Interesting Septic Info

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Around here the only thing going into any septic system are toilet flushes ONLY.

Bathroom sink, shower, laundry, kitchen sink are routed into a dry well distribution box and leached away from septic tank.

The wife adds riddex once a month to freshen up the bacteria but I really dunno if it works.
 
Someone posted earlier on here, who works at a water treatment plant, never to add anything to a septic system. Myself, I would stick with that.
 
Hi Folks...would it be true to say that we...USA...are the most drugged up and operated on society on the face of the earth? The providers of drugs and Doc's are laughin' all the way to the bank... and we are the poor suckers sufferin' because of it...:) A few years ago I read a brief history of medicine in the state I lived in (NH)...it was most interestin'. Said Doc's were just a notch above being purveyers of voodoo and witchcraft until well into the 1900's. Said 95% of folks...back before 1900... got over whatever ailed them on their own without goin' to a Doc...can't say I blame um there...:) and the other 5% died...:) Have a good day...and don't forget...there's a pill for everything...:) Franklin
 
Oldmainer, I couldn't agree with you more. At 56 , I don't take a pill for anything. All natural remedies for me. Some folks will never see the writing on the wall. A pill just covers up what's wrong, never correcting what's really wrong. Like painting over rust. And like you said, they're raking in the money, big time. People buy massed produced, sprayed food and then go to the doctors to cover up what the food started in the first place. A perfect circle for the crooks. Support local organic farms when you can and avoid the pill all together. Sorry if this is getting off the subject.
 
15-20 years ago I did a job in wane co waste water treatment plant. And I doubt I have drank city water more than five times since then. I am 44 and don't take any pills either. I have to laugh at all the pill adds on tv the it seems all the side effects are worse than what they are trying to cure. I have found the best medicine is good hard work. The best I feel is after a few weeks cutting a splitting wood.

My septic is only hooked to the bathroom. Everything else goes into its own leach field.

Billy
 
I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conserative with the dish and clothing detergent. My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.
 
allhandsworking said:
I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conservative with the dish and clothing detergent. My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.
I was told never to add anything to a septic, by an engineer. We use Ours laundry soap. I would say it depends on your building codes as far as your gray water going into a dry well. Dish soap we use Sal Suds. Last's a long time. Depends on your use as far as the septic. 2 people we went 6 years and were only about half way to where it would be getting critical to have a pump out. I was also told to clean the distribution or "D" box out every second pumping.
 
xclimber said:
allhandsworking said:
I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conservative with the dish and clothing detergent. My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.
I was told never to add anything to a septic, by an engineer. We use Ours laundry soap. I would say it depends on your building codes as far as your gray water going into a dry well. Dish soap we use Sal Suds. Last's a long time. Depends on your use as far as the septic. 2 people we went 6 years and were only about half way to where it would be getting critical to have a pump out. I was also told to clean the distribution or "D" box out every second pumping.
Is the d box the first part of the sept tank were the fats float to the surface? And is sal suds sept safe? Most detergents say " septic safe" but Are they really?
 
allhandsworking said:
xclimber said:
allhandsworking said:
I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conservative with the dish and clothing detergent. My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.
I was told never to add anything to a septic, by an engineer. We use Ours laundry soap. I would say it depends on your building codes as far as your gray water going into a dry well. Dish soap we use Sal Suds. Last's a long time. Depends on your use as far as the septic. 2 people we went 6 years and were only about half way to where it would be getting critical to have a pump out. I was also told to clean the distribution or "D" box out every second pumping.
Is the d box the first part of the sept tank were the fats float to the surface? And is sal suds sept safe? Most detergents say " septic safe" but Are they really?
D box is the box after your septic tank. It's where all your leach field lines come out of. No Sal Suds does not say septic safe. It's says biodegradable, came from our local health food store. It's made by Dr. Bronner's.
 
allhandsworking said:
I'm a septic newbi. I just had a new very expensive engineered septic system. Complete with tank baffle and leaching rings. Some questions
How often do you pump the septic tank?
My wash and dish washer drain into that system
I can divert cloth washer to a dry well is it necessary?
Should I use a septic additive
Is there a safe dish or cloth detergent?
We have 4 in the family and I'm conserative with the dish and clothing detergent. My soil is like beach sand north shore of long island.

All of my piping goes into a septic tank and leech field. I was told to pump it once every 3-5 years. We have 4 in my family and just had it pumped for the first time (3 years in the house). Guy said it looked great and we probably would have been good to go 5 years. We do not add anything to aid the septic. We use regular detergents and cleaners for the most part when doing laundry and cleaning. We have a dishwasher - but no disposal. I tell the wife - no bleach in cleaning the toilets, but I think she uses it on the whites..... so Go figure?
 
I have lived with septic tanks all my life. We have never done anything specific to Maintain them. Just the occasional pump out. Keep as little grease as possible in the system. The more complex proteins are harder for the bacteria in the tank to break down.
 
I was at the Depot picking up a part for my toilet when I saw all the items you can add to your septic to improve the bacteria. Never really thought about the septic and what we should and shouldn't be putting in there. Does anyone else use these septic helpers?
 
I could not find any where on line that said additives where needed unless they were selling them, enough bacteria in your crap I guess.
 
Yeppers, you've got plenty of bugs in your "deposits" to keep the tank in excellent health. Provided, of course, that you don't poison it with huge amoutns of bleach or other chems that might kill the tank. In that case, the additives won't help you anyway.

No additives required. Not even recommended. No benefit except lightening your wallet.
 
Highbeam said:
No additives required. Not even recommended. No benefit except lightening your wallet.

Thanks! I will continue to contribute to the septic's bacteria the old fashioned way!
 
Have ours pumped every 3 years. I have a 300 gallon tank at my cabin that only gets toilet and bathroom sink run to it and plan to pump it after 3 just to see how often it needs it with the small use and low amount of water it gets. I do add bacteria based on the re from the guy who installed my new system at the house.
 
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