Welcome! Please use the navigational links to explore our website.
PartsASAP LogoCompany Logo Auction Link (800) 853-2651

Shop Now

   Allis Chalmers Case Farmall IH Ford 8N,9N,2N Ford
   Ferguson John Deere Massey Ferguson Minn. Moline Oliver

Tractor Talk Discussion Forum

OT, septic tank

Welcome Guest, Log in or Register
Author 
Butcher

01-09-2006 12:44:13




Report to Moderator

Just had the septic tank pumped. I've heard 2 different ways of thinking on this. Fill the empty tank with clean water and put the chemicals in, or just put the chemicals in and let waste do its thing. Its an old metal tank that runs into the field tile and spending 6k to bring it up to snuff is not an option right now. Thanks. Sorry about the crappy post ha ha .




[Log in to Reply]   [No Email]
Billy NY

01-10-2006 06:36:58




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
Good advice, the lint in laundry waste water clogs the leach field prematurely, it is best to seperate waste water, when we built this place here, we installed a seperate tank/drywell to drain it off, it has a pipe that daylights on the side of a bank, keeps the area wet, might be a mosquito producer at worst, easily remedied with a stone pit or small drywell though.

We used to do the site work for the local convienence stores around here that also dispense fuel, the tanks were filled right after they were set, to keep them from floating when a high water table existed.

If you have access to a construction equipment rental house, you should look into the cost of a backhoe for a few days or a week, I can rent one for a week under $1000 per week delivered, with no insurance required around here. A competent operator could have that tank out and the hole prepared by noon, have a concrete tank delivered and set by a precast concrete supplier, then do the pipework, invert, outlet to the distribution box, (D-Box) set up to run your laterals, dig them so you can get the machine out and not run over the previously set ones, backfilling with a rubber tire machine you have to be careful. You'll need a 3-4 full size loads of clean #2 sieve size stone, few hundred feet of perforated pipe and a roll of red rosin paper to cover the stone on top of each lateral. Each lateral will take an equal portion of discharge from the tank, you can set the adjustment on the D-box for each, think we used to set the laterals at 1/8" per foot slope, been awhile I forget. I know with a helper, I could do the entire job in one day, ( we used to do 2 a day quite often, not bragging about it though, long days they were ) It may be wise to do a percolation test, have an approved design in hand, then order equipment and materials, but you may be able to save a significant amount by doing it yourself, than paying a contractors price. Unforseen things like ground water, rock, undesirable soil conditions cans low things down considerably, and make sure to call the " One Call" underground utility location service, have them mark off any utilities close by. Take a look on the internet, there are many typical designs to review, and if you or someone can operate a backhoe comfortably, their is good incentive to see what the job will cost on your own, it may prove out to be worth it. Contractors will usually be higher, overhead, profit and rightfully so, but when $$ are tight and you need something done, it's a good option in my opinion.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
JDknut

01-10-2006 03:49:02




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
Just a few thoughts. I'd get rid of the metal tank as soon as I could afford to, they are no good (too small and the lids corrode away). You need at least a 1000 gallon concrete tank. Also, you don't need to put chemicals or anything else in to get the septic action working. And you don't need to fill it with water after pumping it out, unless you have a really high ground water table and if that were the case, the system probably would not be working anyway. The best time to pump out the system is any time other than mid-winter as the heat generated by the septic action keeps the system from freezing, but if it is pumped out and it takes some time to get the septic action going and it gets real cold, you could get a freeze-up. I say this as an engineer who had had some experience designing septic cystems.

[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
buickanddeere

01-09-2006 18:54:31




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
If the water softener,laundry and dishwasher are routed to their own grey water weeping bed. The septic tank/bed will operate years longer before problems appear.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RayP(MI)

01-09-2006 18:40:30




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
No matter how well you had it pumped, there's plenty of bacteria to start the process up again. No need to add anything, chemicals, dead chickens, whatever! As far as the water, unless tank floating up out of the soil is a real problem, just go ahead and use it. You'd be suprised how fast your household will fill it up, usually in a day or two.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Robert in Md

01-09-2006 17:36:35




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
I have a plumber friend who says to just drop in a couple of dead rotting chickens, works just as good as the septic additives.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Larry NE IL

01-10-2006 09:46:13




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Robert in Md, 01-09-2006 17:36:35  
The only time a septic system needs anything to get it started is when it's not been in use for a long, long time. After pumping there is more than enough bactria to keep the process working.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
onefarmer

01-09-2006 16:50:04




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
Yep fill it with water so it won't float out. You put enough "additives" in every time you flush.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Bus Driver

01-09-2006 16:15:31




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
Never have I seen an official government source recommend any additive at all for septic tanks. Some specifically recommend NO additives. So I conclude that the only ones to benefit from additives are those who make and sell them.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Chris Pritchard

01-09-2006 15:07:27




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
After we would have our septic pumped, there was always a bit of water at the bottom because of the drain field that it was connected to. Dad would just buy a bag of fertilizer (Apparently some heavy-duty stuff) and dump it into the tank before closing it up.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
Case Lady

01-09-2006 13:19:25




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
fill the tank with water. In addition to what you normally put in one of those things, add a packet of yeast once a month or every 6 weeks to keep the bacteria happy and growing.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
old

01-09-2006 13:02:48




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
Well if it was truely pump out completely fill it with water. Seen more then one tank float and its not pretty, plus haveing to pay to have it put back in the ground isn't fun either.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
RustyFarmall

01-09-2006 13:19:28




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to old, 01-09-2006 13:02:48  
Yes, I have seen them float right up out of the ground also, even saw a brand new underground fuel storage tank come up.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
john in la

01-09-2006 21:32:37




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to RustyFarmall, 01-09-2006 13:19:28  
third party image

Yes the power of water is so great almost anything will float.
Here is a picture of a whole house; slab and all the was picked up and floated across the street into a neighbors yard.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
rhouston

01-09-2006 12:50:45




Report to Moderator
 Re: OT, septic tank in reply to Butcher, 01-09-2006 12:44:13  
fill the tank with water it keeps it from "floating". I've never seen it myself but I'm told they can float when they are not full of water, meaning the dirt can move them around possibly breaking the lines. As to the bacteria you add well the jury is still out on that. You add bacteria every time you send "evacuations" to it.



[Log in to Reply]  [No Email]
[Options]  [Printer Friendly]  [Posting Help]  [Return to Forum]   [Log in to Reply]

Hop to:


TRACTOR PARTS TRACTOR MANUALS
We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]

Home  |  Forums


Copyright © 1997-2023 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy

TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters

Website Accessibility Policy