Spud,
I'm even more intrigued. Are you in the septic pumping business? When
you mentioned pumping and too late, I got confused. Mom's system was
installed in 1968 and is in my best guess a 5000 gallon stainless steel
tank. It has never been pumped.
The last time I serviced it, I put an aerorator (which essentially looks
like a fishing trolling motor on a stick that churns the sludge to aid it in
mixing the bacteria to break down faster) back into operation and added a
white powder (would appreciate someone suggesting branded names) purchased
at the local hardware store that was also supposed to aid the process of
accelerating bacteria breaking down solid waste.
My perception is that there really are only minute amounts (maybe one part
per million) of solids going into the system. What we commonly call solid
waste is really human manure, a soft-solid which actually breaks down 100%
into pure liquid water after being eaten literally by the bacteria in the
septic tank. The only solids are minute amounts of iron in the water or
similar solids. The toilet paper always seems to totally
disappear/disintegrate. My guess is it would take several hundred or
perhaps a thousand years for these metals to accumulate. In reality most of
them probably stay in solution and filter back into the back yard in what
looks like clear water.
Also, I'm told pumping actually removes the bacteria needed to break down
the waste. I can understand why one would pump if the tank is too small for
the family size or is out of bacteria balance and isn't breaking down the
waste.
My questions are this:
1) How often should a tank be pumped? I imagine it varies based on size.
How do I tell that it needs to be pumped?
2) What are the names of additives to help make the septic system run right
and how often do folks add them?
3) The trolling motor aerorator always seems to pop its local circuit
breaker in between my visits home. Is it really necessary. What percentage
of septic tanks have this feature?

"Spud" wrote in message
...
The agar culture used to grow bacteria in the laboratory is saline

The University of Wisconsin and the National Sanitation Foundation reports
The addition of sodium to a septic system by use of soft water actually
has
beneficial effects on the digestion of wastes by bacteria. The volume of
wastes from water softeners (about 50 gallons per regeneration) are added
to
the septic tank slowly and are not of sufficient volume to cause any
deleterious hydraulic load problems. In fact, they are lower in volume and
rate of addition than wastes from automatic washers. And the calcium and
magnesium in softener regeneration wastes contribute to good air and water
movement (improved soil percolation) through the septic system drainage
field.
when the sodium content from the softener regeneration cycle is discharged
into the soil via a septic system along with other salts such as calcium,
magnesium, and iron the result is an improvement in the soil's percolation
rather than a detriment.
The homeowner uses less soap -- studies have indicated as much as 50% to
75%
less
BUT (currently her system runs so well that she never has to have it
pumped).
When she does need it pumped it will be to late
pumped now or Pumped and new system installed later
at least you ccan say it wasn't the water sofener
also not pumping the system at proper intervals allows detergent solids,
as
well as other solids, to be carried over into the drainage area causing
clogging.


1_Patriotic_Guy wrote:
Now you've got me intrigued. I always was told not to use a water
softener in the country
(because it messes with the bacteria balance in the septic system).
I've met folks who had city water and a septic system; but never knew
anyone on a private well with city sewer hook-ups. Are you?
My mother-in-law has city water and a septic tank. She would
love to use a water softener (mainly for her clothes and dishwasher).
But I have always echoed what I heard from septic tank professionals
and owners -- that it killed the bacteria in the septic tank causing
the recycling process to break down, which results either in raw
sewage being flushed from the tank because of excessive water flow or
in sewage build-up and blockage, requiring a frequent pumping of the
tank (currently her system runs so well that she never has to have it
pumped).