Care of Septic Tank
- Thread starter KestrelMerlin
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turnkey4099
Elite Member
Neighbor across the street put in a new 2-compartment one backin the 80s or 90s. About 10-15 years later wa having problems with it. We dug out the access and found the tank partially collapsed.
Harry K
Harry K
MotorSeven
Elite Member
I would only use plastic if it was a remote type location where the truck delivering a concrete tank could not get in. They are proven to be reliable now going on 70+ years.
texbaylea
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Here is a publication that I have found helpful and I think very accurate. There is filler about the "history" of plumbing and septic tanks. I have a anaerobic system and intend to keep it. washing machine grey water does not go in to it. I diverted it to keep input volume down.
Vernon
Amazon.com: The Septic System Owner's Manual (9780936070407): Lloyd Kahn, Blair Allen, Julie Jones, Peter Aschwanden: Books
Vernon
Amazon.com: The Septic System Owner's Manual (9780936070407): Lloyd Kahn, Blair Allen, Julie Jones, Peter Aschwanden: Books
Pettrix
Platinum Member
That is a good resource tool. Although it is lacking with information on aerobic systems. It focuses mainly on anaerobic systems.
An aerobic system or ATS (aerobic treatment system) has pros and some cons (cost to operate air pump) but it produces a much cleaner effluent and the breakdown process of septic waste inside the tank itself is increased by 90% with aerobic systems. Effluent from an aerobic system is almost odorless. It will produce effluent that smells somewhat musty or earthy, but nothing like the sewage smell of anaerobic systems. Open the lid on an anaerobic tank and the smells are atrocious and they are deadly (methane, hydrogen sulfide). Open the lid on an aerobic tank and there will be very little to almost no smell at all.
Waste disposal codes are VERY SLOW to update and change. Remember, as with most things in life, it comes down to money. If installing a septic system on a residential home could last 100 years or longer vs. 25 years, where is the money to be made? Of course it's the system that needs to be replaced and fixed every 25 years or so is where the $$ is at. The reason septic systems get a bad reputation is because many are poorly engineered/designed and from day one of the install, they are designed to fail. I've seen cities make septic users pay to get on the "sewer grid" because their septic effluent was destroying the water supply. All anaerobic systems produce effluent that is 90% dirtier than aerobic effluent. It is that dirtier effluent that eventually creates the Bio-Mat in the drain field that causes the system to fail.
JOE G
Gold Member
My old house has a Steel Tank from the 1950's and it was only a 500 Gal tank with four people on it and we never had a Problem, My EX has the house now and the leech field is starting to act up, she is getting the house added to the Town Sewer system, She is a ways out of town but they are running it since they have others also hooking up to it.
I now have a 1,250 Gal Cement tank it seems to do fine, I did have to add another 80 Ft of leech field though, the whole system is about 5 Years old. I have also have a little grey water thing going.
I now have a 1,250 Gal Cement tank it seems to do fine, I did have to add another 80 Ft of leech field though, the whole system is about 5 Years old. I have also have a little grey water thing going.
Pettrix
Platinum Member
What type of leach field do you have (Pipe or chamber)? Why did you have to add another 80ft of field in just 5 years, was your system failing?
JOE G
Gold Member
I have Pipe, When the system was put in the place was just a Weekend type home , Once it became a full time home and some more children were added we knew that it needed to be added. Everything was working but just for a peace of mind.
Alan L.
Elite Member
Everyone that i know with a standard septic uses it pretty much as you would a standard sewer except stay away from chemicals and use the garbage disposal sparingly. We have an aerobic system and we use it pretty much like you would a sewer system, but we have to pump it out about every 3 years.
okclumberjack
Member
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- Apr 5, 2010
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I just had my tank pumped after 6.5 years on a new home with 2 people , I really thought it would maybe be half full , well it was Packed all the way to the top, Iam bad about pouring grease down a drain(not any more) had a riser placed on the tank also, will now be able to look down to see how full it's getting but probally will have it pumped every 3 years had no back up problems but it was to the top, hope i didn't hurt the field any.
