Ask Duck South Septic question

[Warren]

Aerobic treatment unit with a sprinkler system. I for one had never heard of this type of a septic system. Anyone have any experience with them? Basically good or bad what say you?

[waterlogged]

Ive got one and it works ok. just have to make sure to keep chlorine in system or you wont go outside when it sprays without gagging from the smell. spray heads will stop up over time and need to be replaced. the aerator will go out after about 7 to 9 years. aerator is about 450 bucks plus system has to be pumped out for warranty.
would rather have a regular septic system but thats all they would allow us to have. if you take care of it and dont flush stuff you shouldnt or use accesive amounts of bleach you shouldnt have many problems though.

[Smoke68]

My advice: go with a septic tank and field line properly designed. If you don't have good soil for that, go with a septic tank using a mound system for treatment. I wouldn't put sprayers on my property if I could avoid it.

If health dept. won't go for it, find an engineer to design it and stamp it. If you've got clay, don't do the standard field trenches. That'll be a disaster.

[Warren]

I am buying a house and the home owner had one of these put in not to long ago. I just had never heard of one, and it seemed strange to me. How much time are we looking at between getting system pumped out?

[mfalkner]

As an engineer, the aerobic units are OK - I have one. But, in general I prefer a well designed and PROPERLY INSTALLED septic tank/drainfield system. However, there are some heavy clays and high water table areas where this is simply not practical. I would get advice from a competent local engineer. My friends at the health department have to apply general rules with a broad brush - that's their job. If you need more detail, hire someone with expertise.

Installation is more critical than design; check around for an installer with a long track record and who stands behind his work. This is not something you want to skimp on...

[novacaine]

As an engineer, the aerobic units are OK - I have one. But, in general I prefer a well designed and PROPERLY INSTALLED septic tank/drainfield system. However, there are some heavy clays and high water table areas where this is simply not practical. I would get advice from a competent local engineer. My friends at the health department have to apply general rules with a broad brush - that's their job. If you need more detail, hire someone with expertise.

Installation is more critical than design; check around for an installer with a long track record and who stands behind his work. This is not something you want to skimp on...

+1000
http://msdh.ms.gov/msdhsite/_static/res ... df#page=93

Subtitle 9 "Overland Discharge" if your site will handle it.

I would not put a spray field in my backyard!! Setback, timing of spray, in some cases it must be fenced, etc,etc............plus its nasty as hell!

[waterlogged]

if you keep it up like you should its not that bad. ive had mine 10 years and had it pumped out last year for the first time. if you keep your chlorine right and bacteria growing right the water it pumps out is supposed to be clean. now i still dont believe its pure water like they say it should be but its really not that bad. my worst problem is my neighbors that dont take care of theirs and i have to smell it when it sprays.

[Warren]

Thanks for the info guys. For those of you that have the system, how often does it actually spray. We talking everyday, once a week, or just dependent on system?

[waterlogged]

depends on how much water you go through in the house each day. mine spray probly anywhere from 2 to 4 times per day

[arkmallard]

I just moved into a new house a month ago and we have one of these systems. Seems to work just fine, I don't see it spray everyday but when we run the washer a lot, dishwasher and several showers I have seen it run twice a day so I guess it depends on use.

My question is I saw someone posted about bleach? I was told to use RIDX once a month or every other month. But nothing about bleach. What does the bleach do? Does it help control the smell? I have noticed the smell around where the tank is. Anything I can do to control that would be great.

[mfalkner]

Not bleach, you use chlorine tablets like you'd use in a pool. The chlorine kills any pathogens left in the water but won't really clean it up if the unit is not functioning properly. The aerobic units don't need Ridx, that is for septic tanks which are anaerobic (no oxygen) systems. Different kind of bugs breaking down the organics.

[Warren]

I was told too much bleach in the system is going to kill the bacteria that you want to be there. I was also told there is a difference in the chlorine tablets for the septic and what you use in the pool. I don't really know just what I was told.

[waterlogged]

bleach kills the bacteria in the tank and the bacteria is what breaks down the solids. no ridx needs to be used. aerator promotes bacteria growth. chlorine is chlorine. the pool tabs are bigger and thats what i use and they last longer. there is no difference between them and the smaller ones they sell for septic systems besides size. the tank itself is actually divided into three sections. first is sludge tank, second is aeration tank and third is chlorine/pump tank. what i was saying about bleach is not to use alot in the house because it kills the bacteria and with no bacteria you have nothing to break down solids. when it goes from second tank to third tank it runs over chlorine and treats water before it sprays.

[waterlogged]

also about once every year or two you need to open concrete cap and clean filter on the pump that sprays the sprinkler heads. should be a quick connect in pipe to unscrew then lift out pump and pull side filters off pump and hose everything off. just be sure to turn breaker to pump off first or you will burn the pump up when you remove from tank to clean.