[tireshark]

Tank has 3.5 feet of material in it... looks like roughly a 4x3 square structure.


The top scum layer is like a foot thick, and it's almost physically impossible to break through it in some spots (its like a big heavy quilt). In the spots i was able to break through, i go down to the bottom of the tank and never feel a sludge layer.


It seems to me that the scum layer is blocking the inlet and pretty much preventing anything from getting to the bottom. The bottom 'feels' pretty much liquid under the scum layer.



I'm not afraid of sticking my arms down into the tank and pulling the scum layer out, if it would save me $400.


A. Is it feasible to just pull the scum layer out by hand?


B. If so, is there somewhere i can dispose of it? Like put it in big contractor trash bags or something and take it to the city dump or somewhere that would accept it?

 

[joed]

The material is hazardous waste and needs to go to sanitary treatment plant. There is no way you can clean it yourself. Around here it is about $150 to pump a tank. Money well spent.

 

[tireshark]

Thanks for the input.

I was hoping i could just pull the scum layer out (which i wouldnt think would be terribly difficult), and take it to the sanitation disposal place myself.

Is this unheard of?

Cheapest that im getting quoted around here is $350-400. That's a lot of cash for only needing about a foot of material removed from the top of the tank.

 

[gregzoll]

There is a reason why it costs so much to have a tank pumped. You are paying for Labor, the wear and tear on the truck and equipment to pump, the license that they have to carry as Plumbers, EPA, state Sanitary license, tags and title, insurance on the vehicle, in case they damage a person's property, able to still get paid through their workman's comp if injured, such as what AFLAC does, payroll if they are paying someone as their employee or paying theirself to help pay their bills, the list goes on.

You will not be getting a foot of material removed from the tank, you are going to be getting the whole tank emptied. What you see is the first chamber, there should be one or two more lids for each section. As for that sludge, they actually will use a steel bar that has an flat rectangular section that is like a knife to break through, or they will use a spade or shovel.

Unless you are daring and do not have any open sores, which actually the bed under your nails can absorb the bacteria inside the tank, which is human waste. You would quickly realize that there is a reason why people get sick and get Flesh eating bacteria.

As for that sludge. That comes from people pouring grease down the drain, soaps, body oils, wrong products for toilet paper, etc, too much detergent and fabric softener in the washing machine.

If there is an issue of too much house waste like grease, etc getting poured down the drain, you really need to get a grease trap installed. Also using Gray Water, which is from the washing machine that would go through a filter and be reused for other items, that can help cut down on how much water is going into the tank.

The biggest issue that you will encounter is that most likely your drain field has failed, because of the system not being properly maintained, your costs are going to get even more.

 

[jimn]

You likely have a hardened sludge layer as well. Sounds like this tank has been neglected for years and you may have more issues. I am not sure where you live, but in our neck of the woods septic tank up pumping has to to be taken to a sewage treatment facility. Pretty sure they won't accept material from a homeowner. It costs me 220 every four years to have my tank pumped out and inspected. For that I get a properly functioning tank that should go for years. Money well spent . Beats the 20 grand to replace a neglected system.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

You are kidding right? Your tank cleaners pay a fee for proper disposal. Not to mention doing it the way you want to is like a major health hazard and you could potentially DIE.
__________________

 

[SeniorSitizen]

So how is a pump going to pump a big heavy scum layer like a quilt that could hardly be broken through?

 

[ZTMAN]

And, in our neck of the woods,we have to provide proof, once every three years, that the tank was pumped and the pumping co has to certify the tank, and that it was pumped.

 

[ben's plumbing]

while I encourage diy projects to help owners save money and gain knowledge....what your asking .cannot and should not be done....why... well 1 st its a law to have proper disposal...where would you get rid of the waste...2nd. you already said your not afraid to stick your hand in human waste to save money,,so will let that one go...3rd .its a small price to pay for having a septic system....people on city sewage pay 75-150 per month

4th.. well I must say ...its just plain wrong..." A MAN GOT TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS"

 

[Bud9051]

I'm certainly one to save a buck when I can, even at an advanced age I will be replacing my entire roof. But no way would I touch that job and no way would my town want me to do so. There are plenty of other way to save the required money.

You could explain you have the cleanout open and will take care of filling and covering it to try and get a slightly better price. If your access is easy where they can get in and out without a hassle, explain that, time is money for any business.

But getting it done right is more than removing what you are looking at. If not right it could hasten a complete failure where solids and grease enter your leach field and THEN you don't want to see the quotes.

