Enzymes are proteins that help bacteria survive and thrive in a septic system, helping them digest waste properly. They break down organic waste in wastewater, such as oils, fats, and grease, into smaller particles, making it easier for natural-occurring bacteria to digest the waste.
There are several types of enzymes used in septic systems, each serving a specific function in waste breakdown. Protease enzymes break down proteins into simpler amino acids, while Amylase enzymes convert starches into liquids and gases. In an efficient septic system, pathogenic bacteria are removed from treated water. To ensure a healthy population of bacteria and enzymes in your septic tank, be careful not to use too much water at one time, which can overload the system and cause solids to build up.
Several types of enzymes are produced by bacteria and available in the septic system: Protease, Lipase, Amylase, Cellulase, Urease, and Xylanase. These enzymes work by breaking down organic material in wastewater, such as fats, oils, and grease, into smaller particles that the microbes consume and convert into liquids and gases. Enzymes and bacteria feast on our waste, turning it into a liquid soup that drains into a leach field for absorption by thirsty individuals.
Additives with enzymes (also known as bio enzymes) stimulate bacterial populations in septic tanks by changing the structure of the system. Septic enzymes are produced by carefully selected bacteria that thrive naturally in the septic tank system on organic waste. Chemical drain cleaners can be harmful to the good enzymes and bacteria in your septic tank, which help break down sewage and treat wastewater. Enzymes play a vital role in the septic tank by speeding up the degradation of organic waste by bacteria.
| Article | Description | Site |
|---|---|---|
| All About Septic System Enzymes | The enzymes facilitate the breakdown of organic material in wastewater, including fats, oils, and grease, into smaller particles that can be more effectively processed by the subsequent treatment stage. | septicsystempumping.com |
| What is a Septic Tank Enzyme? | Septic enzymes are produced by bacteria that have been selected for their ability to thrive in septic tank systems that process organic waste. It is always the case that… | www.muck-munchers.co.uk |
| Can I use a septic tank treatment/septic tank enzymes for … | The septic cleaner enzyme is primarily composed of bran, with a bacterial culture deposited on the surface. The system is being inoculated with live bacteria. One disadvantage is that it is… | www.reddit.com |
📹 How Bio Digester Septic Tanks Work ?
Process of MAK Bio Digester Septic Tanks #mak #makbioseptictank #biodigestor #sewagetreatment #wastemanagement …
Are enzymes good for a septic system?
There is little scientific data to suggest that you should add bacteria or enzymes to your septic system. The United States Environmental Protection Agency reported that biological additives do not appear to improve the performance of healthy septic tanks.
What eats septic sludge?
Microbes in the Septic Tank Bacteria in the sludge at the bottom of the septic tank break down the sludge using anaerobic digestion, which does not require oxygen. Up to half of the solid waste is broken down into gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide and sulfur dioxide.
The middle layer of partly cleaned wastewater flows out of the septic tank into the drain field, where it seeps out of perforated pipes into the surrounding soil. Anaerobic bacteria and other microbes in the soil around the pipes form biomat — a thick, tar-like bacterial slime layer which forms around the drain field pipes.
Biomat cleans and regulates itself, building up or degrading according to how much biomass the wastewater carries and how many microbes must metabolize each other when the available biomass levels drop.
The biomat filters the wastewater as the water flows through it to get to the surrounding soil. As the water flows, the biomat slows it down and feeds on the remaining nutrients in the water.
What dissolves sewage sludge?
Many sludges are treated using a variety of digestion techniques, the purpose of which is to reduce the amount of organic matter and the number of disease-causing microorganisms present in the solids. The most common treatment options include anaerobic digestion, aerobic digestion, and composting. Sludge digestion offers significant cost advantages by reducing sludge quantity by nearly 50% and providing biogas as a valuable energy source.
The purpose of digestion is to reduce the amount of organic matter and the number of disease-causing microorganisms present in the solids. The process is often optimized to generate methane gas which can be used as a fuel to provide energy to power the plant or for sale.
