Septic system maintenance

About 5 years ago we sold a home that I owned for 8 years - and I made the realization that: "Anyone who says that the cream always rises to the top has never taken the lid off of a septic tank." We didn't pump the tank for eight years and there was a hardend crust of toilet paper that must have been about 12" deep.

I had previously thought that basic maintenance would keep me from needing to pump a tank for ever. Boy was I wrong. We were quickly approaching a nightmare. Now we are ever more diligent in our current home, and will pump our tank sooner rather than never.

One piece of evolving legistlation in California, like WI, would require all septic systems to be inspected every three years - which requires pumping. The cost of pumping a septic tank in these parts is about $700 - and the State is proposing a $300+ fee for the State employee who will observe the inspection. That's $1000 every three years if you have a septic system. They have similar language for well inspections every three years testing for coliform which will cost rural residents upwards of another $450 ($35 - $50 for the sample testing, $50 - $100 for the trip charge to retrieve the sample, and $300+ for the State employee to observe the testing). Between the two, if passed, Rural California residents will be 'required' to pay in the neighborhood of $1,500 every three years for the state mandated testing of their well and septic systems.

If monitored properly, a household would pump and inspect their septic system once every 5 years and well water at least the same costing the home owner about $1500 every 10 years. Under the State's proposal the required cost would be three times as high every 9 years.

Each of us should be allowed to be as thorough and dilligent as we chose and required to face the consequences if we are not. I suppose you can tell I am not too happy about this possible legislation...

When you run a huge budget deficit (e.g.,) one has to look for additional sources of income.

Here in our county at least we are required to have a maintenance contract. It is the law and they will enforce it. We have an aerobic septic tank - which is also required for all new or newly installed homes.

When we lived in Louisiana on the bayou, you were suppose to have it pumped but it was only enforced when you were selling your home. It had to be pumped for the sale to be completed.

Couple of questions though . . .
In Louisiana most people didn't flush their tp they tossed it in the trash. Here I by the tp that is rated safe for septics. Why can't you just use that type of tp?

What actually are those little beasties (bacteria) that they recommend using in your septic? My MIL had her tank pumped and the septic guy told her a cup full of dry dogfood flushed once a month does the same thing. But my formula book (circa 1970) says that a cup of brown sugar and a packet of yeast does the same thing. --- to me a novice winemaker, the brown sugar and yeast would seem to make poo wine. So what is it actually?

I have a box of Rid-X on hand (I used it for a bit before reading about it on the forum).

Box says it contains bacteria cultures, enzymes, micronutrients and inert ingredients (looks like fine sand). What percentages?

As an experiment I poured two ounces in a glass measuring cut and then added water to bring level up to four ounces (one cup by volume). Stirred and let settle for about ten minutes. From what I can tell about 99% settled out as the inert material.

Box recommends one box (16 ounces) a month. Thus, you are flushing additional inert material into the tank.

They could put the bacteria cultures, enzymes and micronutrients into something like a yeast package, but I suspect the box works better for them as they are charging you dearly for the inert ingredients.

And, from what I understand, their claim of "Scientifically proven to digest household waste" is likely correct. What they don't tell you it what it does inside the tank. A septic tank is merely a settling tank. Incoming may sink or float. What sinks or floats is acted upon by the tank bacteria as best they can. Thus, except for perhaps grease and some brands of toilet paper, the organic material eventually sinks, creating the black goo on the bottom. What Rid-X does is to keep this material, which would have otherwise sunk to the bottom, into suspension to where it is then flushed out into the drainfield, which can lead to eventual drainfield blockage.

Pay me now or pay me latter. Yeah, you pay Rid-X now and then someone to redo your drainfield later.

I agree about not using Charmin. The new red package is "extra" strong and thick which means it's like using a blanket in the bathroom. Scott is the best for septics as it disolves quickly. DH doesn't like it (he wants the blanket stuff) but since I am the purveyor of household goods, he gets what I get.

He just had the tank at "deer camp" pumped and he has been using blankets. There was a gob at the exit into the tank that had to be removed like a plug.

Daddy had a plumbing company when I was growing up. He taught us well (or else!). I cringe when I see those dishwashing liquid commercials that show a person putting a plate in the sink with a weeks worth of food on it. What idiot does that???

Should not have to add anything, there is already bacteria in your poo.
The guy who pumps the tank should leave a little poo in the bottom of the tank to help jump start the next colony of bacteria.

Recommendations to add yeast to septic systems just drive me crazy. How many bread bakers, beer brewers and wine makers do we have on this forum? Tell us what yeast is and what it does, please. Yeast is a mold (fungi) right? What yeast does is it breaks downs simple sugars (carbohydrates) to alcohol....right? In the process carbon dioxide gas is formed.

So, will someone please explain to me how yeast will help in a septic system? Yeast doesn't breakdown fats, complex carbohydrates or proteins...these are the things that can fill a septic tank. If there is any digestion taking place in a septic tank it is by bacteria not fungi! Besides, if yeast did thrive in a septic tank, alcohol would be produced. The alcohol would likely kill any beneficial microorganisms in the septic tank and soils surrounding the drainfield.

Ken S. You hit the nail on the head regarding Rid-X!

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

my greenhouse is over my septic tank...it has 2 openings..one is inside the greenhouse and one is outside in front..under a boardwalk with a couple inches of soil over the openings..pull up the boardwalk and scrape off the dirt (and the fabric that is over the cement) and pump..easy.

the heat of the septic helps to warm the greenhouse..the tank is narrower than the greenhouse so the soil around the tank is where i plant the tomato and pepper plants..there is no seepage into that soil..but it is deep and loose and healthy soil.

this also makes access to the pump holes easier.

