# Question for those with Septic Tanks...



## Hopz (Sep 11, 2006)

Hello all. I am living in a house that has a septic tank. So far- no problems. I have been advised not to put too much into my garbage disposall. Also not to put too much grease down there.

On the web it says the biggest problem with a septic system is too much laundry, actually the man-made fibers clog things up. But
Today I was about to dump a large jar of pickle juice down there- after eating all those great home-made pickles...

Question, is that too much acid for the septic tank? What other places can I dospose of it? Garden? lawn? Construction site porta potties?

OBTW as an active homebrewer, I put a good dose of active yeast down there every three weeks or so- so there is plenty of nutirent down there.
Any thoughts, facts, conjectures? or other info on living/cooking with a septic system?


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## pdswife (Sep 11, 2006)

I always throw my pickle juice down the drain with no problems...and do a ton of laundry too... 

We've only lived here for three years but have never had any kind of problems.


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## Shunka (Sep 11, 2006)

You shouldn't use a garbage disposal (use that in a compost pile or feed to any critters you might have) with a septic tank; they should have warned you. Grease is a bad thing too; I always pour that into an old jar or can, seal and put in the trash if I don't add it to all my dogs food. Use RidX once a month like they say and you shouldn't have a problem. It is a good idea to make sure the t-paper y'all use is safe for septic systems too. We have had a septic system here for 11 years and no problems; just don't use the garbage disposal or pour grease down the drains.


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## pdswife (Sep 11, 2006)

Really....?   Wow.... I wonder why no one ever mentioned that to me before.

 I knew about the grease... but not using the disposal at all??


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## Shunka (Sep 11, 2006)

Yeah, depending what you put down your disposal, it can build up with gases and cause many problems. My way of thinking is "better safe than sorry."


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## pdswife (Sep 11, 2006)

well.... that may be a very hard habit to break.   It's so easy just to shove things down there.

I am pretty picky about what goes down though... no potato peels, no egg shells...  

I love grinding up orange, lemon and lime peels though, they smell so good.


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## Hopz (Sep 11, 2006)

Good stuff... rid-X is basically yeast If I have my facts straight, so I am in great shape in that department.

I loved to compost when I lived in a more temperate climate... here in the mountains, if I put vegetable trimmings out they will freeze until next spring....


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## Shunka (Sep 11, 2006)

My 2 burros, all the cottontails and jack rabbits fight for any type of veggie/fruit peels!! The birds don't get much of a chance with that bunch, lol.


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## Harborwitch (Sep 11, 2006)

My ex (the plumber) let me use the disposal with a septic tank - no grease down the drain though.  He was adamant about the dishwasher and bleach in the laundry - chlorine will kill the good little buggies in the septic tank.  

We have one here on the Island - but for the most part we had the grey water going into a sump and being pumped "overboard" and only the black water went into the septic - then the new maintainence guy started cleaning the toilets in the restrooms with chlorine.  Had to put a stop to that - especially since they re-plumbed the grey water back to the septic.


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## amber (Sep 11, 2006)

I had a septic tank a long time ago, maybe 15 years ago, and one thing I can say is to make sure you have it cleaned out after about 8-10 years because if you dont it can back up in your leech field.  So it's important to make sure you only put things into your septic tank that will degrade as harborwitch mentioned.  You can buy laundry and dishwashing soaps that are safe for septic tanks, as well as paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels, that degrade safely without bleach in the product).


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## Hopz (Sep 11, 2006)

Pickle Juice???


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## Shunka (Sep 11, 2006)

I think that may go alright, lol!!! Just don't do it right after you have put RidX or yeast for the septic system!!!


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## silvercliff_46 (Sep 11, 2006)

amber said:
			
		

> I had a septic tank a long time ago, maybe 15 years ago, and one thing I can say is to make sure you have it cleaned out after about 8-10 years because if you dont it can back up in your leech field. So it's important to make sure you only put things into your septic tank that will degrade as harborwitch mentioned. You can buy laundry and dishwashing soaps that are safe for septic tanks, as well as paper goods (toilet paper, paper towels, that degrade safely without bleach in the product).


