The Science behind Septic Tank Cleaning

To have your septic tank working at full efficiency you need to keep the conditions right for the bacteria in the septic tank to be able to break down the solids contained in the waste water. To keep bacteria at a working range, waste water in the tank needs to be at an acidity level or pH level of 6.6 -7.6, the optimum level for bacteria is a pH between 7.0 – 7.2.

Put in simple terms, if you put acidic cleaners, bleach or strong disinfectant cleaners down your sink, they will eventually end up in your septic tank; thus, will change the pH level of the waste water in your septic tank, which will then affect the performance of the bacteria that break down the solids.

The solids or sludge in a septic tank can be broken up into two broad groups known as organic and inorganic solids. Organic solids are derived from living things, and contain carbon in their molecules, these type of solids can be broken down by bacteria. Inorganic solids are made up of non-living things and struggle to be broken down by bacteria.

No matter how well you look after your septic tank over time sludge will accumulate in it. This is what a septic tank is designed to do – capture the sludge/solids and let the liquid pass through it.  Good maintenance will prevent the rapid accumulation of organic sludge in your tank. At some stage the inorganic sludge and part of the organic sludge – which has struggled to be broken down by bacteria, will eventually be required to be removed from the tank. The less sludge you have in a septic tank the more efficient it will work.

When you need the sludge removed from your septic tank, you will need to call Sludgebusters. Sludgebusters remove the sludge from the tank. The last thing that you want is for sludge levels in the tank to become so high that waste water can not enter or exit the tank. This will cause your toilets and sinks in your house to block up, or your yard to flood. Too much sludge in a septic tank can cause it to flow into your septic systems distribution lines, effecting drainage efficiency and may also cause the drainage lines to block. This will mean expensive repairs.  Having your septic tank cleaned approximately every three years will keep your tank operating to maximum efficiency and increase the life span of your septic system.