Finding septic tanks

LBrown59 · Mar 8, 2006

( When figuring which one is the best, take into account how much more electricty was used by one over the other.

Dave )
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For the 10 to 20 thousand bucks it cost to put in a leach field one can pay a lot of electric bills for a long long long time.
Also adding a leach field to an aerator would be an additional expense to the elect cost of operating an aerator.

Wood_Butcher_Dav · Mar 8, 2006

I don't have the exact numbers or quotes any more, but five years ago the cost for installation in my area for either system was a couple hundred dollars apart. My aerator system was around $4200. My buddy is having a single tank with leach fields installed this spring and his quote was less than 5k.

Dave

SnoFalls · Mar 8, 2006

( drain pipe)
explain "drain pipe" ... are you talking drain to the surface ???

that would *not* happen 'round me.

My understanding on the two systems ...

1) "aerobic systems" ... aka "aerator tank"
+ suited for "tight" situations, smaller tank and drain field required
+ output is high nitrate (rather than amonia), less "polluting" of groundwater
- 2-3 times the initial cost, (some offset since system takes less space)
- higher maintenance of the system (electrical costs, "failure" alarms, equipment maintenance, etc)

2) "anerobic systems" ... aka "septic tank"
+ low maintenance
+ low initial cost
+ maintenance is only periodic pumping
- can require large tank and drain field, gotta have the space
- can leach amonia into groundwater, so more space from wells, etc

Both systems *will* fail if ...
chemicals are introduced to kill the bacterial process
non-digestibal solids are introduced (washing machine lint, diapers, etc)
drain fields become compacted or clogged.

Wood_Butcher_Dav · Mar 8, 2006

( explain "drain pipe" ... are you talking drain to the surface ??? )
That’s what is/was allowed around here. The discharge from aerator septic systems can go to the open road ditches. That's what was told to me by both the installer and the county inspector 5 years or so ago. I guess it’s OK as long as your system is getting enough O2 to break everything down. The last chanber has a basic sump pump connected to 2 inch plastic drain pipe.

Dave

tlbuser · Mar 9, 2006

( ( drain pipe)

Both systems *will* fail if ...
chemicals are introduced to kill the bacterial process
non-digestibal solids are introduced (washing machine lint, diapers, etc)
drain fields become compacted or clogged. )

I can't agree with the non-digestible solids part. They would stay in the holding tank(s) and become part of the reason for a periodic pump-out.

LBrown59 · Mar 9, 2006

Both systems *will* fail if .. 
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My post was about 3 systems not 2.
They were as follows.
A- Septic tank with a leach bed
B- Aerator with a leach bed
C- Aerator with a drain pipe.
2 of the 3 systems failed within 5 years .Both of the failures involved leach beds.

LBrown59 · Mar 9, 2006

( I don't have the exact numbers or quotes any more, but five years ago the cost for installation in my area for either system was a couple hundred dollars apart.
Dave )

I don't see anyway how you could add a leach bed for only 200 bucks.

LBrown59 · Mar 9, 2006

( explain "drain pipe" ... are you talking drain to the surface ??? ) 

 *That’s what is / was allowed around here. The discharge from aerator septic systems can go to the open road ditches. 

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What they are doing here is screwing them up by requiring the drain pipe go into a leach bed instead which defeats the purpose of them.

They weren't designed to function with a clogged or restricted drain.

LBrown59 · Mar 9, 2006

explain "drain pipe" ... are you talking drain to the surface ???

1* that would *not* happen 'round me.
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1* Why not- What do you mean??

Highbeam · Mar 9, 2006

I suspect he means that it would not be allowed. Surface flows of effluent, no matter how "clean" are not allowed. The "yuk" factor I suppose. The aerator system also requires frequent inspection due to it being categorized as a high risk system. It's just too new in these parts for people to be confident in the dependability of the aerator and in the aerators ability to continuously produce a safe finished product.

The system cost (septic/drainfield vs. aerator)is likely very close because the aerator costs much more than a 600$ septic tank.