North Cyprus Septic Tanks

longbow1st



Joined: 30/08/2008
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
17/11/2010 18:47

This is jolly "before dinner" topic...

How do we know when our septic tank needs to be emptied?

We know this is going to produce a "flood" of smart replies, but we would like a sensible answer.



Cheers,



Pete & Liz.

Tenakoutou



Joined: 27/07/2009
Posts: 4110

Message Posted:
17/11/2010 19:18

Sniff up large!

roisin


Joined: 19/03/2009
Posts: 358

Message Posted:
17/11/2010 19:34

I think most "tanks"here are cess pits or soak aways rather than septic tanks. We have been here 7 years full time(2 of us) and never had to empty ours.As far as I know it needs empying when it is full.You can take the lid off and look. Thats what we do any way and its no where near the top as I think it "soaks away" into the surrounding area. Yuck !!

racoonchic



Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3223

Message Posted:
17/11/2010 19:40

try lifting the lids off

elkiton



Joined: 15/03/2009
Posts: 514

Message Posted:
17/11/2010 21:47

From what I have seen on building sites most waste systems here are two chamber concrete septic tanks with a soak-away for the water runoff, usually walled with open sandstone blocks; you can check this, see if you have two lids close together and a third further away. (we had to excavate ours as it was built the wrong way round with the outlet higher than the inlet)...doh

Emptying time will depend on usage, anywhere from 1 to 5 years, 3 being probably the average as the sludge builds up. Check it with a rod, no more than 1/3 full of sludge is the advisory limit as written up.

Ours is still OK after 2 1/2 years continuous daily use, and we put paper down the loo, but are careful not to use excessive bleach and disturb the bacteria at their work. The water coming off the second chamber in ours into the soak-away is crystal clear.



url= http://www.ehow.com/decision_6866598_should-empty-household-septic-tank_.html



Hope this helps

TonyE

longbow1st



Joined: 30/08/2008
Posts: 13

Message Posted:
18/11/2010 09:05

Thanks for info people... John, can I borrow your scuba gear???!!!



Cheers,



Pete.

Smity



Joined: 14/09/2009
Posts: 826

Message Posted:
18/11/2010 19:01

Thanks for that tasty treat lLOL