Re: Solution for Septic Field clogging Long Term

Here are my confirmed opinions.

There are TWO major reasons why the septic field clogs up:
1) The "Biomat" has overgrown with sludge. Oxygen is required to clear this condition.
2) Your washing machine, soaps and salt your family uses sends SODIUM into the septic field causing "HardPan" that is stopping the water flow. This condition requires the Septic Seep Formula
The Hardpan is by far the worst condition. I have seen septic systems last for 20+ years with the biomat never being serviced.

@@He recommends that I divert all grey water away from the septic system and that will allow it to work for another 15 or 20 years the way it is.

Absolutely do this ASAP to stop the sodium from getting into your leach field. He is RIGHT ON.Do you have a water softener? Make sure it goes into your grey water.

@@Right now I am considering going the route of aeration, a larger Sodium Percarbonate treatment and diverting all grey water to a separate system.

I have mixed feelings about aerating a dual chamber tank. Here is my opinion. It may work conditionally. Artie is a super salesman & has a fantastic web site. Here are the facts. The aerator will stir up the scum & sludge into Septic Soup. This septic soup will flow out of your chamber.

If the aerator is in the input chamber, then all the scum & solids will end up in your output chamber, and the output chamber becomes the "Settling Tank." Since you are starting with a freshly pumped tank, all new solids & scum will go into your output chamber, and hopefully settle down.

If the aerator is in the output chamber, then all the soup goes into your septic field to clog it up. Which chamber does Artie advise you to use for his aerator?

Artie has a stick aerator kit that is excellent for a D-Box. IMO, there is a 3rd option that I think is superior. Add a riser to your D-Box and then Aerate the D-Box instead of your septic tank. This gets the aeration right where it is needed the most and when it is most needed. It is most needed when the water level starts to rise and when toilets send all that water into the D-Box.

I think you will have a perfect and long lasting system by using sodium percarbonate to blast away the biomat, then a few weeks later use the septic seep recipe to remove the Hardpan, install a Greywater system to prevent the hardpan from forming again, and aerating your D-Box. The sodium left behind by the sodium percarbonate contributes to the hardpan, so it can't be used too many times without problems.

My experiments with effluent water in mason jars prove that if the septic tank water is UNDISTURBED in any way, the effluent becomes amazingly clear. So look at your input baffle. If you have a vertical 4 inch pipe as a baffle, then the BLAST of water from the toilet will shoot down into your sludge to stir it up. Hang a plastic plate 12 inches below the input baffle with stainless wire to send the blast horizontally to avoid stirring up the sludge. Or lay the baffle horizontally to send the blast across the water surface.

If you don't have risers on the D-Box, input & output of your tank, now is the time to do this. Now is the time to add an effluent filter if you don't already have one. You WILL need them. Bite the bullet now and live happily ever after.

That is my 2 pennies worth, and please keep us informed. My aerators arrived for my D-Box today. I'll have them running by the end of the week. I must also add a gray water system for the sinks, showers & washing machine.

Best to you,
Grizz
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