• What is a septic tank?
• How does it work?
• Why do we have to use septic systems?
• What is a septic system?
• Why do septic tanks smell?
• Can I do anything about septic smell?
• Are septic systems dangerous?
• Is surfacing sewage a problem?
• Can I catch a disease from septic waste?
• Do septic systems harm the environment?
• What is a drain field?
• What is a disposal system?
• What is a leach line or leach bed?
• What is a distribution box?
• What is effluent?
• What is an effluent filter?
• What is scum?
• What is sludge?
• What are solids?
• Why do septic systems fail?
• How long do septic systems last before they fail?
• How do you know when a septic system has failed?
• What can I do about my failed system?
• Will pumping out the septic tank fix a failed system?
• How does SepticGenie help my failed or filing system?
• Should I have my septic tank pumped out or leach lines jetted before installing SepticGenie?
• How long does it take to work?
• Is SepticGenie a permanent solution?
• What is ABG technology?
• How did the ABG technology evolve?
• Can I install Septic Genie myself?
• How much does SepticGenie cost?
• How much does it cost to maintain SepticGenie?
• How much does it cost to operate SepticGenie?
• Can I maintain SepticGenie myself?
• How do I look after my septic system?
• Should I use bacterial additives in my septic system?
• Does SepticGenie come with a warranty?
• How can I buy a Septic Genie?
• Want to know more about the biology of how it works?
What is a septic tank?
A buried, watertight tank designed and constructed to receive and provide primary treatment of raw wastewater.
How does it work?
The tank separates and retains settleable and floatable solids suspended in the raw wastewater (this is referred to as primary treatment). Grease and other light materials float to the top to form a scum layer. The removed solids are stored in the tank, where they undergo liquefaction in which organic solids are partially broken into dissolved fatty acids and gases. Gases generated during liquefaction are normally vented through the building’s plumbing vents.
Why do we have to use septic systems?
In excess of 25 million existing homes and 37% of new home development in the United States do not have access to central sewer systems, often referred to as municipal sewer systems. As a result, these homes have to collect, treat and disperse of their generated wastewater on their own properties. The wastewater treatment systems that perform this function are often referred to as septic systems, private sewage systems, individual sewage systems, or on-site wastewater treatment systems.
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What is a septic system?
A septic system consists of five components:
- A sewer pipe that carries both liquid and solid waste from your home to the septic tank;
- A septic tank;
- A pipe carrying effluent (treated wastewater) from the septic tank to your drain field;
- A drain field to disperse the treated wastewater subsoil; and
- The soil under and around the drain field that provides final treatment..
Why do septic tanks smell?
Food product waste from homes as well as human digestive system waste contains microbes. The biological digestion of these wastes begins in the wastewater collection system; the septic tank. Of the many kinds of microbes introduced into the septic tank one of the more prevalent are SRBs (sulfate reducing bacteria). SRBs are anaerobes (non-oxygen metabolizing bacteria) which means they function in an environment without oxygen. These SRBs use the oxygen from sulfates naturally occurring in wastewater as part of the process of breaking down waste constituents. Sulfides are one of the by-products of the SRB digestion process that combines with other elements to form a gas called hydrogen sulfide and other sulfide compounds. It is the hydrogen sulfide gas, often referred to as rotten egg odor that you can smell from your septic tank.
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Can I do anything about septic smell?
Unless you change the biological process that takes place in your septic tank you cannot prevent the formation of hydrogen sulfide gas. You can add odor control products to try and mask the smell but these products have met with mixed success. However if you change the biological process, as SepticGenie does, these odors will be eliminated. The aerobic bacteria that come with your SepticGenie are not dependent on sulfate compounds; they use oxygen. The by-product of their growth and digestion is carbon dioxide that is odor free. Hydrogen sulfide is not produced.
Are septic systems dangerous?
In general, normal use and operation of septic systems are not dangerous. However you should never enter into a septic tank that has been pumped out without breathing apparatus. The natural biological process that takes place within the septic tank produces gases (hydrogen sulfide and carbon monoxide) that can be fatal if inhaled.
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Is surfacing sewage a problem?
Yes. Septic waste contains many pollutants that can contaminate your yard and cause illness. Septic systems are designed to release liquid below ground where it will be treated by naturally occurring microorganisms in the soil.
Can I catch a disease from septic waste?
Yes. Septic waste contains disease causing microorganisms that are a health hazard and can be harmful if swallowed.
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Do septic systems harm the environment?
Septic systems that are well designed, installed and maintained can be a cost effective and long-term option for meeting public health and water quality goals.
However, more than half of the existing systems in the US are over thirty years old and independent studies indicate that 10-25% of these systems fail per year. Failed systems that go undetected or untreated are a major source of environmental and health concerns.
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What is a drain field?
A shallow, covered, excavation made in unsaturated soil containing rock or gravel into which effluent is discharged through distribution piping. The soil under and around the drain field accepts, treats and disperses effluent as it percolates through the soil, ultimately discharging to groundwater.
