Need septic tank cleaning suggestions

[ctfjr]

Our tank is a precast 1500 gallon with a single cleanout on the top ~12" in diameter. It is deep in the ground and has a 4' riser. That brings the cap to ~22" below the ground level. In trying to find the length of the tank I come up with something between 10-12', best guess.

Here is the problem. I went too long to have it pumped. Last week the pumper came and was able to get to the bottom of it. However he could not use his 'shovel' to reach the solids towards the ends because of the riser. So its really not fully pumped. . . The ends still have solids there.

He suggested coming back in about 3 weeks. Perhaps normal use will cause the solids to fall towards the center where he can reach them. I'm not sure that is going to happen.

Do you think if I took a 12' length of 1/2" copper tubing, put a 90deg elbow on one end with a 3" piece of tubing and on the other end made a tee where it could be used as handle and also have a connector for a hose that it could be used as a water cannon to break this stuff up? It would have to be used after he pumped out all the liquid he could in the tank.

Any other suggestions?

 

[BigG]

Why bother to clean it out in three weeks? Wait until it needs to be pump again in a year or two. Instead of a 1500 gallon tank you will have a thousand gallon tank. No one will know except you.

 

[ctfjr]

Why bother to clean it out in three weeks? Wait until it needs to be pump again in a year or two. Instead of a 1500 gallon tank you will have a thousand gallon tank. No one will know except you.

If that was only the case The house was just listed for sale. I want to make sure everything is fine when it sells and the buyer has all his inspections.

 

[OntheRidge]

My thought is, why does it need to be completely empty? As long as it's not full, should be fine. solids will eventually break down, and can be pumped out next time. Maybe add some enzymes to help it along. Just my 2 cents. Edit, just saw previous post

 

[The Evil Twin]

I'm no excrement expert but I would think it would get more compacted over time. So waiting another year or two would only compound the problem.
A water cannon, like what ya use in a RV tank could work but only if the tank level is below the sludge. Anything below effluent level isn't going to get hit.
Another thing to think of is the level once you are done. You'll be stirring up a lot of sh!t and you don't want it going out to your field. Also- PPE would be a must.

 

[MapleLeafFarmer]

I would simply rent a tank agitator. I have a couple of PTO driven ones around the but too big and more for horizontal use in lagoons.
Rent an electric vertical tank mixer / agitator that is sized for you tank and let her rip for a day..... everything would be very well mixed and loose enough for a pumper by then.


or rent / by a hydro tank cleaner (runs with high pressure water somewher around 1,500 psi either hot or cold)

 

[RCW]

Wow - that’s a very deep tank….

I wouldn’t use any additive. They advertise to break up sludge, which ends up where? In the absorption area, if they do work as advertised.

I think the water cannon idea could work to some extent.

Another thought is making an allowance in the purchase agreement for a pump-out in the next 12-24 months.

 

[lynnmor]

Replace the clean out with a 18” or 24”, offset it to the closest side. Not a difficult job.

 

[RCW]

1,000 gallon tank is about 4x4x8 long if my memory serves. Your 10+ long is likely close. Probably have standard tank dimensions online somewhere.

 

[ctfjr]

Thanks for all the comments. To clarify. . . I (he) would be using my improvised water cannon while he was pumping, after he had pumped out all the liquid he could.

He spent over an hour there pumping and in the end wouldn't charge me. I gave him and his helper a Benjamin for their trouble. Its a job I just would not do.

He is planning on coming back and trying again and also installing an extension to get the cap within 12" of the surface. He told me that is the code. I'm fine with that.

I have to say I was really pleased I was able to go online to the local heath district's site and download a map of my system - complete with measurements from the corners of the foundation and distance from the perpendicular.

 

[jkrubi12]

Your home-made 'tank agitator' sounds like a good idea, if you can get it to work. I would also immediately add some tank 'yeast', which is designed to attack such solids (I buy 12 packs & flush one approx once a month all year long, available at Wal-Mart). After pumping, the tank is near empty so the septic treatment you add may need some liquid to get 'activated' and reach those problem areas. If you don't have a pending sale the yeast treatment may have some time to 'work' which may allow a more thorough cleanup in the future.

