Septic tank chemical treatments; any good??

[Gel]

Has anyone knowledge of these treatments either those you add monthly, or the one off rejuvenator packs; these are supposed to help revive sluggish ones.

[Huge]

I've never bothered with them in my septic tank. I would suggest that sufficient falls out of one's bottom to provide any bacterial input required.

[Andy Dingley]

I've found them useful for reviving a tank that has been unused for some period, or has received either unusually little, or unusually large, amounts of water.

As a regular top-up, then if it's working at all, the last thing it should need is some more bacteria adding.

[Mike]

Totally agree. But last time I said that I got shot down. But mine has been going fine for over 3 years and still isn't in need of emptying.

[Blair Malcolm]

I built a new house 10 years ago and my septic tank has never been emptied. I use Septico septic tank conditioner twice a year

2 Commercial packs cost £15 including VAT and postage from DW Jones, 184 Henwood Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 8NZ My wife takes care not to put any strong fluids down the sink. Blair

[Gel]

Thanks all; we have poor soil conditions, which is why I was enquiring.

[Rick]

A septic tank is simply a collecting unit, and normall needs empting every 3-4 weeks.

If I had your address, and I knew what you just told me, I could have the EA round to your place, delivering you a big fine. I suggest you look after your tank .........

Rick

[bill]

That's a cesspit. A septic tank is a multi-chamber device that gives primary treatment. It collects the solids and delivers the effluent elsewhere - usually a soakaway.

Only the solids need collecting and the interval depends on the size of the tank and the amount of use it gets. I would think for only two people 3 years is not an unreasonable time.

Bill

[Roger]

The message from [e-mail] contains these words:

I don't know where people got this idea that septic tanks are little more than cesspits with a water management add-on. Poison them with modern chemicals of course and they won't work but a properly functioning septic tank will last almost indefinitely as anyone with a long lasting one will tell you.

[mich]

Happy to concur on this one. My septic tank hasnt been emptied ( or needed it) for fifteen years at least ( my occupancy). My mothers has been going for at least 30 years untouched.

[The Natural Philosopher]

No, thats is a cess pit I think :)

[Mike]

I think you misunderstand how a septic tank works. In a septic tank the contents decay, water runs out the top into soakaways and any hard non-decaying items sink to the bottom. These do need removing but every 3-5 yeays is quite common provided you don't put in silly items.

And in anycase the EA can't fine people unless they pollute a watercourse. And even when polluters are reported to them as I've done before, they're reluctant to do anything about it.

[Gel]

Has anyone knowledge of these treatments either those you add monthly,

I built a new house 10 years ago and my septic tank has never been emptied. I use Septico septic tank conditioner twice a year

2 Commercial packs cost =A315 including VAT and postage from DW Jones, 184 Henwood Road, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, West Midlands WV6 8NZ My wife takes care not to put any strong fluids down the sink. Blair

Have you a phone/fax or e mail; did send off few weeks back but have heard nowt??

[Gel]

arrived today; they had moved : now at:

Wild Briars Lyth Hill Lyth Bank Shrewsbury SY3 0BS

Domestic pack now =A36.50 inc P+P Commercial =A39.50

2 Comm Packs =A316

[jim harbourne]

replying to Rick, jim harbourne wrote: I have lived in my property for twenty three years and have never had to empty the tank. do not tell me the product doe,s not work

[The Natural Philosopher]

Ah, a tight arse.

[alan_m]

No, it's just leaking into the surrounding ground.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Well yes, that's equally possible I guess ;-)

[harry]

Treatment for septic tanks is snake oil.

If you mean you have heavy clay no amount of treatment will fix that. There are soakaways attached to septic tanks, their extent depends on the type of soil. (Called a "leach field")

Sandy soils need a small leach field, clay soils need a bigger one. This should have been determined when the septic tank was installed.

El cheapo/old fashioned septic tanks lets sediments pass into the leach field which eventually buggers them up. Sometime they can be cleared by power washing/jetting the drains but usually they have to be dug up and renewed.

Some septic tanks discharge into watercourses but it's not allowed now without further treatment (eg a reed bed)

Old fashioned brick built septic tanks might just have slots in the brickwork and be surrounded by rubble/hardcore.

[Brian Gaff]

Good grief, its obviously got a leak somewhere.

Was the first post in the thread 25 years ago? Brian