What is a disposal system?
Any system that is used to disperse effluent to the underlying soil.
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What is a leach line or leach bed?
A leach line is a soil absorption configuration that consists of a network trenches with perforated pipes, surrounded by rock or gravel, and covered by backfill. A leach bed is similar to leach lines, except that the distribution lines are housed in a single excavation.
What is a distribution box?
A small, subsurface structure which receives septic tank effluent and distributes it to all segments of the soil absorption system.
What is effluent?
Sewage, water, or other liquid partially or completely treated or in its natural state flowing out of a septic tank or system component.
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What is an effluent filter?
A removable, cleanable devise inserted into the outlet piping of the septic tank designed to trap excessive solids that would otherwise be transported to the drain field.
What is scum?
Floatable solids such as grease, paper and feces that combine on the top of the liquid in a septic tank. This is what you see when you look into the tank.
What is sludge?
The heavy, slimy deposit found at the bottom of a septic tank.
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What are solids?
“Sludge” settleable solids and “scum” floatable solids are often just referred to as “solids.
Why do septic systems fail?
Over time huge numbers of intestinal anaerobic bacteria leave the septic tank and are carried in the effluent to the soil pores where they secrete mucal slime. This slime is called biomat.
As the intestinal bacteria are carried or migrate further into the soil, the area of the biomat thickens. The biomat begins to inhibit the passage of liquid through it. Eventually less liquid can be absorbed by the drain field each day than the daily amount of liquid entering the septic system.
When liquid cannot be absorbed by the soil of the drain field at the rate it enters the septic system the septic system fails. The results are obnoxious odors, black nasty pools of effluent in your yard, slow or no draining plumbing fixtures, overflowing toilets or sewage in your bath tub and/or shower.
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How long do septic systems last before they fail?
Well designed, installed and maintained septic systems generally have a useful life of twenty plus years. This can be considerably shorter due to poor maintenance; poor soil conditions, overuse and a number of other factors.
How do you know when a septic system has failed?
The most obvious signs are obnoxious odors, black nasty pools of effluent in your yard, slow or no draining plumbing fixtures, overflowing toilets or sewage in your bath tub and/or shower.
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What can I do about my failed system?
Until now the septic industry offered you only a few options to solve this unhappy problem. Pumping the septic tank, jetting the leach lines, adding chemical and biological additives to your septic tank or drain field were temporary fixes at best. Replacing the drain field is the most common long term option available. In most areas of the country, this is expensive and very destructive to yards and landscaping.
Will pumping out the septic tank fix a failed system?
No. Generally the problem is in the soil underlying the drain field that is unable to absorb any further liquid owing to the build up of the biomat; pumping your tank will not solve this problem and is likely to only give a few days reprieve.
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How does SepticGenie help my failed or filing system?
The solution to restoring your septic system is simple; reduce or remove the biomat clogging of the soil pores. The only long term way to accomplish this is to change the bacteria community in the septic tank, dramatically reduce or remove the organic material leaving the septic tank and inoculate bacteria into the effluent leaving the septic tank that will consume the biomat. The problem is biological, the solution is biological.
To understand how SepticGenie works, you need to understand a little about the bacteria in a septic system. Remember, bacteria do the work of digesting and treating our waste.
There are two distinct groups of bacteria, anaerobes that do not use oxygen for energy and aerobes that use oxygen for energy. There is third group of bacteria that are a bit of both. They are called facultative bacteria.
Facultative bacteria can be either anaerobic bacteria that can temporarily change their metabolism to an aerobe (facultative aerobes) or an aerobe that can temporarily change their metabolism to an anaerobe (facultative anaerobes).
You most frequently find facultative aerobes in the intestines of animals with guts. You most frequently find facultative anaerobes in forest leaf litter, humic soils and composting vegetation. It is the facultative anaerobic bacteria that are important.
It is well known by the septic industry that facultative anaerobes will break down the biomat slime and consume solids when deprived of oxygen. A disposal field full of slime and solids has no oxygen.
The problem was how to get them into a septic system cheaply and efficiently. That is where the patented ABG technology of the SepticGenie saved the day. SepticGenie grows them in your septic tank using your organic solids as food. They digest your waste for food thereby removing it from the system; they increase their numbers and leave the septic tank entrained in every cup full of effluent and travel to your drain field.
In the drain field they migrate into the soil, quickly break down the biomat and restore the drain field to full function.
With a properly operating SepticGenie in your septic tank your drain field can’t fail again from biomat clogging of the soil.
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Should I have my septic tank pumped out or leach lines jetted before installing SepticGenie?
In temperate climates, there normally is no need to pump the septic tank or jet the disposal lines before installation of the SepticGenie. In less temperate climates, there may be a need to perform these procedures due to the build up of sludge and other solid waste in the drain field from reduced bacterial activity in winters prior to the SepticGenie installation. Once SepticGenie is installed, septic tank pumping is dramatically reduced. Organic solids that enter the septic tank are digested and leave the septic system as CO2 gas or additional SepticGenie Blend bacteria and travel to the drain field. There could be cases where a physical problem(s) occurs with some construct of the system that would require the septic tank be pumped to make a necessary correction.
