Septic tank pump out - not today

[rfuerst911sc]

There's been a couple of septic tank threads lately so thought I would discuss mine . It's been 10 years ( when we bought the house ) since we had the tank pumped . It's a 1000 gallon concrete tank . It's only my wife and I living here but we do get family visiting . This week our grandson graduates high school . We will have 10 people in the house for 3-5 days .

It has rained a LOT here so I figured get the tank pumped and give the leach field a break . So made an appointment and the guy shows up today . I had already removed all the screws from the riser cap . I greet the poop 💩 technician and take him to the tank . He removes the lid , looks down into the tank and looks at me . The good ole boy says I can pump your tank and take your money ( $450.00 ) or you can leave it as is because this is the best tank I have seen in a loooong time .

He gave me quite the education , pointing out that whatever we are doing ( nothing ) it's working . No solids visible just water/other . He pointed out the massive amount of bacteria and flies which means the system is working darn near perfect . He said whatever you're eating it's working at the back end . He walked the leach field and said there is no visible issues at all . Whew ! I gave him 100 bucks for his time and we are literally good to go

[cabmandone]

Alternate thread title... I was talking sh.t with the septic guy

[rfuerst911sc]

He's 37 years old , been in the business since he was 16 . When he was 16 he finished a job and the customer refused to pay . He called his boss to ask what to do . The boss asked if the customer had a car . He said yes he does . Are the windows down . Yes they are . Then go ahead and pump some $hit IN the car . He did ! I guess it got quite ugly as the Mercedes owner was none too happy .

Note to self , always pay the septic guy He told me other stories of threatening to remove newly installed systems due to lack of payment . He had some good stories

[A930Rocket]

Note to self, make sure the windows to the car are rolled up, and the door is locked!

And don’t give the septic tank guy any ****!

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

Note to self, make sure the windows to the car are rolled up, and the door is locked!

And don’t give the septic tank guy any ****!

Words to live by right there !!!

[cabmandone]

Kinda funny, we have the Honey thread and the "Honey Wagon" thread (I don't know if they call the septic sucker trucks that around you or not)

[Arizona_928]

I had to oversee some vacuum guys pumping out oil water separators across post. Great bunch of guys that make a honest buck.

As for your system, i bet you don’t eat a lot of processed foods or seed oils…

[KFC911]

Best Benjamin you spent today ... no $chit !

...and WHY would you ever bluff with someone who holds a royal flush

[stevej37]

The guy who came out to pump mine a few years ago, was a big dude. I had the cover to the tank showing, but not opened. The dirt and sod around it was hard digging because of a nearby tree.

He pried the concrete cover up with a pry bar and slid it off....the opening was a solid mat of small roots. He just laughed and said "those trees are a nuisance"
He went to his truck and returned with a garden rake and proceeded to pull the roots from the opening and all the roots in the interior top portion. Hook his rake in the roots and drag them out. He made it look easy.

I had about 3 wheelbarrows of slimy roots to dispose of when he left. He pumped the tank, rinsed everything off and left...took about an hour total.
Well worth it.

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by cabmandone

Kinda funny, we have the Honey thread and the "Honey Wagon" thread (I don't know if they call the septic sucker trucks that around you or not)

Yeah the term honey wagon is common around here . Also Honey dipper .

[masraum]

I've popped the top off the tanks 2-3 times over the last 4 years. The lids are concrete and not buried. I've never seen roots in the tanks, and we've got a pecan tree ~10' from the tanks.

I have no idea if the tank's contents look good or bad. They certainly don't sound like what RF911 described, but they seem to be working. We have a nice long green stripe down the yard from the tank where the grass always grows taller and greener than everywhere else, so I assume that means it's mostly working.

[Tobra]

My in laws had their septic tank pumped out for the first time in 50 years. Mother in law started flushing wipes when her memory went. There is stuff you add to keep the tank happy. Father in law is meticulous about maintenance on everything.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Yeah the term honey wagon is common around here . Also Honey dipper .

Stool bus?


Dr Pumper


Big Muddy


Turd Burglar


Yesterdays Meals on Wheels

[stevej37]

[QUOTE=masraum;12468819]I've popped the top off the tanks 2-3 times over the last 4 years. The lids are concrete and not buried. I've never seen roots in the tanks, and we've got a pecan tree ~10' from the tanks.


I had to use a rod probe just to find my tank. It was a good foot below the sod.
The guy said he could return and put a riser on it to save digging in the future.
Now I have a nice round green plastic cap with screws to make the 'next time' easy.

[rfuerst911sc]

I am not kidding , when he popped the riser lid off flies flew out . Then he pointed to the liquid soup and said stare at it . Swarms of bacteria were aggressive enough you could see it moving ! It was creepy/bizarre . I thought to myself this is like a Twilight Zone episode Think of scrubbing bubbles commercial but on a microscopic level .

[Evans, Marv]

Years ago some of my wife's young relatives were here for a couple of days with their young daughter in diapers. I told them to put the diapers in plastic bags and put them in the trash can. Some years later I found out they didn't do that when I had the tank pumped. Last time I had it pumped (last year), the lids were a bit stick & we had to use a pry bar. Before the guy finished up, he suggested I get two of those big, black plastic trash bags. We put them under the concrete lids to make a plastic gasket. He said it would eliminate the problem of having to pry out the stuck lids next time.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

I am not kidding , when he popped the riser lid off flies flew out . Then he pointed to the liquid soup and said stare at it . Swarms of bacteria were aggressive enough you could see it moving ! It was creepy/bizarre . I thought to myself this is like a Twilight Zone episode Think of scrubbing bubbles commercial but on a microscopic level .

Weird, I always thought that it is or should be a sealed system. I would think that if there were flies in it, then what what making it move were maggots. But he's the expert.

[A930Rocket]

How long does it take for a body to dissolve in a septic tank? Asking for a friend….

[masraum]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

How long does it take for a body to dissolve in a septic tank? Asking for a friend….

Interesting question.
seems it has happened (although you're left with bones).
https://www.theledger.com/story/news/crime/2017/08/10/human-bones-found-in-septic-tank/19863528007/

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-01/brighton-septic-tank-body-a-homicide-without-leads-or-identity/8082752

a couple of writers have asked on a forum and some folks have posted some thoughts
https://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php?threads/decomposition-rate-for-a-body-in-a-cesspit.328647/

https://absolutewrite.com/forums/index.php?threads/advice-on-body-decomposition-in-tank-with-bacteria.273468/

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

How long does it take for a body to dissolve in a septic tank? Asking for a friend….

It's much slower than a wood chipper.

.