Many states now require that a manhole be placed above septic tank access port(s). The manhole(s) are often made of concrete rings or a large diameter plastic tube. The manhole ends at the soil surface where it must be covered with a concrete cover or a locked plastic or fiberglass cover. A lot of the plastic and fiberglass covers are green and kinda blend into the yard. With the use of manholes, pumpers no longer have to dig up the yard to service the septic tank.

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This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

So from a scientific point of view the beasties do nothing - right?

Our septic is fairly new and we are required to use them. At least that is my understanding. We also have to use chlorine in the final tank (there are 4 sections - it is aerobic). I do know with our system without either the chlorine or beasties it can smell. We bought a two family system because we did not want to have to worry over usage. When we had neighbors we could always tell when they didn't maintain theirs.

I'm still lost with regard to the septic but I do agree about the yeast. Poo wine isn't to appealing to me. I had completely overlooked the alcohol eventually killing the yeast.

So basically your poo has all the beasties it needs, and one flush is all it takes? And it is more important NOT to flush inappropriate things and to make sure that it gets pumped periodically and you should be fairly well set. Right? Or did I miss something?

Yuuccccckkkkk. That's a crummy job.

What you have is a septic tank, followed by an aerobic treatment unit (an ATU introduces lots of air to the "beasties" that are cleaning your wastewater), followed by disinfection (chlorine).

Beasties...or bacteria...in septic tanks can degrade some of the organic material in the tank. They do a better job in warm climates than in cold climates. In other words, under the same conditions, a septic tank in Minnesota would have to be pumped more often than a septic tank in Texas.

Bacteria will NEVER decompose 100% of the organic matter in a septic tank. And certainly, bacteria will not decompose inert or inorganic material in sewage. Thus pumping will eventually become necessary.

In your system, the "besties" are very important in your ATU. They clean the effluent coming from the septic tank to a very high degree. With time, the "besties" become so numerous that they have to be flushed from the ATU. Thus, families using ATUs should have the system maintained every six months so the overpopulation of "beasties" can be removed from the ATU. If this is not done, the effectiveness of the ATU is diminished and may eventually plug. In addition, the chlorine disinfection becomes less effective if the ATU is not maintained.

__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

e-How article explains the ins and out as well as dos and don'ts.
More info links on upper left page.
If you don't kill the bacteria with chlorine and anti-bacterial soaps you shouldn't need to add any.

It is mandatory at least in my county to have a septic maintenance contract. Despite the expense, it is quite handy. We call if something seems off he comes out checks it over and fixes anything that needs fixing. Our neighbor is the installer and contract guy.

In the beginning I was glad aerobics were required here, just seemed to make sense. But boy are they a pain when we've been having record rains, and they start sprinkling the lawn. Nice pretty green grass though - kinda wish I had the sprinklers out front instead of out back. Oh, and it's no fun walking to the feed shed on a windy day. The wind grabs the sprinkles and sends them at you. Should've seen hubby the first time he tried mowing the back yard and the sprinklers kicked on. heh-heh He thought he had been pee'd on. Now I know not to do the laundry or dishes while he's mowing back there.

That is good. In Minnesota, most counties require at least semi-annual inspections and maintenance of ATU systems. Other counties...like yours....require maintenance contracts for ATUs. The nice thing about ATU systems in Texas is that you can recycle the water on lawns. This would not be possible in Minnesota....well, at least for 6 months out of the year!

__________________
This is the government the Founding Fathers warned us about.....

I know a lot will not agree but I am on the side of not pumping a septic tank unless it is really needed as in a problem is happening.
The last home we lived in for 30 years and had the tank pumped 1 time in all them years.
To give you a little back ground on me I am a retired master plumber that also was a instructor at a plumbing apprenticeship school for many years. I would say I know a thing or two about not only plumbing systems but septic as well.

As long as you watch what you put into it a septic system that was installed right should never need pumped out.
Putting things like grease and other bad things down it is what leads to needing pumped.

I grew up in Minnesota. The last time I was there visiting (many moons ago) it got to be 80 below with the wind chill factor -MPLS. Our doors and windows froze shut. So I can imagine that ours would not work up there. And it sure would be disgusting come spring thaw after all that stuff backed up.

Anyhow my people are sprinkled all over Minnesota.

I was reading on Rid-X on another forum. Guy had shot a nice size antler buck and wanted to keep the skull and antlers. He skinned the head, removed what he could from inside and then put it in a bucket or such of water with mixed with Rid-X. He said it nicely cleaned off any flesh from outside and inside the skull. However, I suspect you could smell the container from way off when downwind.

FWIW, pump truck came and went today. Not too expensive @ $185.00, guy said we could probably go 5 yrs next time.(3 people)
There was some fairly thick (10-12") surface scum on the entrance end of the tank and we had noticed some sluggishness when too many things were running at once, washing machine and flush or washing machine and shower together.. Bottom sludge was normal so guess things are working pretty well.
He suggested using a small amount of Rid-x if it happens again.
He did a quick inspection of the baffles w flashlight and said all is good, evidently the concrete baffles deteriorate over time .
Found a picture of what things look like in a working tank and some ways you can check your own tank if anyone is so inclined.

That's a good price. We had ours done last week and it was $294 and change. It had been 7 years since we had it done last. We are only2 people. We are supposed to have it done every 3 years in this county ( 1 year if you have a pump), but the county is way behind in sending out notices and we just plum forgot.