Poop pyramid troubles

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AlexG1080

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Sep 7, 2022
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Hey everyone!

So, last year I believe a small poop pyramid developed in the black tank without me knowing it. When I stored it over the winter, I believe it dried out and became rock hard. I’m also certain there’s toilet paper and probably baby wipes, as I have small kids that don’t always remember the rules. I’ve tried hot water and a few different brands of enzyme solutions and this thing is still rock hard like a stone. Do any of you have suggestions for more hardcore chemicals to dissolve this thing? I’m afraid I’ll have to replace the black tank next year if I’m unsuccessful. I was thinking muriatic acid or something drastic at this point. Thanks for your help!

Alex
 
If this thing is that petrified I think it may be a time thing put maybe 10 15 gallons of water in tank let sit few days, take a drive to slosh it around. Fill tank redrain. This may rehydrate it. Btw welcome from WI.
 
If you can see down into your toilet, you might also be able to use a metal rod of some sort to try to stir it up. Otherwise, this will take time, so make sure you keep a substantial amount of water in your toilet while driving to stir things up and while it is being stored.
 
As others have stated copious amounts of time and water will be your friend. A tablespoon or two of TSP, trisodium phosphate (a surfactant available at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc) and perhaps a tablespoon of Dawn detergent may help. And lots of turbulence/agitation from driving around. The big question is: is it interfering with emptying the tank? If not, then just let time work on it, it's not an emergency.

A couple of items that may help:
I use this to help flush the tanks Blank Tank Flush. I can monitor the effluent (not pretty) to see how effective the flush has been. When the water starts running clear, I know I'm done.
This Water Meter goes on the water hose and measures how much water I put back in the tank if I need to do multiple flushes or to pre-fill the tank.

Kevin
 
If you are going to try a water soak then driving to slosh it around, I have heard of people dumping a couple bags of ice into the toilet to act as an "abrasive" during the sloshing process
 
I have found that TSP is very effective in tank cleaning but I would use at least a cup full disolved in a 5 gallon bucket of warm water. Turn off the city water and then hold the flush valve open to carefully pour the mixed TSP/water into the tank. Allow it to sit for at least 12 hours before emptying and if possible, tow the trailer around some to agitate it some. Longer is better with stops and starts and turns to slosh it about. It may take several times but if you use a clear fitting on your hose when you empty the tank you will be able to see if it is helping. I use a Johnny Chock to hold the valve open. To aid in breaking things up you may also find a flushing wand to be helpful.
 
Can you lasso it, snake it, dislodge it?

Might be worthwhile comparing tank replacement vs removing the black flush valve and cutting off the tank outlet pipe (assuming you have an area where it can be cut and allow reconnection - or solvent/unltrasonic welding), or install a waterproof inspection port higher in the tank. How big are your arms? They have 4" + 5" ports...
 
TSP is a strong cleaner of tank slime but I'm dubious about its effectiveness on a solidified poop pyramid. I think water and time are your main tools, but it's still going to a need high pressure water stream to actually break it up once it softens a bit. It will take several days for water & detergent or enzymes to have any effect at all of a solid pile of crap.

By the way, authentic TSP can be hard to find these days - it is a caustic chemical and potentially harnful to kids & pets (and careless adults too). Many stores sell a "TSP substitute" and try to tell you its the same thing. It isn't.
 
I'd say that 5 gallons of water and a cup or two of laundry detergent added is a good start. Others have suggested driving around to agitate it. I just connect to the truck, pull up about 2 ft, and quickly stop. Then back up about 2 ft and quickly stop. Do this several times. (At least until the neighbors get curious.) It will produce an immense amount of sloshing in the tank.

Why does it happen? From experience when at a campsite, DO NOT connect the sewer line and open the dump valve and leave it open. Only open the valve when you intend to dump. Once a day or every other day. Never leave it open for this and other reasons.

Bob
 
If you have a poop pyramid, it is straight under your toilet. Not much will break it up or break it down.

What you can try to do is, get a wooden stick, long enough to reach the bottom of the tank through your toilet. Take the end of the stick and cut it, or carve it flat like a flat head screw driver. Now take the stick and simply put it in the toilet bowl hole until it hit the poop pyramid. Now, just start turning the stick and let that flat end chip away at that hardened brick in the bottom. Don't pound it up and down, just rotate it like a drill bit. This will help tear the pyramid up. Keep water on the top of it to help break it up too.

