Home made septic systems.

[EddieWalker]

Terry,

If you want to cut corners and can get away with it legally, than the plastic tanks are good alternatives. Where I live, you can do your own septic system one hundred percent legally if you have 10 acres or more and city sewer isn't available for residential use.

My current setup is a 2,000 gallon plastic tank that I got for next to nothing. I just happened to see it in the paper and they wanted it hauled off more than anything.

I've seen plenty of 200 gallon plastic containers used for small hunting trailers used as well.

Most of these tanks don't have an access port or way to get to them if you ever want to have it pumped. Guys who have done this say they will just cut through it if they have to when the time comes.

The trick to make it work is in how you install your piping to and from the tank. I made my inlet at the top of the tank and the exit is on the side with a sweeping ninety on it that goes into the tank and down. I want to keep the surface floaters from getting into my exit line.

Then it's just some drain line down to the leach field.

Depending on your soil and usage will affect how you want to build that. The idea is to allow the water to soak back into the ground over a large area.

For a trailer at hunting camp, lots of guys use 4 inch perforated pipe that comes in hundred foot rolls at Home Depot for $35. Put it in your ditch, cover with fabric, fill the ditch with rock. I've also seen straw, cedar branches, sand and pipe slag from a local foundry used for the leach field.

Cover the fill material with another layer of fabric and cover with dirt up to grade.

This isn't for a home or something permanent. It's not legal in most parts of the country, but if you can do your own system and you want something cheap and easy, than this will work for you.

You might also seperate your grey water from the black and run that to the bushes someplace. Shower water is great for irrigating the lawn!!!!

Eddie

 

[EddieWalker]

Terry,

If you want to cut corners and can get away with it legally, than the plastic tanks are good alternatives. Where I live, you can do your own septic system one hundred percent legally if you have 10 acres or more and city sewer isn't available for residential use.

My current setup is a 2,000 gallon plastic tank that I got for next to nothing. I just happened to see it in the paper and they wanted it hauled off more than anything.

I've seen plenty of 200 gallon plastic containers used for small hunting trailers used as well.

Most of these tanks don't have an access port or way to get to them if you ever want to have it pumped. Guys who have done this say they will just cut through it if they have to when the time comes.

The trick to make it work is in how you install your piping to and from the tank. I made my inlet at the top of the tank and the exit is on the side with a sweeping ninety on it that goes into the tank and down. I want to keep the surface floaters from getting into my exit line.

Then it's just some drain line down to the leach field.

Depending on your soil and usage will affect how you want to build that. The idea is to allow the water to soak back into the ground over a large area.

For a trailer at hunting camp, lots of guys use 4 inch perforated pipe that comes in hundred foot rolls at Home Depot for $35. Put it in your ditch, cover with fabric, fill the ditch with rock. I've also seen straw, cedar branches, sand and pipe slag from a local foundry used for the leach field.

Cover the fill material with another layer of fabric and cover with dirt up to grade.

This isn't for a home or something permanent. It's not legal in most parts of the country, but if you can do your own system and you want something cheap and easy, than this will work for you.

You might also seperate your grey water from the black and run that to the bushes someplace. Shower water is great for irrigating the lawn!!!!

Eddie

 

[guyrj33]

There are 2 part bolt together fiberglass septic tanks. They're light and easy to deliver.

 

[guyrj33]

There are 2 part bolt together fiberglass septic tanks. They're light and easy to deliver.

 

[Dargo]

At a remote location I have a system with 2 55 gallon barrels in a series with 100' of no-gravel underground drain tile behind them. The system has been in use for 9 years now without any issue, leaking, or surface mess. I think the total cost of the entire system was less than $100. The system serves one toilet, one sink, and one shower. It is not used very often. There is no set way to ever drain or pump the tanks. I'll worry about that when/if the matter ever comes up.

 

[Dargo]

At a remote location I have a system with 2 55 gallon barrels in a series with 100' of no-gravel underground drain tile behind them. The system has been in use for 9 years now without any issue, leaking, or surface mess. I think the total cost of the entire system was less than $100. The system serves one toilet, one sink, and one shower. It is not used very often. There is no set way to ever drain or pump the tanks. I'll worry about that when/if the matter ever comes up.

 

[PILOON]

Using plans that were available from out provincial environmental ministry I fabricated my own tank 22 years ago and it still passes.

