Advice please - emptying the toilet holding tank

Are you putting enough blue diluted with water, in the bottom tank before you start to use it, and a using a good amount of flush after use from the top tank?  I ask because friends who were inexperienced caravanners had no idea how to use the cassette toilet fluids properly, and so their cassette rapidly filled with difficult to tip out 'material'!   I don't think they'd added blue, or water to the bottom tank, nor did they flush enough after each use!

If you don't use 'blue' and some water, your solids are likely to remain just that 'solid' particularly if you're someone who doesn't drink a lot of fluid, thereby providing liquid to help the solids disperse!

You also need to make sure you're using 'appropriate' toilet paper.  Some papers for household use are difficult to break down in a cassette.  There are specialist papers for cassettes, but these are expensive. We always use a French toilet paper, designed for septic tank systems, which is cheap - but I'm sure others who buy in England will recommend the best type.  And most importantly, especially on sites with septic tanks, DON'T USE toilet wet wipes - even if they say they are biodegradable!

Sorry but there's no way to say these things without being a bit blunt!!  And if we don't say them, others may not use their cassette correctly either!

We always used the Elsan Organic fluid and use our facilities for everything, ease of emptying.  However after reading the bio tab thread we gave them a try for last season, not found any noticable difference, we did sometimes use the fluid, mainly so it would get used up.  I have to say I'd forgotten about pressing the button - so it's always good to share

I always charge the cassette with Elsan toilet fluid, Blue, before using the loo, with that and the flush water mixed, after 3 days it's ready to be emptied. A good washout afterwards then recharge it with fluid again. Never had a problem,always use the vans toilet for all eventualities! 

Write your comments here...3 days with number 2's our cassette is full half way through the night on day 2 and we only do number 1's do you have a short sized toilet in you van?

surely the other way round, Micheal....

if you fill your loo in less than two days and you only pee in it then you are either drinking too much tea or (i suspect this one) over flusing the toilet.....so its 99% filled with fresh water.

like Ray, we can use our loo for 3 days before emptying....

theres little point in emptying every day, just makes you traipse to the toilet block/CCEP which is exactly what i am trying to aviod....

moonchip, no apologies needed, we all have to do it wether it's full of liquid or solids as well. I have found that "Bio pods" as in washing machine gel pods, (but they have to be "Bio" and pods, not tablets, or powder) work very well in breaking down the lumps. If you lok up the thread "Tips for making caravanning cheaper," page three, Bio Pods Do they really work? you will find more information. 'Fraid  can't do the link, so you will have to get there the slow way. Perhaps some kind member will do it for us please......

But as I said in an earlier post, if you're using your caravan on a site with only septic tank sewage facilities (such as many in rural France) then you shouldn't use bio pods or a formaldehyde 'blue' toilet fluid, as they can cause problems with the biological breakdown within the septic tank system.

There are various types of 'safe' and 'green' toilet chemicals which I would encourage all caravanners to use.  (green meaning Eco, not green in colour!)

Wow two posts jumped in as I was typing.  Yes I agree with ValDa don't use 'good' toilet paper.  We used to use the Elsan expensive stuff but find that any of the supermarket's value ones are good.  I'd go as far as to say the same as the Elsan ones, but apart from touching and using I have no proof.  I do pop the odd moist toilet tissue in (Sainsburys) and not had a problem.

At the disposal point:

stand the waste tank on its end and swivel the spout vertically

Remove cap and leave on the ground away from the 'hole'

I also remove the slide cover so it cannot get lost!

Lift and point into 'hole and press the button  - if you press the button before you attain the 'spout nose down attitude' liquid will leak out of the vent  

refill, shake gently and empty. I also open the slide and stick the hosepipe in and flush out until clear

Add a litre or two of water

Back at the caravan add "the blue"   I have recently started using the chemical toilet sachets ( bought off ebay ) more expensive but so so easy and no risk of spillage

 http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/tips-for-making-caravanning-touring-cheaper/Bio-Tabs----yes-they-certainly-seem-to-work/rt/1221031/?p=66#index8

Thanks Steve.....

PS how do you do it ?...........

First I apologies for going off thread.

I don't know if it is the best way as it seems involved but it works.

copy the link from the web page, on this one it just seems to say caravan club .uk but when you touch on it to copy there is more behind.

paste link into reply box

select the link you have pasted and press the link symbol, third from left beside italic

a dialog box opens, paste the link again into the box which says link URL and click on insert. This makes the link live.

I have no idea how you do those links that just say here or if there is an easier way, perhaps someone will tell us.

To change the long link in the above post into 'Toilet Tips' first type in 'Toilet Tips' (or whatever you want yourl link to say) in your text, then copy the link (URL) from the webpage you want to refer to. Highlight the text whichyou want to contain the link (mouse over it until it goes blue). Then in the blue/grey bar above where you're typing, click the thing that looks like a chain symbol (next to the Italic symbol) and paste in the link you just copied.

Then click the box which says Target, and select the option Open Link in a New Window, then click Insert.  Your text will then become a 'Hyperlink'.

Hey presto, clicky link.

Thanks for all the replies thus far. I knew about pressing the air relief button and as for fluid I use the correct amount of 'blue' mixed with water (about 2 litres). So far we have only caravanned in the UK, but I'll bear in mind ValDa's suggestion for when we visit the Continent.

The idea about bio-tabs sounds good and I can see the reasoning in this from a chemical / biological stand-point.

I guess its a 'learning point' and I'm sure it will get easier as time goes by.

Thank you so much to everyone who has taken the time to reply - it is very appreciated

I find my cassette will last three days for "full use". Some of the more modern vans have the dark grey/orange cassettes which are smaller than the original pale grey/yellow which have a greater capacity.