Water softener helps.

[MadDad]

Last winter I didn't have a water softener. I noticed that when the black water tank was about full, I would remind me by burping a foul odor when flushing the toilet. I would have to use the built in rinse system and fill the tank 4 or 5 times to get to clear water. This year I am using a water softener and at the same site, using the same TP, and the same additive.

I get no odors up from the toilet. I also do not see paper passing thru the clear part of the dump hose. It dumps without partially plugging like it did sometimes last year. I also only need to rinse the tank 2 times, and the last rinse may not be needed at all, but will still do it.

Has anyone else noticed these added benefits? Of course the water tastes better, you suds up really well, and it should add life to the water heater. I got mine at Amazon, and got the bigger one which came with all connections you might need for @$150 to $160 if I remember right..

[BigJohnD]

As for the black tank, Geo Method utilizes the water softener and detergent in the black tank and works well. We don't use the geo method exactly, but do use liquid water softener in the black tank along with our home made mixes. I can't speak for having a water softener itself, just for the benefits of the softener in the black tank.

[Fairenatic]

I am partial to the reverse osmosis systems. I do not use it for showering or washing clothes though. Just for drinking, ice, and cooking.

It a bit wasteful, I do admit but if one wants VERY pure water, no matter where you go, RO is the bomb.

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by MadDad

Last winter I didn't have a water softener. I noticed that when the black water tank was about full, I would remind me by burping a foul odor when flushing the toilet. I would have to use the built in rinse system and fill the tank 4 or 5 times to get to clear water. This year I am using a water softener and at the same site, using the same TP, and the same additive.

I get no odors up from the toilet. I also do not see paper passing thru the clear part of the dump hose. It dumps without partially plugging like it did sometimes last year. I also only need to rinse the tank 2 times, and the last rinse may not be needed at all, but will still do it.

Has anyone else noticed these added benefits? Of course the water tastes better, you suds up really well, and it should add life to the water heater. I got mine at Amazon, and got the bigger one which came with all connections you might need for @$150 to $160 if I remember right..

We use 2 external filter cartridges connected together. The first is a Carbon Block filter followed by a Pentek 155319-03 Ws-10 10" Water Softening Cartridge. The flow rate through our setup is too low for showering, so we use CG water to fill our FW through those filters and use water from our FW tank for everything. (Full disclosure: When dumping, we do use CG water without filtering for flushing our black tank.)

This is the only setup we have used and we always used the black tank flush when dumping. We've never used any chemicals/cleaners etc. in the black tank and always added several gallons of CG water after dumping. We didn't have any black tank issues, but I cannot say if the softer water was part of the reason.

We, too, like the other benefits of softer water you mentioned. Plus our filters remove the iron taste/smell in some CGs and the chlorine taste/smell in others.