septic tank

[paulstenlund]

We had a contractor replacing piling on our dock and he crushed our septic tank. he "cheerfully" replaced it as he was told where it was and it was marked, ie: his fault. We now have a huge new contrete septic tank installed (lawn don't look to good). He said "there you go" and took his equipment and left. My question is since this tank is speced for a 5 bedroom house and we have a separate system for gray water should we fill the tank with water or something. It will take me and LOML months if not more to fill it up to the point where it will flow into the drain field.

Thanks
Paul

[Hellrazor]

Yes, fill it up.

[paulstenlund]

Mike
Boy that was quick, just run water into it??
Paul

[linear]

yeah--if the ground gets real wet that thing will float like a boat. You think your lawn is messed up now....

[Hellrazor]

You can run water into it, do a 30 loads of wash or a combination of all of that. You do not want to let your drain field dry out either.

Not only can the thing float like a boat as linear mentioned, the pressure from heavy rain and the soil around it could collapse the tank if its empty. Most contractors will fill it with water as they backfill.

If its raining now, open the lid or a vent and put an extension on a downspout and help fill it that way.

[paulstenlund]

Thanks Guys
This is a 1250 gal concrete tank so it wouldn't collapse, float, maybe, water table comes up high. Washer goes into a separate gray water field, LOTS of flushes and a few whirlpool tubs (new addition couldn't go to the gray water field) will get it full. Hate to see the water bill, but you gotta poop.

[Jeffrey Schronce]

We had a contractor replacing piling on our dock

Ummmm. Don't you have a huge source of free water?

[TheRic]

Ummmm. Don't you have a huge source of free water?

I have heard people being charged for pumping water out of a lake, river, etc. One time some people were trying to fill a new pond, so they decided to pump water out of the nearby lake (1/4 to 1/2 mile away). Even through the lake was high, they still got charged.

[paulstenlund]

We did have a nice Berkley pump (about 10-15 feet of head depending on low tide) on the dock for garden/lawn watering but a bushing went out of the motor. I know that because when it started howling I took it into the shop and disassembled the pump - it was fine. so sometime b4 the rain stops I'll take the motor apart.

[paulstenlund]

BTW the whirl pool is ~140 gal so 9 of them should fill it

Paul

[Cheeky]

host a keg'r and you should be set

[lkazista]

I am confused, how would a concrete tank float? Why would you fill it? It will fill easily with your normally household use. I replaced a tank at my last house and never had an issue. The contractor did not fill it as he backfilled.

Can anyone clarify?

Lee

[linear]

Some guy named Archimedes figured out a while back that there's a bouyant force equal to the weight of the water you displace when you sit in the bathtub. Same goes for the septic tanks--you have to make sure that if you are anywhere near the water table, you account for the possibility that the displaced water will bouy your tank up.

[gjat]

With showers, dishes, laundry, and toilet, it will fill up pretty quick. Even two people would use about 5,000 gallons a month. Rain will flow through the drainfield back into the tank until the tank get's filled up.

In order to float, the water would have to be able to displace the volume of the tank and bouancy would have to overcome the friction of the dirt around the septic tank. Not likely to happen given the weight of a septic tank (wall thickness in relationship with the volume of the tank), plus start adding some water from use even before the tank is completely filled.

Don't waste the time and effort of pumping water into the tank. Just be a little more free with showers and laundry. May be a good time to do some "spring" cleaning and wash some extra linens, towels, and summer clothes, maybe take a few 2-person bubble baths every evening in addition to your morning or evening showers, maybe work extra in your wood shop requireing extra showers for the saw dust. (But honey, I have to make that 3rd tenon jig for the band saw to help the septic tank.)

[TheRic]

..... My question is since this tank is speced for a 5 bedroom house and we have a separate system for gray water should we fill the tank with water or something. ...

With showers, dishes, laundry, and toilet, it will fill up pretty quick. Even two people would use about 5,000 gallons a month. Rain will flow through the drainfield back into the tank until the tank get's filled up.....

Showers, laundry, dishes would all be gray water. I would even think the hot tub would be gray water. I guess it depends on what is tied in with what.