Which RV Black Tank Treatments ACTUALLY WORK?
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- Опубликовано: 5 авг 2023
- RV black tank treatments tested! Which waste tank treatment performs the best and which ones absolutely flop? Let’s compare these head to head and find out!We tested 8 different black tank treatments over a 6 day period to see which ones break down solid waste the best and are worth using in your RV waste tanks. ↘️↘️Click “SHOW MORE” below to open the full video description! ↙️↙️ We compared Liquified RV tank treatment, Unique Digest It Plus, EcoStrong, Thetford AquaMax, Camco TST Max, the Bio Geo method, Valterra Odorlos, and Happy Campers RV holding tank treatment.
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rv,rv life,rving,rv lifestyle,rv travel,travel trailer,black tank,black tank cleaning,rv black tank,rv tank treatment,rv black tank treatment,rv grey tank,rv tank cleaning,rv sewer,rv sewer treatment,rv sewer system,rv black tank cleaning,dump black tank,happy campers,unique digest it plus,unique rv,liquified,liquified rv tank treatment,rv sewer hookup,tst max,calgon and dawn dish soap,odorlos,aquamax,ecostrong,bio geo method, Which RV Black Tank Treatments ACTUALLY WORK?!
Thank you so much Josh for Making a Great Unbiased Video! If any viewers of Josh would like to try liquified and they are not 100% Happy I will give a 100% Refund! Thank you to everyone who is considering switching to Liquified!
We are a small company trying to take on these BIG Titans in the Industry!
Ps. Josh wouldnt take payment to make this video! And he didnt tell me about how it went... I saw it at the same time as you did! With that said here is a super chat for the support of Josh and how hard he worked on making this video! I know it took him forever
@@MattsRVReviews And here I was wondering if you knew of this video! Looks like your product is the best! Very nice! 👍🤘Thank you! Thank you!🔶️🔸️💛🧡🧡🤎🧡🧡💛🔸️🔶️
How well does Liquify work in this heat? Next year, we will all be looking at how nice this summer was since it will probably be HOTTER next summer (if it ever cools off).
Thanks for watching Matt! I was thoroughly impressed with the product and as shown in the video it definitely accomplished what it's supposed to do and it does it fast. You're very kind for sending over the super thanks - thank you!
Thanks, great video. Can you let us know what brand toilet paper you used in the test.
We have been camping in travel trailers for 40
years now and are on our 6th camper. We switched to the Geo Method three campers ago. As someone else said, we came to the realization that these are holding tanks, not septic systems. Our mixture is 1/2 cup Borax, 1/4 cup Dawn, 1/4 cup Calgon in 2 gallons of water. I have a 2 gallon jug that I keep a mixture ready. I have been pleased with clean tanks, no odors, and sensors that
always work.
20 years, 2 5th wheels and a class A diesel! I wish more peope would get it. A TANK, NOT A SEWAGE SYSTEM. I echo your results plus knowing how to empty the tank and flush!
Thanks for sharing that recipe - everyone seems to have their own special mixture with the biogeo method.
at the same time - having kids being able to have something break down the toilet paper is super helpful when little hands get overzealous :)
When do you pour the mixture in the tank?
Keep in mind you're dumping your tanks from the top where all the floating debris goes out but in an RV tank it flushes from the bottom so everything floating is last to go out not first the opposite of what you're doing
Spot on - that is absolutely a limitation of how I simulated this. I'd love to get actual unused black tanks sometime and do it again to be able to see what happens INSIDE the tanks!
We have used TST for years and it works good. We have now switched to Liquified for a couple trips and I am amazed how well it dissolves everything and reduces odor. I used to dump and then flush my black tank 3 or 4 times to get clear water. Now with Liquified, it comes out clear on the first flush. Everything just flows out and is gone. Thanks Josh for a great job on this video!
Thanks for sharing - it was a fun video to make. Happy Camping!
Great info and knowing what you are trying to achieve is the key. We learned the hard way that we wanted a holding tank, not a septic system. As part time RV users the issue was odor, especially in warm weather while using the AC. Breaking down waste with bacteria based products that digest it, produces gas as a byproduct and rises naturally and increases with heat. Fine in a septic tank buried in the ground. However flushing an RV toilet causes this smelly gas to enter the living area, and then get pulled into the AC circulating it. To minimize odors we targeted the bacteria growth and increased water levels in the tank. To help prevent solids from sticking we added detergents and water softener. We use a mixture of PineSol (odor bacteria control), Borax (detergent that has water softener in it), dish detergent (breaks down grease) and optional liquid Calgon water softener (softer water is slippery and helps with campground water that is typically hard). In our 50 gal Black tank we treat 3-4 gallons of water to create a wet base using 5 gal bucket. Or mix in the bowl and flush enough to add 4 gals of water. We use a smaller dose in our kitchen gray water tank, the bathroom gray usual has enough soap without treating it. We always have generous water in the bowl and double flush. We dump the black tank frequently (1-3 days). Then Flush the tank using black water wash and gate valve 2-3 times till runs clear. Then we add the base chem mix immediately after. Bleach based bathroom cleaner sprayed into the bowl (and shower)before or after use also slows the bacteria growth and keeps those areas clean.
