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The very popular general plumbing, toilets, sinks, faucets, pump problems, questions and answers discussion Forum
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Author:
Fixitangel (NC)
Is there any rule of thumb as to how often a septic tank should be pumped? It's been 5 years since the last one. Also are those enzyme treatments (rid-x, etc) effective and worth the money? Found out today our well pump is on the way out. Ahh. the joys of country living! Thanks for your help.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
On average, a 1500 gallon tank serving a family of 5-6, 2 years between pumpings of once every 2 years should suffice.
Having the septic pumping company pay special attention to getting the spalls (pieces of concrete/stone) that fall off the walls is a given. It gives an idea of the life of your tank, and how the concrete is faring in general.
I have found that enzyme treatments and bacteria treatments in general do very little to promote breaking down of solid wastes.
Think of your septic tank like a liquid compost heap. Compost heaps are warm(hot even) and promote their own bacterial breakdown of material.
In a septic tank, too much water compromises its efficiency. Laundry waste water containing soaps, chemicals such as bleach only help to kill the very bacteria you are counting on to do the work you need done
In my area, a lot of farmers.ranchers/acreage owners use a dead chicken to keep their septic tank healthy. Not a store bought chicken, but a real chicken from a poultry farm, freshly dead, and thrown into the solid side of the tank. ( the side closest to the house) The decomp of the chicken seems to kick-start the bacterial action and keep it going for quite a while.
How did you find out your pump is on its way out?
Generally they either work, or they don't.
Did someone test it? (Amperage will tell a lot, as will the resistance)
Was your pump pulled up and checked over?
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Author:
Wheelchair
We had a septic system for more then 10 years before the city installed their sewerlines. Never had a problem during that time and never had the tank pump'd.
One of our son's purchased a house last June and the septic system was "renewed" before he took possession of the property. Last month the system was plugged with "Micro-Fiber" cloths (medical wipes) tampons and grease.
1250 gallons later, a health agency had to pay $950 because they did not follow signed and accepted rules for a septic system.
I've learned that there are Septic Tank System Owners and there are Septic Tank Puriest (smiling) that live by very strict guidelines or rules.
Human Waste Only
Kitchen and Bath Drains (strained)
No Laundry (bleach or softener)
Some place a couple of cubes of dissolved yeast mixed with honey or sugar to get it started down the toilet once a year.
Best Wishes
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
Lift the lid every two years and see what you have.A long stick you can throw away punch a hole in the solids that floated,See how thick,are the flies in your eyes ,this is good,wormy looking stuff moving around,this is good.Now all the way to the bottom and lift slowly, how deep is the black muck on the end of the stick???If the top layer and bottom layer are around two inches thick let it ride a couple more years.If either is thicker than four inches it could use pumping.If you have no bug's flies or worms add them, live bacteria.You may which to consider having an outlet filter installed between the tank and drain field if the solids get over four inches thick every two years.The installer will explain it's use .
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Good Luck. Insulate your hot piping, although costly, it will pay you back every day.
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Author:
Fixitangel (NC)
Thanks for your replies. The well pump is 5 years old, and recently I posted a question about the air injector clogging up. Was advised that cleaning it out once a year was not bad. I took the time to carefully remove the debris from the injector, and found bits of broken plastic, which I saved.(about the size of fingernail clippings) Flushed the well supply line and put everything back in service. Since then (1 month) pressure has dropped to a trickle twice, and each time I found more black plastic bits in the air injector. I did a well head flow test last year and we were getting 7 gal/min. Last time I cleaned the plastic bits out, the flow rate was only 4 gal/min. I called our well service co. and was told that the pump impellers on most of the chinese well pumps nowdays are made of plastic, not metal.
It seems the impeller is breaking down/slowly falling apart. The plasitic bits causing clogs and the decline in the wellhead flow rate are indicators.
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Author:
Fixitangel (NC)
Thanks. I've always understood that there are only 3 things that should go into a septic system: (and I was raised in the city)
#1, #2, and single-ply TP. And Never Flush a Tampoon!! Even on city sewer. Sorry to hear about your med-wipe problem. Anybody that works in the nursing field should know better.
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
the pieces are smaller with brass impellers.
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Good Luck. Insulate your hot piping, although costly, it will pay you back every day.
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Author:
Fixitangel (NC)
Thanks, Lemmon. It's an old septic system, and I have no idea where the lid for the tank is buried. It does have a clean-out and last time I peeked in there, I saw lots of fat, active, happy wormy critters that looked like leeches and no water backup. A good sign, yes? I'm just nervous that we may need to replace the well pump $$$ and worry what else might need attention/proper care on the septic side. Many thanks for your expert help and guidance. You rock.
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Author:
Velvetfoot (NY)
I'm no expert but why not get it pumped out now? It's been five years and a pumping out doesn't cost that much. I understand if the leach field pipes get clogged that can be really big bucks.
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Author:
Wheelchair
A proper lid is our present project as the weather begins a very slow warm. Our son's septic tank is concrete with baffles. The top cover consists of 4-5 concrete slabs, about 30 inches wide and 70 inches long, laid side by side. To purge the tank, one of the slabs have to be lifted to allow access. We were told to purchase a piece of metal plate with 18 inch circle to lay across the slab opening and to place a 20 inch round sleeve that was 24-30 inches tall (tower) on top of the opening with cover. This way, the entire ground would not have to be dug up to access the tank for inspection and cleaning.
I think we will do the same using reinforced concrete with an access opening and make the slab ourselves. We can purchase the 20 inch sleeves, 4 inches high and stack them, before adding a cover. Since the tank is located 20 ft behind the house, we will make sure that the area around the tank and its cover is protected from heavy equipment and child resistant.
That is one of the projects for the spring.... when its sprung.
Best Wishes
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
wheel chair .pump the tank dry and ware old cloths.I broke a five compartment lid once.even empty when the next section broke I was not happy.At least the opened section still intact could be moved back .after several minutes under the hose.Me the the section.Now I remove the fill from the whole lid before removing any section.It took a week and a tetanus booster before the smell felt me.
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Good Luck. Insulate your hot piping, although costly, it will pay you back every day.
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Author:
Wheelchair
Lemon, I thought I smelled something fishy.... (smiling)
We built a form using old plywood and 2 X 4's and will a 4 inch high sleeve in the middle somewhere and stabilize it. We will use rebar and fence to reinforce the slab before pouring the concrete and allowing to dry and age. We will also place two lifting handles and the slab when place will be the first one over the side where the waste enters. On top of the 18 inch opening in the slab, ww will stack those fibreglass sleeves (I believe they are 20 inches in diameter and 4 inches high) They fasten together to create a clean vertical tunnel and finally the fiberglass cover. This way the entire cover does not have to be dug up each time the tank needs service. The opening with be proteced and have a nice appearance. After the sleeves are stacked over the opening of the slab, back fill is slowly added to prevent the tower from shifting.
We may seal the concrete slab before using it, hoping to add some additional life to it.
Digging a hole 40 inches wide and 80 inches long in the freeze will never have to happen again (i hope)
Best Wishes
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Author:
LemonPlumber (FL)
Definitely no fun in the sun.Would not want to add freeze to that.best of luck ,but think you are planned for it.
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Good Luck. Insulate your hot piping, although costly, it will pay you back every day.
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Author:
Nayman's Drain Services (Non-US)
Fixitangel,
Did you replace your pump? Or did you just put it back into place?
Myers makes a decent pump, carries a 1 year warranty, and seems to do really well.(at least for my customers)
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