Septic tank
- Thread starter Bignasty1
- Start date
halcyon_diver
New member
Bignasty,
you have to consider the effects of the salt on the concrete tank as well as the salt clogging your leaching fields over a period of time, i have a septic system as well and also wondered about the effect of the saltwater on the benificial bacteria in the tank that helps break down the solids.. fortunatly i have a heavily wood yard and use the saltwater to kill the thorny weeds that encrouch on my lawn, its going to be a pain this winter. new tanks installed in my area are 1000 gallons....years ago 500 was the norm..HTH
you have to consider the effects of the salt on the concrete tank as well as the salt clogging your leaching fields over a period of time, i have a septic system as well and also wondered about the effect of the saltwater on the benificial bacteria in the tank that helps break down the solids.. fortunatly i have a heavily wood yard and use the saltwater to kill the thorny weeds that encrouch on my lawn, its going to be a pain this winter. new tanks installed in my area are 1000 gallons....years ago 500 was the norm..HTH
stuccodude
New member
i put mine where i dont want weeds or anything else to grow
halcyon_diver
New member
your right rick...softners do dump a salt mixture into septic tanks, whether it goes into the ground via your leaching field or dumped into weeds.....its still ends up in the same place
rustybucket145
New member
I water my grass with mine..... 
Gotta love St. Augustine!
Gotta love St. Augustine!
Carlos
Premium Member
A friend of mine had to pay thousands of dollars to get his septic tank fixed.
The problem is that septic tanks work by housing bacteria that will break down the waste. By adding salt water to the tank, you kill that bacteria and over time, making the tank just a storage tank instead of a tank that breaks down the waste.
So, dumping salt water into your septic tank is a big no no!!!
Carlos
The problem is that septic tanks work by housing bacteria that will break down the waste. By adding salt water to the tank, you kill that bacteria and over time, making the tank just a storage tank instead of a tank that breaks down the waste.
So, dumping salt water into your septic tank is a big no no!!!
Carlos
Largo50
New member
I looked this problem up once and found this:
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/gndwater/pr...er Use Raises Questions for System Owners.htm
The results found from the study was:
1. Water softener salt had no negative impact on the bacteria and in fact stimulated decomposition.
2. Salt accumulation in the leeching fields had no negative impact on the perculation rate.
Some experts didn't agree but had no study to support that.
I would assume saltwater aquarium water would have similar effects.
http://www.uwsp.edu/cnr/gndwater/pr...er Use Raises Questions for System Owners.htm
The results found from the study was:
1. Water softener salt had no negative impact on the bacteria and in fact stimulated decomposition.
2. Salt accumulation in the leeching fields had no negative impact on the perculation rate.
Some experts didn't agree but had no study to support that.
I would assume saltwater aquarium water would have similar effects.
MTB
New member
Synthetic sea salt and water softener salt are two totally different things. Sea salt has more minerals and I'm sure other stuff as well. I saw a thread about 3 months a go and the consensus was to just avoid dumping the used salt water in the septic system. Run it into the street instead. Better safe than sorry.
AZDesertRat
In Memoriam
This question pops up occasionally and the answer is they have no measureable impact on a septic system. I have asked several of the more knowledgable Wastewater Environmental Engineers in my firm and they all agree. Some even tell me it may have a positive impact on some soils as the salts can actually help break up the soils.
