Septic tank pump out - not today

[cabmandone]

Mental note: Always bring along a witness...errrr friend when stopping by Steve's

[stevej37]

Maybe I've watched too much Fargo.

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by masraum

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/

That’s why the cartels do acid barrels and crematories…

That is if they don’t want the person to the be found.

[rfuerst911sc]

Originally Posted by masraum

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.

It is not a sealed system , you have roof vent pipes . He explained that a working system has bacteria that dissolves the solids . The bacteria eventually turn into larvae . The larvae hatch into the flies . They all live/thrive in the underground eco system . He said the flies that escaped when lifting the lid will be dead within 24 hours because they are away form their food source . Interesting and gross

[flatbutt]

My town requires that tanks be pumped every three years unless you've got one of those fancy, always running systems that don't require a field but do require periodic maintenance. Ridiculous to force people to drop 20/30 large on those when the old ones function perfectly.

[stevej37]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

It is not a sealed system , you have roof vent pipes . He explained that a working system has bacteria that dissolves the solids . The bacteria eventually turn into larvae . The larvae hatch into the flies . They all live/thrive in the underground eco system . He said the flies that escaped when lifting the lid will be dead within 24 hours because they are away form their food source . Interesting and gross

I've been told that's why it's not a good idea to divert gray water into the septic tank.
Too much water (washing machine, bath water) cause too much of an imbalance for the bacteria to work. The solids just remain as solids and fill your tank without exiting to the drain field.
It's a problem for people that don't have a separate drain for the gray water.

.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

It is not a sealed system , you have roof vent pipes . He explained that a working system has bacteria that dissolves the solids . The bacteria eventually turn into larvae . The larvae hatch into the flies . They all live/thrive in the underground eco system . He said the flies that escaped when lifting the lid will be dead within 24 hours because they are away form their food source . Interesting and gross

Right, vent pipes. THat would do it. Bacteria do not turn into larva. Flies lay eggs, and the eggs turn into larva which eventually turn into flies.

Originally Posted by flatbutt

My town requires that tanks be pumped every three years unless you've got one of those fancy, always running systems that don't require a field but do require periodic maintenance. Ridiculous to force people to drop 20/30 large on those when the old ones function perfectly.

Wow! Must be pumped every 3 years, that's crazy. I have a buddy that's from NJ that says there's no way he would ever go back. They do have some crazy rules/laws up there. Some mobster must have owned a septic company when that law/rule got passed.

Originally Posted by stevej37

I've been told that's why it's not a good idea to divert gray water into the septic tank.
Too much water (washing machine, bath water) cause too much of an imbalance for the bacteria to work. The solids just remain as solids and fill your tank without exiting to the drain field.
It's a problem for people that don't have a separate drain for the gray water.

.

It's my understanding that the solids don't leave the first tank (I think there's a baffle that's supposed to stop that from happening), they just settle to the bottom of the tank (which is why they eventually have to be pumped). I think it's only supposed to be liquid that goes from the first tank to the second tank, and then the second tank drains that liquid into the field. But I'm far from an expert, so maybe I'm wrong.

[stevej37]

^^^ Right...but there needs to be some breakdown and if the tank is mostly just drain or wash water, it never happens.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ Right...but there needs to be some breakdown and if the tank is mostly just drain or wash water, it never happens.

Absolutely

[rfuerst911sc]

Our septic system is black water and grey water . We have bacteria out the whazoo . Not sure why but I am not complaining .

[masraum]

Our washing machine dumps separate from everything else, all of the other sinks, toilets, and the bath all go into the septic.

[stevej37]

^^^ That's the way mine is set up also.
Years back I had to re-dig the drain for the washer and floor drain for the basement. I hope to never have to do that again.

.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by stevej37

^^^ That's the way mine is set up also.
Years back I had to re-dig the drain for the washer and floor drain for the basement. I hope to never have to do that again.

.

I'm assuming it was common, because dumping water with bleach into a septic would be very counter productive. The bleach would turn the septic into a lifeless system, and they need life.

[A930Rocket]

My buddy and I were checking out a lot to build a house on, and there were standing there looking around, we hear water being pumped. Then we realized, the house next-door was pumping the washing machine water out the side of the house.

