Eric Tonks wrote:

If you don't have sludge in the bottom of your tank you must be
flushing it
out into your leaching field. That is what Rid-X is well known for,
stirring
up the sludge into the liquid so that it can flow into the leaching
field
and clog it up.

No! Sludge is heavier than water and settles at the bottom of the tank.
It cannot get into the leach field until it builds up to the level of
the tank output line. Rid-x is concentrated bacteria. It has NO
properties for stirring up sludge.

You should have sludge in the bottom of a tank that has not been
pumped out.
That is all the non-organic materials that go down the drain. One
major
non-organic item is minerals and grit which is from all the dirt that
is
flushed down the drain every time you wash yourself. This is the
stuff that
should be pumped out on a regular basis not stirred up and drained
into your
leach piping.

Agreed that sand and grit cannot be broken down by bacteria and remains
at the bottom of the tank as a prime ingredient of sludge. However,
using a 1000 gal. septic tank would require a LOT of dirt. Personally,
I'm not that dirty.

Contrary to the opinions of many others, who's opinions I do NOT agree
with, here's why Rid-X, or any other similar product, is ocassionally a
good idea to use:
(1)It takes bacteria to break down organic material into soft liquids
that flush out into the leach field. The "primary" source of bacteria
is feces.
(2)Chlorine kills bacteria. Chlorine enters the septic system from
household clensers and clothes wash products.
(3) The more people in a family, the more feces, but also the more
table scraps, grease, and clothes wash (chlorine).
(4) Over a period of time, the bacteria level drops until it cannot
keep up with the organic input. And your sludge level starts rising
dramatically.

Do you NEED to add Rid-x or other type products? NO.
Will you have to have your tank pumped more often if you don't? YES

So do you pay the septic tank service company more oftem for a
cleanout, or pay a merchant for a septic tank additive? Your call. But
as I stated in an earlier post, I had my tank cleaned after 10 years
use just because I didn't know how it was building up. I watched the
whole process. It only had about 1-2 inches of sludge. The service man
stated it was the "cleanest" tank he'd seen in a long, long time and
for me to continue doing what I have been doing. And that is adding an
additive occasionally.

Others have their opinions, but I have seen the facts.

Bob S.