Septic Tank Looks like crap.

[chiangrai]

I got a Hill Tribe gentelman and his crew to come and put in a septic tank yesterday.They came and dug the hole by hand and threw a few large concrete rings in it and a concrete lid on top.

So far so good.

Then they only half covered the lid with earth,put a half bucket of concrete on the hole in the circular concrete lid and then put a half inch blue P.V.C pipe about

five foot long sticking out of the concrete dolop.

Is there any way that I can tidy this up.

Can I cover the lid fully with earth.Can I

crop the five foot pipe down to the level of the earth I put on the lid.

Can I change the blue pipe to something that would last longer and looks

less eye catching.

Because now the whole job looks like a tank of sh............................

[chiangrai]

I just found out that the builders made the pipe that long becaose,they say,that the

tank will smell if the pipe is short.

There must be a more evolved solution than that.

[regedit]

I think the pipe is to let the methane gas out but I don't think it has to be vertical. You can probably put a 90 degree bend on it, then run pipe just below some earth, and then up a wall or post in a more discreet location, so long as it won't get blocked.

[chiangrai]

That's great,

how high does the pipe have to be from the hieght of the

lid of the septic tank.

[Anthony5]

That's great,

how high does the pipe have to be from the hieght of the

lid of the septic tank.

half a meter higher than your nose.

[chiangrai]

That makes sence

[petermik]

That makes sence

And "common sense" at that

[chiangrai]

Maybe some kind of a filter on the end of the pipe wouldn't go amis.

What do they do in Farangland.

I've never seen a pipe coming out of a septic tank at home.

[bankruatsteve]

FYI: that's not a septic tank. It's a cesspit. You will need to have it pumped out periodically. If it functions normally, after a while you really won't need the pipe but do try to prevent rain water seeping in as that will make the pump-outs even more frequent. And don't cover the lid or cement it in as that will need to come off for the pumping.

[RichCor]

Maybe some kind of a filter on the end of the pipe wouldn't go amis.

What do they do in Farangland.

I've never seen a pipe coming out of a septic tank at home.

The 'stand pipe' also prevent pressure from building up in sewer line connection. Otherwise the sewer line would have to complete an air/water 'exchange' at the toilet to allow it to flush.

If you look at the roofline of most US houses, you'll notice a pipe or two penetrating up through the roof, usually near the bathroom.

Sewer stand pipes, keep you from dying a mysterious death in the middle of the night.

No 'filter' required, nor recommended. Gasses should be allowed to exit unimpeded.

[SantiSuk]

The obvious answer is to dispense with the pipe and see whether you get a smell or not. My house was built with 4 cesspits like you describe - one for each of the two toilets and one for each bathroom's shower/basin water (one of those two also handling the kitchen sink and washing machine waste). None of the 4 smell and we have only had to empty the tanks once in six years. Maybe it's a question of waste volumes going into a cesspit. The concrete tops have holes for pumping out. The holes are bevelled and a semi-bevelled concrete plug with a much smaller air hole in it's top fits neatly into the top.

Actually, I don't know what is the difference between a cesspit and a septic tank - anyone? If I take the top off the liquid down below is hugely active, churning over with presumably bacterial munching going on.

[Naam]

Because now the whole job looks like a tank of sh.....

bingo!

[chiangrai]

There is no way that this tank will be cleaned out by a "Rot Kee',those trucks that come

and suck the contents out.

The site is too rural and on a slope.

God only knows how they would clean it out if it was needed.

[IMHO]

There is no way that this tank will be cleaned out by a "Rot Kee',those trucks that come

and suck the contents out.

The site is too rural and on a slope.

God only knows how they would clean it out if it was needed.

Well then I guess you have a problem - as Steve rightly pointed out, what you have described is a cesspit, not a septic tank. The only way a cesspit continues to function is if it's routinely cleaned out.

[Suradit69]

There is no way that this tank will be cleaned out by a "Rot Kee',those trucks that come

and suck the contents out.

The site is too rural and on a slope.

God only knows how they would clean it out if it was needed.

"God only knows how they would clean it out if it was needed."

Well one technique ... If you survive the experience you'll probably develop amazing immunity to all sorts of things.

[Crossy]

A thought.

Was the bottom of the ring stack sealed?

If not you have a Thai style septic, soaking away via the bottom of the pit into the groundwater, hope your well / bore is a long way away.

[Yme]

This sort of setup is fairly useless and as others have pointed out (1) the standpipe is necessary (2) it will require pumping and (3) with no concrete base it will contaminate your ground water.

A proper septic pit is oblong (brick walls with render on the inside and a concrete floor atop a plastic membrane) with two internal overflow walls and an underground drain system where the "clean" water flows out at the opposite end to waste entry. A stand pipe for venting gasses is still required.

What you've got now is indeed a shit hole and little better than sticking a 44 gal drum in the ground. It probably also doesn't meet legal requirements due to contaminating the ground water supply.

No way would I try to save a few dollars with something like this for anywhere I was planning to stau long term.

[Barin]

I just found out that the builders made the pipe that long becaose,they say,that the

tank will smell if the pipe is short.

There must be a more evolved solution than that.

This pipe should be as high as possible, ideally above the highest point of the roof.

Otherwise bad smell will always disturb you and other people in your house.

Please provide pictures for more advice.

