Water change to septic tank?

[freddy4130]

Hey guys. I am planning my tank now and will be for a few months. New to the hobby as well. My basement has a large holding tank for the downstairs bathroom. The "stuff" is pumped out into the septic tank. Can I tap into that and drain my saltwater into it for water changes and stuff? Will it mess up the submerged pump or mess with the bacteria in the septic tank? Anyone know the possible problems? I could get an extra pump and plumb it out into my creek. What say you?

 

[drnecropolis]

freddy4130;243178 wrote: Hey guys. I am planning my tank now and will be for a few months. New to the hobby as well. My basement has a large holding tank for the downstairs bathroom. The "stuff" is pumped out into the septic tank. Can I tap into that and drain my saltwater into it for water changes and stuff? Will it mess up the submerged pump or mess with the bacteria in the septic tank? Anyone know the possible problems? I could get an extra pump and plumb it out into my creek. What say you?

i wouldnt pump saltwater into a creek...kill everything in there....just pump it out into the woods or where ever you have weeds growing..

 

[james s_]

How big of a tank is it? I think the quantity would help make that decision for you. Any more then say 60 gallons at a time I would just dump it on the Weeds.

 

[freddy4130]

I guess it all depends on how big of a tank I get. I am thinking 200 gallons. Do I change the water based on the actual amount of volume of water or the estimated volume of the tank? I read that the magic number is 10%? If so I guess it would be around 15-20 gallons of saltwater. I am trying to avoid carrying it outside in buckets. If I could just open a valve and have it go into the reservior that would be easy.

All the tanks plumbig will likely be in the room/large closet that houses the reservior and stuff.

 

[freddy4130]

Word. I guess I can get creative with the plumbing and have it pumped out into the yard somewhere. BTW, the creek is not really big, it just happens to be running when it has been raining, but it is dry at times in the summer. Thing is that if I have the water drain into the yard, it will end up in the creek anyway, lol.

 

[freddy4130]

I have a pretty steep hill and then the creek at the bottom. The hill starts about twenty feet away and the creek about 45 feet away. I have a french drain that leads to the creek bank so I can plumb it out to that joker.

 

[gwhiz]

I'm on septic and my change water is plumbed to the drain. The only related research I've seen shows that it's not harmful.

This research was around discharging water softener recharge water (8%-13% salt). Lots of experts have differing opinions, but few facts are to be found on the subject. The study that I read said:

"<span style="font-family: Tahoma">Researchers from NSF found that brine wastes had no negative effects on the bacterial population living in the aerobic treatment tank, even when the system was loaded with twice the normal amount of brine. The tests determined that water softener wastes actually help with treatment processes. WQA’s final report states that the wastewater has “a beneficial influence on a septic tank system by stimulating biological action in the septic tank and caused no operational problems in the typical anaerobic or the new aerobic septic tanks.” In other words, the researchers in this study found that microorganisms living and working in a home aerobic treatment system are not harmed by water softener salts."</span>
<span style="font-family: Tahoma"> </span>
I also know that my septic tank was pronounced 'very healthy' when it was pumped this year--but since my tanks only been running for a bit over a year, it'll be 5 years before I can give you the results of my own private study....