There’s no way around it, installing a new septic system is expensive. It’s especially painful if you find that you need to install a new system while in the process of selling your house. Unfortunately, there’s not a generic answer to how much a septic system will cost either. The only sure way to find out is to get a number of competing quotes.

Septic systems will vary in price depending on a few different factors such as material costs, the company you hire to install the system, the area in which you live, and the type of septic system you have installed. In general, gravity-powered conventional septic systems are the least expensive. In some parts of the United States, you can get such a system installed for $2,500 - $5,000. On the other hand, in some parts of New York, people often pay $15,000 or more.

Concrete septic tanks are generally cheaper to buy, yet more expensive to move than any high density polyethylene tanks. Fiberglass tanks are also very well made now. 20 years ago, fiberglass tanks were terrible. New ones are great and very thick.

Polyethylene tanks, in our opinion, are junk. They collapse, float out of the ground, and ribbed ones are hard to clean out. The manufacturers say they don’t do this when properly installed, and that’s true, but the majority of people installing these don’t do it right. I’ve cleaned and repaired thousands of systems and these are the worst. If not strapped down properly when cleaned out, they will float out of the ground. I’ve seen it multiple times. When back filling on installations, many times the tank walls will collapse inward and be pushed in from ground pressure. Just avoid these tanks at all cost, you’ll regret it later. Usually about 8-10 years down the road.

Aerobic Septic Systems

Aerobic tank systems cost more than traditional septic, as they require more complicated electrical pumps and alarms. In Louisiana and Mississippi costs are around $3,500-3,900. They have no control panel in these states. Sometimes the state draws up the plans or does the design work and sizes in the septic system. It’s different than Texas, where a licensed sanitarian or engineer does the drawing and submits it to the county for approval. North Texas systems cost $5,000-$8,000, and southern Texas $6,000 - $8,000 for a standard home. Some parts of some states have rock down below the surface. If the installer his rock, pricing may vary. In Illinois, for example, prices can reach $15,000.

Older homes will cost more to install for as well. On new homes, the plumbing usually runs to the middle of the house and then out one outlet. This makes it easy to hook up the septic system and thus reduces cost. Older homes will have multiple exit points and the grade and depth of the system is determined by that. Multiple grades need to be shot and multiple ditches hand dug out with a shovel. This cannot be done properly with a tractor alone and great care must be taken that the pipe has the right fall elevation when installed or you will have issues later. Look to pay between $1500-4500 more if extensive hand digging need be done.

Permit Costs

A quick call to your city office, county office, or county engineering department should provide you with the costs of any permits you will need. Expect a county with a major metropolitan area to be slightly more expensive with more documentation associated with the application and inspection process.

The post The Cost Of An Aerobic Septic System appeared first on Aerobic Septic System.

For septic systems owners, proper maintenance can mean the difference between a long-lasting, trouble-free system and one that ultimately racks up thousands of dollars’ worth of problems.

Many private companies offer a solution: using low-cost septic additives on a regular basis reduces the need for costly pumping.

So what’s the truth? Does it work?

It is all Garbage. 

Yes, Garbage. 

There is no scientific, engineering, academic, or government source we’ve talked to that recommends the use of septic system additives. I personally know a partner at the most respected water and wastewater engineering firm in the world. They have designed some of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the world and they basically invented wastewater treatment as we know it today. These are the people who design massive engineering feats; 500-600 million gallons per day(gdp) treatment plants with pumps bigger than your house. He says we’ve been experiencing one of the greatest marketing scams ever.

Here is why bacteria additives are junk and a scam.

-Most of these products recommend treatment every 30 days.

The bacteria don’t live for 30 days. They may produce more of eachother but don’t love that long

-The system always has the balance of bacteria it needs.

As waste comes in, the bacteria propagate and become more abundant. When less waste or food is supplied, the bacteria begin to eat each other. That’s right, they are cannibalistic. That’s how the balance is kept in the system. Adding more bacteria to the system will only be giving food to your existing bacteria

-Additive vendors are hypocritical

When reading the many disclaimers and “lawyer speak”, you will find that they, themselves, say the very same thing. A popular additive on tv says all those things within their fine print. They go on to disclose, at the bottom, “With regular cleaning and pumping”. No indication is given as to how often that may be.

-Inconclusive Proof

A well-known company that runs ads on tv claims that “tests we ran, conducted by a university, showed less sludge.” This is inconclusive as no test parameters are indicated. i.e.: a vacuum or pump service could have been performed periodically during the test, which may or may not be reflective of the average consumer conditions. In that type of dest, dirty could be used and incur the same or similar results

Individual experience and expert advice all concur that there is more data to indicate that these products do not work than that data that they do

Septic Additives 101

In homes with septic systems, when the toilet flushes or the washing machines runs, wastewater leaves the home and collects in a septic tank. There, the natural bacteria in the waste break down most of the solid material into a liquid or gas. Heavy solids, bits of plastic, or other material that can’t break down drop to the bottom of the tank and form the sludge layer. Lighter substances such a grease or oil float to the top, creating a scum layer. From there, the relatively clear liquid in the middle of the tank, called effluent, flows to the aerobic chamber for further treatment over 24 hours. It then flows into the pump tank where it’s pumped out into a drip or a spray, or just gravity fed into the drainfield that surrounds the tank, It’s a relatively simple and natural process.