Anaerobic digestion is a bacterial process that is carried out in the absence of oxygen. The process can either be thermophilic digestion, in which sludge is fermented in tanks at a temperature of 55 °C, or mesophilic, at a temperature of around 36 °C. Though allowing shorter retention time (and thus smaller tanks), thermophilic digestion is more expensive in terms of energy consumption for heating the sludge.
Are enzyme drain cleaners safe for septic systems?
Because enzyme drain cleaners are free of chemicals, they pose no risk to your pipes, surfaces or septic system. In fact, these handy enzymes actually help boost your septic tank’s natural bacteria population. While there’s a possibility for skin irritation, enzyme drain cleaners will not cause burns or mucous membrane irritation like chemical drain cleaners.
One of the most highly recommended enzyme-based cleaners is Green Gobbler’s Enzyme Drain Cleaner, which uses a a biodegradable formula. Safe to use in sinks, tubs, showers and toilets, Green Gobbler can clear common culprits of drain clogs, including hair, soap scum and other organic material. So stop fussing with chemical drain cleaners and give an enzyme drain cleaner a try.
Do enzymes remove waste?
Contrary to popular belief, enzymes are not alive. They are produced by live bacteria and pave the way for it to work. Enzymes operate as helpful tools that catalyze (speed up) chemical reactions between bacteria and soils, making the bacteria more efficient. Enzymes work to break down complex waste particles into smaller pieces that bacteria can more easily consume. These smaller particles—organic wastes, urine, grease, stains—become “food” for bacteria to digest and break down into two basic compounds—carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O).
Typical enzymes can be categorized into four main groups, based on the types of soils they react with.
- Proteases break down protein-based soils including blood, urine, food, feces, wine and other beverages.
- Lipases break down fat molecules like oils and grease.
- Amylases break down starch molecules like eggs, sugars, sauces, ice cream, gravy.
- Cellulases are used to soften fabric and restore color to fibers made up of cellulose material. They also remove particulate soil and reduce fabric graying and pilling.
What chemical decomposes septic tank?
Enzymatic products can “break up” this scum layer and increase its mobility, allowing it to enter the soil absorption system. Some chemical additives that have been used in septic systems include hydrogen peroxide, sul- furic acid, formaldehyde, baking soda, and alum.
What destroys a septic system?
The septic tank can also clog if you force non-biodegradable materials into the tank. Non-biodegradable substances end up in your septic tank from your drains, toilets, and garbage disposal units. For example, cigarette butts, sanitary wipes, diapers, and paper towels should never enter the septic tank. Nail polish, paint, glue, and motor oil are also substances that can destroy your septic tank.
Also, specific cleaning detergents contain chemicals that can damage the septic tank. Some chemicals are corrosive and acidic, which may destroy the pipes connecting the septic tank to other components.
The best solution is to pump your septic tank regularly. Also, be careful about the materials that you put down your drain.
3. Excess Water Excessive water usage can lead to tank overflow. When the tank overflows, the water will force the solid matter out of the septic tank and into tubes that should only handle liquids. This disruption interferes with the proper breakdown of solid waste. Also, solid waste in the tubes blocks the flow of liquids into and out of the tank.
How do I reactivate the bacteria in my septic tank?
You can replenish good bacteria in your septic tank by adding three rotten tomatoes or 1/4 ounce of yeast every three months. Put three overripe tomatoes in the garbage disposal while running the faucet. Or pour 1/4 ounce of yeast in the toilet and flush it down.
When bacteria levels in your septic tank are low, you can experience backups in your septic system, which can be hazardous (and smelly). Without bacteria to break down the solid waste, the tank fills up more quickly and the pipes can get clogged. Learn how to increase the bacteria in your septic tank naturally with rotten tomatoes or yeast. The best part? Boosting the bacteria takes five minutes or less.
The natural bacteria in your septic tank breaks down solids, helping ensure your tank doesn’t become full too soon. Natural bacteria also help ensure your septic tank’s health and balance pH levels. Without enough natural bacteria, you’re more likely to experience clogs or the need to pump your septic tank more often than usual.
