Care of Septic Tank

[dmccarty]

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.

When you say packed, do you mean the solids were at the top of the tank? :shocked: Liquid should fill up the tank to the outlet. Our TP does not break down so that is floating in there as well but when we pumped our tank after 3-4 years there was not much solids at the bottom of the tank. Course, all of this depends on how many people live in the house and the size of the tank.

Later,
Dan

 

[the old grind]

I plan to try one of these options when it warms up a bit.
Purchase Solution to your Septic System Problems | Aero-Stream®, LLC
While I'm digging around, I'll check my field in a few places to evaluate whether 'restoration' is as rapid or as thorough as aerobic systems promise to be and hopefully return to this thread to report. Sure hope I can find a local dealer since I avoid PayPal like the flu.

 

[TomSeller]

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.

Do you use anti bacterial soaps and bleach as mentioned earlier in this thread? These inhibit the break down process of solids.

 

[okclumberjack]

solids all the way to the top, haven't had any problem but not sure if any solids got to the lateral lins ??? i also have a water softner (salt) not sure if this is helping any???

 

[Johnb212]

This Aero Stream looks impressive. Interesting when you read the technology statement. They state the the aerobic bacteria reduce the bio-mass in the drain field to where it is completely gone. I think only David Copper field can make something disappear completely. Bacteria is a living organism, it eats digest and it craps, nothing magic. When it craps you have at waste left behind. Drain fields fail due to hydraulic overload (too much in comming water) or organic clogging. So when the bacteria craps you still have organic matter left behind, possibly reduced but it is still there. Good luck and let us know if it works. The best thing you can do for your system 1. make sure there are no toilets or spigets that are dripping, 2. pump it every two years where the drain field will have a rest until the septic tank fills back up to the outlet baffle and begins discharging into the drain field again.

 

[Johnb212]

The septic tank works at what appears to be a full level. The inlet line is near the top of the tank, the outlet line is about 1" below the inlet line. There is a baffel at each line, the inlet baffle prevents the inflowing waste water from stirring up the floating solids, the outlet baffle keeps the floating solids from flowing out of the septic tank to the drain field.
The floating solid (scum, mantle etc.) might be minimual or nonexistant or can be several feet thick depending on the habits in the house, the type of fresh water the house uses and frequency of pumping. So when you open the lid and see the solids all the way to the top, unless you measure the floating solids with a pole or stick to see how thick it is it will look like it is full of solids. A floating solid mass of more than 6 or 8 inches, get the tank pumped. Water softners don't seem to have any major affect on the septic system unless the back flush (regeneration cycle ) water is piped into the septic system. I would suggest that you plumb the back flush water else where but where the routine flow of
doesn't kill the grass. I don't know if the back flush water is salty, never tasted it, but the backflush salt is going somewhere. Maybe someone else can address back flush water from the softener.