Septic tank additives (also called septic tank treatments, cleaners, restorers, rejuvenators, or enhancers) fall into two categories; chemical or biological. Chemical additives are marketed to open up clogged drains and to break up grease and oil. They include active ingredients such as sulfuric acid. These can be highly corrosive and cause structural damage to your septic tank and kill the bacteria.

Biological additives are made from bacteria, yeast, and/or enzymes. They are said to work as starter agents in new systems. This is news to us, as we’ve installed over 3,000 aerobic systems without ever using an additive or ever needing one. The companies also say it gives an increase in the efficiency of breaking down the solids in existing systems. Again, and I have personally inspected over 4,000 systems in my time in the industry, I have never seen this to be true. Biological additives are often sold as routine maintenance to be flushed down the toilet on a monthly or weekly basis to assure the septic system’s “balance.” We find this untrue and, at this point, comical. The system has an innate balance to it without any additives.

Most chemical additives, which clearly harm septic systems and the environment, are no longer marketed. Biological additives are mostly benign, but still unnecessary. They’re just concoctions with some bacteria in them being sold as a solution to a bigger underlying issue.

What’s The Hype?

The biggest issue is that people simply don’t know how the process works and get bad information on the systems themselves. The process is a natural biological process that does not need anything to help do its job.

Of particular concern is the claim that some products reduce or eliminate the need to pump the septic system on a regular basis. This is a major issue that,  as a septic company,  we face every day. Some of it is the homeowners’ fault and they simply will not listen even if they’ve been told by ten different people. They’ll swear up and down “it’s fine, it’s never been pumped in 20 years it’s supposed to be like that.” When they do start having issues it’s often too late; the field lines are shot, the tank is literally a solid mess that takes hours to pump. Then they have regular issues with the system and are repeatedly calling us asking why they’re having issues. Pumping solids out of the tank is a vital part of septic system maintenance. Encouraging homeowner to not pump their tanks will have costly and disastrous effects on their systems down the road. Some brown powder is not the answer.

If wastewater is entering a septic tank, solids will be present. Period. End of story. The job of the trash tank is to keep as many of the solids in the tank(retention and settling) and to not let them move on to the next treatment process. This is often an aerobic treatment tank, a drainfield, or a pump tank. If a product claims the reduction or elimination of the need to pump it’s a flat-out lie. I would ask where then do the solids go if they’re no longer in the tank? “The bacteria ate them” okay, well the bacteria have waste also. Mass simply does not vanish. It can be broken down and filtered etc. But this happens naturally in a tank and does not require any magic powder you’ve poured down the toilet. For the cost of this powder, you can pump your system more often than is necessary and ensure the longevity of your septic tank.

What The Government Says

The state of Washington does not allow additive manufacturers to use the word “approved” for marketing purposes, but product materials may say “complying with Washington laws regarding harm to public health and water quality.” Other states may have similar or differing regulations and consulting your local authority is recommended.

What The Research Says

A lot of research is needed in this area but has already been done by most of the big engineering firms. If there were a better or faster way to treat waste they’d already be doing it. Not only is this of interest to practicing professionals in the on-site wastewater field, but also to many homeowners that waste a lot of money on these products.

In 1997, Dr. Hoover directed what has been called a “landmark” study by then-graduate-student Gregory H Clark. Using 48 septic systems in two mobile home parks, Clark set up three groups of tanks to receive additives and one to act as a control. The tanks were divided into groups that had been well-maintained(recently pumped), poorly maintained (rarely or never pumped in 15-20 years of use), and those that fell in the middle. The primary researcher collecting and analyzing the samples from the tanks did not know which tanks had been treated, and the study received no funding and had no involvement from the septic additive companies. The three products tested were from Drano, Liquid Plumber, and Rid-X.

Various measurements, such as the depth of the sludge(solids), the thickness of the scum, the number of floating solids, and the total amount of bacteria present in the tank were collected over the period of a year. The study concluded that “the additives tested did not provide any substantial or long-term statistically significant benefits compared to the control” for the items that they measure and in the conditions of this study. The authors also called for continued research under borders circumstances before “definitive conclusions” could be drawn. This study is published in the January 2008 Journey of Environmental Health

A second unpublished field study of bacterial additives done by the National Association of Wastewater Transports, Inc (NAWT) followed 12 septic tanks for two years. They similarly concluded there was no change in the sludge accumulation at the bottom of the tank or in the number of floating solids. They did find a 30% reduction in the floating scum layer; a statistically significant finding. However, they also found an increase in fats, oils, and grease in the septic system outflow to the drainfield, which could cause other problems. The NAWT concluded that the additive seemed to have no detrimental effect on the septic systems, but does not hold an “opinion, positive or negative, as to the use of bacterial additives in the septic tanks.”

