I am just starting to use sodium percarbonate in my holding tank. How to you dispense it into the head and how much and how often? I have vacuflush heads and live onboard full time. I have already done the tank cleanout as suggested by other members. Thanks
sodium percarbonate
- Thread starter gordytwo
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O C Diver
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With a Vacuflush system it's recommended that you send a bowl of water through the system every day. I dissolve a tablespoon of SP in the bowl with a few drops of Tide, turn off the vacuum pump and flush the bowl. Come back in a couple of hours and turn the vaccum pump back on. I think this helps with the plumbing and pump, not really seeing a big difference in the tank.
Ted
Ted
Agree with Ted. We do not have VacuFlush so a "coffee scoop" in the pooper every day aboard seems more than adequate. NF instructions state you can cut back dosage amount once system is cleaned & operating well but frequency is key... every other day may be OK but I'd rather be safe especially if using the bulk SP.
I have recently seen other posts of folks using SP in shower sumps and reducing the dlime / scum.
I have recently seen other posts of folks using SP in shower sumps and reducing the dlime / scum.
catalinajack
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That would be I who uses it in my shower sump. You should see how vigorously the water bubbles when it is added. Just this morning I finished the clean-out. I had filled the sump and let it bubble all night. Lots of scum was on the surface and out it went with the bilge pump. Left was a dirty film on all the surfaces. It took me about ten minutes to wipe out the residue. The sump is now bright and clean and will remain so with regular additions of Sodium Percarbonate. That sump came to us 6.5 years ago very dirty. Who knows how long before that anyone cleaned it out. The SP made easy work of it. Even before the final clean-up the SP kept away the foul smells of the open sump.
Dougcole
Guru
Are y'all using sodium percarbonate as an alternative to Noflex? Does it contain the beneficial bacteria that noflex does or is it just a cleaning solution?
It appears to be a good bit cheaper than NF. Are you sourcing it on Amazon?
Thanks,
Doug
It appears to be a good bit cheaper than NF. Are you sourcing it on Amazon?
Thanks,
Doug
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I've been using SPC since before my coronavirus cruise and it's been stellar with a tablespoon every other day for one aboard. If there are two aboard, I use a tablespoon every day. I spent 166 days aboard and it's been ideal.
Only issue I had was when I was trying to flee the Antifa and BLM rioting and looting in Vallejo, CA in early June during low tide. I used the head one night in the marina as I was sitting in the mud, filling the head with muddy silt and sea critters. The head started to percolate, probably a reaction to the calcium or other mineral content in the silt. I added a box of baking soda and it calmed the bubbling right down.
Only issue I had was when I was trying to flee the Antifa and BLM rioting and looting in Vallejo, CA in early June during low tide. I used the head one night in the marina as I was sitting in the mud, filling the head with muddy silt and sea critters. The head started to percolate, probably a reaction to the calcium or other mineral content in the silt. I added a box of baking soda and it calmed the bubbling right down.
I don't believe NF contains and "good bacteria" but rather creates the environment that support them. From their info...
"Promotes healthy aerobic bacteria by creating oxygen (aerating the tank)
Creates a happy environment for your bacteria to multiply and digest waste build-up"
" [NF] is not a treatment enzyme biocide or perfumed product but a blend of chemicals that, when introduced into your sanitary system will very quickly neutralize hydrogen sulphides (unwanted odors), clean pipes and liquefy solids in your holding tank."
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Dougcole
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catalinajack
Guru
E-Bay or Amazon, whichever has the better price.
PMF1984
Guru
I got 10 pounds at Amazon. I mixed up 2 gallon batches with dawn and flushed it into my holding tank. I put in 38.5 gallons into my 40 gal holding tank.
Problem was the pickup doesn’t drain my tank 100 percent so there was a gallon of waste to start. And then my tank is at a little angle so I lost a gallon of storage there. I blew the access port off and could hear the cap hit the roof of my generator room, then the rush of soapy, SP mix, mixed with all the “stuff” that came off the sides of the tank.
Well the genset room really got wiped down, you can eat off the floor now. (But I wouldn’t recommend it)
Problem was the pickup doesn’t drain my tank 100 percent so there was a gallon of waste to start. And then my tank is at a little angle so I lost a gallon of storage there. I blew the access port off and could hear the cap hit the roof of my generator room, then the rush of soapy, SP mix, mixed with all the “stuff” that came off the sides of the tank.
Well the genset room really got wiped down, you can eat off the floor now. (But I wouldn’t recommend it)
For what you get I think Oxyclean is actually more expensive. If I recall OC is only about 40-50% SP and the rest fillers. NF states 80-100% SP if I recall correctly from looking at MSDS and comparing them.
fryedaze
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Noflex $20 1 lb >80% disodium carbonate compound with peroxide
Oxyclean 3.5lb. $9 55- 63% disodium carbonate, 23-38% sodium percarbonate.
I don't know anything about the compounds or what they do. Noflex may be better.
Oxyclean 3.5lb. $9 55- 63% disodium carbonate, 23-38% sodium percarbonate.
I don't know anything about the compounds or what they do. Noflex may be better.
Sodium percarbonate is the primary ingredient and the one that provides the O2 to support aerobic bacteria. It can be called any of about 15-20 different chemical names that mean the same thing.
"Bulk" SP runs about $20 for 5 lbs w free shipping
"Sodium carbonate,*Na2CO3, (also known as*washing soda,*soda ash*and*soda crystals)"
same as disodium and is a laundry enhancer but does little / nothing to provide O2
"Sodium percarbonate*is a*chemical substance*with formula*Na2H3CO6. It is an*adduct*of*sodium carbonate*("soda ash" or "washing soda") and*hydrogen peroxide*"
sodium carbonate—hydrogen peroxide (2/3)
Other names
sodium carbonate sesquiperhydrate, PCS, SPC, solid hydrogen peroxide, Sodium carbonate hydrogen peroxide, sodium carbonate peroxyhydrate
Joe Pica
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https://gemplers.com/products/farm-digestant
If it works on the manure pits, septic tanks should be fine for us. We used it for 8 years with great success.
If it works on the manure pits, septic tanks should be fine for us. We used it for 8 years with great success.
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I think she goes by The Head Mistress.
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Comodave
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Some people have bigger holding tanks than others...
