Aerobic Septic System Maintenance and Troubleshooting
What is an Aerobic Septic Systems?
An aerobic septic system is one of the most complex and advanced systems for wastewater treatment. If you’re considering installing this type of septic system, it’s important to understand how it works and what you need to know about its maintenance.
What is an Aerobic Septic Tank?
Like a conventional septic system, an aerobic system uses a trash tank to contain solid and liquid waste. Liquid waste floats to the top, where it becomes a layer of scum or sludge, while solid waste settles at the bottom.
How an Aerobic Septic System Works
The most obvious difference between an aerobic septic tank and a conventional septic tank is that there is an aerator unit in the tank. This aerator pumps oxygen bubbles into the wastewater, boosting the activity of helpful aerobic bacteria and breaking down the sewage.
Some of these bacteria also convert toxic coliform bacteria into less harmful, more environmentally friendly forms. This helps to remove pollutants and eliminate environmental damage, making an aerobic system a great choice for your home.
What are the Components of an Aerobic Septic System?
The components of an aerobic septic system include the trash tank, the aerator tank, and the leach field. All of these components must be properly installed and maintained to ensure that your aerobic septic system is operating as it should.
Common Problems with Aerobic Septic Systems
If you have an aerobic septic system, there are some common problems that can occur. Some of them are easily fixed, while others require a more complex repair job that can cost thousands of dollars.
Often, these issues are preventable by scheduling regular septic tank maintenance and ensuring that your aerator is working properly.
Malfunctioning Aerator
The aerator is one of the most important parts of an aerobic septic system. It helps to keep oxygen levels within the septic tank where oxygen-loving bacteria thrive and decompose toxic substances.
Septic tanks are used for the treatment of wastewater before it is discharged into the environment. Aerobic septic systems are preferred over anaerobic ones.
As part of the aeration process, septic systems need air pumps that help pump pressurized oxygen into the tank. If the aerator pump stops working, oxygen levels in the tank drop and the system loses its ability to treat wastewater effectively.
There are many ways to troubleshoot aerator problems, but the most important thing is to address them immediately. This will help to prevent further damage to the aerator and your septic system as a whole.
Some common issues with aerators include: Poor Air Pressure, Timer or Photocell not working and High Water Levels in the Aeration Tank. If any of these issues are present, the aerator needs to be replaced.
Low Oxygen Levels in the System
A low oxygen level in your system can be a very serious problem. This will affect the functioning of your aerobic bacteria and the effectiveness of your septic tank treatment system.
A lack of oxygen can be caused by many things, including a clogged air hose from the aerator to the tank or a plugged diffuser. If you are having odors in your septic tank, it may be due to this low oxygen level in the system.
The most common way to correct this is to have the aerator pumped out, and everything related to it checked (air hoses, diffusers, etc). If all of these are functioning correctly, then you should see the odor dissipate in a few days.
Alternatively, you can add a small amount of oxygen to your tank to encourage the growth of these bacteria. This will increase the efficiency of your septic tank treatment process.
The concentration of dissolved oxygen in most surface waters is determined by a variety of factors, such as weather conditions and seasonal changes. Oxygen concentrations can be lowered by physical alteration of the stream channel, such as impoundments or channel alterations. During dry seasons, water levels decline, and stream flows decrease, which can lower turbulence and reduce aeration and diffusion of oxygen from the atmosphere into the water column.
High Bacteria Levels in the System
The bacteria in a septic system are essential to treat wastewater. They help break down solids and keep the oxygen levels in the effluent high enough for aerobic microbes to thrive.
However, some chemical drain cleaners and other products can also kill these important bacteria and inhibit their growth. This can lead to a buildup of sludge, clogs, and other problems in your aerobic system.
Some bacteria are harmless, but some can cause serious illnesses in humans and animals. These include cholera, dysentery, shigellosis, and typhoid fever.
These types of bacteria can contaminate creeks and streams during rain events that lead to illness in swimmers or people who drink or ingest the contaminated water. A healthy septic tank will have balanced pH levels that prevent this from happening.
In addition, a good septic tank is one that maintains a balance among hydrogen-forming, acid-forming, and methane-forming bacteria. The methane-forming bacteria will produce bicarbonate that helps keep the pH level close to neutral.
Despite this, it is important to understand that bacterial removal rates are site dependent. The septic tank density, type of soil, the amount of rainfall and the fracture conditions in the underlying rock can all affect bacterial reduction rates.
Aerobic Septic System Troubleshooting
If you have an aerobic septic system, it is important to keep it in good working condition. To do this, you must troubleshoot your septic tank regularly.
Often, these systems will produce an alarm light when there is a problem in the system.
This is the best way to find and fix the issue before it becomes a bigger one, damaging your equipment.
Evaluate the System
Septic systems are an essential part of any residential or commercial property. Without a functioning septic system, waste cannot be disposed of properly and can be a health hazard.
An aerobic septic system uses an air pump to introduce oxygen into the wastewater and break down big solids into smaller ones, making it easier for bacteria to colonize and decompose. Aerobic bacteria are much larger and more efficient at digesting waste than anaerobic bacteria.
As with any septic system, it’s important to understand how your aerobic septic system works. This will help you to troubleshoot problems before they become bigger issues and more costly to repair.
You’ll need to evaluate the size of your aerobic septic tank and how often it will need to be pumped. The size of your tank will depend on the number of occupants and how much water they use.