Great comment! The additive is not the issue, the cleaning process, plenty of water is the root of solving the problem! Defining the purpose is critical: A holding tank, not a septic system!
Almost exactly what we do after talking to professional tank cleaning services. No more expensive chemicals and no more bad smells.
Agreed - defining what you're trying to achieve is important and will impact how you address the issues. Thanks for watching!
After years of rving I’ve learned the best method for me is to drain and flush my tanks everyday. It takes 10 minutes of my life, the water is free and I don’t waste money on these products. On a travel day I put a few gallons of water in each tank with about a half cup of dawn so that it can slosh around. I haven’t had a problem in over two years now.
Dilution is the solution to pollution! Water water water
Thank you for taking the time to produce this video. This is SUPER helpful.
Glad it was helpful!
Excellent comparison. As someone who is new to RVing, I purchased the liquefied based on reviews from a couple people I knew as well as preferring to support a smaller business. I have definitely been happy with it so far and I’m glad to see this comparison reaffirming my purchase
Thank you. Glad Liquified is working out for you - welcome to the RV club!
This was an awesome experiment! We have been using the powdered version of the Unique Digest-It for several years and have been extremely pleased. We never have any issues with smells or issues getting a clean tank flush. We removed our toilet a couple of days ago because we are installing a composting toilet (to conserve water when boondocking) and when we looked into the black tank it looked like it had never been used. I highly recommend Unique products with a tank that looks this good after six years of frequent use. Thanks for a great video!
Love to hear that! I'm thinking there might be a few more tank treatment tests in my future - I think the powders has quite a few advantages over the liquids especially concerning the freezing aspect of not having to remove powders during winterization and lack of potential mess with spills or leaks. Which composting toilet did you go with?
This is a 💩 load of great information, Joshua. But, seriously, great information. Coincidentally we just went through our last dose of what we were using and your video has helped us determine what we will be using moving forward. Great job!
Glad you found it helpful Tony & Peggy! Which one are you going to try out next?
Awesome job! I've been using Liquified since day 1 after watching a RUclips video earlier in the year. Glad to see the results.
Welcome aboard, thanks for being here!
I have used Unique for years this stuff is awesome never had a issue with tank sensors either. Also I got a scoop with the bottle for measuring. Liquified impressed me I might try it and give it a shot.
Interesting that you got a scoop - I've ordered it twice and didn't get anything. Seems like an easy solution to change the bottle or figure something out.
Great comparison! We've used Happy Camper, Geo method and Liquified. Totally love Liquified. For us, it works the best and even our tank sensors work since we have started using it.
The sensors just started working all on their own? No specific cleaning procedure or extra doses of Liquified?
*Excellent comparison Josh. I think an important takeaway from this video is this idea of not using a black tank treatment, which can be a risky proposition. It is much easier to rinse and remove liquids than solid chunks.*
Yes Ross! I 100% Agree! You are awesome and yes Josh did an amazing job!
Thanks Ross! Agreed on wanting to flush out liquified solids.
You are actually very mistaken. If you turn your holding tank into a septic tank with "liquefiers" it will get heavy and sticky and quickly leave a sludge stuck to the walls. Your sensors going out will be the first warning you are liquefying your waste.
I have used those chemicals in the past and even after I flushed my tank "clean" I could remove a lot more sludge with a back flush kit or a professional high-pressure cleaning. I no longer use anything except a homemade deodorant made from water, pine sol and Calgon bath beads, 8 oz per tank after emptying in both grey and black. Costs about 8 bucks a gallon to make. The pine sol is the deodorizer and the bath beads make the water "wetter" like we used to do with fire engines so the water penetrated fires better. Just makes everything "slipperier".
If you liquify your waste, you get the same heavy sludge they have to pump out of septic tanks and it's very hard to get out of an RV tank. You want the waste to remain as close to how it went in as possible which also greatly reduces smells vs liquefiers. The key is lots of water. 2 full bowls on solid waste and always top off your tank before emptying as the water pressure from a full tank carries those solids away to the sewer. Always refill the tank after emptying with a full 10% or 5 gallons if you don't know the tank size.
Avoid all those costly BS chemicals and you do not need "RV paper" at all.
This is what all the professional tank cleaning services I have talked to recommend so I tried it and I am never going back to those tank chemicals again. I am full time with two of us in a motorhome.
@@cdlund2840I completely agree. I go even cheaper using borax as my softener, works great, and after a tank flush only crystal clear water comes out. No issues at all with tank sensors either.
