Going Back to K.O.

[Dan Ebert]

Peggy.Run out of K.O. and switch to Odorlos. Odorlos does not do the job. Want to swithback to K.O. I know K.O. states to use that no resdue of other products to be in the holding tank. Will a pump out and rinse do the job, or do I have to replace the holding tank.Thanks.p.s. I will keep extra K.O. on hand.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

That's VERY strange...

'Cuz Odorlos often works in tanks that don't get enough air to allow K.O. to work. It's never the other way round. If Odorlos isn't working, I'm not sure K.O. will either. What's changed in your system? What is your wife using to clean the toilet? When was the last time you checked your tank vent? However, to answer your question, a pump and a rinse--and with a switch either way between K.O. and Odorlos, it doesn't have be nearly as thorough as it would have to be to get rid of chemical residue--is all you need.

 

[Dave]

What effort to go from chemical to KO?

Peggy -You indicated just a pump out and a rinse to go between Odorls and KO. What has to be done to the systme if going from chemical to KO?Thanks,Dave

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

A VERY thorough rinse...

The tank has to be flushed with clean water until there's no trace of chemical left. Which is actually a benefit, 'cuz it also stirs up and removes the sludge caused by using chemicals. Best way to flush: pump out the tank. Stick a hose (NOT the one used to fill fresh water tanks!) down the pumpout fitting--'cuz that puts the water into the tank at the bottom, which stirs up the sludge--and fill the tank to about 1/4 full...pump that out. Do it again...and again...till the water being pumped out is nothing but clean water. Actually, after the first time, you can just let the water run till the tank overflows out the vent...and continue to let it run till the water runs clean.

 

[Dan]

Let it run

I keep seeing these posts that talk about rinsing your waste tank by letting it overflow the vent with clean water. Once you have introduced waste into the tank, how do you get by a zero discharge concept if you are mixing in clean water with waste? Seems to me unless the tank is already very clean, you don't meet the law. Am I wrong?Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Once you've pumped out plus

a nominal first rinse, there's less waste left in the tank than is usually dripped on the deck by the pumpout. I doubt that you or anyone else carries the concept of "no discharge" so far that you don't grab a hose and rinse that off into the water--where, btw, it only mixes with all the spilled fuel around the fuel dock where the pump out is.There are reasonable limits to everything.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Btw, Dan...

Don't store K.O. in dock locker in the sun...don't leave it in your car--even for a couple of hours...don't store it anywhere the temperature can go about 110 F. The bacteria in it will die, leaving you with a bottle of nothing but "nutrient broth."