Wow Dennis, you're either REAL lucky or I just have all the bad luck !
I have two separate systems at my house, both put in around the 1950-1960 era by my father at the time. The greatest pipe at the time was the creosote orangeberg. The dingaling that back filled form him, never bothered to remove the boulder from the fill, so in time, the orangeberg was not only moved with ground movement, but crushed by the weight of the boulders.
Then one day, everything came to a screeching halt when the giant willow tree at the end of the leaching field uprooted. The root diameter was about twenty feet, and sucking every bit, though some 150 feet downstream from the tank. We did you rid-x for many years, with great digestion. Then one day, there was no more "movement" if you will. What I found afet digging up the system, was as mentioned the pipe issues, and other factors such as the various nettings of fine roots from other trees that found the moisture thru broken lines. In any event, the tank was friggin solid, pressurized to the bottom of the lid. When the pumper showed up, and I lifted the lid, I literally needed my backhoe to chain lift, as the suctioned was incredible to the solids. He took his spoon and worked that sludge for almost two hours, until he felt comfortable that he could get a good mix of water back into the tank. He then suggested the looksee downstream. I dug it up and replaced everything, but the tank, and filtered the backfill accordingly. His recommendation, was even if a good system, it needs to be religiously pumped every three to five years, depending on use of course. By no means am I saying his word is gospel, after all he is in the business and needs repeat business for survival, but a variety of factors do enter the picture that would ultimately dictate frequency of pumping out. Every system is different, every household is different, every yard is different - and local codes are different as well.
That was about eight years ago now, and had it pumped once since - all looked GOOD!
Not sure if I would try lime though without a lot of research in my neck of the woods - boney, dirt over bedrock 4'-5' down.
"If it were not for bad luck, I would have no luck at all!" The story of my life. HA!

Best,
Willie H.

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