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Septic Tank

tyler811

tyler811

Diamond Member
Mine is a 750 gallon tank with a field. We had it pumped 6 years ago when we bought the house. Is it time again to have it cleaned?
 
How many people in your house?

If 3 or more, I'd say get 'er done after 6 years. I think I paid about $150 to get mine pumped last year.
 
I'd do it every 2 years whether it "needs it" or not. Letting it get too full isn't good for the system, and it could end up being a big expense in the future.
 
Typically, every 3-5 years. Six years and you're risking a plugged drainfield. That gets damned expensive. I get ours pumped every four years. It's easy to remember when to do it; I time it to correspond with presidential elections. :laugh: I like the symbolism.
 
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Typically, every 3-5 years. Six years and you're risking a plugged drainfield. That gets damned expensive. I get ours pumped every four years. It's easy to remember when to do it; I time it to correspond with presidential elections. :laugh: I like the symbolism.
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not true.

it really depends on the size of the tank and number of people in the house.

http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/tankpump.htm has a good guide.
 
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
 
Ohh almost forgot it will cost $125 to have it pumped. I called three different places and they were in price $150 $195 and $125 all with the access undug and opened. The one for $195 also they back flush none of the others said they did that but then I did not ask. I do not even know what it means.
 
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Typically, every 3-5 years. Six years and you're risking a plugged drainfield. That gets damned expensive. I get ours pumped every four years. It's easy to remember when to do it; I time it to correspond with presidential elections. :laugh: I like the symbolism.
Click to expand...

not true.

it really depends on the size of the tank and number of people in the house.

http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/tankpump.htm has a good guide.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Guess that's just the timeframe for our tank. Nevertheless, he said he has a 750 gallon tank, and said "we", meaning he lives with someone, so he's looking at 4.2 years between pumping, best case scenario, according to that chart.
 
Originally posted by: tyler811
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
Click to expand...

I believe they are designed to fill almost to the top before it goes into the leech field.
 
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Originally posted by: waggy
Originally posted by: Bryophyte
Typically, every 3-5 years. Six years and you're risking a plugged drainfield. That gets damned expensive. I get ours pumped every four years. It's easy to remember when to do it; I time it to correspond with presidential elections. :laugh: I like the symbolism.
Click to expand...

not true.

it really depends on the size of the tank and number of people in the house.

http://www.inspect-ny.com/septic/tankpump.htm has a good guide.
Click to expand...

Interesting. Guess that's just the timeframe for our tank. Nevertheless, he said he has a 750 gallon tank, and said "we", meaning he lives with someone, so he's looking at 4.2 years between pumping, best case scenario, according to that chart.
Click to expand...

3 people and needless to say we are ahum "behind" by 2.5 years.
 
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: tyler811
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
Click to expand...

I believe they are designed to fill almost to the top before it goes into the leech field.
Click to expand...

Yes gathering from what I have read in the article that was posted, I should be good. There is a picture of one filled almost to the top also and the author of the article said it was good.
 
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: tyler811
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
Click to expand...

I believe they are designed to fill almost to the top before it goes into the leech field.
Click to expand...
Yes, and then the leach field does it's job and allows the liquid waste to percolate down into the soil. A septic tank should never need to be pumped if the system is working as it was designed to do.

The solid waste breaks down into a liquid helped my microbial action. When the liquid level in the tank gets high enough, the liquid flows out to the leach field. They are designed to be maintenance free.

You should never have to pump a septic tank unless you have problems with the leach field or the piping to the leach field.
 
Originally posted by: boomerang
Originally posted by: oldsmoboat
Originally posted by: tyler811
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
Click to expand...

I believe they are designed to fill almost to the top before it goes into the leech field.
Click to expand...
Yes, and then the leach field does it's job and allows the liquid waste to percolate down into the soil. A septic tank should never need to be pumped if the system is working as it was designed to do.

The solid waste breaks down into a liquid helped my microbial action. When the liquid level in the tank gets high enough, the liquid flows out to the leach field. They are designed to be maintenance free.

You should never have to pump a septic tank unless you have problems with the leach field or the piping to the leach field.
Click to expand...

Um, no. That is absolutely false. There will always be solids that settle in the tank. Even a healthy tank (with ideal bacterial conditions) will accumulate solids that cannot be further broken down and will need to be pumped out periodically to avoid having those solids (and more importantly, fresh, undigested solids) escape the tank and clog the drainfield.
 
Originally posted by: tyler811
Well looks like I made it in the nick of time. I opened it up because I have an appointment tomorrow at 11 am. Took about 20 minutes to dig up and lift off lid. Almost all the to the top.
Click to expand...

i'll bet that smells fantastic
 
The last time we had ours done the guy said that laundry detergent and bleach are a couple items that can hurt a tank by killing the helpful bacteria. Also grease can clog lines . He recommended the ridx stuff to boost the bacteria that might be killed off by heavy washing. Also recommended we get a grease trap.

 
Originally posted by: Insomniator
I don't understand septic tanks... your poop sits in them for years and they don't corrode or smell or anything?
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaerobic_digestion
anaerobic digestion is a series of processes in which microorganisms break down biodegradable material in the absence of oxygen. It is widely used to treat wastewater sludges and organic waste because it provides volume and mass reduction of the input material.[1] As part of an integrated waste management system, anaerobic digestion reduces the emission of landfill gas into the atmosphere. Anaerobic digestion is a renewable energy source because the process produces a methane and carbon dioxide rich biogas suitable for energy production helping replace fossil fuels. Also, the nutrient-rich solids left after digestion can be used as fertiliser.
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