimal solution (especially since we full-time) There are several on the market: Oderless, RVDigestIt, and what we use: Sea-Zyme. We like Sea-Zyme the best because it store compact and 2 16Oz cans @ $60, will last us a whole year.

Biologics work best because they break down the waste rather than just mask the smell like chemicals do. If you want a brief tutorial on this click here: Seazyme Online!

We buy our Sea-Zyme from fellow Fulltiming FROGs Gary & Linda at G & L RV Specialties

Oh and to answer the OP's question...you actually want liquid calgon the GEO recipe is equal parts Calgon, Dawn Dishwashing Liquid (and only Dawn because it is the grease cutter), Pine Sol, & Water.

Still I recommend the biologic - be kind to momma Earth