The Nuclear Option

[Levin]

Hello All...

So I wanted to get people's opinion on a step I took to finally control the odor in my holding tank. First off some background: I have a 2000 model year Hunter 340 with the standard 30 gallon holding tank. I used to be a liveaboard for about 5 years and I used my boat's head regularly as such. I also pumped out regularly at the pumpout dock while I was living aboard and generally things were fine (or tolerable... never perfect) odor wise during that time.

Now I no longer live aboard but I'm down at the boat about two days out of the week and still use the head occasionally, and over the last year I've noticed the odor is more of a problem. I've tried just about every additive that West Marine sells and nothing even makes a dent in the problem. I've also read this forum extensively and realize that part of the problem is likely a lack of ventilation due to how my production boat was set up (long vent loop- definitely more than a 15 degree rise, "bad" bacteria vs. "good" bacteria, etc, etc). So I know I could add another vent loop and try to improve on this but I've got this thing about adding extra holes to my boat and my holding tank that makes me resistant to doing so.

Anyway as a last ditch effort to solve the problem before drilling I went out to Wal Mart and bought this thick blue stuff that is designed for RV holding tanks and gave it a shot. I'm sure this stuff called "Campa-Chem" could probably take paint off the side of a barn and likely would eat through skin on direct contact but by God it controls odor like nothing else I've tried. I haven't smelled a thing from the holding tank since I put it in and haven't pumped out in a couple weeks.

So my question for anyone in the know: What's the downside of using this stuff? I realize I should never pump out into the ocean because I know this stuff would likely kill everything within a 5 mile radius, but I never do pump overboard and always use my local pumpout dock for emptying the holding tank. Other than that any downside? Because if not this might be the nuclear option for solving holding tank odors but it definitely works.

-Levin

 

[Stu Jackson]

Peggie Hall recommends Odorlos, get it at West Marine. I tried it, it works. The blue chemical stuff masks the odor, rather than eliminating it. If you've read the ""bad" bacteria vs. "good" bacteria" stuff, that's the answer.

 

[philwsailz]

Campa-Kem is a "watered-down" version of the full-strength Aqua-Kem manufactured by Thetford Corporation. They also make lots of RV and marine toilets and the infamous porta-potty.

Campa-Kem and Aqua-Kem are formaldehyde-based deodorizers for treadment of holding tank, (black water) waste. They both break down solids. Aqua-Kem does a better job of odor control. I have used Aqua-Kem in my RV and it has done the best job of controlling odors when compared with other treatments, some bacteria-based and some not. I am un-willing to change to another brand at this point having had a good 10 years of good luck with this stuff.

If you are having good results with the Campa-Kem stick with it. If you want even better control, go to the Aqua-Kem. With regards to dumping it though, I personally will strongly recommend to only get rid of it at a pump-out station.

Formaldehyde is the issue. Formaldehyde is 100% biodegradable. That being said, formaldehyde also is known as a cancer-causing agent by the state of California.... Do your own research, but I know from experience it does burn when left on the skin out of the bottle so it can't be good for the environment at full strength...

If I were regularly on a boat out in the ocean and needing to dump, (dump my tank ) I would feel better about my stewardship of Mother Earth if I were instead using a natural bacterial based product. If however I were a coastal cruiser with regular access to pumpout, based on my personal experience I would probably use the Aqua-Kem.

My $.02

 

[anchorclanker]

That being said, formaldehyde also is known as a cancer-causing agent by the state of California....

Is there anything known to the state of California that wont cause cancer?

I remember Peter Jennings one night, reporting that soda pop was found to cause cancer. But he added, that to consume the same amount they fed lab mice, you would have to drink 37 cans a day. Come on, if I drank 37 cans a pop every day I would expect it to kill me.

Then it was milk caused cancer. Then butter. Wonder how much they fed mice that stuff. Thats when I stopped listening. Everything causes cancer these days, we just need to use common sense. Everything in moderation.

That said I would probably try to vent it better.

 

[Levin]

Hello again...

First off for Stu... have definitely tried the "Odorless" product at West Marine with no improvement. Also tried "KO" and a bunch of others that they sell with no improvement. As I mentioned in my orginal post a lot of this is likely lack of good venting in my holding tank based off what Peggie used to write, but to get proper venting would require major surgery to the boat and holding tank. What I'm happy about is that with the "Campa-Chem"solving the odor problem this is no longer needed.

Also in my mind this doesn't "mask" the problem because the odor is the problem in my mind. If the odor is gone then the problem is solved. I remember Peggie and some other member of this forum going back and forth a while back because he built a carbon filter for his holding tank vent rather than solving the tank smell at the source and she said the same thing (he was masking the problem)... but he pointed out that however you solve the problem that the boat doesn't smell then it is solved.

So it sounds like as long as I don't pump overboard (which I don't) then there likely isn't any other downside to my nuclear option. Wonder why they don't sell this stuff at West Marine. Maybe because of that whole bit about how it shouldn't be pumped overboard?

-Levin

 

[zeehag]

odorlos is the only product i have found that actually WORKS in the head system for odor control and effluent break down.

 

[Stu Jackson]

zeehag is right, but here's what I've found: Peggie was/is also right. Why? 'Cuz what Peggie said is that Odorlos works for a few days, which has been my experience. Maybe for all of a short week (late Sunday to early Friday). After more than that, the odor does come back, really. After a few flushes it goes away, anyway.

The answer? Use your boat more often. It's just like voting: Flush early, flush often.

Don't know if you've plumbed your head sink into the head inlet for the last flush of the day. It really does help.

 

[zeehag]

zeehag is right, but here's what I've found: Peggie was/is also right. Why? 'Cuz what Peggie said is that Odorlos works for a few days, which has been my experience. Maybe for all of a short week (late Sunday to early Friday). After more than that, the odor does come back, really. After a few flushes it goes away, anyway.

The answer? Use your boat more often. It's just like voting: Flush early, flush often.

Don't know if you've plumbed your head sink into the head inlet for the last flush of the day. It really does help.

having used odorlos for over 5 yrs, i have yet to have odor return after use of it in my holding tank. even when i had to wait 2 weeks for pumpout.