It is basically a 4' x '4' x 8' chamber built of concrete blocks with a central devider wall laid on a concrete slab.
The top was covered with 3" ceder planks.
Devider wall has one block missing in the center of the bottom row.
Plans called for the blocks to be concrete filled with rebar in the holes.
I also coated the inside with tar to seal off the concrete.
The outlet hole needed to be about 2" lower than the inlet.
Solids remain in the entry chamber with the lower (missing block) letting perqulated liquid (grey water) flow into the second chamber.
The slightly outlet lets flow grey waters to the field or dry absorbsion well.

Everything needs to be built level and naturally the field/well must be downhill from the tank.

We were also allowed to make a 'dry well' in lieu of a weeping bed.

This well was 8' in diameter made from blocks as well.
Bottom row of blocks were side by side parallel to create a wide base and then additional blocks were stacked end to end to make a circle with I recall 4 rows high.
Rebar was inserted in the holes and 3/4" graved packed along all sides as well as a 4" layer under the 'footing blocks' and the 'floor'.
The well or absorbsion tank was then covered with planks as a cover.
In both cases I additionally covered the planks with HD poly sheeting to ****** rot.

This was at the time of construction completely supervised by the municipal inspector and I was issued a certificate which I still have on file.

While a fair amount of 'sweat equity' was involved (I did have help) the project was very cost effective ans as stated is still maintainance free other than the occasional pumping required by local ordanances.

An alternative to the dry or absorbtion tank is the tradiditional weeping bed, but in mt terrain a bed was not an option, besides it was easier to dig a big hole than scrape, level and do the gravel and tile (plastic today) field.

They rated this setup as '3 bedroom approuved' system. as it met 750 gal requirements.

If the site concrete truck accessable then you can fab forms and have the tank poured in place.

Good luck!

 

[PILOON]

Using plans that were available from out provincial environmental ministry I fabricated my own tank 22 years ago and it still passes.

It is basically a 4' x '4' x 8' chamber built of concrete blocks with a central devider wall laid on a concrete slab.
The top was covered with 3" ceder planks.
Devider wall has one block missing in the center of the bottom row.
Plans called for the blocks to be concrete filled with rebar in the holes.
I also coated the inside with tar to seal off the concrete.
The outlet hole needed to be about 2" lower than the inlet.
Solids remain in the entry chamber with the lower (missing block) letting perqulated liquid (grey water) flow into the second chamber.
The slightly outlet lets flow grey waters to the field or dry absorbsion well.

Everything needs to be built level and naturally the field/well must be downhill from the tank.

We were also allowed to make a 'dry well' in lieu of a weeping bed.

This well was 8' in diameter made from blocks as well.
Bottom row of blocks were side by side parallel to create a wide base and then additional blocks were stacked end to end to make a circle with I recall 4 rows high.
Rebar was inserted in the holes and 3/4" graved packed along all sides as well as a 4" layer under the 'footing blocks' and the 'floor'.
The well or absorbsion tank was then covered with planks as a cover.
In both cases I additionally covered the planks with HD poly sheeting to ****** rot.

This was at the time of construction completely supervised by the municipal inspector and I was issued a certificate which I still have on file.

While a fair amount of 'sweat equity' was involved (I did have help) the project was very cost effective ans as stated is still maintainance free other than the occasional pumping required by local ordanances.

An alternative to the dry or absorbtion tank is the tradiditional weeping bed, but in mt terrain a bed was not an option, besides it was easier to dig a big hole than scrape, level and do the gravel and tile (plastic today) field.

They rated this setup as '3 bedroom approuved' system. as it met 750 gal requirements.

If the site concrete truck accessable then you can fab forms and have the tank poured in place.

Good luck!

 

[Deaf]

I know of someone who made a system out of two plastic 55 gal. Drum and 100 feet of drain pipe. Works like a charm and been in the ground 5 years now. The key thing is an RV toilet instead of a high volume home type toilet. Less water per flush ~1 gal and once in a while when he is by himself he runs and extra 10 gallons down the system just to help it purge. He keeps the sink in a French drain and also does not put any paper down the toilet or chemicals. The system cost him 200 bucks for the mini hoe rental and what ever he paid for the pipe.

 

[Deaf]

I know of someone who made a system out of two plastic 55 gal. Drum and 100 feet of drain pipe. Works like a charm and been in the ground 5 years now. The key thing is an RV toilet instead of a high volume home type toilet. Less water per flush ~1 gal and once in a while when he is by himself he runs and extra 10 gallons down the system just to help it purge. He keeps the sink in a French drain and also does not put any paper down the toilet or chemicals. The system cost him 200 bucks for the mini hoe rental and what ever he paid for the pipe.