Septic System Question

[GarageGuy89]

Looking for a septic guru out there.

We have an effluent filter on the outgoing pipe of the tank. It's blue with small 1/8"ish slots. I'm having to clean this thing off every 2 months, otherwise it restricts flows enough to back up into the house.

The entire tank was replaced 3 years ago. We had the tank pumped almost exactly 1 year ago. I've had to clean it every 2-3 months since the last pump. The filter gets clogged with white stuff, what I presume to be bits of toilet paper.

1st cell of the tank has about 12" of scum, but it is literally white and looks like toilet paper.

2nd cell has a very thin layer, maybe 1" of scum that is more broken down.

I can post pictures of it if needed. We use Costco toilet paper. Two adults and three kids in diapers. Only toilet paper goes down the drain, no wipes! We limit food down the drain as much as possible, and the wife does A LOT of laundry.

Is this normal. Last septic system I was on, we didn't even touch it for almost 10 years....this one seems to be a bit of a drama queen.

 

[matt_i]

Thats abnormal. Sounds like a change of toilet paper is needed, maybe it has some kind of plastic microfibers which float as opposed to wood-based fibers that sink.....

 

[58Yeoman]

Make sure that your tp is septic safe. We tried Northern extra "something" with three layers that was septic safe. It didn't make it out of the house before plugging the drain lines.

 

[BukitCase]

In our area, Costco doesn't even offer a single ply paper - a couple other stores (including Walmart) sell Cottonelle SINGLE PLY, we've been using ONLY that for at least 20 years. Just had septic pumped, previously it'd been OVER ten years. (Disclaimer - our youngest was in second grade when we bought this place...)

Agree with the concensus you need to change TP, and NOTHING that's more than single ply... Steve

 

[like2wheel]

Make sure that your tp is septic safe. We tried Northern extra "something" with three layers that was septic safe. It didn't make it out of the house before plugging the drain lines.

Haha we had the same thing happen. Nice stuff, but was more like soft paper towel than toilet paper.

The fact that it was septic system safe was a moot point. It never made it that far.

 

[Worsedog]

It's possible that the quantity of laundry is also not helping, especially if a lot of bleach is involved.

We use the Northern triple layer huge roll stuff because it's comfy...….lol. There is only two of us though.

We had a back up issue when my parents were here at Christmas but it was due to a joint coming apart ahead of the tank. Part of trouble shooting was of course digging up the cleanout and filter. Found both of those fine and the tank smelled right according to my sister who is a wastewater engineer. While it wasn't pleasant it had an earthy smell, not like raw sewage gag a maggot smell.

 

[PassnThru]

In our area, Costco doesn't even offer a single ply paper - a couple other stores (including Walmart) sell Cottonelle SINGLE PLY, we've been using ONLY that for at least 20 years. Just had septic pumped, previously it'd been OVER ten years. (Disclaimer - our youngest was in second grade when we bought this place...)

Agree with the concensus you need to change TP, and NOTHING that's more than single ply... Steve

The theory would be that you would use twice as much single ply than you would double ply just to keep the **** off your fingers.
The number of plies really doesn't matter - its how much you use of each one which is probably double for the single ply versus the double ply.
To say you should only use single ply on a septic system is just starting another 'internet fact'.

 

[joe_padavano]

We've been on septic for 20 years now (and eight years at a prior property before that). No issues whatsoever with two-ply Scott. I'm also inclined to point to the laundry. Also, do you have a garbage disposal?

 

[ransil]

I test my TP, put s few sheets in a jar fill 3/4 water, put lid on and shake a few times, TP should pretty much disappear.

Google up RV TP testing.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[Northislander]

Bidet or washlet toilet seat reduces TP use. I put in a Duravit seat prior to some surgery because the wife said she wasn't wiping for me. I feel like a neanderthal when i'm away and have to use TP now.

https://www.totousa.com/products/washlets

 

[PassnThru]

Bidet or washlet toilet seat reduces TP use. I put in a Duravit seat prior to some surgery because the wife said she wasn't wiping for me. I feel like a neanderthal when i'm away and have to use TP now.

https://www.totousa.com/products/washlets

My wife and I changed diapers and wiped our kids and would do it for each other.