[robertson468]

What you should have had installed is a septic tank and a soak away. A septic tank is about three foot high, oval in shape and black in colour, it also has an outlet pipe. This should be completely sunk in the ground, next to the soak away. The soak away normally consists of three concrete rings (which is unsealed at the bottom) also sunk completely in the ground, with a breather pipe. The waste from the toilets, sinks and showers should first flow into the septic tank, which should have microbes in the tank to liquidize feces. Once the fluid level in the septic tank reaches the outlet pipe of the septic tank, it will then overflow via a connecting pipe to the soak away, which will then......yup you've guessed, soak away. It is important that you do not allow toilet tissues, sanitary wear or food to be flushed down your toilets because these will not liquidize (hence you see notices in many pubs, restaurants etc saying, "no tissues in toilet") and can block the outlet from the septic tank, which will then need to be sucked out. Advice - start again and have it done properly and it will last you for years. We have eight houses and in ten years have never had to have them sucked out. Good luck.

[dotpoom]

At first glance at your OP I thought to myself....hope it doesn't include a pic. (I was thinking of the inside). Some good replies here.

[bankruatsteve]

A thought.

Was the bottom of the ring stack sealed?

If not you have a Thai style septic, soaking away via the bottom of the pit into the groundwater, hope your well / bore is a long way away.

I realize the risk of contradicting you but that is pretty much the definition of a cesspit: no bottom, no leach field. A septic tank is sealed and part of a septic system (with leach field).

[bankruatsteve]

There is no way that this tank will be cleaned out by a "Rot Kee',those trucks that come

and suck the contents out.

The site is too rural and on a slope.

God only knows how they would clean it out if it was needed.

How far is it from a place a truck could park? You might be surprised how long the hoses can go for this purpose.

[carlyai]

I know this is off topic, slightly, but the main smells, apart from farang kee(because Thai kee doesn't smell), is that most installations don't install p-traps.

Make sure all your water outlets have ptraps or the equivelant.

Thais are pretty good about making those ring things as they don't really want to poison themselves.

See if you can also get a plan of the aquafas in your area to make sure your Farang kee has a good seperation from you house water.

[Crossy]

A thought.

Was the bottom of the ring stack sealed?

If not you have a Thai style septic, soaking away via the bottom of the pit into the groundwater, hope your well / bore is a long way away.

I realize the risk of contradicting you but that is pretty much the definition of a cesspit: no bottom, no leach field. A septic tank is sealed and part of a septic system (with leach field).

A cesspit is most definitely sealed, completely sealed, with no leech field. In the West they are much larger than the septic systems which have some form of leeching, even if through the bottom / sides Thai style.

http://www.petertesar.co.uk/articles/article/what-is-the-difference-between-a-septic-tank-and-a-cesspit

[bankruatsteve]

A thought.

Was the bottom of the ring stack sealed?

If not you have a Thai style septic, soaking away via the bottom of the pit into the groundwater, hope your well / bore is a long way away.

I realize the risk of contradicting you but that is pretty much the definition of a cesspit: no bottom, no leach field. A septic tank is sealed and part of a septic system (with leach field).

A cesspit is most definitely sealed, completely sealed, with no leech field. In the West they are much larger than the septic systems which have some form of leeching, even if through the bottom / sides Thai style.

http://www.petertesar.co.uk/articles/article/what-is-the-difference-between-a-septic-tank-and-a-cesspit

I guess I'm going back to the old days when a cesspit was basically a hole in the ground (with no or little support structure) and an "out house" on top of it. When the pit got full, the house was moved and the hole covered up.

[Patmalone]

Google septic tank and cesspit,then look at images to see which one looks like yours, then try the web pages or video to see how one should have been made and get some ideas of what can be done with yours.

[LawrenceN]

I think the pipe is to let the methane gas out but I don't think it has to be vertical. You can probably put a 90 degree bend on it, then run pipe just below some earth, and then up a wall or post in a more discreet location, so long as it won't get blocked.

I agree. That's how ours are, but the horizontal runs aren't very long. But logically you're right; it's just a bit of methane that needs to leak out. Our vent pipes run up the walls of the house close to the soffit, with T-joints on top.

[khunPer]

OP,

To my knowledge some rings in the ground is not a real septic tank, but how Thais often does it, and normally the hole in the lid will be for a 2-inch pipe, running almost to the bottom of the tank, and sticking up the top and with a lid (hood), so you can clean or empty the tank now and then. You can cover the top completely and just have the lid sticking up, often in a cement plate. Don’t save on the hood, it’s worth buying a good quality stainless steel or brass.

Furthermore a small ventilation pipe, often around ¾-inch, is needed for gas and pressure, that can stick out horizontal and run to a discrete position and bend up. Don’t let the opening stick directly up the air, as it can be exposed to rainwater, but let it end with a 90-degeree piece.

I attach a photo with example of lid/hood and ventilation pipe.

A bacteria culture needs to be put into the septic tank to make it work. A well-working septic does not smell. The Thai toilet-tank – which is more, what the ring-tank really is – may need to be emptied now-and-then. Some Thais recommend it to be done yearly. If the septic (bacteria culture) is working well, a real septic thank should not need to drained every now and then, but the one-chamber ring toilet tank seems to need it. Perhaps some experienced poster can tell more.

[chiangrai]

What ever I have all the Thais are saying that it will never have to be drained

because it's got so much soakage and it's only serving 2 people.

Time will tell.If it starts to smell I will build a proper septic tank.

[canuckamuck]

It all depends on the drainage of your soil. We have been lucky. We have exactly what the Op describes 2.5 meters of 1 meter wide rings stacked up and a concrete lid over it. We have a lot of people here usually, but it has never filled all the way up. It has been 4 years now. There is no need for your tall pipe. Methane is heavy it will get out easier with less height to over come. The main reason for a pipe is to keep rainwater out and to allow air pressure to release. If you want to bury yours all the way, go ahead. just make sure you haven't created a rain trap. Make it higher then the surrounding soil.