Fly's in the black tank??

[Les Hurdle]

When I purchased the coach a couple of months ago I notices small really black fly's in the bathroom.  I had a Harbor Freight tennis racket and zapped 'em, but next day they were back, on and on.  I purchased the small 'blue light' fly catcher from Home Depot.. worked great..... the sticky card was full after 1 day.... hmmm.  Changed it, next one was full....... caught a few more on the 'fly' [no pun intended]........ have to admit I am not a 'poop on the go' watcher....... then today I noticed as the toilet was flushed a few fly's came up through the water [I think].  Didn't look like the flight plan was from under the rim.  Currently I am living in the coach while my home is fixed, toilet is connected to a septic tank.......... valve is closed except for the small amount of time when the tank is emptied......... can't imagine the fly's sit and wait for the valve to open then make a run for it.   I use any and all kinds of 'make nice' product in the tank etc etc.   anyone know of the 'black tank fly killer' product?

Les

[Martinvz]

Hi Les, That is not the visitors you want. Sounds like you have an infestation. Does your coach have a black tank flush (I think it might) and you should use it. I do not think using bleach in the black tank to kill them, is a good solution.

You could fill your black tank to the max and then drain it as fast as possible to remove as much gunk as possible. I use a hose and fill it from the toilet (because my flusher is blocked). Do this at least twice. 

An alternative is to get a tank cleaning service such as Kleen Tank to clean it with the appropriate tools using high water pressure. This is not a cheap service but could be worth it. 
 

[Tom Cherry]

34 minutes ago, Les Hurdle said:

When I purchased the coach a couple of months ago I notices small really black fly's in the bathroom.  I had a Harbor Freight tennis racket and zapped 'em, but next day they were back, on and on.  I purchased the small 'blue light' fly catcher from Home Depot.. worked great..... the sticky card was full after 1 day.... hmmm.  Changed it, next one was full....... caught a few more on the 'fly' [no pun intended]........ have to admit I am not a 'poop on the go' watcher....... then today I noticed as the toilet was flushed a few fly's came up through the water [I think].  Didn't look like the flight plan was from under the rim.  Currently I am living in the coach while my home is fixed, toilet is connected to a septic tank.......... valve is closed except for the small amount of time when the tank is emptied......... can't imagine the fly's sit and wait for the valve to open then make a run for it.   I use any and all kinds of 'make nice' product in the tank etc etc.   anyone know of the 'black tank fly killer' product?

Les

Google is your friend....

https://rvtailgatelife.com/how-remove-rv-sewer-flies-gnats/#:~:text=and moving on.-,Enzyme Drain Cleaners,to develop into adult flies.

I would NOT use any heavy duty insecticide or any bleach or anything that will do MORE DAMAGE to your septic tank. You could then have to have it pumped or have it "recultured"....as in the Honey Wagon Tank guy pumps some heavy duty (NATURAL...which is what you want) "BLACK WATER/SOLIDS" into your tank...AFTER he pumps it....to start a new culture so that your septic tank is working.  That goes for a Gravity or Overflow system.  If you have one of the more exotic "Pressure Pumper" one which actually INJECT the effuluent back into the soil...CAUTION...Bring out an EXPERT.  

The article seems to be fairly logic and well written...

One INTERIM solution....which does NOT address the source...is the Hot Shot No-Pest Strips that Amazon carries.  They work well.  One in the potty and no more chasing or trying out the "pop em with a hand towel"....that is my solution.  Keeps my reflexes sharp....

Let us know...but DON'T exacerbate a low cost issue into a high dollar "OMG>>>what did I do?

[Rikadoo]

Perhaps this article may help…

[cbr046]

11 hours ago, Rikadoo said:

Perhaps this article may help…

Clicking the photo only gave me a photo . . . . here's the link, which isn't on YouTube.

https://www.thervgeeks.com/how-to-get-rid-of-drain-flies-in-an-rv/

The RV Geeks has a YouTube presence but it hasn't been updated in 11 months.  In addition to the website they also have a television presence on various media (Discovery Channel, AppleTV, Prime, PBS, etc).  I can't comment whether their advice is any good.  Some bloggers are very good at commercializing their advice while I'm thinking their advice is plum crazy.  I'll start watching just out of curiosity. 

- bob

 

[vito.a]

I use Blue Dawn dish soap.  It keeps the tank clean and keeps the bugs down.  

[Paul J A]

Happy Camper will kill them. Fill the tank with water, triple dose of it. Let sit 1 day. Drain. Back Flush if possible. Repeat.

[Les Hurdle]

Thanks for all the input.

 

Never heard of happy camper... will look for it.........  what I have done so far is put the spray from a fogger up into the tank........ turned the water off and put the fogger down the toilet.............. we'll see.

 

L

 

[Les Hurdle]

day two... still no fly's............ squirting a natural product called STEM down the 'loo' when flushed............

[Les Hurdle]

The fogger process worked quite well.  However I read somewhere about making the pipe to the septic/dump tank more like the plumbing in the house.  So I put wood under the outlet pipe raising it up [keepong valves closed].  This means there is always a little 'sludge' on the upside.  So far no fly onslaught.  I also empty out every 2 days.