Septic Owners

bradgator2

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So who here has a septic tank?

This is the first house I have ever owned with a septic tank. We have absolutely zero problems right now (6 years in) and I want to keep it that way.

Any tips, tricks, preventative maintenance, etc?
 

grengadgy

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So who here has a septic tank?

This is the first house I have ever owned with a septic tank. We have absolutely zero problems right now (6 years in) and I want to keep it that way.

Any tips, tricks, preventative maintenance, etc?
With that size house how big septic tank did you get? Washing machine and dishwasher are going to septic tank? I hope that you don't have a garbage disposal. I would recommend using something similar to Rid-x to replace the special bacteria and enzymes that harsh detergents kill. There are toilet paper that works better with septic tanks. While Angel Soft is get for city sewage lines it's not good for septic tanks because it dissolves quickly and goes into your drain field where it will clog. You want a toilet paper that stays together and settles into your tank.

At six years it might be a good idea to your your tank pumped. It will cost you a couple hundred but ask pumper how much solids were there in the tank. If those bacteria and enzymes do their job then you will be in good shape. It cost a few hundred to pump a tank and 3-5 thousand to repair a drain field. I 've been on this septic tank for 42 years and roots tend to be my main problem.
 
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bradgator2

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Thanks gren. Yes, everything runs to the septic and we have a garbage disposal. I have no clue on the size of it. No harsh chemicals are used in the house though. Wifey buys these crazy expensive "green" cleaners. We do use the correct TP. No roots anywhere near that thing.

How often do you use ridx?

And in your opinion.... Pump septic every 6 years? Man, I have some friends here who have never had it pumped.
 

Concrete Helmet

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So who here has a septic tank?

This is the first house I have ever owned with a septic tank. We have absolutely zero problems right now (6 years in) and I want to keep it that way.

Any tips, tricks, preventative maintenance, etc?
Don't invite Ox over for dinner....
We're on septic and I hate it...we actually have 2, one being for the house the other for the cottage. When we get a ton of rain the drainfield can back up and the toilets will lose their power to take a big crap down with one flush...We also have a pump that pushes the sludge from one tank to another and if the power is out it doesn't push it on down the line and the same thing happens. The only advice I can give is to pump it out every couple of years.
 

NVGator

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Thanks gren. Yes, everything runs to the septic and we have a garbage disposal. I have no clue on the size of it. No harsh chemicals are used in the house though. Wifey buys these crazy expensive "green" cleaners. We do use the correct TP. No roots anywhere near that thing.

How often do you use ridx?

And in your opinion.... Pump septic every 6 years? Man, I have some friends here who have never had it pumped.
At minimum I'd recommend pumping every 5 years. Highly discourage the use of the garbage disposal for food waste. Put it in the trash.

Hope you get sewer hookups sometime in your future.
 

bradgator2

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At minimum I'd recommend pumping every 5 years. Highly discourage the use of the garbage disposal for food waste. Put it in the trash.

Hope you get sewer hookups sometime in your future.

We'll never get sewer hookups out here.... We are in the country.

I would say very little food goes into the disposal. Like basically none.
 

grengadgy

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Thanks gren. Yes, everything runs to the septic and we have a garbage disposal. I have no clue on the size of it. No harsh chemicals are used in the house though. Wifey buys these crazy expensive "green" cleaners. We do use the correct TP. No roots anywhere near that thing.

How often do you use ridx?

And in your opinion.... Pump septic every 6 years? Man, I have some friends here who have never had it pumped.
The pumping at 6 years was to get an idea of how your family "lives". Tampons, flushable baby wipes, paper towels are things that get flushed eve baby diapers, swimmies also. As your kids get tolder more stuff will get flushed that shouldn't. A dishwasher is bad on a septic tank, detergent, very hot water , grease and food scraps all from the dishwasher.

Septic tank people recommend something similar to Ridx once a month but probably every 6 months in your case from what you are saying.
 

Zambo

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Pump it out. The guy will be able to tell how full it is and you can get an idea of how long it takes to fill. It's just routine maintenance. If you wait until it starts backing up you can get into much more expensive and nasty issues.
 

gardnerwebbgator

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Pump it out every 5-7 years depending on turd load. Yes, garbage disposals are a waste, these newfangled scented kitchen garbage bags do a good job knocking out odors. Use the trash can instead.
 

crosscreekcooter

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Look up the term bio-mass. You should compost vegetable waste. Disposer is one of the worst things in the world for a septic tank. Scrape all the grease you can into the garbage.
There's no such thing as a flushable paper product except toilet paper no matter what the package says (wet wipes paper towels q-tips tampons). Just because they will flush and not stop up the toilet means nothing. Even the grinders at the city sewer plant cannot digest them and cause extensive maintenance. The drainfield is a great place to plant your rose garden.
While we're on the subject of bad waste, look up the problems being caused by the micro-plastic balls in your toothpaste.
 

Zambo

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Baby wipes. Holy moly do not flush these things!
 

bradgator2

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Thanks for all the input. Seriously. I'll go ahead and get it pumped to give us a 6 year status report.
 

grengadgy

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Your garbage disposal uses enzyme injection?
 

AlexDaGator

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Don't waste your money. Wait till you see this. Then call roto rooter.

sewer_backup_bathroom_small.jpg


Alex.
 

crosscreekcooter

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Don't waste your money. Wait till you see this. Then call roto rooter.

sewer_backup_bathroom_small.jpg


Alex.
If you look through the glass shower doors, you will see that the tub is full as well. (Tub is the lowest fixture in the house)
 
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I have a septic tank and 15 years ago, my son who is a plumbing contractor put in a new drain field, using lots of rock. I have never had to have it flushed and everything works well. Instead of RidX, I put in a package a yeast in the toilet once a month. I don't think there is any special type toilet paper to use. I use Charmin.
 

TheDouglas78

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Dump some bleach down each of your drains every few month, clears out biological waste
 

MJMGator

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Having a septic tank sucks.
 

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