How Much Does It Cost to Pump Your Septic Tank. The cost to pump a septic tank ranges from $250 to $550. You can avoid additional pumping by maintaining healthy bacteria in your septic tank. Most septic tanks need to be pumped once every three to five years to keep everything running smoothly.
What breaks down feces in a septic tank?
How does a Septic Tank break down sewage?. A septic tank works by the simple process of biological decomposition and distribution drainage. Bacterial microorganisms break down the waste inside a septic tank which can then be safely redistributed or disposed of.
- Septic Tanks and the sewage process. All waste flows into the Septic tank. This can include all wastewater from a home, or toilet discharge only
- This waste fills most of the tank and aerobic bacteria begin breaking down the organic matter.
- Broken-down solids fall to the bottom of the tank creating a sludge layer of organic solids and the byproducts of bacterial decomposition.
- Some of the matter (ie. grease and fats) float to the top of the tank and form a scum layer.
- A filter prevents most solids from entering the outlet pipe.
- As new wastewater enters the tank, it displaces the matter that’s already there. This water flows out of the septic tank and into a drain field.
- The drain field is made of perforated pipes buried in trenches filled with gravel.
- Holes in the drain septic field pipe slowly allow the watery waste to seep into surrounding gravel.
- Gravel around pipes allows water to flow into soil and oxygen to reach bacteria.
- Aerobic bacteria in gravel and soil complete the decomposition of the waste.
- Clean water seeps down into the groundwater and aquifer.
References. epa. gov/septic/how-septic-systems-work.
What breaks down septic waste?
Bacteria and Enzymes: These are the major components of a healthy septic tank. They work together to break down organic materials and keep your system running smoothly. You can find these additives in stores or create your own using active yogurt, yeast, or compost.
What enzymes break down human waste?
There are several types of enzymes that are produced by bacteria and available in the septic system. It includes Protease, Lipase, Amylase, Cellulase, Urease and Xylanase.
These enzymes are helpful in breaking down waste like faecal matter, fats, oil, grease, starch, urea, and other waste. In this way, enzymes play a major role in organic waste degradation.
How Work of Enzyme is Affected?. Septic tank works well when the naturally occurring bacteria secreting enzymes perform its function and helps in breaking down the waste. But various factors affect the work of bacteria and enzymes.
Extensive use of chemicals in the household reaches the septic tank system and affects the function of bacteria and enzymes. The beneficial microbes are eliminated due to the use of various products like bleach, oil, detergents, chemical soaps, paint, acid and solvent-based cleaners, etc.
📹 what you DON’T want to see when you’re sucking your septic tanks
Now if the solids do go into the second tank if it fills up too much in that second tank it can go into your leach bed now if it goes into …
This is a bit misleading. While it’d true you don’t want sludge going into your leach lines/field. Most of the time if the issues is caught early then you can have a septic company jet the lines and do an acid treatment to get things back in working order. Just because some sludge makes it thru ur D-box and into the lines doesn’t always mean you need a whole new system. I had some major septic issues. One company wanted to charge almost $50,000 to put in a whole new system. Another company came in, pumped the tank, replaced the baffle, fixed the pipe that droppe off the tank going to the D-box, installed a new D-Box, jetted the lines and did an acid treatment and charged me $6000 and said the system should last another 50 years. So be a little weary of the first guy that tells you tbay your screwed and heed an entire septic replacement.
Not sure why you are referring to two tanks? A septic tank is one tank that has a pipe going to the D box that distributes it to your leach field. Septic tanks are designed so the solids don’t go into the d box or leach field just the water. If the frost moves the D box, it can cause problems by not allowing the gray water to flow evenly to all your trenches. If you see gray water coming out of the ground it is usually because one trench is getting all the gray water and the other trenches are getting starved because the pipes connected to the d box are not getting any water due to frost shifting the distribution box. Don’t let contractors tell you that you need another leach field if gray water is on the surface of the one trench getting all the gray water. There are a lot of good contractors out there but some bandits are always looking to deceive you.
