septic tanks

[Mike.357]

this may be one of the few topics I have never seen mentioned here.

Anyway. I was talking to my neighbor about a week ago. I was way up the driveway trimming trees and he came over to shoot the breeze.

Among topics we discussed I mentioned his buddy who drives a septic service truck. Turns out his buddy owns the septic service. Turned out as well that said buddy was coming by to visit that Sunday afternoon.

I asked my neighbor what he knew about septic tanks, and if his trailer was on one or if he had sewer service. He has septic like I do. Never having had a home that had a septic tank before I asked about how often they need to be emptied. He said that 5 to 7 years was normal.

We have lived here 6 years, and who knows when it had last been serviced. :poop:

I asked him if he had his buddys phone number and what he charges.

He said he would have the guy, ( Jimmy) come back and see me.

So Jimmy comes back that afternoon. I basically repeat my questions about septic. He confirms 5 to 7 years. And the price of 200 dollars. Well, 200 if I dig. More if he digs.

So I tell him I am clueless about where the tank is, much less where access to the tank is. he walks to my backyard, takes a look around, walks over to a spot and points down, says it is right here. Pokes a stick in the ground and says the lid ought to be right about here.

I tell him I will dig and call him when I find the lid.

I dig and sure enough, about 12 inches down is the lid. I uncover the lid in short order. The lid is about 18 inches square.

I call him and we set up a time for the next day. he comes by, opens it up, ( big yuck :poop:). Sure enough it is about 6 inches from backing into the housebound pipe. Caught this baby just in time, surely within a couple of months I would have had big time pooh issues.

Since I have never seen it done, I hung around while he pumped it out.

The tank is huge, turns out my tank is like industrial sized. Almost twice as deep as he expected. And the smell while god awful was not poopy smell. It was more like real sour milk. That smell is from the bacteria growing inside that helps eat the poop. Also learned that powdered soap is very very bad for septic. it turns to cement and can block off the in pipe to the tank. Our washer is not on the septic line so I am good to go there. Also learned to not use anti-bacterial soap. As that soap kills off the bacteria that eats off the dookey. He also has me fetch a few potatoes for him. He cut them up and tossed them in the tank. They will jump start the bacteria growth in the freshly cleaned tank. He also left a few inches of pooh inside. Totally emptying is would be bad he told me. Something to do with bacteria again.

So anyway I guess the moral of the story is have your tank pumped every 6 years, watch what soaps you use and if you take care of your septic system it will take care of you.

How much do you all pay for sewer service every month? I thought 200 bucks every 6 years sounds really cheap for pooh upkeep.

Doubtful I will ever willingly hook up to sewer.

[Guest SUNTZU]

$37.00

[titan14]

Approx. $30.00 here.

[Guest SUNTZU]

That's a hell of a deal, titan! Did you cut out a coupon?

[titan14]

I know the local poopy people......lmao!!!!!!

[Guest Old goat]

tank pumped cost me $250, 6 years ago,have to do it again nest week.

[Idaho]

Sounds like Jimmy is #1 in a #2 business.

[Guest gunslinger707]

If you get pooh backing up in the house your problem's are bigger than just a full pooh tank.That's a real good indicator of field bed problem's !!

[Guest 3pugguy]

this may be one of the few topics I have never seen mentioned here.

Anyway. I was talking to my neighbor about a week ago. I was way up the driveway trimming trees and he came over to shoot the breeze.

Among topics we discussed I mentioned his buddy who drives a septic service truck. Turns out his buddy owns the septic service. Turned out as well that said buddy was coming by to visit that Sunday afternoon.

I asked my neighbor what he knew about septic tanks, and if his trailer was on one or if he had sewer service. He has septic like I do. Never having had a home that had a septic tank before I asked about how often they need to be emptied. He said that 5 to 7 years was normal.

We have lived here 6 years, and who knows when it had last been serviced.

I asked him if he had his buddys phone number and what he charges.

He said he would have the guy, ( Jimmy) come back and see me.

So Jimmy comes back that afternoon. I basically repeat my questions about septic. He confirms 5 to 7 years. And the price of 200 dollars. Well, 200 if I dig. More if he digs.

So I tell him I am clueless about where the tank is, much less where access to the tank is. he walks to my backyard, takes a look around, walks over to a spot and points down, says it is right here. Pokes a stick in the ground and says the lid ought to be right about here.

