Holding Tank Pump outs

**D3B** · 31-08-07, 14:46

Can i run water from hose into deck suck out fitting to put some fresh water into tank before emptying with pump out to clean tank?

**D3B** · 31-08-07, 14:49

perhaps i have been misunderstanding the noises.
i thought when it made bubbling/rumbling noice with change of tone it was mushing up the contents. when this sound changed to a constant note i would let go of the waste button.....not easy when you are running at sea either.

**FlowerPower** · 31-08-07, 14:49

Please clean the hose afterwards!

**Wiggo** · 31-08-07, 14:52

Yes, and don't allow the hose to go into the fitting, aim the water in without touching...

**carlton** · 31-08-07, 15:33

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Can i run water from hose into deck suck out fitting to put some fresh water into tank before emptying with pump out to clean tank?

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Surely you'd be better advised to fill the loo with fresh water a few times and have someone repeatedly flushing it through to the tank as it is being pumped out.

**ArthurWood** · 01-09-07, 15:12

Surely you'd be better advised to fill the loo with fresh water a few times and have someone repeatedly flushing it through to the tank as it is being pumped out.

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That`s the recommended way to do it, at least on FL boats which normally use pumpouts unless they are way off shore.
Vacuflush recommend putting a measure of washing powder in the bowl, filling with water, then flushing. We`ve been doing this for 13+ years and had no problems. To thoroughly clean the tank, keep filling with water at the deck fitting and pumping out until the effluent is clear. Hopefully the pumpout pipe has a transparent section so you can see when things are clear.

**Major Catastrophe** · 01-09-07, 16:54

I always thought you holding tank guys just inserted a hose and sucked on it until the syphoning started.

**FlowerPower** · 01-09-07, 21:59

[img]/forums/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img]

**neale** · 03-09-07, 10:43

Don't mock, I am suffering the same problem as DV. Full tank, no shut of between tank and pump, pump mounted right at the bottom of the tank and pump not working.

I either pull pump off and plug hole ASAP, but will get alot of [--word removed--] in the bilge, or I get a long hose and suck [img]/forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif[/img]

**KevB** · 03-09-07, 11:16

To make sure you get all the 'sludge' out of the tank I'd recommend getting an old hose pipe with a nozzle on the end set so the water comes out at high pressure, take the water level sender out and stick the hose in and waggle it about a lot. I cleaned mine out recently and was amazed at the amount or very thick 'sludge' that sits on the bottom.

Also, if your pump is in a similar place as mine, ie aft end of the tank and above the level of the bottom of the tank, I found you can empty it almost completely by emtying at a speed which gets the bow high (just before planning), everything runs to the back of the tank (thick sludge excluded).

Good luck.