Reluctant Plumbing -- A Fix?

I had followed a thread last week that sounds much like my situaiton. The toilet flushes, and everything goes down the first time. Second and subsequent flushes back-up in the bowl. The flushing is not really particulary energetic -- and the toilet has been installed for over 20 years and we have relatively hard water. I tend to think that the suggested Muriatic Acid fix is needed, but first a question!

I am on a septic system. Is the Muriatic Acid fix something I should avoid? If so, what's next? A new toilet?

Thanks, Mark

Since your are on a septic then that is the place to start. When was the last time you had it looked at or pumped out??

"Mark Sparge" wrote in news:1160590981.865620.120950 @k70g2000cwa.googlegroups.com:

Sounds like septic field problems.....here's some links for information:

If he's getting one good flush, and then not again for overnight, I'm thinking tree-roots or some other major clog after the vent, and before the settling tank. main drain, and causeing the first flush to back up water enough to block the vent, after which nothing works. If it was problems with the toilet itself, it wouldn;t work the first time. If it was a problem with the tank/leachfield, it ought to take more than one tank of water to back up far enough to block the toilet.

Whatever it is, acid is unlikely to fix it.

--goedjn