Lagoon Question

Charly · #1 02/25/10, 01:16 PM

The home we are buying in the country has a lagoon. Having never had one, any words of wisdom?
Cleaning solutions that are ok to use in your toilets, etc. to go down the drain?
Thanks folks.
My teen daughters are already referring to it as our poop pond. Nevermind the faces they make while saying this.

fishhead · #2 02/25/10, 01:25 PM

What's a lagoon?

Wis Bang 2 · #3 02/25/10, 01:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fishhead

What's a lagoon?

A cesspit...an open air septic pond.

springvalley · #4 02/25/10, 01:48 PM

Charly, where you from? We have looked at houses in MO. and that is what they have, or a few even have the over the hill systems. Over the hill system you say? Simple as that, septic just runs over the hill. From what I understand the lagoon system is what is the recommended sewage system they use there. My wife is grossed out by the whole thing, now it doesn`t bother me much as we had a pig poop lagoon for awhile. Those would never fly around this part of the country. Thanks Marc.

mnn2501 · #5 02/25/10, 02:36 PM

I was getting jealous thinking you were on some tropical paradise until I figured out you meant a different kind of lagoon.

chrissum · #6 02/25/10, 02:51 PM

I live in MO and was required to put in a lagoon. My old septic system was to small. Legally you could use a septic tank but it had to empty into a lagoon, but you do not need it, we were never told of anything special to use with it. It will "turn over" I think twice a year and you may smell something for a little bit but other than that it has been no big deal and we've had it over 5 years now.

NWMO · #7 02/25/10, 02:55 PM

We had laterals running from our septic system.....and the land "perked" fine when they were put in, thus allowing us to run a lateral type system. After about 4 years, the "gurgling" and back up and "seepage" in the pasture where the laterals were located indicated some issues.

We explored replacement options for new laterals and found about a 6,000 dollar discrepancy from putting in a lagoon 18-2500 hundred to dig, gravel and lay pipe to the lagoon.........versus replacement with additional laterals (with no assurance that this would last any longer than the originals). Our lagoon is some distance from the house and has caused us no grief! We were warned that the lagoon might have some issues "yearly" during heat times and it would "burp" itself.....not sure exactly what that means, but again, no issues for us and the knowledge of no back up in our finished basement was finally a relief!

We have ours "fenced" and I plan to "landscape" around it to cover/disguise it!

When we were looking for homes in "CLAY" County Missouri, many rural homes on acreages had lagoons.......never forget seeing kids 'fishing' in one of the lagoons.......hmmmm.......is that where crappie come from?

uncle Will in In. · #8 02/25/10, 02:59 PM

Makes a great place for the dogs to cool off in the summertime.

fishhead · #9 02/25/10, 03:19 PM

I know that some dairies are required to cover their lagoons with straw to contain odors.

blooba · #10 02/25/10, 03:23 PM

ummm.... never heard of lagoons either except for animal manure. about how big are these lagoons? Something to really think about when buying property.

Charly · #11 02/25/10, 03:57 PM

Very funny NWMO regarding the fish

We are buying in Linn County, KS which is very near to Missouri. Everyone that I've talked to about Lagoons, seem to indicate that they love them. I just haven't had an opportunity to really pick anybody's brain about them. In Linn County, no inspections or permits required for anything really. However, when a seller sells a home, the county comes by to inspect the lagoon. Owner of this home is required to fence it and remove 2 small trees starting to grow out of the side of it. Nice that the seller has to take care of this instead of me. I noticed what appears to be a lagoon further up the road from us with a dead cow in it. He's been there for 2 months now. Ugh! Good reason to fence them to me.
Thanks all.

Oh, only wish that it was a tropical lagoon

northgirl · #12 02/26/10, 09:00 AM

First i will say definitely fence the thing if u can! I come from an area where everyone has lagoons and lots of children have drowned iin them, its because the sides are usually steep on them. Anyways as for maintenance..there are a couple differant designs. If you have a holding tank with a submersible pump that the forces waste out to the lagoon then be aware that your girls feminine products wills eventually clog the pump blades. If there is simply a gravity fed line (which is better) cuz there are no check valves to worry about then things will generally go without problems. As for the lagoon itself, keep an eye on the top, it should have a layer of algae on it. It is a balancing act..too many chemicals then u need more bacteria(septo bac or roadkill). Bottom line is the laggon needs to have bacteria to break down the waste. On last thing is watch for both overflowing and getting to low...both are problematic. Well i think thats it, if u have any questions let me know! P.S its great for skating on but not for fishing LOL

Charly · #13 02/26/10, 09:21 AM

Thanks northgirl, and ewe to the skating or fishing!
Believe it is a simple gravity fed line. Didn't think feminine products would bode well with a lagoon, but are you saying if it's gravity fed then may be ok if someone accidently did dispose of some this way? Worry about our city slicker friends visiting and messing it up. Forgive my dumbness - but were you serious about roadkill to balance the bacteria. How would you know it needed more bacteria (do I really want to know

What are the solutions for overflowing or getting too low - again afraid to ask

I know you have to be laughing at me now.

