The choice of tires for a septic tank and other materials
It is desirable that they be of large diameter and maximum width - from heavy vehicles - there are enough of them at truck tire shops. The amount depends on the width of the tires. It is desirable that their total height be 2 - 2.5 m. For the upper part, you will need 2 - 3 slopes of a smaller diameter, but harder.
If you plan to make a septic tank with overflow into the second (third) well, then increase the number of tires according to the task.
You will also need about 1 cube of coarse gravel, half a cube of greasy clay, sand, a steel pipe with a diameter of 100 - 120 mm, a sewer hatch assembly. It would not be superfluous to have trimmings of a half-inch polypropylene pipe 15–20 cm long in an amount of 3 or 4 pieces. for each joint between the slopes located below the drain pipe.
If a septic tank with overflow is planned, then you will need a reinforced concrete paving slab larger than the inner diameter of the top tire, which will need to close the intake well, and a piece of geomembrane (or material replacing it) with dimensions larger than the diameter of the top tires by approximately 100 mm.
To cut tires, you may need a powerful sharp knife, a grinder with a circle for metal 125 - 150 mm and (or) an electric jigsaw with a nail file for the same material, a screwdriver, self-tapping screws.
Principle of operation
As you already understood, in order to obtain better treatment of wastewater from a bath with a toilet, it is better to make not one sump, but several filtration compartments. In each of them, wastewater undergoes multi-stage purification, and at the output you will receive completely harmless purified water that can be used for technical needs and watering the garden.
As a rule, in order to equip a septic tank under a bath with a bathroom, a two-chamber design is required. In this case, both chambers are interconnected by an overflow. The principle of operation of such a structure is as follows:
How to make a septic tank from concrete rings with your own hands?
- Effluent from the bath through the pipeline enters the first compartment of the structure. Here, the heavier and denser components of the effluents settle to the bottom.
- In addition, wastewater in the first chamber, where there is no oxygen, is subjected to primary treatment by anaerobic bacteria. These microorganisms live in conditions without access to oxygen, so such a chamber is a favorable habitat for them.
- When the level of liquid waste in the first compartment reaches the overflow mark, the water flows by gravity into the second compartment.
- If the device of the second chamber does not provide for a bottom, then the treated effluents are filtered through a layer of gravel and crushed stone into the soil. If the septic tank under the bath has a bottom in the second chamber, then the drains are discharged through a special pipe into a filtration well or ditch.
It is worth noting that during the life of bacteria, effluents decompose into gas and water. As a result of the activity of anaerobic organisms, methane gas is formed, for the removal of which a ventilation duct is needed. To populate the septic tank with special microorganisms, ready-made biological products are used.
General rules for arranging sewerage
Depending on the level of arrangement of the sauna with water supply and sewerage, effluents with different levels of toxicity flow from it. From the shower in the bath and washing machines, water comes out saturated with washing powder and soap suds with minor inclusions of organic matter. In order to neutralize their influence, a simple sump equipped with a sand filter is sufficient. A septic tank for a bath with a toilet should be more thoroughly equipped.
To do this, you will need to build a septic tank, consisting of several communicating settling tanks. In this case, the volume of wastewater leaving the bath and the type of soil on the site should be taken into account.The type of soil refers to its ability to absorb the filtered liquid. If clay predominates in the composition of the soil, then the issue of draining wastewater into a specially constructed closed-type reservoir should be considered.
As a rule, to keep the site clean, septic tanks are made, consisting of 2-3 tanks of various capacities. Their volume is selected based on preliminary calculations of the maximum number of drains with a margin of 25-30%.
The first tank is used as a coarse filter. All large fragments of wastewater are retained in it. For their delay, crushed stone of medium and fine fractions is used. Content changes as needed. Depending on the intensity of use of the bath, a septic tank for a bath without pumping out is cleaned once every 1-3 years.
In the second tank, the contaminated liquid is settled. All suspended solids are precipitated. Within a few days the water becomes almost clear. It flows into the third tank.
A thick layer of fine gravel and sand is poured into the drainage container. Water passes through this filter and becomes almost pure. Soaking into the soil, it moisturizes it, but does not poison it.
Such a system can work successfully for years without the need for complex maintenance and cleaning. Considering the insignificant volume of drains from the bath, there is no need to bury large tanks in the ground. Moreover, the installation of an industrial septic tank will not be economically justified, especially for equipping baths that are used only in the warm season or periodically.
Installation of a septic tank from reinforced concrete rings
The use of ready-made concrete rings can significantly reduce construction time if you do it yourself. The best option is to use reinforced concrete products with a height of 60 cm and a diameter of 90-150 cm. The weight of the rings ranges from 400-600 kg. They are quite accessible to move around the site manually without the use of mechanization. It is better to choose rings, the edges of which are equipped with bumpers. The mine from such rings differs in the increased durability and tightness. The kit includes a base plate and a top with a hatch. To create deep wells, products with staples on the inside are well suited.
