Muriatic acid and holding tanks

[Jim Oursler]

Thanks for help to date. I have 15 years of sludge in plastic tank and plan to use the muriatic acid. I will follow your recommendations on caring for septic system bacteria once I get this past owners mess cleared up. Now for the acid: Recommended dilution? Recommended soak time? Recommend quantity in 40 gal tank?I will pour solution down pumpout line.I just have toilet, hose to tank, pumpout line (outlet from tank to deck), and vent hose. (manual pump removed)

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

I'm having 2nd thoughts about muriatic acid

Boat yards use it (or used to before the EPA made 'em stop using anything that actually gets the job done), but since part of the sludge in a holding tank is chemical residue and I'm not sure how some 'em are likely to react with muriatic acid, I'm gonna leave it to you to talk to some of your local boat yards for their advice about the dilution and standing time. But before you do, find out whether the sludge is still "mud" or actually hard "concrete"...'cuz if it's "mud," enough water and a stick to stir it with should make a soup you can just pump out.And if it's a metal tank, don't even consider using muriatic--or any other--acid.