Using a garbage disposal unit can impact the amount of time your tank will need to be pumped because food waste usually takes a long time to be digested by the healthy bacteria in the septic tank and then accumulates as scum and sludge.
Using an in-sink garbage disposal can also cause the septic tank to fill up more quickly, which can make it harder for the septic pump to function and increase your septic system’s risk of failure. This is why it’s important to keep your septic tank emptied and clean on a regular basis.
Test the Aerator
Aerobic septic systems require an aerator to activate the aerobic bacteria that break down solid waste in your tank. The aerator is designed to direct air from outside your house to the tank, modifies it into an oxygen-rich environment and helps activate aerobic bacteria that use oxygen to break down waste.
If your aerator isn’t working, it can cause serious problems in your system. Here are some troubleshooting steps you can take to test your aerator and get the problem resolved as quickly as possible.
Check Your Timer: The timer in your aerator system ensures that the effluent is not released until it’s clear and clean enough to be transported to your system’s next phase, whether being directly discharged or moved to a secondary treatment system.
Test Your Diffuser: The diffuser is the outlet for your aerator, so if it’s clogged, your aerator will not be able to discharge the fluids in your tank.
If the aerator is not working, there may be other components in your septic system that need attention. If you have any other concerns about your septic system, call a professional septic company to assess the situation and repair it as soon as possible.
Check Oxygen and Bacteria Levels
You’ll want to check the oxygen and bacteria levels regularly to ensure that your system is running efficiently. This will also help you spot small problems before they become big ones.
Bacteria are naturally present in septic tanks and play an important role in the waste-management process for homes that are not connected to a sewer line. They’re essential for converting wastewater into a usable product that can be safely disposed of.
Aerobic septic systems use a constant supply of oxygen to keep the bacteria in the tank more active and accelerate the treatment process. This keeps the septic system running smoothly.
The oxygen-loving bacteria in an aerobic system convert organic solids to simpler solids and gas. This results in wastewater that leaves the septic tank much cleaner than what was in it.
However, aerobic systems cannot handle a lot of inorganic substances, such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium, which make it difficult for the bacteria to work. This can lead to clogs in the drain field and cause your system to need pumping more frequently.
If you’re not sure if your aerobic septic system is operating properly, call a professional for help. They’ll be able to help you diagnose the problem and recommend the best way to fix it. They can also do regular maintenance to keep the system in good working order.
Aerobic Septic System Maintenance Tips
If you have an aerobic septic system, you may be wondering how to keep it running well. After all, it requires more maintenance than a conventional system.
The good news is that an aerobic system can last for decades with proper care and maintenance. Read on for some tips and tricks to help you get started.
Regularly Check and Clean System Components
Regularly checking and cleaning system components can ensure that your aerobic septic system continues to function properly. This can save you money in the long run by avoiding extensive repairs and replacements.
Aerobic septic systems work by using bacteria that metabolize organic matter and rely on oxygen (the “aero” component of the word “aerobic”) to survive. If your aerobic system doesn’t receive enough oxygen or has low air pressure, it may not work as effectively as it should.
This is a major reason why you should be careful about what you put into your septic system. Things like grease, detergents, soaps, bleach, and other harsh chemicals can deteriorate the system’s performance.
Another important step is to keep a detailed map of your entire septic system and spray field. This will help you locate faulty or missing spray heads and make sure your septic is working safely and efficiently.
Aerobic septic systems require more maintenance than conventional septic systems, but they are an excellent choice for challenging soil conditions and areas with limited land. They also generate high-quality secondary sewage that can be used for irrigation or surface treatment.
Maintain Proper Water Usage Levels
A septic system needs to be maintained properly in order to work as designed. The most important maintenance task is ensuring proper water usage levels are maintained throughout the system.
This means avoiding excess water use in the household. Fix leaking faucets and toilets, run washing machines and dishwashers only when full and avoid long showers.
In addition to water conservation, you must also maintain a good pH in your system. The acidity and alkalinity of wastewater can have a dramatic effect on how well bacteria can treat it.
The pH of wastewater can vary greatly depending on the amount of dissolved and solid waste. Keeping a balance of both will ensure the best possible treatment.
Besides maintaining the appropriate pH, you must also ensure that there is a balanced population of aerobic bacteria in your septic system. Too many of these organisms can cause blockage and malfunction in your septic system.
Other common problems that can affect an aerobic septic system include products that are toxic to the microbes, overloading of the system, and sending too little wastewater into the tank. If you are experiencing any of these, it is imperative that you have your septic system serviced and cleaned by a professional contractor.
Monitor and Adjust System Settings
If you have an aerobic septic system, you should be familiar with the various settings on your control panel. You can use these to adjust your system for the best results.
Aerobic septic systems are more sophisticated than standard ones, so it’s important to monitor their performance regularly. If the system has a low air pressure, the oxygen needs to be replenished and the pump isn’t working properly, you should contact your septic specialist immediately.
Septic tanks break down waste by letting it settle into layers: solids, effluent, and scum. Microorganisms in the tank decompose the solids, while scum floats to the top of the tank. The middle layer of waste, called effluent, then flows through a series of pipes buried under a leach field where gravel and soil serve as biological filters to purify the wastewater.
Compared to anaerobic systems, aerobic systems provide more thorough sewage treatment. They also require smaller drain fields. Consequently, they may be the right choice for homeowners who have little space or soil that’s not conducive to drain fields.
