The all things SEPTIC thread.

[CTC B4Z]

Yes: Poop.

Some people swear by stuff like Rid-X anyhow though. It's a waste of money IMO. Try to get a giant vat of poop to not be a bacteria mine.

Also... OP's signature line is about to not age too well.

Oh that's easy, it's called copper sulfate. It even killed my grass. LOL

 

[maxwelhse]

Oh that's easy, it's called copper sulfate. It even killed my grass. LOL

I'd bet money there's still plenty of living bacteria in there. Anyhow, the answer to the question is "poop and Rid-x".

 

[maxwelhse]

Ugghh.. I know....

I've already advised you to pay a poopsmith for this... Digging up that stuff with a shovel and then cutting tree roots out by hand, while bathing in your own poop water, isn't worth what it saves.

If nothing else, at least adhere to the 3 plumber's rules:

1 - Lunch is at noon
2 - Payday is Friday
3 - Don't bite your nails

 

[hoosierdaddy1976]

Never had copper sulfate kill grass above the tank. I'm guessing you are right and there's a line under those pavers that is full of roots.

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Rule #4...Shiffs runs downhill

 

[Tombs]

Is there not products available that will re-introduce the needed bacteria to the tank when you complete the repairs...???

I use this stuff and it does a great job.

https://www.amazon.com/Bio-clean-Dr...ocphy=9016112&hvtargid=pla-353444068692&psc=1

If you need to do more, do not do it yourself, leave it to the experts:
[video=youtube;n5k0c_aVQSE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5k0c_aVQSE[/video]

 

[CTC B4Z]

I use this stuff and it does a great job.

https://www.amazon.com/Bio-clean-Dr...ocphy=9016112&hvtargid=pla-353444068692&psc=1

If you need to do more, do not do it yourself, leave it to the experts:
[video=youtube;n5k0c_aVQSE]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5k0c_aVQSE[/video]

Just ordered! Thanks!

 

[SmileDocHill]

Ok, I thought the title said "all things skeptic". I came here to say 'man, you are really going to have to narrow the subject down to be effective on this site" :-)

 

[OurDee]

WARNING: The old guy talking gets to cussing.


[video=youtube;zzabmVIU6EQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzabmVIU6EQ[/video]

 

[ditcherman]

Just want to add that you shouldn't think anything about your tank being full; it might fill back up in just a few days after being pumped, with mostly water. Pumping has nothing to do with keeping the tank empty, it only has to do with removing the solids, which should be done every 5 years or so in a normal healthy system.

I don't believe an older style tank means you don't have a septic field. All tanks have outlets, even if it's one loooong finger directly to the ditch. A true septic field with a perimeter drain is the responsible thing to have.

Also, this has been argued here before (imagine that INGO!), but don't be surprised or alarmed if you find drain lines shallow. Drain lines do not freeze, and there is no need to have them below the frost line. Properly installed drain lines do not freeze. End of story. I'm not arguing about it. It's a fact. Also IBTL.

If you want to start doing something on your own, a tile probe will be a great help. It will help you trace the lines without digging, and if you do get a plumber involved it will lower the bill and let him know you know a little bit about what is going on and have sweat equity invested.

I would lean toward the idea of the problem areas being where the grass is dead, related to the roots and copper sulfate. Might just be a root crept in between the lid and the tank plugging the outlet.

 

[ditcherman]

WARNING: The old guy talking gets to cussing.


[video=youtube;zzabmVIU6EQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzabmVIU6EQ[/video]

Thats a great story, thanks!

 

[actaeon277]

Just want to add that you shouldn't think anything about your tank being full; it might fill back up in just a few days after being pumped, with mostly water. Pumping has nothing to do with keeping the tank empty, it only has to do with removing the solids, which should be done every 5 years or so in a normal healthy system.

I don't believe an older style tank means you don't have a septic field. All tanks have outlets, even if it's one loooong finger directly to the ditch. A true septic field with a perimeter drain is the responsible thing to have.

Also, this has been argued here before (imagine that INGO!), but don't be surprised or alarmed if you find drain lines shallow. Drain lines do not freeze, and there is no need to have them below the frost line. Properly installed drain lines do not freeze. End of story. I'm not arguing about it. It's a fact. Also IBTL.

If you want to start doing something on your own, a tile probe will be a great help. It will help you trace the lines without digging, and if you do get a plumber involved it will lower the bill and let him know you know a little bit about what is going on and have sweat equity invested.

I would lean toward the idea of the problem areas being where the grass is dead, related to the roots and copper sulfate. Might just be a root crept in between the lid and the tank plugging the outlet.

This
A tank is often full.
Of liquid.

It's the solids that are the problem.


If the tank starts overflowing, then you may have a problem in the field.

If the sewage isn't flowing right into the tank, you may have a blockage in the house, or the line to the tank.

 

[Cameramonkey]

WARNING: The old guy talking gets to cussing.


[video=youtube;zzabmVIU6EQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzabmVIU6EQ[/video]

You tell a great story OurDee.

 

[CTC B4Z]

Distribution box?

 

[Ruger_Ronin]

Distribution box?

Following

 

[ditcherman]

That’s what my old tank looked like, installed in the 50’s supposedly, when my wife’s grandmother first got indoor plumbing, as the story goes. It was maybe 100 gallons and worked for many years, hooked to a tile that went to the creek.

Something else to keep in mind is that the house might have a grease trap, most likely located just outside the house where the sink is or used to be.

I wouldn’t think a d box would be that big, but you never know I suppose.

 

[ditcherman]

Distribution box?

Is this the round brown spot from post #12? Or a different spot?
How old is the house?
ETA it looks like it’s the brown spot from under the pavers, which would indicate to me the problem is here or slightly downstream from here. Like at the tree roots or fenceposts possibly.

 

[CTC B4Z]

Yes that big thing is where the brown is under the pavers.

House is from the 40s

 

[flyingsquirrel]

Keep digging, I think you found some of the treasure from Oak Island.

 

[ditcherman]

It's possible that your house was built with a 1 tank 'system', and as time went on someone added the other tank you described, that square that you had pumped out. The logic was the 3 tanks would dissolve the solids more thoroughly before being sent down the pipe to the crick (not for pollution concerns, just pipe-plugging concerns).

Is there a lid or an access hole on that? I don't really see one. If that's the case and it's one big chunk of concrete then my guess would be it is some sort of formed d-box. Looks like a lot of work but you never know what someone in the past was thinking. I do really think that's some kind of tank though.

You can use a tile probe to poke around and see how deep it goes, as well as trace the lines coming in and out of there. Another clue to keep in mind is the elevation of the lines you do find, this can help you piece together what goes where, although there may not be hardly any elevation change at all as well.

ETA I would keep digging or probing towards the tree and see if you can find roots. You don't have to kill the tree, just chop the roots off/pull them out of the line for initial results.