No, it does not mean you have to put in a new leach field. You have the Septic company “Jet the Lines”. They use a water jet. Have your septic drained every four years. 😯 I managed a Trailer Park for 15 years and everyone was on Septic tanks which the Park was responsible. There ARE instances where you need a new leach field. That is what happens when someone dumps loads of grease from cooking down the drain or flushes diapers, feminine Napkins, plastic bags and so on down the drain. Jet the line and if that doesn’t work you WILL need a new field. That means you have to pay an engineer for a new leach field elsewhere on your property. IF you don’t have enough room for a second leach field that means you have to dig up the old one and replace it. That means all the dirt you dig up has to be disposed of as TOXIC WASTE, and that is very expensive so it’s much cheaper just to put a ‘bull valve’ on the old one so you can switch back to field Number One years later after nature has done it’s thing and the worms have their way with the grease and or Cotton in the leach lines. You WILL need to jet the first field lines out to reopen them but it’s MUCH cheaper than disposing of TOXIC WASTE. Find a reputable septic service company and stay on good terms with them. That’s how we learned all this. We were lucky the Company we used for 15 years wanted our business and were happy to talk to us about keeping the system healthy. BTW You should have a Baffle that keeps “floaters” from going into the second tank.
This article seems to be done by someone who got their information from the guy selling them a service. There’s a heck of a lot of septic systems out there that go much longer than 5 years between pumping without filling the leach field. If yours can’t make it longer than 4 years without risking damage, I suspect you’re nuking the bacteria by flushing chemicals.
What will happen if this just stands there and no new shit comes (septic tank abandonment, resident moved, house empty). After years, decades, hundreds of years…. Will it still be stinky? Or will it smell like fresh potting soil? Can somebody answer this important question I should have fallen asleep 2 hours ago.
if you have to pump your tank every few years, sue the guy that built it. all a septic system does is, the solids and liquid go into the tank, solids fall to the bottom, and break down. the pieces float to the top and mix with the liquid and form a thick liquid. more solids come in and raise the level in the tank until the thick liquid reaches the exit and heads to the leaching field. you can use two tanks or one tank with two chambers or just one tank with no chambers, but they all work the same way. you shouldn’t ever have to pump it out. my septic system was installed by my parents in 1962 and has never been pumped.
thank you for sharing, I remember my grandmother being very anal about us throwing our toilet paper in a designated garbage instead of in the toilet when we stayed at the trailer park – always thought it was really gross but now that I see this and know the work involved to start over I totally understand!
My system only has one tank not two. I think it depends on what region of the country you’re in or what type of ground your system is in. I’m a heavy equipment operator I’ve never heard of anyone using a bulldozer to dig a hole for a septic system maybe a backhoe that’s about it . Maybe a bulldozer in a non-residential situation we have to put a huge leach bed in . But you’re right your yard tore up one way or the other. My system is always been a single person household . For a two bedroom house, I have a 1200 gallon tank and a leach bed that is made out of block and gravel . Black walls with cement lids and P gravel in the bottom. The first time I had my system pumped out was 21 years it’s been 10 years now I’d like to have them come out and pump it out once but he did say when I had it done after 21 years there wasn’t much in the system, it wasn’t even worth coming out he said. It’s been 10 years but I’m still thinking about having it pumped out just to have a baseline. Double check make sure the papers not plugging it up or something crazy is going on. I do not want to have the added cost of putting a new system in even though I can do it by myself it would be a pain!!! I could always use my RV and honey tank while I am rebuilding my system, but I still don’t want to spend that much money on a new system. I guess the septic tank company to come out and pump it out is just good peace of mind and good insurance 👍
One of the delights of country living. Before we moved into town because it was nearer the hospital (I’d had a heart scare) we lived in a log house with septic system and well. In addition to paying for the septic tank to be emptied every 3 years we also had to look after the water supply. The equipment included a deep well submersible pump with control system, water softener, two filters and a uv treatment unit. The softener required salt regularly, the filters had to be changed every month and on top of all that there was the electricity cost to run all this, the maintenance/repairs and the initial capital cost. When we moved to town we paid about $100 per month for water and sewage. A bargain as far as I was concerned because I had no liability except for inside the house. Didn’t even need a uv system. That’s why I laughed when the neighbors complained about the cost of water and sewage disposal.
