Your septic system
uses both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria to treat your wastewater. In
the tank itself, millions of anaerobic bacteria work hard to break
things down. And in the leach field, anaerobic bacteria and aerobic
bacteria work together in a biofilm that grows both inside the pipes
and outside, in the gravel bed that the pipes rest in.
Here are the do's
and don'ts of keeping these microbes happy so you can continue to use
your faucets and drains.
Do Pump Regularly
Neglecting septic
tank pumping can lead eventually to a failed leach field. This can
happen when the tank isn't pumped often enough or when it's
overwhelmed by too much wastewater. As a result, the tank floods the
field, resulting in an oxygen-deprived environment and allowing the
biofilm to thicken as the anaerobic bacteria take over.
Eventually, the
pipes will become blocked up with solids escaping from the tank so
that liquids can't force their way through anymore. But either way,
this is a septic disaster that can easily be avoided with some basic
septic maintenance. Pumping your tank regularly and being aware of
your water usage can greatly reduce your chances of developing leach
field problems.
Don't Flush
Chemicals
Antibacterial soaps
and bleach can save lives, but they do it by killing microbes. So
flushing them into your septic tank, which relies on microbes for its
wastewater processing, isn't the best plan. Fortunately, the few
drops of bleach you use to clean your toilet bowl is unlikely to
cause a problem, but that should be the only time you put cleaners
down the drain.
Don't Add Weird
Stuff
Septic tanks came
into being around 1860, so it makes sense that they have some urban
myths floating around them. But no matter what you hear, you should
never add a dead chicken to your septic tank. Yes, a dead chicken has
plenty of bacteria in it but so does what you flush down your toilet
every day; the chicken is unnecessary.
Other items to avoid
include raw hamburger, dead sheep or cats, yeast, and chopped
cabbage. In fact, you probably don't need to add any supplemental
bacteria unless you've flushed a lot of bleach or taken a course of
antibiotics recently. Adding things the tank wasn't meant to handle
(such as dead animals) is more likely to do harm than good.
Do Choose Bacterial
Additives When Needed
But what about when
you do have to take antibiotics or other medications that might harm
the bacteria in your tank? In that case, look for a well-known
bacterial supplement additive. You still don't need to add enzymes or
other additives (like chemicals) as these may cause damage. Talk to
your septic professional to find out which additive would be the best
bet for your situation.
Don't Route Softener
Brine to Tank
Ion-exchanging water
softeners use a lot of rock salt, as you probably know if you own
one. As that salt gets used up, it ends up in the wastewater coming
out of your water softener. And since salt is a preservative and
antimicrobial, you don't want to dump that into your septic tank.
A plumbing or septic
professional can help you work out the best way to divert and dispose
of the brine from your softener.
These do's and
don'ts are just some basic principles to keep the microbes in your
septic system happily working away at your wastewater. When you care
for both the bacteria in the system and the mechanics of the system
(such as installing a septic filter, replacing baffles when needed,
and clearing any clogs) your system can continue to serve you for
decades to come.
If you need your
tank pumped out anytime soon or if you're just looking for expert
advice on a septic issue you've noticed recently, feel free to
give Pete's Outflow
Technicians
a call today.