CONCLUSION

Our conclusion is this: you have been duped and it’s a sad thing because they have built an entire industry on these additives. Some of these ideas come from the chemical plants there additives work in the chemical process and they add certain bugs to things. These are not the same bugs or additives, this is not a chemical process but a biological one, and one that needs no help to happen. Save your money for a pump out. The cost of additives for one year is about the same as a complete pump out in most areas so it’s cheaper to do it right. Get your tank pumped!

The post Do Septic Additives Work? appeared first on Aerobic Septic System.

#1 Don't

Don't get frantic when you hear the septic alarm. Systems should be designed with free board or extra room so you can still use the bathroom or do dishes. Hold off on laundry as it uses a lot of water. The alarm panel should have two lights; amber and red. We’ll cover what they each mean later in the article. If you are not comfortable reading through and finding an answer in here, call a licensed septic company when your alarm sounds or the light turns on and reduce non-essential water usage.

#2 Do

Do hire a septic company that is competent. People in the business for a long time generally know what they are doing. Picking someone just because they’re cheap is generally not the best call, you do get what you pay for. Some people say to use proprietary parts… that's a joke. No company manufactures parts; we know what parts are what. Most pumps are Franklin or Sta-rite and most aerators are Hiblow or Gast.  Unless you’ve got a Norweco or Jet. Then I feel bad for you.

#3 Don't

Don't ignore the alarm. It went off for a reason and the longer you wait, the more costly it will become.

#4 Do

Do look at your chlorinator to make sure it has chlorine for final disinfection. If your system smells, it's not because of chlorine or lack thereof, it's something else.

#5 Don't

Don't shut the system off then forget. It doesn’t take that much power, so just leave it running. If you do decide to shut the system off so you don’t get sprayed while mowing or doing yardwork, don’t forget to turn it back on.

#6 Do

Do check around your aerator for ants, they love to ruin your system. If you have a Clearstream and it was put above the ground because the installer was lazy, you will need to check this more often as the ants can easily access the aerator and control panel. If your service provider or person who maintains your system installed the system and put the panel on the ground, fire them and find someone with common sense. Sorry, I have no mercy on this. The lazy design and lack of forward-thinking costs customers a lot of money.

#7 Don't

Don't put chlorine tablet buckets in enclosed areas. Chlorine is corrosive and eats everything. Also, be sure to keep it away from fire, it’s highly dangerous near a fire. Store chlorine in a ventilated and dry area.

#8 Do

Do use ant killer to kill ants if they start mounding by any part of the system.

#9 Don't

Don't use swimming pool chlorine tablets for tablet chlorinators. Only use calcium hypochlorite tablets that are designed for treating wastewater.

#10 Do

Do make sure all parts of the system are easily accessible at all times (do not build over any part, use landscaping that could grow over, etc).

#11 Don't

Don't fall for statements like: "If you don’t use a licensed person, it’s illegal and the poop police will get you" or "It will void your warranty if we don't install it" The only things that void a warranty should be in your actual contract. Besides those, a two-year warranty lasts for two years period. If a maintenance provider says "I am turning you into the authorities get another one" why would you want to hire someone who just threatened you find someone new? A lot of states and counties make it mandatory you have a contract, but don't police the contractors. There are honest ones out there, but there are a lot of shady ones also because the states won't pull licenses. Stand your ground and find someone new.

#12 Do

Do have your system pumped if your maintenance provider says it needs to be done and he is honest. Too many times we hear that a provider noted that no sludge was in the system but then the next month it's suddenly full. That is impossible and I would be highly suspect of their motives if they said this. Get a second opinion, there are a lot of people out there that take advantage of people.

#13 Don't

Don't put just anything down the drain or toilet. Whatever is put down those will go into the septic system and have to be treated. Be mindful of this. Aerobic systems are designed to treat domestic wastewater but that's it. We’ve written an article on it here

#14 Do

Do space your laundry out if you have a large family. Don't do ten loads in one day or you will overload the system. Space them out. Planning a load in the morning and a load at night is better than 10 in one day. Will this be a disaster if you do it once every three months? No, it won’t, but don't make this a practice. It's not good for any septic system, especially an aerobic septic system.

#15 Don't

Don't put a garden around your system, making it hard to get to. People have emergencies then need things pumped and fixed fast. Some homeowners go as far as to say "don't damage the plants." Your house has sewage in it and you're worried about the plants? A septic system is about function not form. It doesn't need to be ugly, but plants and trees should not be planted next to it. Plants and trees need water and the aerobic septic system is full of nutrient-rich water. As soon as they find it, the roots go crazy and cause damage that costs a lot of money. Do not plant vegetable gardens in or near the field lines or spray areas. Dangerous bacteria are in the system and you can get very sick from eating vegetables from areas like this. They will look fantastic because of the water but don’t eat them.

#16 Don't

Don't treat the system as a city wastewater treatment plant. Using water when needed and not wasting it helps prevent hydraulically overloading the system. Don’t let leaky faucets and toilets go unfixed. You may not think it’s a lot of water, but in 24 hours they average 100-150 gallons of water use. It's just unnecessary usage of your effluent pump.