 
8-10 years!!! UFFDA!! Our county (maybe state) laws say every three years. I let it go to 4 _(don't tell) _and there was an awful lot of AHHH! "_STUFF" _ in there. I got a 1500 gal tank. There is only me and "Old What's Her Name" most of the time.

Rid-x yeah, the frequency depends on your climate. We are pretty cold in the winter in northern Wisconsin so not much enzime growth at that time of year. In spring after snow melt, clean water seeps into the system and flushes out the enzimes so you need to add Rid-x, lots of rain or flooding, Rid-x, Large family, lots of wash, Rid-x every month. 

I have no idea what the active ingredient in that stuff is. I do know grease is a no no, and excesive bleach kills enzimes _(although 1 cup in a load of whites once a week in a 1500 gal. tank doesn't seem like a lot?)._

By the way "Flushable Wipes" maybe flushable, but they come out of the septic the way they went in.


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## bethzaring (Sep 12, 2006)

You do need to be careful about the products you flush down the toilet, many good comments already posted about that.  I do not use bleach.  Since I bake my own bread, I've heard the yeast from the bread dough bits that go down the kitchen drain is a good source of active bacteria.  I also do not have a garbage disposal, I compost or put food scraps out on the ground for the cat and possoms.

There are two main types of septic systems, depending on the lay of your land.  You can have a leach field or an areator.  Since the ground behind our house drops off a good bit, we have no space for a leach field and have an areator.  I believe it is very wise to have the septic tank pumped out at least every three years, and people are generally not reported to the authorities if they go four years between pumpings.


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## lulu (Sep 12, 2006)

May be British tanks are smaller...we have ours emptied annually.

I would be wary of a large amount of vinegar, I clean with vinegar because it kills so many germs....one assume that counts good ones too.  But, ineveitbaly some must end up in the tank, so I would assume if in the greater schemee of things it is not much you would be ok.


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## sparrowgrass (Sep 12, 2006)

I work for University of Missouri Extension, and septic tank questions are frequent.  

This site will tell you everything you need to know--backed up by university research--
http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/envqual/eq0401.htm

No need for RidX or other additives--at best you are wasting money, at worst they can actually cause damage.  When you . . um. . make a deposit in the bathroom, you are adding all the bacteria you need.

Bleach and other cleaners are ok if used according to label directions.  Don't pour a gallon of bleach down the drains every day, but using it for cleaning is ok.

The best thing you can do for your septic tank is limit the amount of water that goes into it.  It is against code in some places, but dumping grey water (from shower, washing machine, dishwater) someplace besides the septic tank is a good idea.


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## lulu (Sep 12, 2006)

With the drought issues in UK this year we have been advised to start conserving grey water for watering our gardens and lawns.


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## cjs (Sep 12, 2006)

"start conserving grey water for watering our gardens and lawns."

Oh my, how I remember one California drought, I was watering the lawn/gardens with bucket after bucket of grey water - finally husband jerry-rigged a hose for me to use. what a pain!!


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## Constance (Sep 12, 2006)

I had a septic tank when my kids were little...had a garbage disposal, too. No one ever told me about what to do and not to do. The septic was in the lowest part of the yard, right under the bathroom window, and everytime we were going to have company, I'd pray that it wouldn't rain, because when it rained, all kinds of nasty things happened.
The house smelled like a sewer when it rained a lot, and sometimes the gook backed up into the bathtub or erupted out of the washing machine drain. 
By the way, it really is true that the grass grows greener over the septic tank.


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## silvercliff_46 (Sep 12, 2006)

sparrowgrass said:
			
		

> I work for University of Missouri Extension, and septic tank questions are frequent.
> 
> This site will tell you everything you need to know--backed up by university research--
> http://muextension.missouri.edu/xplor/envqual/eq0401.htm
> ...


 
What a great site Sparrow!  We have had a septic most of our lives and there was a lot I didn't know about it.

