septic tank suggestions...

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amazingflapjack

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Hi All-my current system is 25 years old, and has been giving me some trouble lately. We have put chemicals in every month for years, which is probably why it has lasted as long as it has. I haven't been able to actually look at the tank yet, but hope to get it opened up and pumped soon. We have 3 Oak trees in the front yard where it is, with one that is quite close, so I am looking for a wide range of thoughts including root removal, and ways of root proofing the current tank. What about these plastic tanks they have now? Just any suggestions or experience on this subject will be appreciated. Regards, Flapjack.
 
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Pump tank, if that doesn't work. Put in a new leach line.
 
One way to help is if Mrs. Flapjack uses antibacterial soaps and cleaning products, etc. that wind up down the drain - get rid of them.

Antibacterial products can be harmful to the necessary bacteria in the septic system.

Good luck.
Septic systems can get real expensive, real quick.
 
Pump it first. I had mine pumped and cleaned out for the first time in 20 years. Best $75.00 I've spent in a while.
 
Copper Sulfate will kill the roots in your system, but I'm not sure whether they still sell it over the counter. I used it in my system when I lived in FL and the water oaks and live oaks sent roots into the drain field. I'd pump the tank, and add some CuS to the system. If that doesn't work, then the drain field itself is probably clogged up and will have to be replaced. The largest cost in that is the removal of the old field, as it's considered a hazardous material and the costs for disposal are commensurate. Good luck, as a new drain field will be on the order of between $2000 and $5000 depending upon where you live. If you have to get an "indian mound" system and a lift pump, count on the high end.
 
The secret to a long lasting and problem free septic system is to have the tank pumped out every couple of years. Beats digging up the whole field early.
They also say to put a beer down the drain every so often for the yeast and fermentation. I prefer to run mine thru my kidneys first.
 
Lots of things enter in to this discussion such as the size and material your tank is made out of and how much drain field you have and how many of the kids are still at home. Pumping the tank and adding enzymes has always worked and kept mine in good condition. Mine was replaced in '93 with a 1000 gal concrete tank and I have forgotten how many infiltrator panels (heavy duty ones because of depth) and has worked very well.

My old one was 500 gal metal tank with regular leech lines and lasted from '66 to '93 when I installed the new one. I also had dug a 50' sink hole at the end of leech line #2 and worked real good for years and when the 7-1/2' concrete lid caved in and went to China is when I put the other system in. Short of pumping once in a while I hope I never have to put in another one.

There is just the two of us now so usage is not what it used to be.

My 2 cents
 
Pump it out every year!

Have it pumped out EVERY year. It's the best $120 I ever spent. I have had same system for over 17 years and have no problems whatsoever...a lot cheaper than a new system!
 
Somebody ask where they dumped the waste at the end of the day? Here in Va. They take it to the nearest city sewer line and dump it for a charge.

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As others have mentioned, try pumping it out first.
If that doesn't work then you may need a new drainfield.

DON'T install a plastic tank... especially in Florida. With the shallow water table there, they have a track record of popping out of the ground.
 
Thanks guys-It's just the two of us, so I will try to get someone who will pump out the tank, and remove any roots in and around it. I appreciate almost all of the posts! Thanks, Flapjack.
 
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I have a three hole little house at the end of the path. every week I spread a pound of lime. Little chilly in the winter.

Not really but I did grow up with a nice white house at the end of a gravel path.

Our septic tank and leech field was 35 years old when we sold the house, treated it every month and feed it vegetable matter. no bleach, pumped it every couple years.
 
I need to at least inspect our tank and get it pumped out this Summer as it hasn't been done in over 26-years and the drainage has slowed down a bit.

A good, well maintained system should be able to go for at least a couple of decades between pumpings, as long as you remember that it's a septic system and not a city sewer.

The biggest problem is what people put down it. My neighbor on one side had problems because the tank and lines were clogged with feminine hygiene products and non-decaying items like bone and fiber put down their garbage disposal. A garbage disposal on a septic system IS NOT a good idea! It's too easy to put things down it that won't break down properly, and then you WILL have to pump it out every few years.

The church next door on the other side had the same problem with the feminine hygiene products last Fall. It also looked like they'd used some chemicals that had killed-off the most of the bacteria needed for the tank and leach-field to work properly, probably while trying to clear the blockage.

I also suggested that they might want to take down a tree they recently planted too close to the leach field. My basement sump-pump drained to a separate line, sixty feet to a gravel-filled "dry-well" that terminated near a silver maple. Two years ago I had to dig up and replace the entire sixty feet of perforated line because the tree had filled it completely with roots. At least it had been all fairly clean water in the line. The maple had grown very well over the years. It is still getting watered from the sump, but the new perforated line is also wrapped with a fabric designed to keep roots out.
 
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