And that concludes our 16 Aerobic Septic System Do's & Don'ts. We hope this list will help you manage your aerobic septic system more effectively. With just a little bit of care and attention, you can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on maintenance and pumping costs. This kind of education is what we’re all about!

The post 16 Aerobic Septic System Do's and Dont's appeared first on Aerobic Septic System.

The diagram below references a 115V pump and wiring. Over 95% of aerobic septic systems use 115v rather than 230v. We recommend using a “piggy-back” float switch or control panel to operate 230V pumps

DO NOT USE THE METHOD DESCRIBED BELOW FOR 230V PUMPS.

In 115V wiring, you are dealing with 3 legs: Hot, Neutral, and Ground/Green wire. The pump will have these three wires and the incoming power supply will have these three wires. The neutral wire from the panel will connect directly to the neutral wire from the pump. The ground/green wire from the panel will connect directly to the ground wire from the pump. Now you are left with the hot wire from the panel and the hot wire from the pump. The float switch has two legs. One leg of the float switch will connect to the hot wire from the panel and the other leg will connect to the hot wire from the pumps. Please note: Most float switches have a white and black wire, which means you will most likely have a white to black connection. This is perfectly normal and the correct way to do it. Once these connections are made, you’re ready to turn the power back on and the submersible pump should operate according to the position of the float switch. Before setting the pump in the tank, test the float switch. Do this by lifting up the float switch and verify that the pump engages.

The post How To Wire A Submersible Pump appeared first on Aerobic Septic System.

For septic systems owners, proper maintenance can mean the difference between a long-lasting, trouble-free system and one that ultimately racks up thousands of dollars’ worth of problems.

Many private companies offer a solution: using low-cost septic additives on a regular basis reduces the need for costly pumping.

So what’s the truth? Does it work?

It is all Garbage.

Yes, Garbage. 

There is no scientific, engineering, academic, or government source we’ve talked to that recommends the use of septic system additives. I personally know a partner at the most respected water and wastewater engineering firm in the world. They have designed some of the largest wastewater treatment plants in the world and they basically invented wastewater treatment as we know it today. These are the people who design massive engineering feats; 500-600 million gallons per day(gdp) treatment plants with pumps bigger than your house. He says we’ve been experiencing one of the greatest marketing scams ever.

Here is why bacteria additives are junk and a scam.

-Most of these products recommend treatment every 30 days.

The bacteria don’t live for 30 days. They may produce more of eachother but don’t love that long

-The system always has the balance of bacteria it needs.

As waste comes in, the bacteria propagate and become more abundant. When less waste or food is supplied, the bacteria begin to eat each other. That’s right, they are cannibalistic. That’s how the balance is kept in the system. Adding more bacteria to the system will only be giving food to your existing bacteria

-Additive vendors are hypocritical

When reading the many disclaimers and “lawyer speak”, you will find that they, themselves, say the very same thing. A popular additive on tv says all those things within their fine print. They go on to disclose, at the bottom, “With regular cleaning and pumping”. No indication is given as to how often that may be.

-Inconclusive Proof

A well-known company that runs ads on tv claims that “tests we ran, conducted by a university, showed less sludge.” This is inconclusive as no test parameters are indicated. i.e.: a vacuum or pump service could have been performed periodically during the test, which may or may not be reflective of the average consumer conditions. In that type of dest, dirty could be used and incur the same or similar results

Individual experience and expert advice all concur that there is more data to indicate that these products do not work than that data that they do

Septic Additives 101

In homes with septic systems, when the toilet flushes or the washing machines runs, wastewater leaves the home and collects in a septic tank. There, the natural bacteria in the waste break down most of the solid material into a liquid or gas. Heavy solids, bits of plastic, or other material that can’t break down drop to the bottom of the tank and form the sludge layer. Lighter substances such a grease or oil float to the top, creating a scum layer. From there, the relatively clear liquid in the middle of the tank, called effluent, flows to the aerobic chamber for further treatment over 24 hours. It then flows into the pump tank where it’s pumped out into a drip or a spray, or just gravity fed into the drainfield that surrounds the tank, It’s a relatively simple and natural process.

Septic tank additives (also called septic tank treatments, cleaners, restorers, rejuvenators, or enhancers) fall into two categories; chemical or biological. Chemical additives are marketed to open up clogged drains and to break up grease and oil. They include active ingredients such as sulfuric acid. These can be highly corrosive and cause structural damage to your septic tank and kill the bacteria.

Biological additives are made from bacteria, yeast, and/or enzymes. They are said to work as starter agents in new systems. This is news to us, as we’ve installed over 3,000 aerobic systems without ever using an additive or ever needing one. The companies also say it gives an increase in the efficiency of breaking down the solids in existing systems. Again, and I have personally inspected over 4,000 systems in my time in the industry, I have never seen this to be true. Biological additives are often sold as routine maintenance to be flushed down the toilet on a monthly or weekly basis to assure the septic system’s “balance.” We find this untrue and, at this point, comical. The system has an innate balance to it without any additives.