I had a friend we called Brig, that owned a Honey Wagon. He was just a good old boy from Kentucky. He had no filter when he spoke and it could be funny at times. One Saturday he was out pumping a tank, and it had so many condoms in it that they kept clogging the hose. The home owner and his wife were perusal, and the husband asked what was the clogs he kept having to pull out? He told him, in his own way, “Well every time you screw your old lady, and flush the rubber down, it’s gotta end up here or your yard.” He said it got real quiet, and the husband said”I built this house 7 years ago….I’ve had a vasectomy for 10 years..” He looked at his wife, and she took off running, and he took off after her. Brig just picked up his equipment and left. He said he wasn’t going to get paid anyway.
We had a really huge one that was made out of bricks at the old farmhouse I grew up in. It was abandoned since I was a little kid in the 60’s. In the early 90’s I was having a problem with big puddles in front of the barn so I figured I’d put a drain in. As I was digging the trench with the backhoe I found the old pipes going into the tank way below grade (I think there was a lot of fill dumped there over the years) so to save myself from digging and laying like 150 more feet of drain pipe I just plumbed the new drains into the tank. I never even located the tank lid and wasn’t really sure where it was. From looking at old pictures I think there was like 6 feet of fill on top of it. But damn I’ll tell you what, even during big storms with lots of water going in the drain, it never backed up. I often wondered how big that tank was.
I’ve been installing septics for 30 years. The point of the second tank is to catch the sediment from the first tank . There should be sediment in the second tank, if not, then why have it? The second tank, or compartment is required only in certain towns in my state ( New Jersey). It’s a great idea to have two tanks or compartments, it extends the systems lifespan drastically. We now have filters on the outlet of the tank closest to the distribution system.
I have a 51 year old house that I’ve lived in 30 years, and have never needed to pump it out. It’s a single concrete tank, there’s a sanitary T where the pipe enters and a pipe up near the top at the back that flows to a dry well- not a leach field. The sanitary T helps push the solids to the bottom. The solids then are eventually eaten up by microbes naturally, and only liquids come out the other end. The reason it doesn’t work for so many homes is because people use lots of chlorine bleach and other chemicals that kill the microbes.. they use it in their laundry which is pumped to the septic, and in cleaning and put it in the toilet or sink. This kills the microbes and stops the process. The key is to use none, or less. You can also flush some shredded cabbage or other fermenting foods like spoiled milk that keep the microbes going. No need to buy Rid-X.
I threw a party at my house when I was a teenager. This is probably 2001. A girl fell in one of our risers. The lid was open for some reason. Her body and clothes were half black at that point. She was pretty short too. It was horrible. I think about how lucky my family was that we did not get sued. Crazy
My house has a septic. One tank installed in 1970. Starting a few years ago, in my area you are required to have a septic inspected and pumped when you sell/buy a house. Septic guy said he thought it had never been pumped in 45 years. It stunk horribly while it was being pumped but it was working fine. I think if your sludge is building up, maybe the bacteria levels aren’t high enough to eat the poo. If you use bleach and do a lot of laundry, this could presumably kill the good bacteria needed for a healthy system.
I live in Austria in an area, where the Americans bombed a lot during WW 2. Many years after the war, someone pumped out his septic tank, that was right next to his house. Anyway. They found a bomb in his tank and he has unknowingly shit on it since after the war. I think, its that, what you don’t want to see when you’re sucking your septic tank :D.
Yeah my father-in-law opened a tank once with the owner of the house who had a vasectomy years ago it was just him and his wife living there pull the top off the tank it was full of condoms my father-in-law who was a very strong man grabbed the shovel out of the husbands hand before he let him go to the house very red-faced and angry
For some reason i feel like it’s pretty gross and kinda interesting how they do something like this. I kinda feel like this more more educational than when they depicted what a septic tank was like in Meet the Parents. I also feel that a sewer system is kinda more sanitary than a septic tank. At least the sewer runs in many different directions. In a septic tank, the stuff settles.
