LF:Cesspit Treatment

[supercharged turbo]

Where can I get a treatment to throw in the cesspit to encourage bacteria growth?How often do you usually add these treatments etc.Alternatives and suggestions are welcomed.Thanks in advance

[cornfused]

There are at least two schools of thought on this matter of encouraging bacteria growth in a cesspit not to be confused with a septic tank. Our cesspits use two tanks, one for solids and the other as a leaching mechanism to percolate the sewerage water.

Note, be careful what you read on the internet. Only in the rural areas of the US is where a similar treatment to our system of sewerage treatment is used. In urban US areas, all wastewater is treated be for going into the environment or for collection. Bathwater, clothes washing water along with....

Natural bacteria can be found in cheese, yeast among other products.

I recently did a pump or clean out and used yeast as a start and monthly a bit of cheese about as much as you'd put in one sandwich, cut up to fingernail pieces and flushed.

Chemical additives, locally I believe can be found at big hardware is a product called Rid-X, that also promotes the growth of bacteria.

The guys from the Regional Corp also recommended cheese or anything that decays easily (shrimp head etc)

[nick639v2]

1/4 cup is yeast every month or 2 for a couple months. And flush some cheese down as well.

I kid u not waste disposal tell me do it. So we did.

[Nexus]

I've seen a few in bhagwansingh, powder and liquid types.
Don't use bleach or cleaners with that to clean your toilet, it kills all the useful bacteria as well.

[maj. tom]

1. where you get the idea that the bacteria already existing in a septic tank needs any help? In addition to the daily input of bacteria from your gut. Urban myth and legend passed on by each generation. There are no actual scientific studies that say that they need help from any additive, only hearsay recommendations that you will find all over the internet. I doubt that any of the people telling you to grate cheese and throw down your toilet knows what bacteria really is, or what types live in cheese vs. your gut, and if they are aerobic or anaerobic.

Biological additives combine enzymes and bacteria to supposedly enhance the existing biota in septic tanks to provide a start for new systems or to augment stressed systems. For new systems, many people believe you must add bacteria. While septic systems require bacteria to work, no special bacteria need to be added.

The simple act of using the system promotes the growth of bacteria needed to make the system work. The amount of
bacteria or enzyme in an additive dose remains small compared to the bacteria already in a tank and therefore provides little, if any, benefit in wastewater breakdown. In addition, if many of the bacteria in your tank died due to introduction of a harmful substance, introduced bacteria will likely die as well. One study of 48 septic tanks found no difference in sludge level between tanks that used bacterial additives and those that did not (McKenzie, 1999).
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/207 ... itives.pdf

Further reading: https://www.aero-stream.com/the-absolut ... dont-work/

2. yeast is a fungus not a bacteria.

3. Maintenance of the cesspit is the real key, i.e., inspection and pumping every 3 to 5 years.

[wheelbarrow]

1. where you get the idea that the bacteria already existing in a septic tank needs any help? In addition to the daily input of bacteria from your gut. Urban myth and legend passed on by each generation. There are no actual scientific studies that say that they need help from any additive, only hearsay recommendations that you will find all over the internet. I doubt that any of the people telling you to grate cheese and throw down your toilet knows what bacteria really is, or what types live in cheese vs. your gut, and if they are aerobic or anaerobic.

Biological additives combine enzymes and bacteria to supposedly enhance the existing biota in septic tanks to provide a start for new systems or to augment stressed systems. For new systems, many people believe you must add bacteria. While septic systems require bacteria to work, no special bacteria need to be added.

The simple act of using the system promotes the growth of bacteria needed to make the system work. The amount of
bacteria or enzyme in an additive dose remains small compared to the bacteria already in a tank and therefore provides little, if any, benefit in wastewater breakdown. In addition, if many of the bacteria in your tank died due to introduction of a harmful substance, introduced bacteria will likely die as well. One study of 48 septic tanks found no difference in sludge level between tanks that used bacterial additives and those that did not (McKenzie, 1999).
https://s3.wp.wsu.edu/uploads/sites/207 ... itives.pdf

Further reading: https://www.aero-stream.com/the-absolut ... dont-work/

2. yeast is a fungus not a bacteria.

3. Maintenance of the cesspit is the real key, i.e., inspection and pumping every 3 to 5 years.

X2

You don't need to add anything.

Also don't over do it with the detergents and chemicals, hopefully it's only ur toilets are goin into the septic tank, drainage/grey water should be sent elsewhere.

[pugboy]

Not necessary at all
What is most
Important in a cesspit system is the soakaway

[adnj]

Where can I get a treatment to throw in the cesspit to encourage bacteria growth?How often do you usually add these treatments etc.Alternatives and suggestions are welcomed.Thanks in advance

Flush a cup of yogurt periodically. It will definitely assist the septic waste disposal process but if you don't have an outlet pipe, you have a cesspit and you may not notice much of a difference.

Note, be careful what you read on the internet. Only in the rural areas of the US is where a similar treatment to our system of sewerage treatment is used. In urban US areas, all wastewater is treated be for going into the environment or for collection. Bathwater, clothes washing water along with...

This is not quite accurate. There are some urban and many suburban municipalities in the United States where septic systems are used. Most of these systems, and all where there are freezing temperatures, include gray and black water treatment.

WASA currently requires a sewage connection or a septic tank system with soakaway or leech field.

[ruffneck_12]

just buss a sheit and flush dawg
(and doh use plenty chemicals for cleaning)



Your digestive system have nuff bacteria. But if you must, flush down some yogurt, a couple different brands for a wider range of bacteria cultures

[Rovin]

d home remedy additives may slightly help but if ur sewer system giving trouble is usually because of poor design & bad construction in d 1st place

with commercial buildings that have heavy use u have ppl flushing down stuff like sanitary pads , plastics , underwear etc , things that are non biodegradable so u have to clean it more often than a home system

avoid too much chemicals flushing down d bowl , it kills some of d sewer bacteria

alot of ppl hardly get their tanks clean too , its 1 of those things ppl doh study unless a problem comes up ...

