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Old 08-27-2012, 01:47 PM   #1
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home dump station

Will the average chemical added to a black water tank to control odor cause any grief with a residential septic tank and leach lines?
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:24 PM   #2
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It depends on what you mean by average. Any chemical that kills bacteria can do the same in your septic tank. Your septic tank depends on bacteria to digest the sewage, so killing it off is not good. Also be aware that the volume of a full black tank with 40 gallons of sewage at one time may be overwhelming to your system.
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:27 PM   #3
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If the additive contains Formaldehyde, that will kill the bacteria in your septic tank. If it contains active bacteria to break down solids, its a plus. You don't want a pure deodorizer, you want one that contributes to bacteria action. Read labels of what's available in your area.
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Old 08-27-2012, 02:31 PM   #4
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Also be aware that the volume of a full black tank with 40 gallons of sewage at one time may be overwhelming to your system.
Seems to me that if 40 gallons would overwhelm your septic system, you've got problems. 40 gallons is little more than a bathtub full of water or a few dishwasher or washing machine loads. In addition, if you're off using the RV, your septic tank had a 'rest' anyway. Using a bacterial odor additive that adds to the bacteria is a benefit, not a problem.
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Old 08-27-2012, 03:30 PM   #5
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40 gallons is a lot of concentrated aerobic sewage, but the average home system can handle it. If you have an older system nearing the end of it's life, you could empty the tanks over a period of days or weeks. But open the valve fully no matter how much you empty at once. I don't approve of any additive. Not even deodorants since they just waste your money for very little gain.
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Old 08-27-2012, 03:41 PM   #6
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This is why I made a depression era septic system for my motorhome. I did not want to empty any chemicals into my home septic system.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:05 PM   #7
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This is why I made a depression era septic system for my motorhome. I did not want to empty any chemicals into my home septic system.
OK Ga Traveler, I'll bite. What is a depression era septic system? I have an idea but I had to ask.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:13 PM   #8
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I'm not sure what a 'depression era septic system' is. An old car buried in the yard? If you only use bacterial based deodorizers, I wouldn't hesitate to put into a septic system. It saves buying yeast or other products to rejuvenate the home system since you're adding bacteria with each dump.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:19 PM   #9
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If the additive contains Formaldehyde, that will kill the bacteria in your septic tank.
Not according to a Licensed Sanitation Engineer who inspected the installation of a sand filter system for a private campground. He said the problem comes when all the weekend campers empty their tanks and it floods the system. Normal use of formaldehyde won't hurt.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:20 PM   #10
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I'm not sure what a 'depression era septic system' is. An old car buried in the yard? If you only use bacterial based deodorizers, I wouldn't hesitate to put into a septic system. It saves buying yeast or other products to rejuvenate the home system since you're adding bacteria with each dump.
But, respectfully, active and healthy home septic systems don't need any additive at all. The home septic system only requires time and a lack of oxygen. Don't waste time and money on anything.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:39 PM   #11
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If the additive contains Formaldehyde, that will kill the bacteria in your septic tank.
Not according to a Licensed Sanitation Engineer who inspected the installation of a sand filter system for a private campground. He said the problem comes when all the weekend campers empty their tanks and it floods the system. Normal use of formaldehyde won't hurt.
This is wrong information - most chemicals harm septic systems. Formaldehide certainly harms these systems and is harmful to the environment.
http://www.epa.gov/region9/water/gro...wastewater.pdf
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:43 PM   #12
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I need to put this on tape, I have passed it on so many times. During the depression, people could get a ww1 tent from the government. They still wanted sewage. Being good old Americans They came up with a homemade septic system that was almost free. 55 gallon drums were easy to come by. you dig a hole big enough to hold 2 or 3 55 gal. drums. You drill 1/2 inch holes in the top two thirds of the drums. the bottom 1/3 is solid to hold the waste and bacteria. You attach a closet flange to the top of the middle drum. attach all three drums together with 4 inch plastic pvc pipe. you run the top 4 inch pipe out of the ground. Dig the hole about three times as long as the barrels and fill with gravel. You put a cleanout plug at the top of the pipe where it comes out of the ground. Cover the gravel with dirt and plant grass. All you have showing is a 4 inch cleanout plug. This is a working septic system. I built my first one in 1984 and it is still working today. PS I use plastic drums because they will not rust.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:52 PM   #13
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Here try this, natural and breaks down organics better than chemicals many other benefits too...InVade Bio Drain - Free Shipping
also is just a great holding tank cleaner. You never know what you might bring home in your holding tanks. This is a commercial product used by resturants, etc.
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Old 08-27-2012, 04:54 PM   #14
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Many different replies

Lots of different opinions. Our septic tank has an air pump that agitates and oxygenates the waste prior to pumping out to the leach lines. The black water tank was only 1/4 full so I'm guessing around 10 gallons or so. I wil be putting the coach away for a while and didn't want to store it with even a small load of stuff in the black water tank. We just bought a home in the foothills near Yosemite in California and I have a list of projects 3' long that will keep us home for a while. I'm thinking the tissue we use shouldn't be an issue since it's rated for rv use and the deodorizer is a dry product made by Exodor (Porta-Pack) with no formaldehyde. It's just the two of us so the septic system is busy only when we have company. We have never dealt with a septic system before and we are still learning the do's and don'ts.
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