Speaking of septic tanks

ThreatMatrix

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Aug 28, 2014
16,540
26,088
I'm on septic for the first time in my life. I've been in the house 6 years. I think it was pumped(?) sometime before I bought the house.
I generally don't put food down the disposal.
It's a 3100 sq ft house but for the most part I live here by myself. Occasionally a kid moves back in for a few months.
Any advice?
Shooud I get it pre-emptively pumped or wait for a problem? How does a problem manifest itself? Anything I should be pouring down the drain to help things?
 

g8r.tom

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 17, 2017
3,375
4,291
I have had two septic tanks 23 years.

Use Rid X once a month. Food isn't really a big problem, but its good you keep that minimal. Try not to send bleach down it. Buytoilet paper that is septic friendly. Get it pumped out every 5 years. Dont drive over your drain field. If the "kid" is a female, explain that ONLY TP goes down the there. NOTHING else. The first time I made my daughter help me clear a clog from a tampon was the last time we had that problem. She makes sure her friends are aware of septic rules.

Good luck.
 

g8r.tom

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Nov 17, 2017
3,375
4,291
If water is backing up in your house, your tank is full. How many feet is it from your home to the tank? One of mine is pretty far from my home. On that one I have a clean-out valve about 1/3 of the way to the tank from my home to clear clogs.
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
Lifetime Member
Jul 29, 2014
22,047
23,183
Septic sucks......ours has a brand new drain field yet still backs up everytime we have a heavy rain, yesterday and today as well as last week. I just had the pump replaced which seems to happen about every 2 years, or the float switch goes bad....
If you live there mostly by yourself you'll probably only need to pump it about every 5 or 6 years. Put some Roebic down there every couple of month's too. If you have trees near the tank make sure and run some root killer down there every 6 month's or so.
 

ThreatMatrix

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
Aug 28, 2014
16,540
26,088
Huge trees near by.
Tank is in front yard. I'd say it's close to house.
What product do I use for roots?
 

NVGator

Founding Member
Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 11, 2014
14,903
20,211
Founding Member
Pump every 7-10 years. Where are your leach lines? Have you mapped that out? No food or wipes. Septics are fine, for those who know how to use them. @Concrete Helmet is clearly not capable of working with septic. He needs to be on hook up.
 

ChiefGator

A Chief and a Gator, Master of the Ignore list!!!!
Lifetime Member
Nov 9, 2015
7,401
4,168
In some areas of Florida they are making plans to eliminate septic tanks as they say they are making the Red tide worse. I was considering a house on septic and that was one of the negatives, along with those rats that live in the undeveloped areas.

Apparently some tanks have "alarms" for when you need to pump them out.
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
Lifetime Member
Jul 29, 2014
22,047
23,183
Pump every 7-10 years. Where are your leach lines? Have you mapped that out? No food or wipes. Septics are fine, for those who know how to use them. @Concrete Helmet is clearly not capable of working with septic. He needs to be on hook up.
Pumping every 3-5 years is recommended by most septic companies and that is highly dependent on usage(how many people in the house, number of bathrooms, laundry and the biological stability within the tank....when sludge levels get too high that is when the tank needs to be pumped as dispersing it into the drain field will clog it. Only the effluent, gray water that forms on the top of the tank above the sludge level, should reach the drain field in other words....not poop, grease, soap or other organic matter....

My problems with septic have nothing to do with knowledge of the system. It has to do with the architectural design of the home and drainage runoff. Someone at some point thought that hooking the gutter drains into the septic system was a good idea. In other words we have a 7000 sqft tile roof with dramatic pitches dumping thousands of gallons of water mostly onto the front(portico) area of the house and a lot of it finds it's way into the tanks and then is pumped from the second tank(effluent tank) into the drainfield.
 
Last edited:

ChiefGator

A Chief and a Gator, Master of the Ignore list!!!!
Lifetime Member
Nov 9, 2015
7,401
4,168
Pumping every 3-5 years is recommended by most septic companies and that is highly dependent on usage(how many people in the house, number of bathrooms, laundry and the biological stability within the tank....when sludge levels get too high that is when the tank needs to be pumped as dispersing it into the drain field will clog it. Only the effluent, gray water that forms on the top of the tank above the sludge level, should reach the drain field in other words....not poop, grease, soap or other organic matter....