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How long does it take to work?
There will be an immediate improvement in septic tank function. Some systems require more time to improve drain field performance than others. Generally, in temperate weather climates, we see an improvement in the drain field within one to three weeks. We have seen an improvement within one week in a reasonable percentage of installations. In less temperate climates where there is sub zero weather in winter, we see the same improvement in the septic tank function but there are longer periods for improvement in the drain field.
Is SepticGenie a permanent solution?
Yes. Provided you follow the simple maintenance procedures and keep SepticGenie continuously operating your septic system should last indefinitely.
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What is ABG technology?
ABG means Aerobic Bacteria Generator. The ABG’s unique design circulates a liquid and air mixture rich in oxygen and biodegradable food over the attached colony of bacteria living on a fixed film matrix (the black plastic material found inside SepticGenie). The bacteria reproduce and leave the SepticGenie and become suspended in the effluent leaving the septic tank and traveling to the drain field. Once the bacteria get to the drain field they breakdown the biomat and restore the hydraulic capacity of the soil (the capacity of the soil to accept liquid).
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How did the ABG technology evolve?
SepticGenie was invented by a septic contractor with 40 years experience in the septic business who wanted to give homeowners like you a better choice in solving their septic problems and give you the ability to do it yourself.
He discovered that by changing the biological process taking place within traditional septic tanks he could restore failed drain fields without the need to replace them. This was a huge breakthrough in the septic industry that hasn’t changed much since the 1800s.
Now homeowners can take control of their septic systems in a way that protects public health and the environment; has little or no impact on their yard keeps the septic system running trouble free indefinitely.
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Can I install Septic Genie myself?
Yes. Installation is easy. The SepticGenie comes pre-assembled. All you have to provide is the ½ inch PVC Schedule 40 plastic pipe that connects the tank insert and the basin. Follow the easy pictorial with written instructions that come with SepticGenie and install the Septic Genie yourself; or hire a local tradesman to install it for you. Either way it should only take a few hours.
SepticGenie has three parts to the system. First, the septic tank insert. This is the most advanced ABG in the market and simply sits on the bottom of your septic tank. Second, a 40 watt linear air pump that comes pre-assembled in a circular plastic basin with exterior mounted alarm. Third, the bacteria inoculum that starts the colony of bacteria within the SepticGenie insert. (click here to see product photograph)
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How much does SepticGenie cost?
SepticGenie costs $1,995.00 plus shipping and handling
How much does it cost to maintain SepticGenie?
We recommend that you add our special SepticGenie blend of bacteria once a year. The bacteria cost $25.00 plus shipping and handling.
The air pump has an expected life in normal operating conditions of 2.5 – 4.0 years. Once the alarm sounds it is usually time to replace the air pump. Simply return the air pump to us and we’ll send you a replacement air pump for $149.00 plus shipping and handling.
That’s it!
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How much does it cost to operate SepticGenie?
The air pump uses between 25 and 40 watts of electricity. At 25 cents a kilowatt hour, your cost would be about 10 to 14 cents per day. Check your electricity bill to find out your cost per kilowatt hour and then calculate how much SepticGenie will cost to operate at your home.
Can I maintain SepticGenie myself?
Yes. There are only a few items to maintain. Instructions are provided with your purchase of a SepticGenie.
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How do I look after my septic system?
There is no homeowner maintenance that needs to be performed. It is important that homeowners use reasonable septic system practices recommended for your existing septic system. Do not allow toxic substances or chemicals into the septic system. Do not put petroleum products into the system. Do not put paint, paint thinner or other construction chemicals in the septic system. Be aware that fungicides and other pesticides can kill bacteria. These are often found in household cleaners and soap. Try to avoid using these products though we have found the SepticGenie Blend bacteria to be generally robust enough to survive the normal household us of these products. Do not allow non-biodegradable materials into the septic tank. Latex or rubber products, aluminum foil, plastic and metal items are examples. Paper and cotton products are okay to flush. If there is ongoing antibiotic, chemotherapy or pharmaceutical drug treatment of any kind (periods more than 10 days to indefinite) or for any member of the household or guest being served by the septic system, contact us immediately. The use of laundry bleach should be minimized. Laundry should be spaced out over the course of a week and not done all on one day.
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Should I use bacterial additives in my septic system?
No; except SepticGenie bacteria once per year.
Does SepticGenie come with a warranty?
Yes. SepticGenie comes with a lifetime warranty. For full details of the warranty click here
How can I buy a Septic Genie?
There are three ways to buy a SepticGenie:
- Click here and order one online
- Call us at 1 877 2SGENIE (1 877 274-3643) and talk to one of septic professionals
- Click here to download an order form and fax or mail it to us
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Want to know more about the biology of how it works?
Click here to download the full story?
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