Calgon-Black tank

[CountryGuy]

OK, Vicki and Big Red

I checked the stuff I was calling Calgon, and it is Calgon, WATER SOFTENER. I buy it in the laundry deteregent aisle of grocery store. I bought a 4 pound box and it was $8.19 for the box, I cannot tell you what store that was, NOT wallmart for sure, so you probably can beat that price.

I would not take a bath in this Calgon product. Well, I would not, anyway, someone might??

Carol

[sreigle]

I think Vicki's right and we got the wrong thing. Ours is Calgon Bath or something like that.

Jim and Carol, this is for our Montana. Do they make water softeners that will fit in a Montana without taking up too much room? If so, I'm certainly all ears.

Thanks.

[CountryGuy]

Yea, that is an interesting subject, a water softener for the RV, we are listening too

[Montana_1594]

Steve,

I do not know of any water softeners for an RV.

What I was trying to say is to use softened water. Calgon is a water softener that can be purchased in a liguid form (easier to mix) or a powder. The powder is cheaper. You only need a couple of cups of powder for the black tank and a couple for the grey, but they need to be mixed (disolved). When the rest of the stuff is in the tank the two cups of disolved powder will be enough to soften all the water which allows the soap to do its thing. 20 Mule Team Borax is also a water softener (powder). I found that Borax does work - it is a little harder to disolve, but considerably cheaper. You still need to add soap whether using Calgon or Borax.

My wife and I have modified the GEO Method to just use one cup of Borax to a gallon jug of warm water to disolve (rather than two cups per gallon). We then recharge our tanks using two of these gallons in each tank (end result is the same - two cups of disolved Borax in each tank) and some extra water and we add soap to the black tank only. This prepares the tanks for the next trip.

We use our RV on average, two weekends a month (although this month we have only been out once and are not scheduled to go out until Feb 4/5) and a couple of 10-day trips a year.

[Montana_2785]

quote:Originally posted by Big Red

Steve,

I do not know of any water softeners for an RV.

http://www.campingworld.com/browse/s...=6848&src=SRQZ

It's on my short list (I HATE scummy tea.)

Eric

[sreigle]

I'm really surprised there really is a water softener for RV's. Thanks, Eric!

Big Red, thanks for the further information. I don't think we used soap, either. In other words, we did it all wrong. We'll just have to try again. Thanks for the info.

[Bill and Ann]

Thanks Big Red. We will try it on our way home in the spring.

[Bob & Lee]

In a past post I made I said I tryed Calgon and it was OK but heard about the pure Power, with great review. got some and just finished the first bottle and Iam not impressed it was no smell but the gages still WRONG so the person that praised it so much hope they have good luck but I think Ill go back to Calgon

[larryngail]

Hi~

Just tried the Calgon method -- and it works. Considering that our blank tank is only a few months old, I was shocked at the results. And the Calgon/Detergent did a great job on the grey tank(s) also. I'm sold.

And hey....if you can't find the Calgon Water Softener and do decide to go with the Calgon Bath products, it's okay. After all, isn't you're Montana worth it. At least on of us is getting a nice soak

[campbud]

Does it matter what kind of soap you use? What brands do you all use.

[2007dura]

I mixed in a cup of disolved Tide with the Calgon.

[Bud and Monti]

What is pure power??? and where can One obtain this ???I have used the calgon, soap. But I agree took along time to mix up.

quote:Originally posted by Bob & Lee

I tryed the Calgon once and it worked ok but seemed to me to take a long time to mix and do three tanks, After I read some posts on the product Pure Power which they had great comments I have been using it and almost one bottle and has worked great cleaned the sencers and no smell a little pricie about $19. only use 2oz. but so is calgon. I think its what ever you like, there are several that work.

[CountryGuy]

Try finding the Calgon in the laundry aisle of your local grocery store, look for the LIQUID stuff, no mixing, just dump required amount in the toilet, along with some liquid laundry detergent. We topped off with a tad bit of liquid bleach. Seems to have helped quite a bit, will do it again.

[kdeiss]

CountryGuy, I know you said just a tad of liquid bleech but I read bleech is not good for the seals!

[CountryGuy]

kdeiss,

That is why we only added a little and were careful to drop it directly down the toilet, NOT in the toilet and then flush.

Besides, many owners clean their fresh water systems with bleach every year, sometimes more than once a year. IF, you boondock a lot, and IF you don't take your water from home, you can get into a lot of different sources of water. PLUS, you are leaving that water in there for days, or longer, we go 15 days sometimes on a fill up of water. It is known that water can and does "spoil" for lack of a better word. You know all that bacteria stuff. Anyway, I have used some bleach in the fresh water holding tank, say a half cup, and 30 gallons of water, run it through the pipes with the pump, leave it set for 24 hours. Then rinse the system thoroughly. I did this on the prior TT for 14 years and never had a seal leak, except one in the toilet, that actually was a dry seal after sitting all winter. Once we used the toilet a day or so, the seal swelled up and the leaking stopped.

So, yes, I have read as you have that bleach is not good for the seals. But, so far, we have not had any ill effects of small amounts of bleach WATERED DOWN.

Carol

[Bob & Lee]

Bud and Monti

I used Pure power after reading a post that said it was used to clean out tanks buy the dealer before resale and would make all the solids in tank liquid I had no problems with it. I looked it up on the internet for a dealer and found one here in colorado here is the link
http://opproducts.com/Search.asp?DealerType=PP

[Bud and Monti]

Thanks Bob& Lee gonna give this a try.

quote:Originally posted by Bob & Lee

Bud and Monti

I used Pure power after reading a post that said it was used to clean out tanks buy the dealer before resale and would make all the solids in tank liquid I had no problems with it. I looked it up on the internet for a dealer and found one here in colorado here is the link
http://opproducts.com/Search.asp?DealerType=PP

[Montana_70]

I missed this post the first time around so I'm glad it popped back up.

I will be trying the "Calgon Method".

As far as a water softener for an RV. Well that's interesting. I was talking to a man staying in park in Malabar, FL that I will be moving to in a couple of weeks. He made a statement that I did not pursue with him at the time about needing a RV water softener due to the well water in the park.

My assumption was that he was using one and I would ask more questions when I got moved. So if I do learn anything about RV water softener's I will post back.

[melnjoy]

Big Red is right calgon is just a water softner and is great for helping remove scum. used to use it to clean dug wells. Us rver need to take care on the amount of bleach we use in our tanks. Yes it will remove the smells but it will kill the biological action and if we all used bleach and where dumping into a park that had a septic system we could cause them real problems. I am a maritime chief engineer and we have to process our own sewer and chlorine bleach is a big no-no.
Just another thought.
Mel

[sreigle]

Mel, for the unknowing (meaning me), is Calgon a chlorine bleach or contains chlorine bleach? Thanks.