[fintstone]

For those that have septic systems with a pump, there are typically ether two tanks or a single massive tank with separate chambers. The second one (pump tank/chamber) has a pump and only relatively clear liquid comes over from the first tank. You do not have them pump out the pump tank/chamber unless your system has failed and it needs repaired. The solids remain in the first tank and the essentially clear liquids flow over to that second tank/chamber to be pumped out by your system's pump. If there is anything but relatively clear water in that one, your system has failed. The (second) pump chamber almost always has a riser and a lid at surface level and is easily accessible to service the pump. The actual tank where the solids are often does not and you have to dig that one up when you have them pump your system out. Where I live, the tank must be pumped every 5 years or whenever bought/sold (restarts the 5-year cycle).

This was my first house with a pump. The rest were gravity (one tank/no pump). The system was pumped by the previous owner when I bought the home. After 5 years was up, I called the pumping folks and they came out and pumped my tank. The guy was older and had done this work his entire life.

He went to the only visible riser/lid (concrete)and pumped that out. The water was essentially clear. I paid and they went on their way. I turned in the paperwork to the county.

A few years later, my pump failed. When I replaced it, I did some research and discovered that there was another tank (the one that you pump) before that one. The lid for that one was about 4 feet deep about 6 feet before the pump tank riser (between that and the house). I dug down to the concrete lid on that one and had that tank (the correct one) pumped. It was definitely full of crap (unlike the pump tank/chamber). While in there, I added a plastic riser for that one (so I would not have to dig it up again. The concrete rise/lid oven the pump tank had deteriorated some and was too high to suit me so while I was in there, I replaced that one with a plastic riser for a better height/color (green) as well (for aesthetics).

There were no signs of digging when I bought the home so the experts pumped the wrong tank at least twice. Although they seemed knowledgeable, I suspect that the folks who pump out effluence for a living are not exactly Menza candidates...nor was I for not understanding my own system better.

I had a similar learning curve when I had issues with my well. Living in the country keeps one busy.

[fintstone]

You can put copper sulfate crystals into your drain to kill tree roots in your system.

[Paul T]

Originally Posted by flatbutt

My town requires that tanks be pumped every three years unless you've got one of those fancy, always running systems that don't require a field but do require periodic maintenance. Ridiculous to force people to drop 20/30 large on those when the old ones function perfectly.

Same here in my township in PA, and they make you submit proof that it was done.

EDIT: They are soft on enforcement though, because I lived here for 6 years before I knew it was a policy….

[masraum]

Originally Posted by fintstone

There were no signs of digging when I bought the home so the experts pumped the wrong tank at least twice. Although they seemed knowledgeable, I suspect that the folks who pump out effluence for a living are not exactly Menza candidates...nor was I for not understanding my own system better.

I had a similar learning curve when I had issues with my well. Living in the country keeps one busy.

I've heard lots of folks talk about "hasn't been pumped in years (decades) and works just fine" (RF911 - the thread starter). So these places that have rules that mandate frequent pumping (3yr, 5yr) seem silly. Most home owners only need/want the receipt to get the city/county/whatever off of their back and therefore don't care what was actually done. If the home owners don't care, then the guys doing the work are equally unlikely to care. Hell, those rules probably keep them busy. You would think that pumping in those sorts of places should be cheaper than places that don't have the rules, especially if the guys aren't really doing the work correctly.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by masraum

I've heard lots of folks talk about "hasn't been pumped in years (decades) and works just fine" (RF911 - the thread starter). So these places that have rules that mandate frequent pumping (3yr, 5yr) seem silly. Most home owners only need/want the receipt to get the city/county/whatever off of their back and therefore don't care what was actually done. If the home owners don't care, then the guys doing the work are equally unlikely to care. Hell, those rules probably keep them busy. You would think that pumping in those sorts of places should be cheaper than places that don't have the rules, especially if the guys aren't really doing the work correctly.

I would the folks that make a living doing this sort of thing have little trouble swaying the county board of a small rural county in their favor...ad it provides a guaranteed income/clientele. Just the same, if you have to pay a few hundred to get your tank pumped, you would want them to do the right one...as that is what will back up into your home if it fills too full. If you have a well or are in an area considered a watershed, the rules are usually tighter as failure affects ground water.

I have a home where the septic system has not been pumped in at least the 9 years I have owned the home. So far, no troubles...but it gets little use (vacation home).

I did find out that my conventional system had failed in one of my homes when it was pumped as the fellow pointed out the pipe exiting the tank to the drain field laying on the bottom of the tank. It had rusted off. The system was built in 1960. The rest of the system was fine, but had to replace the pipe with PVC.

[Chocaholic]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

Our septic system is black water and grey water . We have bacteria out the whazoo . Not sure why but I am not complaining .

Septic pride. I think that may be a new term.