NWMO · #14 02/26/10, 07:01 PM

Truly, we have done absolutely nothing with our lagoon......it is 'gravity' fed from our septic tank......when it was "built" the bottom was "packed" and had lots of gravel tamped in for the base. I believe some even have concrete.....firmly packed sides etc. Once we connected to our septic, between the wash machine, showers etc, no problem filling it or having water levels maintained. No issues thus far with it "over flowing, but there is an overflow pvc tube and with some major rains, I know it has drained through, but no issues with it drying up.

We do have our "loosely" fenced to keep the cows out, although they are now history.

It must be fenced in our area prior to "sale" of the property. Our plumber indicated once in, it is best left alone. Any "bacteria" etc needed is present in the septic system composition. He said do nothing to mess with it, as it will only create "issues" for you down the road.

So far, so good! Very happy we had it installed.

Charly · #15 02/27/10, 08:12 AM

Ours doesn't have a septic tank between the house and the lagoon. Just a gravity fed lagoon, which is what the county said is normal around here.

krische1012 · #16 02/27/10, 08:38 AM

We have a lagoon...there is a septic tank between the house and lagoon, the lagoon is fenced off and we have had no issues what so ever. It doesn't smell.

I want to add though that you should NEVER flush sanitary products even if you aren't on a septic system...they can still clog stuff up...honestly I always tell my female guests that sanitary products need to be thrown away in the kitchen trash can (it's the only one the dogs can't get into!)

CountryWannabe · #17 02/27/10, 09:07 AM

We also have a septic tank between the house and the lagoon. It is a gravity fed system, and it all works as it should. Periodically (when I remember) I put a box of the freeze dried bacteria (can't remember the name of the stuff) down a toilet and flush. Not sure that it does much, one way or the other. The water in the lagoon is actually not the sludge, but water that has been biologically treated, cleaned if you will, by the bacteria in the septic tank. We have quite a few fish and at least two large turtles living in ours. No, we don't fish in there - or swim - but the water is relatively clear when there isn't the summer algae-bloom on it.

It is best not to use bacteriacidal stuff like bleach and disinfectants and run those down the septic system, because they will kill off at least some of the bacteria in the tank, which is not a Good Thing. If I use either, I use them in a bucket and empty on the driveway, where it will discourage grass creeping through the gravel.

Other than that (and the feminine hygeine thing) it is actually a very good and easy system to live with.

Mary

northgirl · #18 02/27/10, 09:27 AM

Don't worry , your questions are not dumb. Lagoons are not a common thing. Now its more so due to environmental concerns. Anyways yeah I was serious about roadkill, especially smaller animals, my uncle built his home and lagoon in 1974 and my friend lives in that home now and the lagoon is the only thing that lasted without issues! He always put roadkill or a rotten chicken in there to boost bacteria levels. Personally I did throw a few deceased small animals in mine because the lagoon was getting to clear and it worked better than septobac. Most people will tell you they never had a problem and that lagoons are great and almost no (if any)maintenance. This is true and i base that on hundreds of my friends and relatives having them. Gravity fed is the best cuz no chance to back up into house, no broken valves,pumps ect. As for what you put in it...the fem issue is that those items do not break down and they can clog lines so it is a big deal. Treat your lagoon like a compost pile..watch what you put into it and keep the bacteria going so it breaks down the solids. Almost forgot to mention the levels, I only mentioned this cuz i have seen both happen though it is rare. Overflowing usually happens if there is a crazy amount of snow or rain that fills it beyond its banks OR if there is not enough bacteria growing then the levels will rise too quickly and of course no one wants that on their land eeww. Low levels and I mean really low can be due to drought, no one living there for extended periods ect. is easily fixable with adding water(can be costly) and you do not want this to happen because the pressure ratio of water to solids can either collapse or clog the pipe coming in to the lagoon.Good luck and believe me you will appreciate the lagoon, i have had all different sewer systems and lagoon was best!

65284 · #19 02/27/10, 11:42 AM

Our lagoon is 22 years old and we have had zero problems. It's a direct drain type located about 200 feet away and steeply down hill from the house, away from the prevailing wind, and impossible for it to ever back up into the house.

Tell your girls the correct term is "Brown Trout" pond. Think about that for a moment.............

Charly · #20 02/27/10, 12:10 PM

Thanks SO much for all the great information on the lagoon. Now I feel much better about it. This forum is SO great! Wish I had all of you for neighbors