Capacity of your holding tank?

My holding tank has a capacity of 35 gallons. The one pictured below looks like thousands:

I bet that job stinks.

Yea, sucks too.

awpptdt said:

Yea, sucks too.

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Just as long as it doesn't blow.

You asking about capacity in gallons or ?

Which brings up a question.

If we take a canal mini loop trip (see dinghy section) our 26 gal holding tank may not mut the custard. Any ideas how to install/plumb a temporary (flexible ?) additional holding tank to increase capacity of our meager 25 gal permanent tank, yet be easy to pump out?

Just stop in marinas to pump out. You're going to want to go ashore as part of the overall sightseeing experience.

David,

I have no experience in this area, but I bought Peggie's book. It's on the boat though, so I cannot reference it for this post.

Do you have the room to mount the second tank nearby and at or below the same level as the original? If so, an overflow line from tank 1 into the new tank 2 plus the required vent and pumpout lines. An alternative would be to plumb a selector valve into the outflow line from the head to select the tank. One line goes to tank 1, the other to tank 2. Each have their own vent and pumpout lines. The second method is more flexible for tank placement and does not require you to modify the existing tank with an overflow line to tank 2.

I suspect selector valves in the outflow lines might be culprits for flow restrictions if someone flushes something they shouldn't. At least they'll be accessible and you'd know where to look first.

FlyWright said:

An alternative would be to plumb a selector valve into the outflow line from the head to select the tank. One line goes to tank 1, the other to tank 2. Each have their own vent and pumpout lines. The second method is more flexible for tank placement and does not require you to modify the existing tank with an overflow line to tank 2.

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That's a possibility. Thanks.

With 25 gallons you won't have an issue getting pumped out enough on that trip.

jleonard said:

With 25 gallons you won't have an issue getting pumped out enough on that trip.

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I dunno. My SO tells me I am often full of ..., well you know.

Install an electroscan (spelling?) in one of the heads

Ruthless said:

Install an electroscan (spelling?) in one of the heads

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Doesn't that just treat the waste so it can be pumped overboard legally in some areas? As I understand it, there are many places on this mini loop that are no discharge, treated or not, and where even your ability to pump overboard must be locked out or disconnected altogether.

To answer the first question, my tank capacity is 14 gallons. That is pretty minimal and I've considered a treatment system or at least a low water use head. I'll often just "go" off the swim platform if nobody is around and we're not underway. For some reason, it's legal to pee (or poop) directly into the water, but not if you've put it in something first.

For the temporary extra capacity, instead of modifications to the boat, how about taking a porta potty along on the trip?

Looks to be pump out boat. We have the holding tank pump out weekly, and his tank is about 200 gallons. Our tank is only 40 which will last two weeks, but we have a Microphone sanitation sytem.

My holding tank capacity is 40 gallons. When used on a long trip by 2 men, it would fill up in about 4 days with the old head. Now that we've installed the Jabsco Quiet Flush, it lasts more than a week, but I haven't yet found out how much more.

Maybe we can put it to the test later this week, Mark!

Phil Fill said:

Looks to be pump out boat.

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The vessel Solitary carries the accumulated human waste from Alcatraz to San Francisco for disposal.

60 gal. usually plenty of capacity. May add an Electrosan or Purosan since we flush with fresh water.

Flywright;
Do you flush with salt water or fresh? My Californian's tank capacity is only 30 gallons; lasts 2 of us about 3 -4 days.I'm sure we have some scale build up that is reducing capacity. But I'm not sure that we can afford to give up fresh water supply for flushing. How does your setup work? Thanks

For what it is worth, my 200-gallon fresh water, 35-gallon holding tank, system seems reasonably balanced although I haven't tested its limits. Like to think a fresh-water toilet system is easier on the components.

chc said:

Flywright;
Do you flush with salt water or fresh? My Californian's tank capacity is only 30 gallons; lasts 2 of us about 3 -4 days.I'm sure we have some scale build up that is reducing capacity. But I'm not sure that we can afford to give up fresh water supply for flushing. How does your setup work? Thanks

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Kinda both! I flush with raw water and boat mostly in fresh water. My raw water thru-hull is shared with my raw water wash down pump supply. Since I boat in fresh water, I don't get the smell many of you experience.

Except for the Y to my RW washdown pump, here's how my system is connected:

FlyWright said:

. Since I boat in fresh water, I don't get the smell many of you experience.

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Yes, Al, except perhaps when you come down-river to San Francisco Bay?

I guess we're going to find out. Didn't notice any issues on past trips to the bay since I don't stay long enough to start to stink!!

My head is gravity... with flush water supplied from the fresh water tank. Because my boat is trailerable and used as a camper, gray water also goes into the holding tank. I got run off another board for talking about this and you may not have the problem, but to conserve water and holding capacity, I tuck a short ribbon of toilet paper into the seat and let it hang down the back of the bowl before sitting -- saves water and capacity by eliminating the need to rinse down skidmarks.

Sounds gross. I'd prefer to use a brush and then flush a second time if necessary or, to preserve water/tankage, flush later at the next episode.

FlyWright said:

Kinda both! I flush with raw water and boat mostly in fresh water. My raw water thru-hull is shared with my raw water wash down pump supply. Since I boat in fresh water, I don't get the smell many of you experience.

Except for the Y to my RW washdown pump, here's how my system is connected:

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You should have a vented loop in that system if the holding tank discharge is below the water line.

jeffnick said:

........... I tuck a short ribbon of toilet paper into the seat and let it hang down the back of the bowl before sitting -- saves water and capacity by eliminating the need to rinse down skidmarks.

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Jeff, I'm sure that works for you but I would hate to have to explain the proceedure to guests.

jeffnick said:

My head is gravity... with flush water supplied from the fresh water tank. Because my boat is trailerable and used as a camper, gray water also goes into the holding tank. I got run off another board for talking about this and you may not have the problem, but to conserve water and holding capacity, I tuck a short ribbon of toilet paper into the seat and let it hang down the back of the bowl before sitting -- saves water and capacity by eliminating the need to rinse down skidmarks.

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A turd landing pad

Whooda thunk it?

for the visual

Been doing that for years, before the act, lay three squares of TP front to back one more square on each side of the middle square. I first heard about this being done in hospital bedpans, to make them easier to empty. Thank God I have never had to use a bed pan so can't say that for sure, but, it does work well on the boat.
Steve W.