sledge
Senior Member
just wondering if anyone has experience indicating certain soaps, shampoos, are "easier" on gray water tanks or make them easier to clean...?
Friendlier soap for Gray Water Tank?
- Thread starter sledge
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The friendliest place on the web for anyone who enjoys boating.
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If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
Comodave
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I have heard that using a liquid body wash type helps, but I don’t really know if this is true or not.
Pete Meisinger
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Gray Water tank? You mean Lake Michigan?
pete
pete
DCDC
Senior Member
We have two gray water tanks which collect from showers, head sinks, a washing machine and AC evaporator drains. Liquid soap only. Pumps are Groco macerator type. The pumps are activated by level switches but I manually empty them every day or so. We cruise about 6 months a year and have had no issues with the tanks or pumps.
OP
OP
sledge
Senior Member
yeah i guess using the term "tank" might be a misnomer. like many nominal length boats, gray water is moved really just to a temporary holding cell in a bilge area and once its volume trips a float switch, it is automatically macerated out. nevertheless that holding area needs to be cleaned periodically such that switches and/or pumps don't get too bogged down with soap, hair, etc......
BruceK
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My 1981 IG has an OEM grey water tank, with pump run via a multi function auto flipper type switch. I found the switch gummed up so began using a Starbrite liquid cleaner designed for heads at low concentration (I would not use it in a toilet system) which helped. I think conventional soaps are made using animal fat, so minimizing that sounds a good idea.
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When we bought our (now sold after 16 years) CHB34, the PO advised us to always use Dove soap, as it is a low allergy, low fat type of soap, and would not form scum, etc. The grey shower water just drained into the forward bilge and was pumped out automatically by the bilge pump. It worked for us...
Lou_tribal
Guru
We found out that liquid body soap does leave the same sluggish deposit as soap bar. We use only "green" biodegradable soap though, either for shower or for dishes, and we are careful to use as less as possible.
L
L
twistedtree
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Most, if not all Nordhavn's have full size gray water tanks, where "full size" is roughly the same size as the black water tank. Liquid soaps seems to be the consensus, and the more bio degradable the better. Bar soap is to be avoided.
Stout
Senior Member
When we had our AT-34, we converted to this system and eliminated the shower collection box. No more spills from float switch not working!
https://www.whalepumps.com/marine/p...ID=10021&FriendlyID=Electric-grey-waste-pumps
Fairly easy conversion.
https://www.whalepumps.com/marine/p...ID=10021&FriendlyID=Electric-grey-waste-pumps
Fairly easy conversion.
w8n4sun
Senior Member
How does it activate without a sump and float? I'd like to learn more and make the conversion as our sumps are in a hard-to-reach-and-service location.
caltexflanc
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We lived and cruised aboard full time. We used standard household soap, Lever 2000 mostly from Costco, then their house brand. Every month we would run a pint or two of distilled white vinegar through the drains and the sumps were just fine. Flush with pure fresh water every now and then too.
We used standard Rule bilge pumps and high quality USS Ultra Pumpswitch bilge pump switches. No issues ever over the years of very heavy year around daily use. I should note that a couple of the sumps also served indirectly as a form of high water back ups to a nearby bilge.
A bigger issue is hair, and made sure to have mesh inserts over the shower drains. For some reason, we don't like liquid soap (other than shampoo) for anything other than hand washing. The most used sump was at the foot of the MSR bed, and we never had odor problems either.
We used standard Rule bilge pumps and high quality USS Ultra Pumpswitch bilge pump switches. No issues ever over the years of very heavy year around daily use. I should note that a couple of the sumps also served indirectly as a form of high water back ups to a nearby bilge.
A bigger issue is hair, and made sure to have mesh inserts over the shower drains. For some reason, we don't like liquid soap (other than shampoo) for anything other than hand washing. The most used sump was at the foot of the MSR bed, and we never had odor problems either.
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Stout
Senior Member
w8n4sun: The yellow "intelligent" manifold has a non contact switch with a time delay. You could also wire in a manual On/Off switch if you wanted.
I don't know why they haven't replaced the sump boxes with float switches at the OEM level, sump boxes and float switches are a PITA to keep clean.
I don't know why they haven't replaced the sump boxes with float switches at the OEM level, sump boxes and float switches are a PITA to keep clean.
OldDan1943
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Which model do you use?
OldDan1943
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Stout, I recall one person kept the empty box and the whale sucked on the box.
You use the included auto start/stop switch?
My Vietnamese sweetie has hair about 3 ft long. How does the whale handle long hair?
You use the included auto start/stop switch?
My Vietnamese sweetie has hair about 3 ft long. How does the whale handle long hair?
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caltexflanc
Guru
Well obviously I disagree with that. Very low maintenance item in our experience of heavy use. Long soapy showers, just like on land. Once again: distilled white vinegar, high quality switches. Overall, maybe 1 minute a month of PM, if that.
Stout
Senior Member
Dan, we removed the sump and used just the whale system. Use the same pump on our current boat with a gray water tank and no issues with long hair.
caltexflanc, glad you had a good experience
caltexflanc, glad you had a good experience
BruceK
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Our "new' boat has the sump/pump/switch set in the floor of the shower,under a drilled stainless steel cover plate. So simple and easy to access.
timb7734
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We had a direct overboard system for the showers that had a switch in the head and a little inch and a half strainer that was a pain due to hair. Replaced them with a Whale GK 1512 with a gusher trash pump, now no more problems with hair, and an occasional dose of No Flex Digestor takes care of soap scum.
Castille Soap
To answer the OP's original question:
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-...stile+bath+soap+citrus&qid=1592261094&sr=8-26
You can buy it in the liquid or soap bar form. In liquid form, you can even buy it by the gallon.
We prefer the Citrus, and we also use it at the dirt home now.
Cheers & stay safe (& clean),
Mrs. Trombley
To answer the OP's original question:
https://www.amazon.com/Dr-Bronners-...stile+bath+soap+citrus&qid=1592261094&sr=8-26
You can buy it in the liquid or soap bar form. In liquid form, you can even buy it by the gallon.
We prefer the Citrus, and we also use it at the dirt home now.
Cheers & stay safe (& clean),
Mrs. Trombley
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OldDan1943
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How does it work on removing oil from ducks and geese?
catalinajack
Guru
We have an open collection box for our shower. I have yet to have to clean it even after four years of living aboard full-time. And, no, it doesn't smell. I keep it fresh by occasionally sprinkling in some NoFlex, the same stuff many folks add to black water tanks. As soon as I add the NoFlex it starts the water to bubbling.
OP
OP
sledge
Senior Member
Thanks for all the tips. Yes again you’re right I’m talking about the shower sump, in our case two showers and two sinks empty in to a small holding bilge where a whale pump sends it out frequently during use. even these boats that have this still need a clean once in a while. I haven’t had any problems with this, I’m just trying to be proactive and determine how frequent should be cleaning... the Noflex might be a good choice.
sdupleich
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We have a grey water tank on our 50' Beneteau Swift Trawler that will not empty until we do it manually. When we first got the boat I noticed that there was always a funky smell whenever we took showers or did the dishes so I've always kept the grey water tank emptied out as often as possible. I never let it get more than 50% full. I tried adding enzymes to the tank (similar to No-Flex) but there was little change. Finally I tried another product called Tank Blaster and after one treatment - no more smell. I was very relieved. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D3XYRG5/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o07_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