I just came across this article,and i know its a few years old but i thought i.d message you to see if you could help.At 1.19 in the article i see the operator has some sort of a handle that clamps around the pipe so that he can hold on to it easily…. just wondering who makes them? do they have a name? would be great to have one to use on my tanker.many thanks
I’ve been living in my house for 18 years. I have a septic tank and have been using Roebic K-37 twice a year since I moved in. I didn’t have my septic tank pumped out for 17 years. When they pumped out my septic tank, they told me it was one of the cleanest septic tanks they had ever seen. They couldn’t believe that I had never had my septic tank pumped out. The guy told me, “Whatever You’re Doing, Keep Doing It.” I just put more Roebic K-37 in my septic system today. Good for another 6 months. I will probably have it pumped out in another ten years or so.
We had a property once that had two separate, brick lined 6 foot round tanks THIRTY FEET DEEP. Built by the railroad an unknown number of decades before, which we owned it for fifty years. They never got filled up at all. Two concrete cone shaped tops with two brick sized holes in each cone for entrance and venting. But only one was used for inlet sewage piping. We didn’t know about venting at the time so we didn’t use the second hole for venting. One time, roots had grown through the holes and blocked the inlet pipe, backing up the sewer line. He put a couple gallons of gas down the hole and lit it. Man, he exploded up six feet in the air with the flame that exploded out that tiny hole!!😂 I can laugh now but I didn’t laugh then. I was about 14 years old. He was twenty but mentally 14 because he thought it was a good idea too! Didn’t hurt the cone or the brick lining but it DID burn the roots. That’s the kind of sewer tanks to have. Never worry about filling up. Just watch out roots don’t clog up the hole😉!!😂🙏
Mexican here, septic tanks aren’t that popular around here, a colleague just bought a house and some friends were helping him move. While resting in the backyard we found this odd concrete slab. we were thinking all kind of things so after about an hour we finally were able to open it just to discover it was an old septic tank.
My 1500 gal septic tank only has a single tank, but two hatches. One hatch is for emptying and the other hatch is for the filter module just before the liquid enters the leach field. I empty mine every 3 years. My neighbors all brag about how they’ve never emptied theirs. Both neighbors had to pay roughly $15k each to redo their leach fields in 2020.
I started using a french press for coffee instead of a drip-basket, and now instead of tossing out a soggy filter-with-grounds, I have settled grounds with some coffee on top. To dump the sludge(!) into a separate container, I need to at the very least agitate the mix, sometimes adding water to get all the grounds on the bottom, and then pour. Later, once the mess settles, decant the liquid down the drain until only the grounds remain. Point being, wouldn’t it be better (if not actually necessary) to stir up the sludge and water in the tanks before sucking it out? Otherwise the water comes out easily, but you’d need a shovel, not a hose, to get out the remaining sludge.
This is a GREAT article and of perfect length, too. Owners of a septic system are well advised to take heed. Years ago, I moved to the rural area outside of town but still into a neighborhood with municipal utilities including water and sewer. I got to know several owners of acreages and became attracted to such a lifestyle. Then I became the “small town phone guy” and promptly became much more familiar with the “costs” of living on an acreage – and they are not just in dollars. CALORIES are another form of payment for the privilege of living-on and keeping-up God’s Green Acre: If it doesn’t need fixing, it needs mowing. If it isn’t the septic system it’s the water system. There is another “law” right up there with Murphy’s: When these systems fail, they must do so in the dead of winter. Potable water system: If the inevitable issue isn’t the submersible pump, it’s the pressure system in the home. Septic system: If the inevitable issue isn’t the tank, it’s the laterals and/or leach field.
Lived in a very rural area years ago, always hoped when it came time to pump out the tank that it was during the warmer months,no such luck,tank had to be pumped out in dead of winter,had to hire a backhoe to pull the septic truck to the cleanout hole,plus the price of the pump out,an expensive proposition!Why you should put yeast in your toilet to keep the bacteria working in the tank.