@@cdlund2840 this has beem proven to be a myth, lots of videos out there to debunk this
Hey Josh! This video was GREAT! Thank you for taking a huge amount of time to make a great unbiased comparison of some of the better known tank treatments! We're grateful that you included us in it! I've noticed in the comments that some people have mentioned how a tank valve assembly could change how things flow out, and that is true, but I also wanted to chime in and mention how important dumping a "full" tank is! One thing people don't give enough credit to is how much water volume plays in getting a clean and thorough release of all the undissolved solids in a tank. If you dump a tank that is 1/4 full, or even 1/2 full, you won't get nearly as much rinsed out as you would when you dump a 3/4 full or full tank. We have some pretty nifty test toilets and we see a HUGE difference in how much waste can be left behind after dumping if you dump your tank a bit too early. I just thought your viewers might find that interesting. Another thing to note here is that antimicrobial products will always slow down waste breakdown, which is what you are seeing with Happy Campers and it's inability to break down. It's great at odor control because it sanitizes a tank, but killing the naturally occurring bacteria will also slow down the natural waste breakdown. One last thing, its important to remember that most tanks have ledges on them, so they can be hung on the RV's frame, so this is another reason why it's important you break down waste, dump tanks when they're full, and use lots of water. You really don't want waste getting hung up on that ledge as it will lead to persistent odor down the road. I really don't want anyone to think we're trying to promote anything here - just wanted to add a little info to add to this great video for those like us who think about poop breakdown WAY too much! We always love helping people understand these things better, so we'd be happy to help you, Josh, or your viewers if they every have questions, or need some explanation with their tanks! Thanks again!
We loved your insight Unique. We use your products and it has worked great for us for the last three years. We haven’t even got the new stuff yet (still using the old stuff. Lol). Keep up the great work.
@@RickandDarcirvadventures Thank you! That means a lot to us!!!
Hey Unique! Thanks for watching and chiming in. Now that you mention it I'm bummed I didn't mention about dumping only when 75% full - one of those things that you don't know until someone points it out as a new RVer and then something that becomes second nature after a few years that you take it for granted and forget to mention it!
I'd love some feedback if you're willing: 1. Bottle - is there a reason Unique's products don't come in some sort of pre-dosing sized bottle? (similar to the Liquified or EcoStrong in the video) and 2. Why is Unique 2oz per dose - is there any way to concentrate it down more so folks can carry (and you can ship!) 1/2 as much liquid weight?
I appreciate ya'll taking the time to comment and chime in ◡̈
Ooo - and FANTASTIC point about the interior ledges of the black tanks - that is absolutely something I never considered.
@@rvgearandfar Hey Josh! Haha, yeah, it's kind of amazing how many little things there are to know / remember about holding tanks! One of the things we (semi-jokingly) say around here all the time is to think of tanks like your dental practices - you have your daily tooth brushing (this is your normal tank treatment), you have regular check-ins and deep cleanings with your dentist a time or two per year (this would be deep cleaning your tanks), and you have major issues like root canals (this would be like a pyramid plug or sensor issue). When you think of it as three separate processes it becomes a little easier to wrap your head around best practices - AND you get to regularly talk about all of our least favorite thing, a trip to the dentist haha!
Great questions, by the way!
I wish the bottle answer was more interesting, but our use of a cylinder is because of two things: One, we manufacture at altitude in Colorado and there are only certain bottles we can use because when we ship to sea level it causes the bottles to suck in and distort, and the cylinder is a good option for us. Two, it's just "our thing". We've been making our products in cylinders for over 30 years (also in the pet, drain, and septic industries) and it's just been a part of our look. Additionally, we are one of the very few brands that sources our materials from the US and makes our products in the US, and our production line is just optimized for cylinders. Honestly, pretty boring stuff haha! We actually had self measuring bottles for a while but the viewing window that showed how much was in the bottle softened the bottle and caused it to "panel" a bit so we had to move away from it.
That said, we've been very seriously looking into moving over into some different packaging that would be more convenient for our customers, and I suspect that will probably happen sometime soon.
To answer your question on concentration, this is a tricky one. There are few brands out there that tout their ability to be ultra-concentrated because they have billions of bacteria in a tiny amount. And that is clearly very possible (you can have billions of bacteria in your probotic capsule you take every morning), BUT an effective treatment takes more than just good bacteria. Our treatments also include things like boosted enzymes (bacteria create enzymes, but we add more / other enzymes to round it out), very specific surfactants (soaps that lift and penetrate), and some other ingredients like stabilizers to make sure the bacteria stay healthy and the enzymes don't denature. To accomplish this, it's really hard to over-concentrate it, and honestly, the brands that tout this are probably not totally familiar with how to build a treatment effectively. I'm not talking down on them. They are resourceful, ambitious folks, and honestly it's great to have them around because it keeps us all working to advance and be better. That said, most tank treatment brands just private label other "out of the box" formulas and add claims on their packaging like, "removes odors", "breaks down waste", and "prevents sensor issues" when in fact their formulas have literally NO actual capability of doing that - hence the big let down too many RVers experience with their tank treatments. In our opinion, that is the biggest problem with our industry. Lots of overpromises and lots of underdelivering. So, our formula is built around what the formula needs, and right now that lands in that 2 ounces zone.
Hopefully that wasn't confusing haha!
We try to be an honest and realistic source of information in an industry filled with too many brands who will pretty much tell you anything to make a sale. At the end of the day, we love our customers and our #1 goal is always their success, so transparency and not ridiculous claims has to be our approach :)
We really do love talking about this stuff, so if you ever have more questions, please let us know! We'll talk poo til you're blue in the face lol!