[Rovin]

heard of cheese & yeast home treatments , have not heard of d yogurt 1 so i just googled it

they say :

To give their products a longer shelf life, manufacturers often heat-treat yogurt after fermentation. This kills off the live cultures. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) requires that these products be labeled “heat-treated after culturing.” To determine whether the yogurt you buy contains living bacteria check the labels for the words “active yogurt cultures,” “living yogurt cultures,” or “contains active cultures.” Don’t be fooled by the words “made with active cultures.” All yogurts are made with live cultures, but no live cultures survive heat-treatment.


so um if heat already killed off d bacteria allyuh wasting d good yogurt , i suppose if yogurt remained too long or expired & u send it down d toilet u just using d toilet as a refuse disposal ...

[sMASH]

What is the problem that u are experiencing?

[eitech]

How is this cleaning done? I does only see truck pullin up in the place but not sure what goin on.

[sMASH]

How is this cleaning done? I does only see truck pullin up in the place but not sure what goin on.

Not really a clean. is just an emptying of the pit.

They come with a vacuum truck, vscumm out most of the stuff, and ask for a barrel of water to flush the hose of the residual crap inside the hose.


So, u get back more space to crap.

[eitech]

How is this cleaning done? I does only see truck pullin up in the place but not sure what goin on.

Not really a clean. is just an emptying of the pit.

They come with a vacuum truck, vscumm out most of the stuff, and ask for a barrel of water to flush the hose of the residual crap inside the hose.


So, u get back more space to crap.

Ok so when i take off dat pvc cover in d yard i see liquid cud be 3ft down. It doesnt look sludgy or smell. Is it that they will vacuum and the level will go down? I not familiar with the septic tank

[Rovin]

a typical pit cud be 5-6ft or more deep

its literally a sh1tty job so some of cesspit workers will take d easy lazy route & just send d hose straight down that pvc cover opening , other more professional workers will send d hose curling into pit to reach far as they can to suck up much as u know what

ideally if u can lift off d cover u will allow them access to do a better job but who really gonna go thru all dat ...

[eitech]

a typical pit cud be 5-6ft or more deep

its literally a sh1tty job so some of cesspit workers will take d easy lazy route & just send d hose straight down that pvc cover opening , other more professional workers will send d hose curling into pit to reach far as they can to suck up much as u know what

ideally if u can lift off d cover u will allow them access to do a better job but who really gonna go thru all dat ...

So after a cleanin that liquid level will fall i assume. Apart from an obvious overflow, where is the level suppose to be?

[Rovin]

yup dat pump d sh1t truck has is powerful & sucks out everything right down to d bottom of d tank that can fit thru that 4" hose including all liquids

soon as anybody flushes obviously all that crap & water will fill back up to a point but once ur sewer system functioning properly d mess will biodegrade & liquids will seep away thru d suckaway so u really wont need to give d tank a clean out for a couple yrs unless its alot of ppl using it often

i have some experience with ours at home & from relatives so i been around it to see whats going on ...

[eitech]

Kool. Well i not sure when last mine was cleaned. So the microbes everyone was talkin about, is it something that has to be added or that comes from the sh1t itself. I imagine was u suck out everything...well

[pugboy]

the sludge/toilet paper etc will be at the bottom and will be sucked out with the big hose.

there will still be microbes/bacteria in whatever residue is left in the tank.
So when it fills back up they will multiply and feed on the crap.

if you tank is not smelling foul then the microbes are working well.

If you tank is not filling up high then your soakaway is working well to dissipate the liquid into the ground soil
and or you do not have excessive flushing for your system.

cesspit problems can be real headache and good cesspit plumbers charge like double for this kind of work

[rspann]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

[eitech]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

Ok. Those guys do that or i have to do that? And how do i see the bottom of the baffle wall?

[matix]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

I did not know this, good information.

[rspann]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

Ok. Those guys do that or i have to do that? And how do i see the bottom of the baffle wall?

When it's empty flash a light in the port/ cleanout and you can see it. Even if you fill it higher, water causes no problems because it just goes into the soakaway plus it fills back up with water real fast from flushing. The solids is what causes the problems.

[pugboy]

Didn’t know this
Good idea to avoid floaters possibly clogging soakaway

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

[sMASH]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

Hoooo, I didn't think of that. Good catch.



Is only once I epmty and it was to condemn a pit.

The corporation came to do it, they said to stir it up with a long rod to make sure the stuff gets pumped out.

I did not do it, but there wasn't any smell, and it was to be backfilled in any event.

[adnj]

When they pump out the tank, you have to fill with water back up to the level of the bottom of the baffle wall before use. If you don't, the "floaters" will go across into the liquid side and rise to the top as water keeps rising, eventually going into the outlet that goes in the soakaway . The same applies when starting to use a new system.

Hoooo, I didn't think of that. Good catch.



Is only once I epmty and it was to condemn a pit.

The corporation came to do it, they said to stir it up with a long rod to make sure the stuff gets pumped out.

I did not do it, but there wasn't any smell, and it was to be backfilled in any event.

"Floaters" aside, the reason to immediately fill any septic is to lessen the risk of a wall cracking or even collapsing, particularly when the tank is polyethylene. The water inside helps to counter the external ground pressure.

[axe]

Bacillus subtalis.... Hope I spelt this right....

[rspann]

Piece of cheese in milk. Piece of pork. Chicken guts. Horse Manure. Yeast.

[pugboy]

Just let a heavy meat eater use the toilets