Most chemical additives, which clearly harm septic systems and the environment, are no longer marketed. Biological additives are mostly benign, but still unnecessary. They’re just concoctions with some bacteria in them being sold as a solution to a bigger underlying issue.

What's The Hype?

The biggest issue is that people simply don’t know how the process works and get bad information on the systems themselves. The process is a natural biological process that does not need anything to help do its job.

Of particular concern is the claim that some products reduce or eliminate the need to pump the septic system on a regular basis. This is a major issue that,  as a septic company,  we face every day. Some of it is the homeowners’ fault and they simply will not listen even if they’ve been told by ten different people. They’ll swear up and down “it’s fine, it’s never been pumped in 20 years it’s supposed to be like that.” When they do start having issues it’s often too late; the field lines are shot, the tank is literally a solid mess that takes hours to pump. Then they have regular issues with the system and are repeatedly calling us asking why they’re having issues. Pumping solids out of the tank is a vital part of septic system maintenance. Encouraging homeowner to not pump their tanks will have costly and disastrous effects on their systems down the road. Some brown powder is not the answer.

If wastewater is entering a septic tank, solids will be present. Period. End of story. The job of the trash tank is to keep as many of the solids in the tank(retention and settling) and to not let them move on to the next treatment process. This is often an aerobic treatment tank, a drainfield, or a pump tank. If a product claims the reduction or elimination of the need to pump it’s a flat-out lie. I would ask where then do the solids go if they’re no longer in the tank? “The bacteria ate them” okay, well the bacteria have waste also. Mass simply does not vanish. It can be broken down and filtered etc. But this happens naturally in a tank and does not require any magic powder you’ve poured down the toilet. For the cost of this powder, you can pump your system more often than is necessary and ensure the longevity of your septic tank.

What The Government Says

The state of Washington does not allow additive manufacturers to use the word “approved” for marketing purposes, but product materials may say “complying with Washington laws regarding harm to public health and water quality.” Other states may have similar or differing regulations and consulting your local authority is recommended.

What The Research Says

A lot of research is needed in this area but has already been done by most of the big engineering firms. If there were a better or faster way to treat waste they’d already be doing it. Not only is this of interest to practicing professionals in the on-site wastewater field, but also to many homeowners that waste a lot of money on these products.

In 1997, Dr. Hoover directed what has been called a “landmark” study by then-graduate-student Gregory H Clark. Using 48 septic systems in two mobile home parks, Clark set up three groups of tanks to receive additives and one to act as a control. The tanks were divided into groups that had been well-maintained(recently pumped), poorly maintained (rarely or never pumped in 15-20 years of use), and those that fell in the middle. The primary researcher collecting and analyzing the samples from the tanks did not know which tanks had been treated, and the study received no funding and had no involvement from the septic additive companies. The three products tested were from Drano, Liquid Plumber, and Rid-X.

Various measurements, such as the depth of the sludge(solids), the thickness of the scum, the number of floating solids, and the total amount of bacteria present in the tank were collected over the period of a year. The study concluded that “the additives tested did not provide any substantial or long-term statistically significant benefits compared to the control” for the items that they measure and in the conditions of this study. The authors also called for continued research under borders circumstances before “definitive conclusions” could be drawn. This study is published in the January 2008 Journey of Environmental Health

A second unpublished field study of bacterial additives done by the National Association of Wastewater Transports, Inc (NAWT) followed 12 septic tanks for two years. They similarly concluded there was no change in the sludge accumulation at the bottom of the tank or in the number of floating solids. They did find a 30% reduction in the floating scum layer; a statistically significant finding. However, they also found an increase in fats, oils, and grease in the septic system outflow to the drainfield, which could cause other problems. The NAWT concluded that the additive seemed to have no detrimental effect on the septic systems, but does not hold an “opinion, positive or negative, as to the use of bacterial additives in the septic tanks.”

Conclusion

Our conclusion is this: you have been duped and it’s a sad thing because they have built an entire industry on these additives. Some of these ideas come from the chemical plants there additives work in the chemical process and they add certain bugs to things. These are not the same bugs or additives, this is not a chemical process but a biological one, and one that needs no help to happen. Save your money for a pump out. The cost of additives for one year is about the same as a complete pump out in most areas so it’s cheaper to do it right. Get your tank pumped!

The post Should I Use Septic Additives? appeared first on Aerobic Septic System.

Located in Franklin, Ohio, Consolidated Treatment Systems, Inc. (CTS) is the manufacturer of Enviro-Guard, Multi-Flo, and Nayadic wastewater treatment units. The company also provides materials for drip irrigation systems. Recently, CTS ventured into engineered designs, most notably in the Florida Keys, where nutrient removal is a major issue. Accompanied by Jet as the original aerobic septic system, the Multi-Flo is the first system tested by the NSF with an approval. CTS is run by some of the most dedicated wastewater professionals in the industry. They’re routinely testing systems under different stress loads to improve the systems they manufacture. Not all companies set such high standards for research and testing, using top-level engineers and specialists in the field. Consolidated goes above and beyond. Their own testing facility in B.C tests every 3 months using multiple systems and system sizes to test different scenarios and improve design and function of the systems. To keep ahead of ever-changing regulations, CTS keeps very strict guidelines and a rigorous application process for contractors who wish to be dealers and installers. You’re sure to get the very best when you hire a Consolidated installer. Should an installer not meet CTS’s expectations, CTS has been known to sever ties quickly with contractors whose quality of work is below CTS standards. While they value healthy revenue, Consolidated Treatment Systems places greater value on their name and reputation. That is just one of the reasons they are beloved and respected in the industry.

