Septic tank question...

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Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Here the nanny town tells people when to pump and fines them if they don't. Sweetheart deal with the pumpers. Then they told us if we got town sewers the wells would dry up. I'm glad I live on TOP of the big hill.


You have to imagine there was "an incident" that time has since forgotten that inspired this legislation.
 
I have ours pumped out and have the system inspected every 4-6 years. In 45+ years of living in a home with septic systems, I've never had a single issue. I also don't use any special additives or toilet tissue, but we are careful about what goes down the drain.

The septic tank is only one part of the system-at least on our tank there is a filter box before the leach field that needs to be inspected and cleaned regularly, and the leach field itself needs to be part of the maintenance. The company that services our system inspects the leach field with a camera and cleans the filter when they pump the tank.
 
Originally Posted By: ejes
... Many of her friends are city girls who just don't understand that you cannot flush "lady-day" products" into a septic tank...
Actually, they shouldn't be doing that even back in the city. I think plumbers use the term "white mice" for certain items...
 
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Here the nanny town tells people when to pump and fines them if they don't. Sweetheart deal with the pumpers. Then they told us if we got town sewers the wells would dry up. I'm glad I live on TOP of the big hill.


Try selling your home in MA with a failed system. They regulate if the system is in failure in MA state laws the owner pays to fix the system. With such harsh regulation people need to get reminded to do their own part of taking care of it.
 
Kind of curious about the remarks in regards to measuring tank level?

Level in a multi-chambered tank has nothing to do with needing to be pumped. Most modern tanks are a 2-3 chambered system where each section has to fill up and spill over to the next. As long as the the last section isn't full beyond the outflow, all is typically well in terms of system functionality. Each chamber will have it's own lid that ideally should be dug-up and removed for pumping, but the first chamber will contain most of the solids- or it should atleast.

Like Pops said, more modern systems built in the last 30yrs or so will have a Zaebo filter (outflow filter) to take out particulate matter before the gray water flows into your absorbtion field. The filter can be in the last chamber of your tank, in it's own chamber or in your distribution box. These should be hosed off when the system is being pumped.

Also, like said, guests are going to flush tampons and whatnot. Totally gross stringy mess that just sits there. Soft, fluffy toilet paper is another issue. I've seen tanks in the aftermath of fluffy toilet paper use. A solid mass of paper pulp. Stick with simple single ply paper and go as easy on it as possible. Waxes and oils build-up over time as well, and you don't want those going into your absorbtion field.

In my area, a 1000g tank pumping is about $200. When I had to have a brand-new 1500g sand filter system put in our last home because it wouldn't pass inspection for sale, it cost me $8500. About $10K is typical now in my area for a 1500g sand filter system.
 
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5 gallons of a caustic soda solution will turn the grease into soap.

And I have seen the Rid-X emergency enzymes treatment turn a wad of thick toilet paper into nothing within a day.
 
Shoz, the problem with liquifying or loosening up solids is, this has the potential to putting these materials in your absorption field. That's a lot more money than the tank.
 
Originally Posted By: madRiver
For general idea of how often, 4-6 years is quite arbitrary. It actually depends on size of your tank AND people living in home.

See here for pumping schedule that is quite well written and basic>>> http://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Pumping_Schedule.php

I have an (expired) septic designers license in two states.....



Great link madRiver. Learned a lot about septic tank/system operation.
 
sasilverbullet, not trying to hi-jack. Can JTK tell from these pics if mine needs to be pumped? Tank is not set too low so it was easy to open up.

I think it's a 1500 gallon tank. It has 2 stages and it's about 4 1/2 feet deep. In stage 2 there are no solids except for some small floating bits, and the only solids in stage 1 is a 3" layer that's floating on top.

Order of pics:
stage 1 from house
stage 1
stage 1 outlet
stage 2 inlet
stage 2 outflow(is that an outflow filter?)
stage 2 outflow
septic tank



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jorton, that's a pretty easy dig-up there! Where I live, you'd run the risk of freezing at the in/out flows if the system isn't set deep enough. The floating scum layer is only part of the picture. You'll also have sludge settled out at the bottom of the primary chamber and some in the secondary. Can you safely probe for that? Do you know if you have an effluent filter on the outflow, before it goes to your absorption field? I'd check that too.

I've never seen a vertical outflow like that. Typically they're horizontal, and baffled to help keep solids from being drawn in.
 