Bud

 

[goobertime]

once cleaned out properly, you can save money in the future on proper maintenance of the tank..methane gas is poisonous to breath in, if your gona be face to face with the sludge...

 

[joed]

So how is a pump going to pump a big heavy scum layer like a quilt that could hardly be broken through?

It is not actually a pump. It is a giant vacuum that sucks it out.

 

[SeniorSitizen]

I'd like to invite the OP to keep us posted on the process and final cost of removing the foot thick layer with a vacuum pump.

I predict what will happen is the pumper will penetrate the thick layer, pump the liquid out and say that's pumped and the bill will be 3-4 hundred $.

 

[gregzoll]

3rd .its a small price to pay for having a septic system....people on city sewage pay 75-150 per month

4th.. well I must say ...its just plain wrong..." A MAN GOT TO KNOW HIS LIMITATIONS"

You are telling me that I have been underpaying. My sewer is the same as water use. It is really nice when you are empty nesters and your kids are gone. The bill goes way down. We actually pay around $21 for the city to take crap to the plant.

 

[Tom738]

And, in our neck of the woods,we have to provide proof, once every three years, that the tank was pumped and the pumping co has to certify the tank, and that it was pumped.

OK, that is just overregulation and possibly lobbying from septic companies. I could see five years, maybe, but every three years is just a tax on little old ladies who live alone.

 

[SHEPLMBR]

OK, that is just overregulation and possibly lobbying from septic companies. I could see five years, maybe, but every three years is just a tax on little old ladies who live alone.

depends on size of tank.

 

[tireshark]

Thanks for the input everyone. Well, after reading some of you talk about multiple sections in a septic system, i went out to dig some more to see if i had it all... and you were right, what i was looking at was just one small section. Here is a photo of the entire thing (at least i think it's pretty much the whole thing) exposed... i had only uncovered the section where the hole is, and thought that was all of it.

Now that i realize how much is there, i will probably just call the septic company. I still feel like i could physically remove all of it, but that much material is way too much to deal with. I might could deal with it if it was just that small section, but i'm not going to tackle the whole thing.

I replaced the entire drain field myself last year, and i've replace 99% of the piping under the house leading into it... so after i get it pumped, im hoping it will be good to go for many years.

BTW, here is a short video of me poking the scum layer so you can get an idea of how thick it is. In the spot where the shadow is, i couldn't even break through... and where it broke through in the rest of it is because of me probing it yesterday.

This is a rental house and it hasn't been pumped out in 'i think' 10 years (it's my parents, and i started helping my mom with the maintenance on it about 3 years ago when my dad passed)... so lots of baby wipes im sure, and possibly even roots as well.

I was expecting to see more than one lid, and separation between the sides... but sticking my stick in there and probing around it feels like its just a big box with an inlet and outlet in it. I imagine the mass is interfering with the outlet, because it looks like its actually blocking it from this angle. I'll find out more about the internal structure when it's empty.

I'm like seniorcitizen... going to be interesting to see how they deal with this. Hopefully they can break it up enough to suck out without having to tack on more fees.

Thanks again for all the good input.

 

[tireshark]

Oh and just to add to the discussion about sewer fees, they are only $12 a month where i'm at. :biggrin2:

 

[Tom738]

depends on size of tank.

Absolutely. Still, 3 years would be good practice for three people on a 900 gallon tank, which is a pretty small tank and a home with slightly over the median number of people (2.49 for PA) in it. (Or I suppose two people with a garbage disposal they use a lot, etc...). It's insane to require it for someone living alone with a reasonably sized system--insane enough, btw, that I would never trust a pumping company to be telling the truth if that's where I heard it from. Of course, sometimes crazy laws get passed.

There is no harm in pumping a tank every three years, but anyone who passes a law mandating it has never lived on a tight budget. I'd much rather a senior take an extra few years between pumps and spend that money on things that could save someone's life, like assist bars in their bathrooms or junk removal to get tripping hazards out of their home.

http://inspectapedia.com/septic/Septic_Tank_Pumping_Schedule.php

 

[gregzoll]

OK, that is just overregulation and possibly lobbying from septic companies. I could see five years, maybe, but every three years is just a tax on little old ladies who live alone.

It depends on if you live in a Flood zone or have Wetlands where you live. Public Health departments are getting stringent on Septic tanks more now then before, dur to a lot of people are not getting them emptied or maintained.