In order to make a septic tank from reinforced concrete rings, you will need the following tools and materials:
- shovel;
- oil level;
- winch with rope and bucket;
- a plumb line to check the vertical of the pit;
- lever for moving the ring;
- cement or bitumen for sealing joints.
Work on the installation of a sewer shaft can take from 1 day to a week. It depends on its depth, the diameter of the rings and the density of the soil.
Activities for the arrangement of the septic tank are carried out in the following sequence:
- Marking is carried out on the ground. A route for pipes and places for the installation of tanks are being planned.
- Excavation is underway. A ditch and pits for rings are being dug. The depth of the pit must correspond to the height of the reinforced concrete. The diameter should be 10-15 cm larger than that of the ring.
- The first ring is lowered into the pit. Its edges are treated with sealant. The second fragment of the well is rolled up and placed on them.
- Excavation is carried out from under the lower edge of the first reinforced concrete product lowered into the pit. Under its own weight, the structure settles.
- 5. All other rings are connected in the same way. When the latter is inserted, sand is poured between the walls of the pit and the mine.
- If this is a tank for primary treatment, then its bottom is sealed with a reinforced concrete screed. The bottom of the drainage is covered with a layer of sand and fine gravel.
- Holes are made in the walls of the mine. Sewer pipes are inserted into them. The cracks are carefully sealed.
Hatches are installed over the rings. To release gases, an exhaust pipe is inserted into them, which can be raised to a height of up to 3 m, so that unpleasant odors do not bother the inhabitants of the cottage.
Nuances of selection and installation
To properly select and install a septic tank, you need to follow a few rules.
Septic tank volume
It is worth making simple calculations on the amount of wastewater from the bath.
Example. A single bath is taken by 6 people. On average, each person uses 50 liters of water
6*50=300l
The septic tank must be at least 400 liters. Considering that no one will go to the bath next. If it is designed for several visits in a row, then the volume is tripled.
If the bath is equipped with a font
Then, when choosing the volume of a septic tank, one should take into account the drain of the tank.
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Bath with or without toilet. A bathroom in the bath - a two-chamber septic tank is definitely installed.
- The septic tank is installed at a distance of 3-5 meters from the bath.
- The slope of pipes and sewer and connecting sections of 2-3 cm per meter is always maintained. This is necessary to create a self-flow. Otherwise, the system will become clogged or a pump will have to be installed.
- A two-section septic tank should have a free entrance for sewage equipment. Service equipment hose 6-15 meters.
- The cleaning system is always set up along the slope of the relief. Settling tank at high point, drainage well towards the bottom.
- Sewer pipes should be insulated, which will help to avoid freezing in the cold season. Or lay them below the freezing level of the soil.
Selection rules
When purchasing or manufacturing a septic tank for a bath, it is necessary to take into account the nature of the effluents that it has to process. As a rule, the bulk of the waste from this facility is "gray water", consisting of water with soap suds, surfactants and derivatives of fatty acids. They also contain small amounts of hair and skin particles.
If the bath is equipped with a toilet, then the nature of the drains will be somewhat different. It is customary to call sewage water of this type "black", and it is more responsible to treat and dispose of them. In this case, the construction of a reliable treatment plant with several sealed sedimentation chambers is mandatory.
A septic tank for a bath can be single-chamber and two-chamber. A single-chamber septic tank is the simplest treatment plant, consisting of a tank without a bottom and operating on the principle of a filtering well. In this case, the function of a reservoir can be performed by various devices such as metal barrels without a bottom, as well as plastic containers with holes made in them, reinforced concrete rings, old car tires, etc., and the filter is a layer of crushed stone at the bottom.
Please note, when constructing such a septic tank on your own site, it is necessary to take into account the location of groundwater in the place where it will be located. If their level is high enough, the treatment chamber must be of sufficient volume so that the large amount of waste water generated at the same time during the use of the bath can completely fit inside the tank.
A septic tank for a bath with a toilet should ideally be at least two-chamber. This option should also be used when the use of the bath is planned quite often. It can be purchased ready-made or built independently, using reinforced concrete well rings, concrete mortar or plastic containers (Eurocubes) and the same tires for this.
The first chamber in this case is used as a mechanical cleaning filter. A mixture of crushed stone and gravel of small fractions is poured into it, which cleans the "gray drains" from larger impurities. The second chamber functions as a sump in which the water that has passed through the mechanical filter settles. Then the water moves into the drainage well, from which it is gradually absorbed into the ground. This option is good for those who need a septic tank for a bath without pumping. A septic tank has a similar principle of operation, in which the first chamber will be used for mechanical cleaning, and the second will be a drainage well with a bottom filter.
