Septic tanks and waste disposal units

[Lindyboo]

Does anyone who has a septic tank use a waste disposal unit, or knows if using one would cause problems for the tank?

Ta

 

[MdB]

I would have thought that the stuff you would put down the waste disposal is exactly the same as the stuff you put down the loo. You are just missing out the middle man / woman so to speak so don't see a problem. Don't have one with our tank though.

The downside is that you would fill up the tank quicker and the waste would be better put on the compost heap as it can be recycled there.

 

[Penners]

I agree with MdB 100%. The septic tank shouldn't have too much trouble with the macerated food waste. However, I suspect that a waste disposal unit tends to make you use a lot more water, in order to wash the stuff down the disposal unit and the drain. This would place a bit more demand on the septic tank's soakaways...

...and increase your water usage at a time when we should all be trying to save water. (Sorry to sound a bit sanctimonious!)

As MdB says, a compost heap is the perfect answer. And a lot cheaper than a waste disposal!

 

[Nemesis]

I suspect that vegetable waste will take far longer to decompose than if it is put through a human waste disposal unit first.

I don't think it's too great an idea, the less put through yoiur septic tank the better really. I think this sort of waste may well build up rapidly if a great deal is put down, causing problems. It could depend on the size of the tank of course.

In addition they take a lot of water - again, the less of that put through the tank and land the better really.

Compost is by far the best way of getting rid of this sort of waste.

I note that although some manufacturers of waste disposal units say they are fine with septic tanks, Klargester doesn't recommend them:

http://www.klargester.com/pdf/TDS0006-5OperationofKlargesterSepticTanks.pdf

I put my coffee grounds in the compost too as they are not a great idea apparently ina septic tank.

 

[worms]

Coffee grounds are also supposed to be good at deterring slugs if you scatter them around your plants.

 

[Penners]

Yes - so are eggshells, grit, coarse sand and loads of other things.

Dream on.

 

[Moo]

Dig a pond, encourage the frogs (don't mow the lawn when the babies are on their safari to new homes around the edge of the garden) and you can plant hostas with impunity.

 

[Flyfisher]

A lovely idea, but would it work for snails as well?

We just tell people that our Hostas are a recently developed 'skeleton' variety. We don't tell them the 'development' is done by snails.

 

[Nemesis]

I think that our hosta loving slugs are too brutish for the frog population to cope with. I suspect they eat the frogs too.

The birds try their best with the snails but...

 

[Penners]

We just tell people that our Hostas are a recently developed 'skeleton' variety. We don't tell them the 'development' is done by snails.

We have a similar approach to the problem - we describe our hostas as "a rare variety of Armenian Lace Hosta"

 

[Nemesis]

There has been some research which says if you water the leaves with coffee they don't like that, but it would take rather a lot of coffee and I suspect it isn't effective after rain. Oop here that's most of the time then...

 

[Penners]

Black or white? How many sugars?

 

[Nemesis]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/today/reports/archive/science_nature/slug_caffeine_mail.shtml

A small selection from that link:

Jim is right to suggest the use of black coffee - slugs only like white and will soon disappear if none is available. In fact some slugs are so fussy, they will vanish unless a good selection of mints is on offer.
Rob Hudson, Kirkby-in-Ashfield.
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It works. I have just left a cafetiere of my favourite breakfast coffee on the patio in front of two prize slugs and they have completely ignored it. On the other hand, they are tucking in to the orange juice, croissants and honey which my research shows are not effective deterrents.
Andrew McCabe.
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You are very wrong to help to promote an unapproved slug killer - caffeine or coffee. This is a totally illegal, under EU regulations.
David Delaney.
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[Penners]

Using similar empirical logic, I have found that elephants don't like to eat roses.

Not once has any of our rose bushes been eaten by an elephant.

I think it's the thorns they don't like....

 

[Nemesis]

Our cat has always claimed that she is useful for keeping elephants at bay also.

 

[Lindyboo]

Returning to the sheep, yes, I agree that the bulk of food waste would be a problem, along with the excess water, so many thanks for flagging up those concerns.

Frogs - they eliminated the severe slug problem in our tiny town garden, so I reckon a pond is essential.

Didn't know about the coffee grounds being bad for the tank. My hubby drinks white coffee, so I'd better warn him not to drink it when there are slugs about, in case they overwhelm him. Though it'd take a mighty heap of them to do so ...

 

[skier-hughes]

We have a moat and hundreds if not thousands of frogs/toads and still have a severe slug problem.

I can confirm duscks eat Islands. I built them one, but after about 3 weeks it had all but disappeared under their onslaught.

I can also confirm a straight aim and some lead shot stops said ducks from eating island.

I can confirm said ducks no longer eating Island are wonderful to eat.









:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Flyfisher]

Only within season I hope (and you have a game licence of course :wink: )

 

[skier-hughes]

plus BASC membership :wink:

 

[Flyfisher]

Naturally :wink: