[GribinIsaf]

When I am bottling a wine or beer kit I seem to use a lot of sterilizing solution.  I think our grey water goes into the septic tank.  I was thinking it might not be a good idea for the sterilizer to go down the sink - it might sterilize the useful bacteria in the tank.  Do you think this is true?

[doganjo]

I don't think your grey water should be going into your sewage septic tank.  When I built my house up north we had to dig a separate one for that.  But yes if it does that would be a concern.

[Womble]

Yes, if your grey water does go into your septic tank, I wouldn't want to be putting sterilizer down there.

Can you check it by looking in the inlets to the tank and putting some tracer dye in there? (or even a dilute solution of emulsion paint perhaps?)

BTW, our grey water definitely goes to our septic tank, as does the gutter water from the roof. It had never crossed my mind before as to whether this is the right thing for it to do though - any thoughts folks?

[Dans]

All our waste water runs to the septic tank and we do a fair bit of brewing. We run extra water when washing away the used sterilising solution in the hopes of diluting it down. No problems so far (been here 18 months) although I have to admit that us not having problems yet doesn't mean you won't or that we won't in future!

Dans

[Backinwellies]

Where else would grey water go?  Just pour any non septic tank friendly water on garden.  I also put. Coffee grounds on garden for same reason.   

[chrismahon]

We buy a product called 'Eparcyl', which is an enzyme additive for septic tanks. Don't know if you can get it in England though? It counters the damaging effects of bleach, disinfectant, dishwasher outflow and assists in the digestion of toilet paper.

[Ghdp]

We are new to septic tanks but it seems ok with some simple rules. Amazon sell Eparcyl but we have never used it. All grey water goes  into our septic tank too but we never use anything other than eco products and so would not drain steriliser. No problems noted so far!!! The previous owner reported it was occassionally wiffy around the tank but she regularly used bleach down the loos and sinks so we thought that was the problem for them. We have not had any smells.

On a slightly different topic - Our holiday chalet in the garden has a separate tank and we encourage the same rules there. So far people have behaved properly. Someone on this forum commented on an earlier post to put a discrete notice saying 'failure to adhere to the rules will make it quickly back up and in a rural it can be days before we can get an engineer in to correct it' - that was brilliant advice whoever it was!

[GribinIsaf]

Thanks for all the thoughts.  We don't use any bleach or other chemicals and our septic tank works fine.  I was bemused that the steriliser had bypassed my brain for a bit - I now get rid of it outside.  We have been in this property a couple of years - these systems were put in about 25 years ago.  At first we thought septic tanks should not have more water put through them then necessary so were surprised that grey water went there too.  Now we think, as long as a tank is working and draining properly, this is not an issue.

[waterbuffalofarmer]

We can't use sterilisers or bleach down our waste pipes, as it upsets the septic tank and we get blockages. We do put down tablets for bacteria in the septic tanks to keep em healthy. Sorry can't be of much help here lol.

[cloddopper]

Use a couple of caps full of Milton baby bottle steriliant as a sterilizer in a gallon of water in a large tub , submerge things in the treated  water . Rinse in clean cooled boiled warer if you must but normally leaving the bottle upside down to drain for 15 min or so is good enough .
The end dilution in the septic tank will be so dilute it's effect is negligible .
 Milton is am un perfumed surfactant free  sodium hypochlorite  bleach
 Domestic kitchen bleaches have perfumes & also surfactant cleaners .
 Dairy use sodium hypochlorite is just a stronger version than Milton .

 If memory serves me well I seem to recall that you can also use several Campden tablets in a gallon of water  as a sterilant , again the end ditluted strength inthe septic tank is so low it's not going to cause any harm

 The biggest killer of the septic tank bacteria according to the contractor who used to pump out our slurry tanks & occasionally the septic tank is a family of three or more adults taking a course of antibiotics all in the same period .
 It is normal to see small lumps of stools blackening/ darkening  & floating on the surface of the tanks water .

If that happens & there is a build up of fecal matter that is inches thick ... get hold of a couple of pounds of cow / sheep , pig/ chicken muck & mix it on a bucket with a couple of pints of warm water leave it over night then pour it in the tank  or pour down the loo & flush it away . It won't belong before things get going again .

[GribinIsaf]

Use a couple of caps full of Milton baby bottle steriliant as a sterilizer in a gallon of water in a large tub , submerge things in the treated  water . Rinse in clean cooled boiled warer if you must but normally leaving the bottle upside down to drain for 15 min or so is good enough .

 It is normal to see small lumps of stools blackening/ darkening  & floating on the surface of the tanks water .

If that happens & there is a build up of fecal matter that is inches thick ... get hold of a couple of pounds of cow / sheep , pig/ chicken muck & mix it on a bucket with a couple of pints of warm water leave it over night then pour it in the tank  or pour down the loo & flush it away . It won't belong before things get going again .

I would welcome using a steriliser that didn't need rinsing afterwards - it is that which takes the time - and the water.

Also, you have got me eager to peer in to the tank more often than I do.  We have some lovely pig muck we could use if we need it.

[cloddopper]

Check the instructions for using Milton , you might be able to invert & drain the bottle without rinsing . If it is safe to do that for a new born then it should not be of any consequence for brewing or wine making  .

[nicandem]

too much liquid into the system flushes out the 'good' bacteria I was informed by our local slurry man.  he also says the old method for bump starting it again if you have a problem is to throw a bit of road kill into it

[cloddopper]

too much liquid into the system flushes out the 'good' bacteria I was informed by our local slurry man.  he also says the old method for bump starting it again if you have a problem is to throw a bit of road kill into it

 Some of the older pre 1980's systems had the rain wateralso going out into the septic tanks  and was supposed to dilute the bacterial breakdown to the extent of it not working .    I'm not so sure of this for it never affected us at the place we lived at the time  .
 
 In the Keepers cottage  1993 till 2000 our septic tank was brick built,  some time in the early 1960's .   It had five roof's draining it to it as well as the two house sinks , a toilet , a bidet , washing machine & a large cellar stone floor drain & a massive commercial sink .
No matter how long or hard it rained it never washed the bacterial action out though on a couple of real stormy prolonged wet weather the pressure of the water did lift the tank lid a bit & overflowed when the soak away could not handle things  as it was some 25 feet lower than the lowest drain in the cellar ( The cottage was high up built in the top of an ex railway line embankment )  . 

In such over flow conditions it only took a couple of days for the bacteria in the sludge & sidewalls to re-infect the rest of the 10 x 6 x 6 deep tank naturally .

[Womble]

It's quite interesting just how little septic tank you need in practice.

We also used to live in an old keeper's cottage. Likewise, the septic tank received water from the roof plus the single bathroom and kitchen sink.

After five years of living there, the toilet stopped draining, and we found that the pipe was backed up with sewage. We suspected a tree root had grown through the pipe, but actually it turned out to be a disposable nappy about 20m downstream of the toilet!

The nappy can't possibly have been ours, and must have been there for at least 5 years. Although it let water seep through, it completely blocked the pipe with respect to solids. This effectively meant that the pipe had *become* our septic tank. However, it was five years before we actually had any problems!!