Josh - Excellent video and well presented! Thank you for taking the time to review all of these products. This is likely the most interesting facet of the RV lifestyle that touches each of us on some level. We have been RVers for over ten years and have lived full-time in our RV for the last two years. For a long time, I was a fan of the "Geo-Method." It worked well for us, but we did have to carry around an adequate supply of Calgon (or Borax) and Dawn. The method made intuitive sense to me with the concepts of a water softener to break water surface tension and a strong detergent to break down grease and oils. This worked exceptionally well for us, with good tank flushing at each dump. We have subsequently switched to Unique products, which have been flawless. I don't worry about measuring out precisely two ounces of product. Two long squirts from the bottle are just over 2 ounces. I dose the tank every two to three days until it is empty and flushed. I have no affiliation with Unique, just a plug for a product that has worked well for us and is easy to use.
Thanks for sharing your experience - I'm curious to know what prompted the switch from the geo method over to a commercial product?
Excellent video I was given the TST Max where I bought my camper and I’m not gonna use it definitely educated you’re the second person that put down liquefied as the better breakdown in a faster time. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful!
Great video. I switched to Unique about 3 years ago because I knew what I was using wasn’t working good. Your test shows me I made the right decision.
Unique Digest-it I have used for 4 years with no odor or clogging what so ever. Use it in the gray tank also.
👍
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Thanks for your video. I recently switched to happy camper and I’ve had more clogs. I will definitely try the liquefied and unique brands. Thank you
Glad it was helpful!
Wow. Amazing test and great way to get an idea on how these things work. Looks like I'll be ordering some new solution.
Thanks for watching! Which one are you going to try out?
Great explanations and rationale for each choice.
Glad it was helpful!
Outstanding video and I thank you for this Information!!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thank you so much for this video. As a brand new rv’er, this information is vital to a positive rv experience.
Glad it was helpful - welcome to the lifestyle - Happy trails!
Great review! I just bought Liquified because of this information.
Glad it was helpful!
Loved the video! Actually, validated my choice for black tank "issues." I use the RV Digest-It+ Extra Strength Holding Tank Treatment | Drop-In Pods that eliminate the need for a measuring cup. So far it has performed super. 5 minutes of black tank flushing and all the goo at the bottom is washed out. Adding the Liquified to my list of backups.
I looked at the pods too - for each respective company the pods are definitely more expensive than the bulk options
Awesome analysis and results. Thank you.
Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much! Very good help! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
Appreciate you doing this video dude, thanks!
My pleasure- hope you got some value out of it!
I have been using liquified for two years of full timing and have no regrets.
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Excellent test! I have been using Happy Camper but now I think I will be trying Liquified!
There doesn't seem to be "one" right answer - but lots of variables play into how folks use and interact with their black tanks - hopefully this gave some insight!
Same just got to figure out where to get it
Great video and comments! 20+ years RV experience has shown that geo method or no treatments are good. The geo method purpose is to reduces oils in the tank as a byproduct of waste. Success comes from emptying tank frequently, topping off with fresh water before initial dump. Rinse empty black tank 5-10 times with approx. 5 gallons of water. That reduces the sludge (the floating stuff) that never seems to leave the tank (as shown in the video). Always add water back to tank, never let it dry out, but follow winterizing procedures per manufacturer. The "poop pyramid" problem that creates constant odors is most likely a result of the floating waste that remains in the tank over time that dries up if water is not added back to tank. The geo method over time will clear up problems because the waste tanks get cleaned as you drive. Digesting products make the problem worse because they create sludge as seen in the video.
How do I know it works? We often take day trips and the waste (a minor amount) will stay in the tank for month(s) at a time without odors. We dump after the next multi-day trip. The waste tanks are in a constant state of readiness. My geo method is borax and a pine based cleaner. Pick your favorite geo recipe from the web. Lesson learned: Poop without regret!
Thanks for sharing your experiences! What ratio do you use for your borax/cleaner solution?
Great job well done!
Hey thanks Jared!
We are weekenders and Have had clogged tanks three times with happy camper. Adding Kleen Tanks mix (pinesol and water softener) helped. But after seeing this I’m going to try Liquified
I’d love to hear your experiences between Kleen Tank recipe and Liquified!
Great comparison of the different brands. I personally have only used liquified and have been very happy. As for your testing method, the only modification I would have done is to put some type of drain valve system to replicate how an RV dump valve works. That would definitely show how much silt is left and how much of the floaters are left behind when the water runs out. Also maybe a spray to mimic a tank flush.
Thank you so much Ernie! Josh did an amazing job on this video! I would love to see a part 2 with the Tank Flush
I appreciate you doing this. I don't currently camp or RV but I am planning on it in 3 years full time when I retire.
I agree - a ported tank with a valve at the bottom would have been ideal - but to make up 9 "black tanks" with blade valves was cost prohibitive - maybe I'll get a few unused waste tanks at some point and do a few more experiments!
