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Bzzzzzt
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# Posted: 28 Mar 2015 04:25pm
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I have a general idea of how a septic system works. The solids sit around and deteriorate until they liquify and then are flushed down the lateral lines where they seep into the ground to be cleaned by the sediment surrounding the system. My question here is this: If what you put into the tank is almost already liquified would that allow for a smaller septic tank or does it still need to be just as large regardless of what you put in it?
Here's what I'm considering. In my city house I installed a Sani-Flo toilet in my basement that has a built in maceration pump and has a 3/4" discharge line. I was thinking that if I installed the tank ( http://www.menards.com/main/bath/toilets/macerating-toilets/saniaccess3-reg/p-1921840 -c-9936.htm ) then I could get by with a much smaller septic system as a huge majority of the work the septic tank does is already done by the maceration pump. They are NOT cheap. In excess of $750 but if this prevented me from having to install a 1000 gallon tank it might actually pay for itself.
Your thoughts?
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rwoods
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# Posted: 28 Mar 2015 04:46pm
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your health dept is going to size your tank and field by the number of plumbing fixtures and or the number of bedrooms/people in the house [ if you are going to pull a permit ]
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 10:57am - Edited by: Littlecooner
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Almost every state appears to have the 1000 gallon tank as a minimum size. This is based on the idea that the tank has two days of retention, based on the number of bedroom in the house, which most of the time will be a health department minimum of two bedrooms. Yes, most 1000 gallon tanks cost about $750. The other options for less size will cost almost this much, so you are only saving a couple hundred bucks if you could use a smaller tank. Small price to pay for a system, that properly installed, will last for 30-50 years with no problems. Make sure, if your state does not require it, to put in a filter in the septic tank. filters are about $ 50 and are insurance that the field lines will last your lifetime. Why pay for the maceration pump when its not needed in a normal house, uses electricity and will one day have to be replaced ( all electric motors will need to be maintained at some point in the future)?
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Martian
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 11:17am
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Quoting: Bzzzzzt My question here is this: If what you put into the tank is almost already liquified would that allow for a smaller septic tank or does it still need to be just as large regardless of what you put in it?
I have read that the smaller particles settle to the bottom of the tank where they do not break down as well; thus, defeating the purpose of the tank.
Tom
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 11:27am - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Quoting: Martian I have read that the smaller particles settle to the bottom of the tank where they do not break down as well; thus, defeating the purpose of the tank.
Yes, there is particles that do not break down and normal. The baffles are between the crust on top and sludge on the bottom. These are items that dont break down and either float (crust) or sink (sludge). That is the reason all septics need to be pumped sooner or later. If the sludge becomes too thick or the crust, soon, you will have particles exiting into the drain field and that is where things get serious and expensive. (add a filter, but requires service, but good investment)
The soil around the drain field is actually the last step in the system, the soil microbes around the drain field breaks down the last of it.
Around my house, the rule is, only 3 things goes down toilet, #1, #2 or TP.
My kitchen sinks have stainless screen strainers, so no food particles goes down the sink also. Never pour grease into a sink, EVER!
Never use granular washing machine soap, use liquid and NEVER use fabric softener in the wash, only a dryer sheet.
I pump my home septic every 10 years (we have an empty nest, if all kids were home, 5 years.
These rules makes for a happy septic. My tank is 1200 gallons.
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Bzzzzzt
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 06:07pm
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1000 gallons is great for a house where you have a washer, shower, dishwasher, multiple toilets etc. For my cabin I only plan for the toilet to go in there. Planning for a gray water system for the rest of the waste water. Don't think I need a 1000 gallon for one toilet to exit into.
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toyota_mdt_tech
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 06:56pm - Edited by: toyota_mdt_tech
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Cool, looks like you have it all figured out. 
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 29 Mar 2015 08:05pm
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Quoting: Bzzzzzt 1000 gallons is great for a house where you have a washer, shower, dishwasher, multiple toilets etc. For my cabin I only plan for the toilet to go in there. Planning for a gray water system for the rest of the waste water. Don't think I need a 1000 gallon for one toilet to exit into.
put in a couple 55 gallon drums as your holding tank & add a few sections of infiltrator...and you will be all set.
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 03:54am
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Better yet,just let it run out on the ground
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 06:22am
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Quoting: Littlecooner Better yet,just let it run out on the ground
at my northern camp...... my neighbors camp they buried a old car back in the day...took a sledge hammer and knocked a hole in big enough in back glass to put a 4 inch pipe in it. Been working for years as a holding tank and drain field all in one..LOL..yankee engineer's don't know if that's up to code or not..but seems to work fine...
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bldginsp
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 03:40pm
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Just to repeat what Toyota said- the tank is for settling solids, it doesn't do much processing of the waste, a bit, not much. So it has to be pumped before it fills to the point that the solids overflow down the overflow toward the leach field. For this reason I got a 1500 gal tank to give longer times between pumping, which is not cheap. The 1500 gal concrete tank was only a couple hundred more than a 1000 gal, and of course needed a bigger hole. Save me a lot more than that in the long run, maybe. They may soon require that all tanks be pumped every 2 years in which case buying extra tank does not help me. Also, since my place is strictly vacation use, it would take 10 years to fill a 1000 gal. But it's looking like that rule won't come into law.
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Bzzzzzt
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 03:41pm
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Thanks for the input. Just trying to get some ideas for what I want to do. My neighbor has a 300 gallon tank and didn't get a permit for it. He has a larger place than ours. I appreciate all the ideas. Just spitballing at this point.
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turkeyhunter
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 06:44pm - Edited by: turkeyhunter
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Quoting: Bzzzzzt 300 gallon tank
I have a friend who is deceased now...built a cabin on top of a mountain ...he took 36" diameter(driveway culvert) corrugated metal pipe dug a deep hole about 8 foot deep...stood the pipe up straight filled the bottom up with about foot of large stone/gravel. He had took a blow torch and blew holes in it about a inch or 2 in several places up the first 3 foot from the bottom ~~before he set the pipe in ground. He built a pressure treated top with a door with a lock for pumping it out. He never had to. This cabin has been there for 20 years...and still works. ( also when he backfilled the pipe he put his extra stone & gravel around the bottom outside of the pipe for the first 2 or 3 foot ~~~6 inch to 1 foot around the pipe...I am sure that helped it function properly )
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Bzzzzzt
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 07:16pm
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That sounds like a cool idea Turkeyhunter.
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Littlecooner
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# Posted: 30 Mar 2015 08:24pm
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The bottom line is - Just how much usage will this system receive? If it's only for occasional usage by one or two people and nothing but one commode, then you may get by for a long time without problems. You never explained if you were "beneath the radar" or looking for a permit. THAT IS A HUGE DIFFERENCE. Those $ 50 filters will protect the absorption field forever, just like a oil filter in a car. Small tank means that some day, the sludge will take over and you will have to have it pumped. Some states require pumping on a certain interval. Love these questions, no one really provides the facts, just a few teasers and then is upset with the answers. What not put in a 5 gallon bucket and forget this forum? sounds like a great Idea to me.
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