I recommend a wooden stick instead of something metal, because a metal end stick could damage the plastic tank on the bottom. A wooden stick, not so much.
 
Last edited:
DutchmenSport said:
If you have a poop pyramid, it is straight under your toilet.
Click to expand...
That would only be true if the toilet is straight over the tank. Some toilets have an angled pipe down, and others use a macerator that can send the contents quite a ways to a tank. Not all RVs have the same configuration.
 
AlexG1080 said:
Do any of you have suggestions for more hardcore chemicals to dissolve this thing?
Click to expand...
I am wondering if you have tried any of the suggestions and how much progress you may have made?
Gary RV_Wizard said:
By the way, authentic TSP can be hard to find these days
Click to expand...
Not really. Just look for TSP on Amazon and you will find several sellers. It is also available at Home Depot and I got mine last from Lowe's as they have it in the area with wallpaper. About 5 years ago a neighbor bought an used fifth wheel that had dried poop in the black tank and while it took several doses over most of a week, he did get the tank clean. Since I was warned of the problem very early in my RV experience, I have not had the experience with any of our RVs.
 
When I had a TP pyramid from little kids using too much TP, I added half a tank of water, stirred it up a bit, and then found a back road to drive on. Did hard stops and a lot of swerves, so wanted an isolated road so no one would think I was driving drunk. Anyway, it worked, but it took a couple of efforts.

Big lesson, other than educating guests and watching small children flush, is never leaving your RV stored without a substantial amount of water in the black tank. Not applicable to freezing weather, obviously.
 
Cheap liquid automatic dishwasher detergent is about the only tank chemical I use. I have used it to clean waste tanks on new-2-me RVs as well as part of my monthly maintenance (I use about 1/4 C down all drains - let stand at least overnight to clean p-traps - and in the black tank). To avoid the poop pyramid in the future, use more water (#1 = flush once; #2 = flush twice).
 
Ksouers said:
A couple of items that may help:
I use this to help flush the tanks Blank Tank Flush. I can monitor the effluent (not pretty) to see how effective the flush has been. When the water starts running clear, I know I'm done.
This Water Meter goes on the water hose and measures how much water I put back in the tank if I need to do multiple flushes or to pre-fill the tank.

Kevin
Click to expand...

I have the Camco flusher -mine only helps with the sewer end as it doesn't have the gate valve. This isn't bad but I don't think it will help with a poop pile as you need direct action on a dried pile.

SeilerBird said:
Chemicals will not dissolve a poop pyramid. Lots of water will not dissolve a poop pyramid. Only high pressure water will dissolve a poop pyramid. You need something like this:

Click to expand...

This is the ticket IMO. I just had to deal with this. The knife valve leaked for a long time letting the liquid out but not the solids. I did not have the tool Seilerbird linked but it's now in my amazon shopping list. I think it will work great with the inline detergent dispenser I have for my hose.

I bought these pictured below - but they did not adapt to my pressure sprayer so I don't recommend them. I ended up inserting the hose with a jet nozzle into the toilet, into the tank and blasting the pile. It worked but it was no fun and messy. I had a quarter turn cutoff valve at the end of the hose so I only turned on the hose when I was ready to stick it into the toilet.

My toilet has a slight sloped entry into the tank but the hose went in and I was able to feel when I hit the bottom. I agitated stuff with the hose and the drain valve closed until I had about 3/4 full on the tank. When I pulled the valve the clear elbow of the Camco flush confirmed the solids coming out.

I flushed 3 times until no more solids came out.



1662723599040.png
 
JudyJB said:
Big lesson, other than educating guests and watching small children flush, is never leaving your RV stored without a substantial amount of water in the black tank. Not applicable to freezing weather, obviously.
Click to expand...
I keep mine wet in the winter too (probably less volume though). When winterizing and running the pink stuff through the lines, a couple of toilet flushes will add some pink to the tank so that the valve seals don't dry out. Same with pink through faucets for the gray tank and p-traps.
 
Just made a trip to Home Depot. Seems Gary was right, they didn’t have any real TSP. Just phosphate-free stuff. It was just a matter time, phosphates we’re removed from soaps and detergents decades ago.

Kevin
 
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