@@rvgearandfar You can use one tank with a valve, just dump each test in it
first time i am about to buy a product so this was very informative, Thank you!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks. great video very informative
Glad it was helpful!
Great work man! Thanks
You're welcome - glad it was helpful.
AS I scan You Tube for my questions I have "unfortunately in the off season", I appreciate this comparison as I look to buy my first camper this year.. You answered A LOT of questions here , so Thank You very much Josh!.. Hoobilly
That means a lot - I'm glad this video provided insight to help you make a decision! I'd love to hear your results with whichever method you choose!
Great video. I may try Liquified only because I do short duration camping a lot.
Thank you
Glad you found value in it!
I've used unique since day one. Been thinking about trying liquefied but haven't pulled the trigger. I get the unique for 9 bucks a bottle at either Ace or Walmart. Very happy with the way way it works. Always liquid. Most of my camping trips are 3 to 5 days. Good information for the folks.
Also realize that there are several different formulas of Unique Digest It. The one at Walmart and Ace you mentioned is the regular version. In the video I used the Digest It PLUS which is on par, price wise with Liquified. This brings up a good point - maybe I'll do video sometime comparing the over the counter available options versus ones that are mail order.
@@rvgearandfar need to try the new unique pouches
Good job . I have not used the Liquified because it is the newest on the market . It will be next when I need to restock .
Glad you found it helpful!
great video, really clarified my decision
Glad you found some value in it!
Great test i use black tanks rx its bugs that eat it up and it works great. Most of the rest will grow crystles in the tank called struvites
I haven't tried Black Tank RX yet - maybe another comparison video someday!
Excellent video! Very helpful and I'm glad I watched as ill start using Liquified from now on as previously used TST and pretty much did nothing for me.
We started with TST as well and had similar experiences
I always assumed the TST would do.
I just ordered the liquidfier off Amazon.
Thank you for the video
I think you'll enjoy it - let me know your results!
Great, well done experiment!!
thank you - hope it helped you with your RV gear choices!
Although not perfect, this is a very good analysis of these different products. I’m not aware of anything else like it out there. Of course this test didn’t address odor control, which is arguably even more important. Thanks for going through all this work in the name of science.
Glad you got some value from it!
Pine Sol and Calgon beads works the best. Liquid Calgon does OK beads better. Need to add 3 to 5 gallons. Mix eight ounces of Calgon Ageless Bath Pearls and 40 ounces of PINE-SOL® in a one-gallon jug. Fill the jug with water. Shake gently and allow any foam to settle down. Use four to eight ounces (as directed) in each tank, every time you have emptied them.
Never tried the beads, but I agree this is the best recipe
💯 you don’t want to break the waist down! The tanks on an RV are not septic tanks, they are holding tanks!
#kleentank
I recently tried that method and while it kept the smell down significantly over others I have tried it did not dissolve much at all.
Thanks for the perspective!
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Thank you for this test, very helpful!! KUDOS
Glad it was helpful!
That was great. I have Happy Camper and I heard so many good things about liquify I have that too.
Thanks for watching!
Interesting test. We came up with the same result with Unique Digest It Plus and Liquified have given us the best result to keep the black tank broken down and flowing. In over 5 years of using various tank treatments, those two are the ones we use. One thing I haven't looked at is can you use an empty Liquified bottle and fill it with Unique? That way, you do 2 measured 1 oz doses. Then you would have a "built in" measuring device.
Rinse it out well and I don't see why you couldn't reuse that bottle...
My favorite mix is Tank tech RX to liquify...Happy Camper for odor...Geo Bio for off season storage.
1 2 3 Combo!
I am doing a experiment now with I am comparing camco rhino black tank treatment and unique rv tank treatment.i put the same amount of water and dog food plus the same amount of toliet paper.i used a cap full of rhino in 1 2 liter bottle& a cap full of unique rv tank treatment in another bottle.i have been using camco rhino black tank treatment for three year and love how it. Can't wait to see the results
Would love for you to share your results!
Thank you for this video it helped a lot. I have been using happy camper for a couple years and have had many clog ups along the way, mainly due to not using enough water because of dry camping. I am going to be trying the Liquified now. Also, your experiment was very well performed in my book but it would be nice to see how everything flows out of the lower side of the totes (side hole near bottom) to be more like what would happen while emptying your tank.
Agreed - I would love to do some more black tank experiments with more realistic black tanks ◡̈ Happy Camping!
great video Josh hope you are doing well my friend
Thank you sir! You too - hope to meetup on the road again
Un gros Merci du Québec Josh pour cet excellent vidéo, je vais utiliser Liquified à partir de maintenant.
Bon camping !
Digest-it + has a pod type measuring pack you can get, it's for 40 gillions as well. I use it in the black and the geo method in the gray.
Based on the liquid performance I'd imagine you get good results!
I used to use Happy a camper but we switched to Liquified and love it.
My personal method is to use a mix of methods. I use the Liquified and also add Dawn to the tank…and of course, lots of water. Best of both worlds.
We use the water softener and Pine-Sol mix to clean our galley grey tank every few fills.