Multi-Flo

Wastewater Treatment System for Residential and Commercial Pro

Simply the Best

Multi-Flo is a convenient alternative to a central sewage system or the septic tank and is ideal for the renovation of a failing on-site sewage system.  Thanks to its durable and lightweight construction, Multi-Flo can be installed quickly and easily in most locations even if those locations have limiting factors. Most importantly, though, Multi-Flo offers the highest quality of any wastewater treatment system in its class. It’s simply the best at treating wastewater to a high degree.

Clean and Odorless Effluent

Unique to the Multi-Flo System is the quiet, water-cooled, and energy efficient submersible aerator along with the no-bypass positive filtration design. The Multi-Flo contains 132 square feet of 100-micron fixed film media. This film filters the wastewater before it can be discharged from the system. The Multi-Flo has been tested and certified under ANSI/NSF Standard 40 as a Class I system; the highest rating possible. Because of the high degree of treatment, the Multi-Flo effluent is allowed for surface discharge as well as recycling and irrigation use.

Founded in 1970, Multi-Flo has set the standard in wastewater treatment. From the day of its inception, Multi-Flo was developed with the highest efficiency in mind. Consequently, they have never had to change to meet standards required by NSF International. The Multi-Flo was one of the first systems tested by NSF and has been continuously produced since.

Nayadic.

Wastewater Treatment System

Residential and Commercial Sewage Treatment System

Why are Residential and Commercial Consumers Buying Nayadic Wastewater Treatment Systems?

NAYADIC is an efficient Wastewater Treatment Plant that serves the needs of residential and commercial customers all around the world. Specifically engineered to provide the highest degree of treatment with only minimal maintenance requirements, NAYADIC is an engineering masterpiece. The most popular model treats 500 gpd (gallons per day) with a capacity of 600 gallons. This saves money if whoever is pumping your system charges you by the gallon. Other systems usually need 750-1000 gallon tanks to achieve this level of treatment. The easy access system is very maintenance friendly, with access to a diffuser that almost lasts forever. You can view the whole system from the treatment area and this allows you to very easily see what’s wrong or which bacteria are alive and which are dead. It’s one of the systems that can be installed without a trash tank, although we definitely recommend one. Installing a trash tank serves to protect the other components of the system by collecting improperly disposed-of matter such as tampons, hair, lotions, oils, grease, cigarette butts, etc. These should not go down sinks and toilets. The trash tank also extends the period between vacuum services. A family of four can go 5-6 years without a cleanup. With no trash tank, you’ll need to pump/vacuum the system every 3 years. With over 30 years experience, NAYADIC is one of the oldest names in the wastewater industry. A highly focused leadership emphasizes NAYADIC’s superior customer service and research development. NAYADIC systems can use Gast rotary vane pumps or Hiblow air pumps. Overall, when an ANSI/NSF standard 40 protocol system can be used and your installer knows what he is doing, this is by far the best system on the market. A lot of systems took the NAYADIC design and put the cone in the tank but aeration is on the outside and can’t be seen thus never achieving the NAYADIC serviceability or efficiency. It is, by far, one of the best-engineered systems on the market.

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“But I have an aerobic system; I don’t need to pump it”

Many of you have been fed this line by installers desperate for work. A lot of customers will agree to an installation under the impression that they won’t need to clean it. You’ve been lied to and should no longer do work with that installer. He is either just lying to you for the fun of it, or is not confident enough in his work to sell you on what’s actually going on.

I hear people talk all the time about how they haven’t cleaned out their tank in 20 years and it works fine blah blah. I guarantee you most of these people are going to have issues that can’t be fixed down the road. I have definitely been to homes where the system is pretty clean and didn’t need us to do any work, but that’s really infrequent. One such customer is an airline pilot and is only home for 2 days out of the week. Needless to say, his septic system doesn’t experience daily use. For everyone that has a family and uses their system daily, you should really get your system pumped regularly.

In a conventional system, the bacteria don’t break waste down as quickly as in an aerobic system. The bacteria are slower and less aggressive. All systems are different and different regions have different tank sized. In our area, 500 gallon tanks are the standard size. In other states, it may be as much as 1000 or 1500 gallons. Here’s a handy graph to show you how often you need to pump based on members of the household vs tank size. It’s always better to pump more often than less often though. Waiting too long can actually just ruin your field lines and require a replacement. Playing it safe can save you a lot of money.

Zones in a Septic System

There are three zones in a septic system trash tank and conventional system. They all tell you what is happening in the system and when it should be pumped. Most of the time we will address this.