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Originally Posted By: JTK
Shoz, the problem with liquifying or loosening up solids is, this has the potential to putting these materials in your absorption field. That's a lot more money than the tank.
It turns the fat into a water soluble liquid, basic soap actually. No worse than he soaps and detergents used for everything else. Where water goes it goes.
 
I probed both chambers with an old cedar fence picket. It's not an ideal probe because it's too buoyant, but I couldn't feel anything on the bottom.

I'm pretty sure the outflow is horizontal, with a vertical "T". The horizontal pipe exits below the water line because the tank is set high?? Don't know about the filter. Was planning to not pop the covers off again. The plumber can do that if I have the tank pumped. I think it's pretty [censored](OK) as is.
 
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Originally Posted By: jorton
I probed both chambers with an old cedar fence picket. It's not an ideal probe because it's too buoyant, but I couldn't feel anything on the bottom.

I'm pretty sure the outflow is horizontal, with a vertical "T". The horizontal pipe exits below the water line because the tank is set high?? Don't know about the filter. Was planning to not pop the covers off again. The plumber can do that if I have the tank pumped. I think it's pretty [censored](OK) as is.


I didn't catch the fact the outflow is actually a tee until later. That's fine. On my current ~43yr/old 1000g concrete tank, the inflow and outflow baffles are cast into the concrete. It's good you don't feel a lot of solids at the bottom and the floating scum layer isn't real thick. It does look like your level has run high, but as long as the outflow is accepting water, you're good to go. If you don't recall the last time the system was pumped, I'd get it pumped. They'll use your garden hose to spray off all the greasy globs and suck them up with the waste water. When I've had mine pumped in the past, they take pretty much the whole contents of the tank and a lot of garden hose water from spraying off the gunk.
 
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Our 'nanny town' has determined the regional water is polluted by septic systems (test results provided to homeowners) The area has a 300+ year history and the water table is extremely high. Luckily I have public water as do most, but the current project is hooking up about 110 houses to the in town sewage system. The rule is no one has to hook up but if your septic fails you must hook up even if you have the $$ to replace your septic system. It is a regional problem so the solution must be regional also.

It is odd people bristle against common sense solutions to regional problems just because of the organization that recommends it.
 
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Well, at least being able to tie into a sewer system would cost less than a whole new septic system.

In my area, you are still allowed to do a "repair" to you septic system w/out the need for an inspection. You can basically do what ever you want as long as it doesn't effect anyone else's property and no one complains. I've seen folks dig massive pits/trenches and fill them with washed #2 stone to make up for a failing absorption field. Works for a long time.

Real estate transactions are where the hardships begin. The county has get involved with an inspection and if you fail, they have to approve every step of a new system. Best to gear the sale of your home when it's been dry for awhile! Very few older systems will pass.
 
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Originally Posted By: jorton
The horizontal pipe exits below the water line because the tank is set high??

Water seeks the lowest point, so the only way your exit pipe could be under the water line is if your drain field is plugged and the water is backing up.
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The various baffling is to make sure only water, no solids, exit the tank. Google "measure septic sludge" to learn the correct procedure. You measure the scum layer by clearing an opening in it to see how thick it is. Through this clearing you poke a long stick with 2 feet of cloth wrapped around the bottom end until it touches the tank bottom. Pull it up carefully and the sludge layer will deposit on the cloth and show its depth. Kind of like checking your engine oil level. The key is to not let either layer get so thick that solids start making their way into the outlet.

There are numerous rules of thumb about the maximum layer thickness vs. when to pump. My two Michigan tanks are single chambered, so codes must vary around the country.

Nice Pictures!!!!!
 
I'm going to spare the board of more pics of [censored].

My scum layer is 3" and the sludge is 3" to 4" deep. The scum layer is primarily excrement in it's natural composition.

We don't use a garbage disposal and we don't drain cooking fat down the drain. IMO stage 1 contains about 90% liquid and stage 2 95% liquid, so it will be safe to hold off another 4 years before calling the honey truck.
 
Originally Posted By: jorton
I'm going to spare the board of more pics of [censored].



LOL!, Actually, your [censored] layer looks fine. What you don't want to see is a mass of paper pulp or other non-digestible goodness. You done good Sir. I dunno that I'd go 4 more years, but 2 I would.
 
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