Thank you so much!
Which water softener do you use with the pine sol?
@@rvgearandfar We make a solution that is 2 oz of Calgon Bath Pearls, 10 oz of Pine-Sol, and 20 oz of water (in a 32 oz container). I got this recipe from another RUclips channel that had a professional tank cleaning company at their RV.
We put this in the kitchen grey tank (bathroom grey gets so much soap already) about once every couple of dumps or so. We put in one cup (8 oz) per dose, so we get 4 doses out of one container.
Hope that helps.
I use the Dawn/Zep Citrus Degreaser/Borax. Four years in and it has done well. I also have use flushable wipes & dog poop bags instead of flushing the TP, however, before switching to wpipes I would use any TP with no isues.
Thanks for sharing ◡̈ Happy camping
Hello, we love your videos. Curious if you have any on changing a trailer tire
Thank you! I don't have a video on changing a trailer tire yet - but I'll put it on the list to make! In the meantime you might find some of these helpful: ruclips.net/user/results?search_query=changing+rv+tire
Thanks for the review. FYI - the RV Digest-IT also comes in a pod form which is very easy to store and use. Don't know how it compares to the liquid form other than the manufacture states they are equivalent.
Yes and Liquified now comes in pod form as well - might have to take another crack at this testing with all powdered formulas sometime in the future!
Great Video! Thank you!
You are welcome!
Wow that’s eye opening, all this time I’ve been wasting money, happy campers the last thing this junk should be called, thanks for this video. I just ordered a gallon of Unique RV from your link, thank you.
I was really surprised too - it seems like that is the most popular treatment- and it says it dissolves on the box, but it clearly didn't...
Josh, this was a great video. I would like to see you do a similar experiment using the drop-in packets. They are convenient but are they effective?
That's a great suggestion - I'll add it to the idea list - happy camping!
I use TST Max for ODOR Control on my Gray tank...works well for that and cheap.
👍
Great comparison but as I see it Unique RV digest and Liquified are the clear winners. I have used happy camper for years but if you don't have a tank flush, as I do, those floating solids don't all come out. I have noticed solids on second dump after and second flushing. I had just started using Unique. Thanks
Thank you! If you ever want to give liquified a try please let me know!
Lots of water is the key with any of these. I was really surprised at the Happy Campers - the box says it "liquifies waste" and it definitely did not ...
Thanks!
You are very welcome! Thank you so much for the super thanks!!!!
good job on the test..and I appreciate your fairly objective analysis. The way I see it, if dumping a product in your black tank makes you feel better, then by all means....as long as it's not one of the "perfumes" and you expect it's going to make your black tank smell spring time fresh :) However, we've been using just water for 6 years now and no odors (in the trailer) and no clogs or issues with dumping. So, kinda seems like a waste of money to use these commercial products when as you said "water works pretty darn well, too". I always get a chuckle when I folks say "we love XXX as it's always worked for us". When asked if they've ever tried not using the product the answer is invariably "no"....which, obviously begs the question "then how do you know it's XXX that's working? thx again for the vid and good luck w the channel
Much appreciated! It seems like there are so man variable that its hard to have "the" solution. We've had smell issues before USING a chemical in the past, you've not had smell issues and didn't use anything but water - and every RVer I've talked with has a different experience. Maybe someday we'll get a solid one-solution fits all - but probably not ◡̈
Great job and thought behind approaching this with basic scientific principles (No sarcasm). Simple test with clear results.👍
Don’t forget to include the environmental impact on the chemical reactions and resulting composition/decomposition effects. Meaning, temperature, sunlight (direct or not), humidity, vacuum being in or not within a closed system (no vacuum here), no agitation on the sudo-tanks.
Even without that data, your test proved very informative and helpful.
And keeping in mind that one test result is not conclusive.
All fantastic and accurate points! Hopefully some other creators will do some testing in the future and we can have more than one set of test results. Thanks for watching and taking the time to type out those kind words ◡̈
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Why not just buy a measuring cup from the dollar store to use unique cause one thing he did not say was liquefied take 24 hours to be totally broken down. Where unique only take a couple hours. This was already done by technician from RV tech school
Very Educational!
Glad it was helpful! Which tank treatment are you planning to use?
@@rvgearandfar Going to be a toss up between Unique Digest It & Liquified. Kind of comes down to Price vs Convenient.
I use happy camper and have for sometime. After this video, I think I’m going to give liquefied a try.
I'd love to hear your comparison between the two!
We usually use the Digestive. Nice to see it working well. However, Kleen Tank just flushed out our tanks and we are trying their method of the Pine Sol and Calgon. 🤞. I will also be purchasing an attachment for a hose to spray out the tanks better then the sprayer inside the tank.
You'll have to give me your thoughts after a few months use!
I would have liked to have seen a price per dosage. Otherwise, I think you did an incredible job and I'm definitely subscribing to your website. Keep up the good work!
Pricing has been bonkers on items the past few years - thought the easiest way to provide value for folks long term without outdating the information was just to put links to the products where you can get accurate and up to date pricing information.
