Home made Septic Tank

[sherpa]

How do you build a septic tank out of a barrel?
We need a place to dump our RV tanks on a remote peice of property.
I have seen many of these used but never knew how they were put together?
sherpa

 

[blueriver]

I don't think thats a good idea ... its only 55 gallons and the only real saving is the 55 VS 1000 gallon cement tank ... would still have to be field lines... not to mention permits and health issues. Maybe just do it right.

 

[sherpa]

The tank will only be used 2 times a year at the most.

 

[Sumpter]

Does your place already got a septic? If so find the line going into the tank, tap into it, put a line out to a dump station and dump into that. This is what I did at my place. Works great.

 

[sandman2234]

I think he mentioned "remote property"...
Not sure, but I would dig a hole, partially fill it with rocks, gravel, etc and then set the drum on it. Add more gravel to fill hole, then drill holes in the drum (this is where it gets tricky as to which half) and put a pipe in the top to accept fill from your motor home. A little ballast in the drum might keep it from floating to the top, and i think the holes go in the top half, keeping the bottom half available to grow whatever it is that eats the "stuff" you put in it. The top half will allow excess liquid to seep into the rocks and disappear, and hopefully you won't flush too much grease, as there is no grease trap to keep the grease out of your rock.
David from jax

 

[Kays Supply]

If it is your property, you might as well pick a spot and dump it on the ground as you leave. It will work about as well as a barrel. Throw some aerobic bacteria from Robic, Bio Clean or an equal in the tank before you dump it. It will be as " treated" as you will get without a full blown septic system.

 

[Brad_Blazer]

Septic Product Line

Contact Building Inspections

 

[tungularafishcamp]

Just build yourself a outhouse and dump it in there, it will be legal, covered from critters, and you will have overflow toilet space for extra folks. Just dump your grey water somewhere else as the soap and stuff will kill the bacteria.
Rick

 

[CurlyDave]

This article shows how to do it How to Construct a Small Septic System - wikiHow.

Reading the article, it sounds like a lot of work for very little purpose.

Dump it on the ground when you leave. If you don't come back for a few months, when you return you will never be able to find the spot again.

 

[adjusterr]

Don't "Just dump it on the ground", I made that mistake when I first got my property, the site was visible for several years. I made a RV dump station as follows: 2 blue plastic 55 gallon drums, used 2" hole saw to cut holes at various locations in both drums, I used some scrap nylon netting to cover the holes to keep gravel from entering the drums during backfill. dug hole and set drums on and surrounded by gravel. I used PVC pipe, the size your dump hose will fit into, to make a top fitting, one downtube into a T, then a short tube with an L fitting and another downtube into the top of each drum. A PVC cap tops off the system. I have been using this system for years, although only once or twice yearly, when I can't find a public dump station, and it works perfectly. It works on the same concept as a standard septic system minus the extensive drain field. Good luck.