Your world is very different apparently.

 

[ReggieR]

Sears catalog
Bag of lime. Problem over

 

[landlord30]

Bidet or washlet toilet seat reduces TP use. I put in a Duravit seat prior to some surgery because the wife said she wasn't wiping for me. I feel like a neanderthal when i'm away and have to use TP now.

https://www.totousa.com/products/washlets

What do you dry your *** with? If it's toilet paper, how much less are you really using?

 

[Notgrownup]

Those damn bidets now dry your *** with a air dryer....

 

[Northislander]

What do you dry your *** with? If it's toilet paper, how much less are you really using?

You are right if i'm rushing it's toilet paper (granted very little)
If there's another paragraph left to read in the latest Guns and Ammo the Duravits built in blow dryer gets switched on.

 

[bfr57]

Sears catalog
Bag of lime. Problem over

What does lime do for a septic?

 

[meboatermike]

The Sears catalog and a bag of lime sounds like an old outhouse to me My grandparents had one 60 years ago except it wasn't "out" it was at the back of their "tiny house" ohh how the new is really old now that I think about it.

 

[EVOLVO]

Never put bleach in a septic system, it kills the microbes. Make sure the wife's laundry products a bleach free.

 

[SimS]

Could the "white stuff" in the filter be laundry powder residue? We switched to pods and/or liquid detergent after seeing our filter during the septic pump out.

SimS

 

[glentre]

I don't agree that you will use twice as much single ply as the thicker two or three ply. Our "city" home is on the town sewer system and there we use two ply. The summer home is on a septic system and we use single ply. Granted, on the septic house we use a little more off the role but not a heck of a lot more.

Personal hygiene habits play a part too. Some folks use wads and wads of paper while others use only the amount necessary to do the job. Having a bidet also helps as this paper can go into a nearby trash can since it is only used to dry and it is not soiled.

I also agree with the others, a change in paper would be your first and least expensive move.

Glen

 

[Showkey]

I have used Costco paper on the last three septics...........no drama no issues. I would go with a soap and laundry issue.

Current system we on mandatory three year pumps by code.

 

[Mr. D]

We've been on septic for 20 years now (and eight years at a prior property before that). No issues whatsoever with two-ply Scott. I'm also inclined to point to the laundry. Also, do you have a garbage disposal?

Same here, 7 years on septic, no pumping, 6 people in house. You have a tank problem not a how you use it problem.

 

[TractorJeff]

Still a few minutes with a jar and a couple of pieces of toilet paper would rule out TP being the issue!

 

[bobbyjean]

sounds like the "cap" you mention could be acting as a baffle....
we had issue with old concrete tank...wound up with a baffle setup on inlet and outlet of tank...basically a "t" fitting ...
we had the tank pumped while still using scotts septic safe tp.....the driver asked what paper we used before removing clean out cover....he said he would pump it for free if he didn't find two feet (thick) of paper....we had four feet of it...a new record ....well it's been sandpaper since then...single ply...cheapo tp
you should have a distribution box downstream of tank and maybe more than one...it's used to tie leaching fields(pipes) together....any area's of your lawn wet....
i put in a drywell years ago-my septic issue's have been good since

 

[ReggieR]

We've been on septic for 20 years now (and eight years at a prior property before that). No issues whatsoever with two-ply Scott. I'm also inclined to point to the laundry. Also, do you have a garbage disposal?

Gray water goes straight to a lil tank and drain field. Or just a drain field Washer drier, sinks etc.
The toilets(human waste) go so a septic system....Peeing in the shower doesn't count ! Quit lying. God knows The Truth

 

[Showkey]

Gray water goes straight to a lil tank and drain field. Or just a drain field Washer drier, sinks etc.
The toilets(human waste) go so a septic system....Peeing in the shower doesn't count ! Quit lying. God knows The Truth

This really depends on your location. All water black and gray go to the septic system in most areas that control water quality.

 

[Notgrownup]

Mine goes all to the tank, I have it cleaned every 3 years or so.