We've been using Happy Camper for years. Great product. We dump every 2 days and use two scoops after each dump. We have NO black tank smell.
Fantastic! Glad you've found your groove - black tank smells can really put a damper on the fun!
I've used HC for the 3 years that I've owned my camper (bought new), and I'll continue to use it. One scoopfull to a 40 gallon tank and have experienced no issues with odor or clogging. I use only septic-safe tp. Dump and flush once per month. Don't need perfumes since there's no odor.
Great video. I am using the liquify it. But still there's an odor issue. Is Happy Campers for odor or to break up the black tanks content into an easier to dispose of and flow out sludge. To me these are two distinked issues no pun intended. So i was thinking of adding happy campers just as an odor treatment alone because it gets very good reviews for that purpose.
I'd love to know your experiences if you test it out!
Great job, Josh! The only other info that might have been helpful is a cost comparison. What did each treatment cost per dose for a 40 gallon black tank? That might be the difference between two that performed similarly.
I severely debated cost comparison - but prices are fluctuating so much lately that I didn't want to age out the content with outdated prices. I totally agree that would be helpful in formation - but with no way to update the video after publishing it was intentionally left out.
Thank you very much.
You’re welcome- happy camping ⛺️
We use Unique Digest It & never had a problem. The video validated my choice. In my mind, the clear winners are Unique & Liquify. Either would get the job done.
Agreed
Thanks for the video. I think I am going to go with the liquify because of the built in measuring device and the fact that it worked so fast
It was indeed quite fast!
Josh,
Super high quality work. Enjoyed watching your video to the last moment. Would you have any guesses regarding using a dishwasher detergent in the black water tank? I am aware that it is meant for higher temperature. Just curious.
Gregory
Hey Gregory - my guess is that it wouldn't hurt, but I also don't know how much it will help.
Nice test and good conclusions. I do not want digestion in my holding tank. The sludge it creates is what I believe coats sensors and the tank. I tried Digest and the stink was terrible. Happy Camp has controlled odors and allowed my tank to drain and flush relatively clean. Additionally I hate thin toilet paper. We use Charmin Strong and put it in seal-able sandwich bags disposed of in the trash. Probably no correct answer and you did a good job pointing that out. You need to find what works best for you. Thnks.
Agreed - different strokes for different folks and situations!
Liquified worked the best. Saved you time
All depends on what you're going for - but I agree - Liquified is what I'll be using going forward.
Thank you so much!
@@rvgearandfar Thank you Josh!
Joshua great video. The only thing I think you could have done better is put a valve on the bottom of each tank and emptied them that way. You emptied them from the top. The black tanks empty from the bottom. Would be interesting to see those results. I imagine 10 valves would be costly $$$ but would still be interesting to know the results.
Agreed on all points here!
Thanks for the great info. Except I did start getting pukey when you were using that spoon to stir it around at the end for no reason 🤷♂️
Gotta mix it up!
I’ve been using Unique regularly and add Calgon and a dishwasher tab 1x a month, usually before a driving day. Calgon leaves a coating on the tank the seems to help with sensor accuracy. Combined with the Unique, dumping is something I no longer put much thought into.
Awesome Ray! Unique worked extremely well! If you ever decide to change to liquified please do :)
@@MattsRVReviews hey I heard about your product, we have been using unique but next time we will add Liquified to the rotation! Thanks Matt!
Are you currently using the regular Unique Digest It or the (+)Plus version?
@@rvgearandfar using the regular Unique. I’m going to use their sensor cleaner , just to see if it is what they say.
I’ve used Unique AND Liquify over the years. Both great products. Ultimately stuck with Liquify because for one reason… slightly better smell and odor protection in hot summer months here in the south-west. But again, both great products . And if you need to save a few bucks per bottle (who doesn’t?), by all means get the Unique. As for me, there are some products worth the extra couple bucks. And that’s liquify.
Thanks for sharing! I'm trying to come up with a way to test odor protection between them as its obviously subjective to each person. I really like the self dosing bottle that Liquify is using too
Vinegar is the absolute best for grey and black tanks!
I buy 2 gallons of vinegar for a few dollars at Costco.
Use vinegar and water for cleaning too!
Glad you've found what works for you! You're saying vinegar is the best - best in which way?
Just for the experimentation , you could try your best performer here in your test against the Kleen Tank Home made recipe ( instead of disolving the matter it"s lubing everything up so it doesn"t stay at the bottom of the tank !) would be curious of the result !
Great suggestion - any recommendations or changes on how the experiment was done?
Great video I would just make the same comment too bad you didn't have a valve on the bottom be very interesting to see what kind of film is left on the sidewalls and how well the solids would actually leave the tank
agreed! I wanted to put a valve on each tub, but those little suckers are quite expensive! Maybe someday I'll score a few unused black tanks and we can do some additional testing!
Great video! Cost per dose on the final 4 would have been great addition. Use 2x of Unique RV Digest it compared to Liquify but Unique is less expensive. Just a thought.
I thought about adding the current pricing - but it fluxuates and I want this video to be timeless - that way folks can check current prices and take that into consideration whether they see this video next month or two years from now.
