Subject: Re: Septic Helpers

From: [email-masked] (Walter Vose Jeffries)
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 95 21:39:10 EST

In article <[email-masked]> (misc.rural,rec.gardens), [email-masked] (Jeff Dotterer) writes:
> 1)  I use Rid-X (sp) once a month just like the box says to.  This is
> supposed to break everything down, therefore the tank doesn't have to be
> pumped for a few years.  How many years, anybody have any experience with
> this stuff?  Does it really work?  Dad said when he was growing up (rural
> Ok.) that they would put yeast in the septic, and that some people would
> even throw a dead chicken in sometimes?  Dad could be pulling my leg about
> the chicken, you never know with him he loves to kid.

If properly taken care of you might never need to pump it. We
don't pump ours. We avoid putting things down it that will kill
the septic's ecology and we put any rotted yogurt or milk down
the toilet to increase the bacteria counts. Your father's story
of the chicken may be the same thing. The bacteria from its gut
would probably help the system.

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From: [email-masked] (Elaine Jackson)
Date: 7 Mar 1995 14:18:23 GMT

[email-masked] (Tropical Steve) writes: 

>  I would think the biomass would only develope because of using certain 
>household chemicals that make it impossible for the anerobic digestion to 
>completely fulfill its duty.  The septic tank is always full of water and 
>to put massive amounts of water into the tank stops the contact time 
>needed for the organisms to do their job.  Its obvious something is wrong 
>because so many systems that were designed according to specs are not 
>working.  We are injecting all sorts of stuff that doesnt break down.  
>Such as toilet paper with dyes, laundry soaps with bleaching agents and 
>odorizers, and other household chemistry. I am not sure about your 
>reference to oxygen, but i suspect that if your system is ventilated 
>properly there would not be an oxygen problem.

  This is all good info.  The solution for us was to put in both grey- and
black-water tanks when building the house.  We don't flood the blackwater
system with laundry water, so the small amount of bleach that we use on
laundry doesn't kill the septic system bacteria.  It probably would be
cheapest in the long run to find out your local rules for wastewater
disposal and get their permission for you to add a greywater retro. 
You'll need a separate drainfield and tank, but it'll mean having to deal
with your systems very infrequently. We have a 1000-gallon blackwater tank
and pump it out every 5 years as part of prudent management. 

  We also have neighbors with elderly septic sytems (in some cases, at 
least 45 years) who just pump them out every 2 years or so.  Cheaper than
replacing the whole system by trying to squeeze some extra use out of it.

Elaine Jackson

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From: [email-masked] (Walter Vose Jeffries)
Date: Sun, 5 Mar 95 21:39:10 EST

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From: [email-masked] (Elaine Jackson)
Date: 7 Mar 1995 14:18:23 GMT

Elaine Jackson