The first layer is the scum layer where paper, food, and grease settle. This layer is visible, stiff, and stable compared to other layers. Sometimes this layer is not present, though, and can lead people to thinking that everything is fine. This happens when too much water is used or there isn’t much of the aforementioned waste in the tank. A good rule of thumb for aerobic septic systems and conventional septic systems is that when this tank has a scum layer that you can stick a shovel in and not break through to water with the head of the shovel, the system needs to be pumped out. When you pipes are clogged and won’t drain a lot of times it’s due to the scum layer being so thick that it blocks the inlet baffle on the top.

The second layer Is the clear zone where most of the particles and solids have either settled to the bottom or the top. The water in this area is pretty clear and free of solids. This is the area where the baffles take in water and why having them on is so important. The graphic below shows a good example of what it looks like if you did a side view and could see what it looks like. The picture below it is a tank that needs to be pumped. The bottom one there is probably damage to the field lines.

This is why baffles are so necessary; they don’t allow scum to enter the field lines. If there is no baffle, nothing is stopping the solids from just running into the field lines and plugging up the holes water discharges through.

Why Waiting Will Cost You In The Long Run

Your system gets rid of water through pipes or chambers that have small holes in them. These tiny holes are where the water drains out before being absorbed through the ground where most of the treatment happens. If you wait too long, like in the pictures, solids will enter the field lines. Grease takes an enormous amount of time to break down, and if it gets into the field lines there is a good chance you’ll need to have them redone. You may also need to flat out install a new system. Both projects will be very expensive to do. 3,000 to 10,000, maybe even more. The bottom layer is also a concern. It can get thick enough that water may not be able to leave the system. When we pull up and look at a tank that has no scum layer, yet is full, the scum layer probably went into the field lines because the water level rose too high. This is pretty dangerous because when the sludge layer makes it out of the tank, homeowners may look in a tank and see it as clear and not needing cleaning.

On an aerobic septic system, it is imperative to do a good cleanout. In states that use pumps to discharge water through sprinklers, the pumps are designed for water wells. This means the water needs to be clean to operate at optimal pressure and get the 10-15 year life expectancy you deserve. This is even more essential for systems with drain fields because you really don’t want solids going into your chambers. Unfortunately, some states(Ohio and Illinois come to mind) don’t require a trash tank to be installed on all aerobic septic systems. This increases how many clean outs you need and how frequently you’ll need to do it. We believe this is simply short-sightedness on the part of installers and legislators. This results in your one-tank systems needing pumping every couple of years; entirely too often, in our opinion.

This effluent pump(pictured below) is from a family of five that went 8 years without cleaning their tank. As you can see, the pump screen that takes in water is covered with sludge. The float needing replacement 6 months later, but the pump still works to this day, 10 years in the tank.

It is vital to take out and clean high head effluent pumps like this. Many pumpers will charge extra for this service. Be sure to ask and clarify what all you’re paying for. It’s easy to clean the screens on the pumps. They simply snap off and can be washed with a water hose before popping back on.

Whoever is pumping your tank should use the built-in pressure washers to clean the tank. Simply sticking the hose in the tank and letting it suck out the water and some sludge is not enough. It should only take about 15-25 minutes to completely clean it once the water level is down.

Most people wait too long to get a septic pump/clean out and it has a negative effect on the components of the septic system. When you want this done, you want a reputable company to do it and you want to be there when they do. We have been to many jobs where nothing was done and the customer paid, thinking the system was pumped out. We will go over scam pumpers in another article.

We’re working on a list of reputable pumpers by state. They are not the cheapest, but we know they do a good job and you always get what you pay for. These are the pumpers you can hire without needing to be home to watch. All we want is the proper job to be done.

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What Do You Need?

Well, there are only two main components to your system; the septic aerator and the septic effluent pump that pumps the water to the sprinklers or field lines. The air pump, or aerator, is easy to rebuild and replace and on most systems, you don’t have to get dirty to accomplish this. It’s a pretty straightforward process. The effluent pump should also be pretty straightforward, though in some areas it will be more complicated. We explain how to do that here so nothing you run into should be out of reach. Even parts of your control panel can be found and replaced like the alarm buzzer and air pressure switch for the alert to let you know the septic aerator is down.

Basically, shopping for septic parts online should not be as complicated or scary as some companies make it out to be. Finding a quality online retailer can make your whole life easier when it comes to septic aerators, and we've been extremely pleased with Wholesale Septic Supply. Give them a shot!

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Do you have plans for the property? How many bedrooms will your home have? With more than three your system size usually increases.  Will you install a water well? If so, the aerobic system and spray have to be one hundred feet away. This will affect placement so don't just drill a well wherever you want. Your aerobic installer and water well installer need to talk and plan things out. We have seen instances where the water well was put in the wrong place and ruined the whole job. Will you be installing a pool in the next five years? Will there be future additions to the home? Your septic contractor and any other contractors working on the project will discuss these topics. This discussion helps determine the necessary septic system size and how many G.P.D. (gallons per day) the system will have to treat. A 2500 square foot house with four bedrooms typically needs a 500 G.P.D. system, but in some areas, the same home may require a 600 G.P.D. system. The larger the house, the larger the system. The number of people living in the home is NOT a factor, as some might have you believe.