Great video! Thanks a lot. I'm ordering Liquified today (and hope that you get a small commission from Amazon for it).
Thanks! Hope it works well for you
Thank You
You're welcome
Just used the aquamax , left it very oderful in camper even after adding a lot more in tank , went to Walmart , bought TST , much better , but not as good as another one from camping world that was blue , but forgot the name.
Which one will you try out next?
I use the bio gen method combined with the Happy Camper and it seems to work well. Perhaps I may switch to Liquefied? My question is which of the treatments in addition to break down is the best for odor control. That is also a major factor and perhaps why Happy Camper and the Bio Geo combo works for me??? Great video and thanks for the time you put into it.
Liquified Breaks down and has a soft scent of Orange! If you decide to give it a try and you dont love it then NO PROBLEM! I will give you a refund! Thank you so much for considering giving it a try!
Stick with geo method, rinse tank 5-10 times (roughly 5 gallons each tank flush) to get rid of floating debris (the sludge seen in video). No odors, no more!
@@MattsRVReviews Been using Happy Camper - will try yours next time, Matt.
I decided not to test odor control - it would be really hard to mimic actual human waste from that perspective and there are a TON of variables for smell when it comes to RVing - temp, location, tank size, proper venting etc etc etc
Josh- This was Frikkin AWESOME! - That Was Great! You had me sitting here Interested and engaged all the way through your video.
I'm interested more in sediment remaining in the tank. I think that's the biggest concern. Especially when dumping the tanks before a long storage where the sediment can dry out and become STRUVITES. So I think I would have preferred to see a 3 inch fitting at the bottom of each tank with a fixed raised bar on the bench to set the tanks in at an angle to really get the same amount of drainage from each tank. (I know, You want to reuse those yellow-jackets for storage! Haha I would too!) But I don't think that each tank was drained the same. But I really don't care if my solid bits are still a bit chunky, Just so long as they flow: AWAY.....
Before we bought our coach #THUNDERCAT, I scoured (Pun Intended) the forum Intrawebs to find the most popular tank treatment out there. By Far- 76% (I figure) of the respondents to multiple posts on the subject, recommended Happy Camper. Now, we don't dump our black tank when the coach is in storage either. It's usually 1/3 full-ish because there are no public facilities at storage so we have to rely on using our own bathroom while visiting the coach every week or so. But from Day one oh, 7 years ago, We have used only happy camper and have Not had any issues with our black tank, nor have we ever needed to have the tanks pressure cleaned. -Although after 7 years it's probably PM time.
Great Job Josh!
Thanks Mike! I agree - a ported tank with a valve at the bottom would have been ideal - but to make up 9 "black tanks" with blade valves was cost prohibitive, and you're right - now those totes get to be repurposed for storage!
Maybe sometime I'll be able to score a few unused waste tanks and set up some more experiments ◡̈
Thanks for watching friend - glad we met out in Colorado!
Have you ever tried kleen tank recipe from there website? In a 1 gallon jug place 40 ounce pine sol, 8 ounces calagon bath pearls, and the rest water. I have seen videos from other full timers when they have come to clean their tanks and they say to use this only. I could see for the gray tanks but not sure about the black tanks and wondering your thoughts or in action comparison.
I've heard of it but have no experience to give an opinion ◡̈
Hi Josh thank ya for the comparison good job. I would just like to mention to all RVers that take into account that waste does not come out in the size of dog food kibble and when dumping takes what's at the bottom of take comes out before what's on top. So larger floating waste has more opportunity to get left in tanks. I have used 5 of these methods and I can say without doubt Unique RV Digest-It is the best product and doesn't harm the planet. I've been using it for years. Happy Campers left residual crust build up in my tanks and it had to be broke up, soaked out and preasure washed to get out the chunks of white hardened residue , horrible. The 1 you tested I've never used I will look into as a backup if I run out of RV disgust IT is Liquidfied that appeared to do an excellent job but I dont know if it's a planet safe Biodegradable product which is important and should be to all RVers. I own an older Holiday Rambler and it has a tank sprayer system and a backflusher connector in case anyone may ask or comment. I would also like to say that where you are camping and the water quality in which you are using will also make an enormous difference in the breakdown n flush out of products and waste in your tanks. The difference between hard water and soft water is huge factor as well. Even though RVers know there is no filter on there dump tanks I'd think smart RVers would know you were just using a filter so anyone interested could see the amount of chunks left not broken down. Thank ya again for the doing this test. Happy Camping to all! 😊✌️
I'd agree - Unique is a great product and the common factor with every waste tank system-- the more water and dilution the better! Happy camping
I just ordered it! Thanks for the controlled study!
ehh - not so controlled - LOTS of variables here but I'm glad to help give a glimpse
I used happy camper for several years. I switched to liquified because of sensor issues with the last box of happy camper. Doesn't appear to be as good as it use to be plus you only get a half full container of happy camper in the container. With that said, since I switched to liquified, my sensors are working again and the odor is reduced. I am now a liquified guy living full time in my motorhome.
Thanks for sharing your experience!