I tell him I will dig and call him when I find the lid.

I dig and sure enough, about 12 inches down is the lid. I uncover the lid in short order. The lid is about 18 inches square.

I call him and we set up a time for the next day. he comes by, opens it up, ( big yuck ). Sure enough it is about 6 inches from backing into the housebound pipe. Caught this baby just in time, surely within a couple of months I would have had big time pooh issues.

Since I have never seen it done, I hung around while he pumped it out.

The tank is huge, turns out my tank is like industrial sized. Almost twice as deep as he expected. And the smell while god awful was not poopy smell. It was more like real sour milk. That smell is from the bacteria growing inside that helps eat the poop. Also learned that powdered soap is very very bad for septic. it turns to cement and can block off the in pipe to the tank. Our washer is not on the septic line so I am good to go there. Also learned to not use anti-bacterial soap. As that soap kills off the bacteria that eats off the dookey. He also has me fetch a few potatoes for him. He cut them up and tossed them in the tank. They will jump start the bacteria growth in the freshly cleaned tank. He also left a few inches of pooh inside. Totally emptying is would be bad he told me. Something to do with bacteria again.

So anyway I guess the moral of the story is have your tank pumped every 6 years, watch what soaps you use and if you take care of your septic system it will take care of you.

How much do you all pay for sewer service every month? I thought 200 bucks every 6 years sounds really cheap for pooh upkeep.

Doubtful I will ever willingly hook up to sewer.

Use Ridex, too - cheap monthly treatment (about 6 bucks or so a box). I grew up on a farm, with a septic, lived all over the place, come home to Tennesse thirty years later...again live out in the country with a house on a septic tank.

[Guest GhostHunter]

A wise old man once told me to warm up a half gallon of buttermilk in a pan and crumble a yeast cake into it. Let it set for a couple of hours to let the yeast activate, then pour it into the crapper and flush it down. Do this a couple of times each year and it will keep the bacterial action working in your septic tank.

[TripleDigitRide]

Using Rid-X septic system treatment is a good idea. You flush it down the toilet once a month. Easy and cheap.

[nightrunner]

if you use rid-x or similar you dont need to have your tank pumped

[enfield]

if you use rid-x or similar you dont need to have your tank pumped

You first!

[nightrunner]

i meant to start with, not if you wait till it needs pumped and then try to fix it with that.

now that he has it pumped, if he uses rid-x it wont need pumped again

[Guest tnmale46]

when working properly they dont need pumping

[enfield]

Let me guess - you find out it's not working properly when your drainfield gets clogged and you have to have it dug up and replaced. Or do you have a sight glass on your tank?

As I recall, Rid-X is about $10 a box and you're supposed to use a box a month. $10 x 12 x 6 = $720 over 6 years.

$200 for pumping every 5 or 6 years seems like a reasonable choice to me.

Edited June 17, 2009 by enfield

[Motasyco]

I can't believe I read this whole thread.

[56FordGuy]

I can't believe I read this whole thread.

I can honestly say, I've never read this much about poo in my life. But, I do have a septic tank, so it might come in handy, someday?

[ftncityfatboy]

I can't believe I read this whole thread.

i am very bored....

[Mike.357]

warm up a half gallon of buttermilk

This was one of Jimmy's suggestions to keep the bacteria going, that or cottage cheese. Every couple of months down the toilet. he also said the Ridex works fine just old buttermilk or cottage cheese is cheaper.

when working properly they dont need pumping

Jimmy said nothing about this. hmmmm maybe he wants his 200 beans every 6 years. Dunno

No where in our discussion did he mention that it would not need any more pumping out.

We have been using Ridex since we bought the place. but the thing was pretty full up.

It took two days for that sour smell to leave my nose.

Edited June 17, 2009 by Mike.357

[enfield]

Keep on reading. You may have a septic tank someday.

Poo is always a popular subject on the web.

[Currently]

Liquids go out to the leach field.

Solids stay in the tank.

Pumping gets rid of the solids.

[Garufa]

Still waiting on the punch-line here with all dookie talk.

This is better than the Science or Discovery channels! Never contemplated the "septic process" but I understand and am intrigued.

However, when I flush....it's gone forever.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Til it reaches the dolphins.

[enfield]

With a septic tank, it's not gone forever. It's gone until the solids fill the tank. Or worse.