Septic additives

[Cturner987]

We are on en engineered septic system and are very careful about what we put down the down. No organic matter, food, no anti-bacterial soaps or cleaners.. do we need to add septic builders, additives to keep the system working properly? We have heard mixed reviews and dont know which way to go.

[Redwood]

Only if you desire to enhance the revenue of the companies that make them...
The bacteria in the tank occurs quite well on its own with no help whatsoever...
As a matter of fact they are even forgiving of normal amounts of the things you are avoiding using...

You have to admit though...
Rid-X does have some pretty powerful ads...
The trouble is they just aren't very factual...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWBOVfsjcsA

Heck they even have people dumping that junk in the line on houses on sewers....:confused:

[MACPLUMB 777]

Too bad people don't know what a bunch of bunk that add is !

Yeah the tree might have to go what is rid-x going to do about tree roots ?

He digs up "by" the septic tank ! I dig the lid to see if full or clogged at inlet baffle which 50% of the time that is where the clog is anyway !

I don't get into digging the leach field unless it has already failed in which
case rid-x is too late to do anybody any good !

Sorry redwood about the hijack on the tread but i have been wanting to vent on "rid-x" every time i see that commercial

[Cookie]

I heard that RID X is great stuff. ;)

[leejosepho]

Bio-Clean (Terry sells it) has been helpful in my overworked system, but a healthy septic tank that is not abused is typically self-sustaining. Take an annual look to see whether any crust is building up on top of the liquid inside and have the tank pump and cleaned if any crust builds to more than a couple of inches.

More important, in my own opinion, is to be sure you have a filter at the outlet end of your tank to protect your drain field. Prophylactics float and do not dissolve, and I discovered a *lot* of somebody else's floating on out into my drain field during my first inspection right after my wife and I bought this place.

I make it clear to anyone and everyone who *ever* uses a toilet here in my home that *nothing* other than single-ply tissue is to ever be flushed until *after* it has been eaten, but I still catch all kinds of stuff (including chewing gum swallowed by my grandchildren) in my outlet filter.

[leejosepho]

Bio-Clean (Terry sells it) has been helpful in my overworked system ...

I checked my tanks today, and the Bio-Clean definitely seems to be helping. My 500-gallon tank receives most of our sewage and drains into an 800-gallon tank, and the 800-gallon tank no longer has anything floating. Also, the odor in the 500-gallon tank has changed from the typically-sharp septic-tank odor to something a little more mellow like that of a cow barn!