fanciesmom
in our dreams
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Joined: 06/11/2010
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I couldn't find a reference to this anywhere - and this has us really "bugged".
Once it starts to get even a bit warm we have a problem with some kind of gnat (or fruit fly??) swarming out of the toilet when we flush. My husband cleans the tank when he dumps it, we use OxyChem every time we dump. This is getting more than annoying and I'm sick of these d@mn little bugs.
There is NO rotten overripe fruit or veggies in the coach so I know that's not it. Any suggestion would be appreciated. We do try to be as "green" as possible - but I am willing to do almost anything.
Paranoia is only hindsight in advance.
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Don & Linda
Western PA / Cape Cod
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Joined: 07/23/2004
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I'd add a can of Raid to the freshener aerosol inventory. 
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MKish
SF
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Joined: 09/01/2011
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Drain flies! Moth flies are the common ones but sometimes folks get gnats or fruitfly types in their drains (in their homes). The larvae live on sludge in drains. They'll be hard to hit because they won't necessarily be IN the flow. If they were, they'd be easy because they aren't that tough. Bleach, dish soap, boiling water--probably don't want all those things in your RV plumbing though.
They are probably well above the tank and anything you put in the tank will miss them. Maybe google drain flies and see if any techniques used residentially can be applied to RV pipes?
The little things can be pretty annoying.
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cheezkween
Third Coast
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Joined: 02/16/2011
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These are drain flies or sewer gnats (same thing). They look like fruit flies.
They tend to breed in the slime on the sides of drain pipes (and probably on the sides and tops of black tanks as well).
You need to remove their breeding ground, so I would do the following:
First, prop open the toilet valve and scrub down inside the black pipe with a long handled brush.
Empty and clean your tank as per usual. Fill the tank one third full with hot water (attach a hose to your clothes washer H/W hook-up) and add one half bottle of Dawn dish liquid and half a bottle of liquid Calgon water softener and immediately go for a spin over the bumpiest, windiest roads you can find. Or at least, stop and start abruptly many times.
You want to slosh the soapy hot water all over your tank, top and sides as well as bottom, in order to get rid of the crud that these flies are breeding in.
Drain and rinse.
If this doesn't work, you might then (if you can) reach down into your toilet pipe and spray Raid for several seconds to try and kill any maggots that are present. The chemicals you are using work on bacteria, not insects.
Good luck.
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Kemahsabe
Kemah, TX
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It may be an infestation of 'drain flies'. We've had them in sink drains but haven't had the pleasure in a black tank. They live and breed in the slime of the drain but have to fly out for ???. The way we got rid of them is to keep the drains covered when not being used. That isn't going work because of the vent in your tank. So... I'm no help!
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gbopp
The Keystone State
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Joined: 08/03/2008
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Drain Flies
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fanciesmom
in our dreams
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Thank you all! I knew you'd all have the answer! Thank you!
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yloshrk
Louisiana
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Joined: 11/20/2011
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I have found that hanging Revenge or Hot Shot bugs strips in the area for awhile will get rid of these guys too. I had fruit flies from bird food, and with the parrots could not use sprays. These are safe for the birds and as such I would think people. When the drain flies popped up, I hung a couple around and they worked as well on them as the fruit flies.
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down home
south
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Most RV's have a power flushing system using water pressure.
Ours came with little tablets to use in a sanitizer attachment. They are little more than chlorine tablets.
Anywho; a clean tank won't have them. I wouldn't ever dump without making sure they are clean before leaving. But we have left gray water and black water, in them between stops. The gray water is mostly soap. We don't let oil etc down the kitchen sink.
Holding tank chemicals, in the tank would make short work, of bugs when sloshing down the road. We always put a gallon or so in the tanks with chemicals, after cleaning.
If you subscribe to no chemicals or bleach then well... If they are in the p traps; hot water and a little soap down the drains.
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fanciesmom
in our dreams
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Downhome we are pretty much stationary at the moment. We noticed them when we first bought the motor home, but didn't think too much about it - until summer heat hit. I've never seen them this early in the year - and had a moment so . . . Thanks again all!
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