My problems with septic have nothing to do with knowledge of the system. It has to do with the architectural design of the home and drainage runoff. Someone at some point thought that hooking the gutter drains into the septic system was a good idea. In other words we have a 7000 sqft tile roof with dramatic pitches dumping thousands of gallons of water mostly onto the front(portico) area of the house and a lot of it finds it's way into the tanks and then is pumped from the second tank(effluent tank) into the drainfield.


So why not disconnect the gutters from the septic system and instead store it for those times you need some irrigation? That might be a win-win.
 

NVGator

Founding Member
Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 11, 2014
14,903
20,211
Founding Member
Pumping every 3-5 years is recommended by most septic companies and that is highly dependent on usage(how many people in the house, number of bathrooms, laundry and the biological stability within the tank....when sludge levels get too high that is when the tank needs to be pumped as dispersing it into the drain field will clog it. Only the effluent, gray water that forms on the top of the tank above the sludge level, should reach the drain field in other words....not poop, grease, soap or other organic matter....

My problems with septic have nothing to do with knowledge of the system. It has to do with the architectural design of the home and drainage runoff. Someone at some point thought that hooking the gutter drains into the septic system was a good idea. In other words we have a 7000 sqft tile roof with dramatic pitches dumping thousands of gallons of water mostly onto the front(portico) area of the house and a lot of it finds it's way into the tanks and then is pumped from the second tank(effluent tank) into the drainfield.
I was just poking the cobra.

Of course the Septic company recommends pumping 3-5 year. More often, more money. OP also said he’s basically the only one there. He could probably go 10-15 year. I know people who’ve never pumped and lived in their home for 45 years without any issues. They just know what not to do.
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
Lifetime Member
Jul 29, 2014
22,047
23,183
So why not disconnect the gutters from the septic system and instead store it for those times you need some irrigation? That might be a win-win.
I have disconnected the drains now until I either install a lift station or redo the french drains that some of the old gutters were hooked to.....of course I find this out AFTER I put down all of the rocks, plants and sod I showed in my landscaping thread...:suicide:
I have a whole giant lake in my backyard that I use for irrigation :lol:
 

Concrete Helmet

Hook, Line, and Sinker
Lifetime Member
Jul 29, 2014
22,047
23,183
Of course the Septic company recommends pumping 3-5 year. More often, more money. OP also said he’s basically the only one there. He could probably go 10-15 year. I know people who’ve never pumped and lived in their home for 45 years without any issues. They just know what not to do.
I was just showing you my expertise when it come to....well.....crap. :lol: All kidding aside I spent hours last year researching the subject when our drain field gave out. Here is a very informative video you'll enjoy.
 

NVGator

Founding Member
Member
Lifetime Member
Jun 11, 2014
14,903
20,211
Founding Member
I was just showing you my expertise when it come to....well.....crap. :lol: All kidding aside I spent hours last year researching the subject when our drain field gave out. Here is a very informative video you'll enjoy.

I know you did. I read the thread which is why I specifically called you out. Check that sarcasm meter.

Quick story... We listed and sold a property here on 2.5 acres. Water rights, private well, propane and septic. Basically a part of town that's not hooked up. The sellers bought the home in 1982 and to raise their family and then it was just the 2 of them after the kids grew up.

They never pumped their septic except when they purchased the in 1982 and then when we were in escrow for the sale with the Buyers. Dumb ass Buyer's Agent indicated the Buyer would pay for the septic pumping and inspection as well as all the other inspections the Buyer would pay. Typically the Seller pays for the pumping. Concrete septic tank that had so many tree roots in it they couldn't pump it our with the hose. It took 2 men, 8 hours to hand dig out all the tree roots and sludge. :lol:
 

jeeping8r

Your car may go fast, Mine will go anywhere
Lifetime Member
Dec 18, 2015
903
1,306
Pumping is usually $175 and up, Shop around.
Don't know if passed but Florida was thinking about making pump outs mandatory every 5 years.
Rid-x once a month and limit food particles, bleach and anti bacterial soap down the drain to maintain healthy bacteria levels.
 

crosscreekcooter

Founding Member
Cunning Linguist; RIP
Lifetime Member
Jun 11, 2014
11,023
12,243
Founding Member
Go back and read Crete's thread on his septic tank. It went about 5 or 6 pages as I remember.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Help Users

You haven't joined any rooms.

    Birthdays

    Staff online

    Members online

    Forum statistics

    Threads
    31,642
    Messages
    1,615,698
    Members
    1,642
    Latest member
    fishermb