Installing the Aerobic Septic System

Before choosing the location to install your septic tank, your septic contractor will need to check local regulations and the soil quality. Most municipalities require tanks and leaching fields to be located a minimum distance from houses, water wells, streams, etc. The size of your septic system will depend on how many bedrooms are in the home, including any additions expected in the future. Your contractor should discuss this with you. Septic tanks are below ground and tank installation requires a backhoe to dig an adequate hole. Inlet and outlet pipes must also be planned for and laid during initial installation. Do not hesitate to ask your contractor about their plans for moving equipment on and off your property as well as any plans for digging and returning any soil and vegetation that might require relocation.

To ensure that you can easily find the opening to the septic tank, it is recommended that you have a ‘riser’ installed to bring the septic tank lid to just above the surface of the soil.

You don't want to skimp on this part of the house. We have seen systems installed too high, causing water to be held in the inlet pump coming from the home. The homeowner would have to continually snake the line to unclog it because of a lousy septic installation. More on this subject in the next section.

On any installation (one, two, or three tank installation), the first tank should be dug and the tank set when the hole is dug. A good installer will leave enough room on all sides of the tank so that one and a half buckets will fit in the hole. The reason for this is so he can pack the dirt with the weight of the backhoe arm, and the earth does not settle after the job is done. Good installers do this and the lazy ones don't. They make a hole just big enough for the tank to fit in and throw the dirt over it and leave. One reason they do this is lack of skill; they are afraid they will hit the tank and lack confidence on the machine. They also just don't care what it looks like later. It may seem done right when they go but it won't feel that way later. When it rains, a moat will form around it and water will sit there. After the first hole is dug, it should then be almost completely backfilled, and the ground consolidated with the backhoe or track hoe arm about 4 inches past the inlet hole for the pipe coming from the house. Then you dig back down with a shovel to the hole. That way, the pipe has an excellent foundation to sit on and won't move. By not doing it this way you guarantee an expensive repair later. Once the first tank is set, the hole for the second is dug, we repeat the process. We like to put about 4 feet between each tank. We do this because if anything happens like someone drives over the system and you have only a foot between the tanks it's impossible to replace the pipes between the tanks. You have to cut or chisel into the tank to accomplish a repair. We do this because of all the repairs we do and don't want to have to do on our systems. A lot of installers don't do repairs, so they don't think ahead on things. The only time you dig one hole is for an all-in-one tank, and you should still backfill it as described. That is why all-in-one systems are popular; they don't require all the work and are hard to screw up.

If someone tells you they are going to dig one hole and put the tanks in at the same time, they don't know what they are doing. A lot of installers might not agree but after all the repairs we do on systems that are done like this, we know it to be true. Another problem with doing it like this; you can't get a proper grade as each tank should be a little lower than the next. We have seen pipes that come loose, are broken, or been broken from the get-go. When you take a bucket of dirt and drop it on top of the pipes, the weight is immense, and it's not designed to take that pressure. Also, leaching fields may not work correctly if done this way.

Your control panel for your septic system should never be in the ground. There are multiple reasons and sound logic for this.

Reason number one: in Texas, you can get a bunch of rain and any panel in the ground will be ruined. Number two involves fire ants; they are abundant in southern states. They love electricity and will make their mound around your control panel, get inside, and destroy it. Also putting it on the ground makes it harder to work on and repair.  We never mount control panels in the ground. In should be a rule in southern states but we have idiots in Austin. In northern states, you have snow, so it's always best to mount them on a 4x6 piece of treated lumber or to the house. Manufacturers started this because installers are lazy and don't think ahead.

Your junction box, if you have a pump tank, always needs to be on the outside of the tank and not inside or buried underground. This is possibly done by the installer, so wires are not in the open, or they just don't know what they are doing.  Guess what? It's a bad idea because the pump or float switch will fail one day, the tank will fill up, and the electricity is underwater. On top of that, the environment of the aerobic septic system is corrosive; it degrades and eats at the copper. So if the junction box is in the tank, you can't get to the wires. It also makes it harder to work on because space is limited in that area of the aerobic septic system. You want the junction box or LB that what we use to be on top of the pump tank riser. This makes life easier on everyone later down the road.

The pump connection should have a union and it should be no lower than 9-15 inches from the top of the riser. This way, if the system does flood, you can get a pair of channel locks in the tank and get the pump undone and out of the tank. If the union is two feet down it makes it difficult as you won't be able to see the pump union if its full of water and you don't want to have to stick your arms in that far to pull the pump.

Installing the Leaching Field

These factors will determine the size of your leaching field:

•    The size of your septic tanks

•    The type and absorptive capacity of your soil

•    The particular technology that you've chosen to absorb the wastewater. This is very important as not enough field lines, and you will get pooling on the ground. If you can afford to put in an extra 50-100, do it. The systems used to install fields lines now are easy, and the technology has really improved the reliability of them.

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