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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
Thanks guys, I new the ratio I was talking about was clearly for 'good' water, not the contents of a septic tank, but wasn't sure how much of an effect it might have, that's all.
I do know chlorine dissipates, I add many pucks of it to my pool on a regular basis and a good whiff on the downwind side clearly indicates where it's going on a hot day!!
Best of luck.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
Upon further refection I have come up with another facet to the story.
My opinions and observations are based upon the premise that septic systems are self regulating and self sustaining.
In other words, outside bacteria are not necessary to start the septic reaction or sustain it.
Maybe someone out there has some experience with bacterial matters and can weigh in on this premise.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
Dennis,
If you are worried about the chlorine why not try a non-chlorine Potassium Monopersulfate shock treatment? You can purchase a pound bag of it at most pool stores for about three bucks and it should last quite a time for your limited use.
What this stuff does is burn off the contaminates, it does not kill algae like chlorine, but I doubt you have that. It will eat up the oils and soaps. I use it in my pool and love the results.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
I don't think I'm straying too far off subject when I ask if the products they sell using "Beneficial Bacteria" to add to your septic system really work? For instance, Septic Helper states it has 8 types of bacteria to aid in the breakdown of solid waste. Are these products actually beneficial to the system or literally "Money down the drain?" Steve
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
The previous owner of my present home NEVER pumped out the septic tank..... for something like 18 years running.
She did, however put the freeze dried bugs down the toilet once a month or so.
When I had the system pumped there was just the usual amount of goop on the bottom of the tank that one would see with pumping at three year intervals.
The pump guy was quite surprised when I told him how long it had been since the septic had been pumped.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
From what I understand, the tank additives are a good way to clean your wallet but do little to help the system. My tank had not been pumped since the house was new in 1976 so that is one of the first things I did when I purchased it in '92. I have a great relationship with one local professional, so he keeps me out of the poop, so to speak.
Yes, the tank was fine but the lack of maintenance had ruined the distribution box and the fats and oils were just beginning their journey into the system. He replace the box and said we had caught it just in time. For the $100, I'll have him pump it every three years.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
$100? We just had ours pumped after 7 years and it was $350 and we shopped around (1500 gallon dosing tank).
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
I'll toss in a little different question tbat kinda fits the thread. We have a common septic system with a 1000 gal tank and the distribution field liones. The queation is about a kitchen garbage disposal, can we have one without overloading the septic system? The Mrs. of course would like one but I've been kind of a foot dragger thinking it would cause more ferequent tank pumping. Any thoughts or experiences? Frank.
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
Frank,
I have a similar septic system, and I have a garbage disposal under the kitchen sink. We also have a dishwasher, along with two full bathrooms.....and 6 people who shower every day.
The biggest factor here is the quality of your drain field. If your sewer drain field will handle the extra amount of water that comes with the use of a garbage disposal, you shouldn't have any trouble.
Cooking grease is a problem in many rural septic systems. Your wife should never dump her used grease down the sink drain. Things like leftover food, plate scrapings, old vegetables from the fridge, etc.......no problem at all. Gravy and chicken grease.....used cooking oil.....etc.....should be collected in a jar and disposed of in the garbage can.
I had my sewer drain field replaced last year, after the drain field pipe had collapsed. It was an old drain field, installed in the early 80s. The pipe the previous owner used was a flimsy, 4 inch, black plastic pipe. It wasn't suitable for use as a drain field pipe. However, when we dug it up, the pipe and sewer system was in otherwise perfect condition.
We've lived here for 9 years, with 6 people in the house. The garbage disposal is used every day, several times each day. My septic tank was pumped out only once, and that was only because I was troubleshooting my sewer problems, when I noticed that I had sewer water in my driveway. Had it not been for the collapsed pipe, pumping out my septic tank wouldn't have been necessary.
Get your wife a garbage disposal. You can use it with confidence, so long as you don't abuse the system with grease.
Joel
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Jacuzzi Tubs Bacteria Sanitize and Septics
First off, there seems to be a bit of intermingling of questions and answers, and even amongst some facts too.
Now, a 'healthy' septic system does not need any additives, however, statistics show that 'healthy' and 'average' are not the same either. Even moderate amounts of grease, oil, soap or paper can lead to a clogged system MUCH faster than it should. The idea of the additives is to make up for the 'poor diet' most of us feed their septic system.
As a side note, a pint of buttermilk left on the counter for 48 hours and then poured down the drain will do about the same thing as the expensive additives sold in stores.
The other point was garbage disposals, the extra water is not the issue, it's the food waste that is the problem, things like food waste will compost but they will not be eaten by the type of bacteria in the septic system. They will break down in the septic tank, but very slowly since the bacteria needed for composting is aerobic, and a septic tank (being under water) is anaerobic.
A garbage disposal only adds the same amount of water as running a tap for the same amount of time, about 2 or 3 gallons per minute.
If you do the math, a 'typical' person uses between 40 & 80 gallons of water per day, if you use 60 as the median, and have a household of 6 people, that is 360 gallons of water per day. That would completely change the water in a 1,000 gallon septic tank (assuming there was no solids which we know there are) every 3 days!!
Every time you pour a gallon of water down a drain, another gallon goes out into the tile field, if that happens too often, the bacteria can be diluted down to a level that will not sustain proper digestion of the matter going down the drain.
Best of luck.
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