Grey, Black tanks info needed

1st hello, and this is just my 3rd thread. The following questions have probaly been answered a zillion times. I am still learning system navigation in the Forums.

GIVEN:
We are RVr's for 3 years.
Had a 5th wheel---now gone
Current Rig 2013 North Trail 21FBS

We want to do it right.

Used various packet / liquid chemicals into black tank in the past. Trying to keep black tank clean, used a flexible, head spinning stick down in the john.
I heard about using water softner(?) and mild soap in the tanks. Supposedly it really works and does away with chemicals.
Our Heartland has a power flush.

Keeping it as simple as possible, can somebody expalin the water softner (mfg.) / soap routine, to include our flexible water spray stick ( is it necessary).

Since we have not used our 21FBS, maybe this is the time to try and get it right.
Thanks, fossil

I have never used any chemicals in my tank. Many of them are harmful to a septic system. Your trailer has a holding tank, not a septic tank and for the little time that waste is in there nothing is going to break down or change. I keep my tank valve closed and try to dump when it is near full. I use regular toilet tissue. If I have less than a full tank and it's time to leave I will still dump. I always start out with a few gallons of water in my black tank and flush after dumping with LOTS of water. A clear fitting inserted ahead of the sewer hose helps to see when the water is coming out clean during a flush. Having a tank flusher fitting on the side of the tank will eliminate the need to go inside with a wand. A Flush-King or similar inline fitting will also work to put fresh water in the tanks to flush them out. This has always worked for me and I've had no problems with tank odor. Just my opinion, your results may vary...Don

Simply put, the Water Softener product used in the black tank helps make the walls of the tank and the tank level sensors slick. The idea is things won't "Stick" to the sensors... when the sensors get coated with "stuff" they give a false reading. I've never given much trust in the sensors... mostly because of false readings they provide.

I always error on the safe side when it comes to dumping the tanks. When the toilet should let you know when the tank is nearly full. It will give you a slight "Burp" or slight hesitation on flowing down the pipes when flushed. When it does that I head out to dump all the tanks. My method is to first dump the black water tank... once its flowing I turn on the Sani-Flush to aid cleaning the black tank out completely. The better the water pressure going into the Sani-Flush line... the better Spray pressure for cleaning out the black tank. I only used the Sani-Flush system... never used a flexible wand in the toilet.

Once the black tank is empty I may close the valve... leaving the Sani-Flush continue to run into the tank... NEVER WALK AWAY WHEN DOING THIS... then open the black tank again to allow any additional "Stuff" to flow out. Its my habit to always leave a few gallons of water in the black tank once it has been emptied.

Then I dump the kitchen Tank and last the Shower Tank... with the shower being last... it flushes out the dump hose with the cleanest flush water.

I have never used chemicals in the tanks.

Good Luck