I will probably still use the Rid-x after snow melt.  When you lose 6 to 8 feet of snow in a few weeks, the fresh water can be pulled in from the leech bed.  I sure did learn a lot from the sight....,Thanks!


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## sparrowgrass (Sep 12, 2006)

That is what we are here for, Silvercliff.   

Sometimes we call ourselves the best kept secret in the courthouse, because lots of people don't know that you can call the Extension office for info on just about anything--septic tanks, canning, animal care, child development, community development, small business startup and lots more.

Find your extension office in your county, and use it!!


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## rickell (Sep 12, 2006)

*good old septic tanks*

we have had two one in our first house.  the house was 100 years old
and i think the owners before sorta rigged it to work.  we did end up 
just putting a new one in, worked fine.   at first we did put rid-x down
every month, don't remember who told me but a cup or so of dog food
works fine too, just flush it or even a packet of yeast.  

we built a new home almost 5 years ago and we are have a septic again
have not had one problem.   i do use the disposal not for everything pretty
much the same if i was on the sewers.  grease is bad for any pipes little
will go down ours.   never heard of the pickle juice????   we also do not
use much bleach if we do i definately flush some yeast.

really the only problem we have had was with the very only system.

good luck


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## silvercliff_46 (Sep 12, 2006)

sparrowgrass said:
			
		

> That is what we are here for, Silvercliff.
> 
> Sometimes we call ourselves the best kept secret in the courthouse, because lots of people don't know that you can call the Extension office for info on just about anything--septic tanks, canning, animal care, child development, community development, small business startup and lots more.
> 
> Find your extension office in your county, and use it!!


 
I guess this is a bit off topic, but I couldn't agree more Sparrow.  I use the county extension so much I have it on speed dial.  Everything from making liver and blood sausage, to the btu value of different firewood, to canning.  They always seem to have the answer and most stuff is no cost or low cost.


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## Hopz (Sep 12, 2006)

I hate to be redunant all over again, but what about Pickle Juice?

_This message brought to you the Department of Redundancy Department_


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## sparrowgrass (Sep 13, 2006)

Hopz, what about pickle juice?  

favorite quote:  "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.  Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read."  Groucho Marx


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## Hopz (Sep 15, 2006)

Pickle juice in the septic was my original question...
I have a large jar of old pickle juice- can I safely put it down into the septic tank?


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## Andy M. (Sep 15, 2006)

The pickle juice will be OK in the septic tank.


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## sparrowgrass (Sep 15, 2006)

Sorry, hopz, didn't see your question.  Unless it is a 55 gallon drum of pickle juice, you will be ok. 

Once your tank is up and running, it is very hard to disrupt those little bacteria with bleach, vinegar, or other cleaning items, as long as you use them according to label directions.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 15, 2006)

We get our septic pumped out once a year.No promlems so far in 10 years. I never, ever pour grease down the sink I let it set up and then throw it away.


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## bullseye (Sep 15, 2006)

pdswife said:
			
		

> Really....?   Wow.... I wonder why no one ever mentioned that to me before.
> 
> I knew about the grease... but not using the disposal at all??


 As a thirty year septic tank user, I can tell you that common sense will tell you what will and what will not break down organically.  I use my garbage disposal regularly, but never put, for example: bones, outer onion skins, fat, garlic skins, and non-organic substances.  Most cooking refuse will brek down in the septic.  Just think about what would rot in the refrigerator (given enough time) and what wouldn't.  What rots is safe for the garbage disposal; what doesn't, isn't.


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## TexasTamale (Sep 15, 2006)

Just make sure you get someone who has experience. (couldn't resist)


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## bullseye (Sep 24, 2006)

sparrowgrass said:
			
		

> Hopz, what about pickle juice?
> 
> favorite quote:  "Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend.  Inside of a dog, it is too dark to read."  Groucho Marx



Ha!  I love that saying and have a T-shirt with it on the front.  Haven't seen it in a while, though; wonder where it is ...


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