My 'septic guy' usually pumps until he reaches 'sludge', then uses his truck to back-fill the tank somewhat, agitates and re-pumps it. He also has a long pole shovel-type manual agitator that he uses to reach the corners and loosen/agitate the solids for removal. After he's performed the backwash/agitation routine a couple of times the bottom of the tank is visible through the access port. When you live with a septic system there's 'rules' for what gets flushed/rinsed to the system that must be followed. I was surprised one year by dozens of peanut-butter cup wrappers (leftover halloween candy) floating on the surface, thanks to some 'guests' who made their own rules.

I would recommend your 'agitator' have some stiffness to the handle so you can really work the solids if you go that route. If the corners remain a problem, perhaps a power-jet type of cleaner system would help out. I would think that the septic pumper guy would have the best info on the best solution for the problem.

Is your cleaner the 'usual guy' that has pumped it before? My guy is the contractor that installed my system, he visually inspects it each time he's here. I swear the price goes up every time!

 

[Biker1mike]

Oh the wonder of septic tanks. Go with the suggestion of the Honey Dipper. Odds are good that the solids will slowly dissolve back in. Increase the pump out rate to every 3-4 years for the next couple of pump outs. The fact that you had it pumped should satisfy the new owner.
The literal crap on the sides will have little to no impact on the efficiency of the tank and leach fields,

 

[ctfjr]

jkrubi12 biker1mike

3 days ago I dumped 4lbs of yeast down the toilet I don't know if it will do much if anything in 3 weeks but its like an enema, may not help but it can't hurt.

For my water cannon project - I'm going to use 12' of type L tubing. At the top end I'll have a 3/4X3/4X1/2 brass tee. The tubing will have a male adapter to screw into the tee.
On the run of the tee a 6" nipple on each side. One nipple will be capped and the other will have a female hose adapter on it. Not sure but I may put a ball valve between the hose.

The 'cannon' is NOT going to be used to break up the solids. He has his own long 'shovel' for that. I just want the water to wash the solids to the center so his pump hose can suck it all out.

Oh, I don't have leaching fields. The drainage here is unbelievable. There are 4 500 gal drywells -

 

[motionclone]

This thread stinks.
This guy here https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32646931 may be able to climb right inside and shovel it out for you even though its a sh!tty job.

 

[fried1765]

This thread stinks.
This guy here https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32646931 may be able to climb right inside and shovel it out for you even though its a sh!tty job.

A guy going inside the tank through a 12" access?
Mighty skinny guy.
Probable will be too weak to shovel anything!

 

[PoTreeBoy]

I think copper tubing is going to be too limber to do much good. How about bending a pressure washer wand and using some pressure to blast it free?

 

[GreensvilleJay]

ONE ?? cleanout, dang silly....... just HOW do you get to service the inlet and outlet Tees ??
I use my 2200psi power washer to 'assist' in the pump out( one every 10 years or so...) In your case hookup to HOT water, add an extension to the wand and start spraying, here,there, everywhere. You can either lower your phone down and take video or put mirror on a 6' pole to inspect the tank.
Might take 1/2hr to get it started, after that it'll flow off real good.

 

[Poohbear]

You might add a 2nd cleanout.
We sold our house back last June and one thing I learned was DONT do anything until the home inspector gives the prospective buyer the report & they give you thier list of mandatory repairs. The home inspecter won't give a crap about how much sludge is in the tank if you show a recent bill for pumping but will give you grief over stuff like an " anti-tip over device " not being on a free standing range that was in place years before mandated to be " shipped " with every range but no rule saying must be installed.

 

[PoTreeBoy]

You might add a 2nd cleanout.
We sold our house back last June and one thing I learned was DONT do anything until the home inspector gives the prospective buyer the report & they give you thier list of mandatory repairs. The home inspecter won't give a crap about how much sludge is in the tank if you show a recent bill for pumping but will give you grief over stuff like an " anti-tip over device " not being on a free standing range that was in place years before mandated to be " shipped " with every range but no rule saying must be installed.

Well, the Pooh bear ought to know ! Sorry, you left that one right down the middle, I couldn't resist. Happy Halloween

I just helped my nephew install a six burner plus double griddle, double oven range. It came with one of those. We were like, yeah right.

 

[mikester]

Stop being cheap. Hire a guy to clean it out. Get a receipt. You now have a tax write off for your capital gains and don't need to waste time playing in your own sh*t.

If you do it yourself you save a little money but then the government taxes you on your savings and hard work.