Installation of a septic tank for a bath without pumping
Next, we will consider in detail the process of installing a two-chamber concrete septic tank without pumping out for a bath.
Before starting work, you need to immediately calculate its depth and the amount of materials needed for construction.
If you yourself can pour concrete into the structure of the septic tank, you will not need the help of specialists, and you can handle this task yourself.
The process of working on a septic tank takes 3-5 days, taking into account the fact that 3-4 people will perform the work.
Digging a pit for a septic tank
You can dig a pit for a septic tank manually if there are no large stones in the ground and it is of a sandy type.
In other cases, an escalator will suffice, which will quickly cope with the task.
The depth of the future septic tank will depend on the depth of the pipe suitable for it.
The sewer pipe is always laid below the level of winter freezing of the soil. The minimum indicator will be 1 meter. From the pipe to the bottom of the septic tank, a distance of 80-120 cm must be observed, which means that the minimum depth of the septic tank chambers will be 2.5 meters.
If one of the chambers will be equipped without a bottom, then another 30-40 cm should be added to the depth, since a crushed stone pillow will be poured onto the bottom so that the water is better absorbed into the ground.
You can see an example of a manually dug pit for a septic tank without pumping out in the photo below.
Pit for a septic tank
The volume of the pit will depend on the volume of wastewater that will flow there. This, in turn, depends on the frequency of using the bath.
After the pit is dug, its bottom must be leveled and checked with a level.
Construction of formwork for a septic tank
For the construction of formwork, it is not necessary to buy new materials. It will be enough old boards that you will find on the site. They need to be knocked down into shields, and then well secured in the pit.
For the strength of your septic tank without pumping out, you can make formwork immediately with reinforcement. To do this, you need to tie the reinforcement with wire, its cross section will be 100-150 cm.
In this form, the reinforcement is attached to the formwork for further pouring of concrete.
If you plan to make the bottom concrete, then its reinforcement is mandatory.
You can see an example of formwork with reinforcement in the figure below.
Formwork with reinforcement
The formwork is fixed in the pit on stakes previously hammered there, but it can be made stronger by nailing the transverse boards from edge to edge of one side or by making spacers.
Pouring concrete formwork
Concrete for a septic tank is mixed at the rate of one part cement to two parts sand and gravel.
Concreting is desirable to do immediately, on the same day. But if this is not possible, then you can make it in layers, gradually raising the formwork.
Concrete must be compacted tightly, leaving no air pockets.
Before concreting, it is imperative to insert the inlet pipe and the connecting pipe between the two chambers.
As a result of this work, the septic tank will look like the one shown in the image below.
Concrete septic tank
After the concrete has completely hardened, its outer walls are covered with a waterproofing film. The space between the walls is densely covered with sand or earth.
Additional work on the construction of a septic tank
After all the work is completed, a ceiling and a hatch must be made above the septic tank chambers to access it.
To do this, the earth around the septic tank is dug in 20 cm in all directions, then formwork is made with a hole provided for the hatch.
Formwork and dug-in earth are poured with concrete.
Reinforcement must be made beforehand for the floor slab, otherwise it may collapse over time.
You can see an example of a finished floor in the figure below.
Overlapping a septic tank
You can also use a ready-made standard slab, but if you do it manually, then you need to calculate the thickness of the concrete so that the floor can withstand the weight of two adults.
A hatch for a septic tank can be made from any improvised materials. It can be wood or metal. You can buy a ready-made sewer hatch.
After that, it is possible to equip the water drain into the filtration well, which is placed at a distance of 1.5-2 meters from the septic tank itself. In this case, the pipe from the septic tank to the well must go at an angle downwards so that the flow of water is free.
If you will drain the water from the septic tank into the gutter, then the pipe should go at the same slope.
Septic tank for a bath without pumping
Many country houses have baths that can be used both infrequently and every day. With frequent use, a lot of water goes into the drains, but you don’t want to constantly pump it out.
Therefore, it is advisable to equip the sewer, that is, a septic tank for a bath without pumping. In this case, the water will either be diverted from the bath to sewers, reservoirs or other suitable places, or it will move to a filtration absorbing well, from which water will flow into the soil.
You can see an example of a device for draining water into a ditch in the figure.
There are many options for building a septic tank without pumping out, they differ both in the cost of all work, and in tightness, and in the quality of the material.
There are also ready-made treatment plants in the form of containers that are buried in the ground. They come in different volumes and provide different degrees of water purification.
Device, principle of operation
In order for the water to be well purified, it is better to make a multi-chamber septic tank. In each of the chambers, the water is additionally purified, clarified, and the output is environmentally safe water that does not have an unpleasant odor.
Most often, the septic tank is made two-chamber, as shown in the photo below.
Two-chamber septic tank for a bath
Sometimes a single-chamber septic tank is also made for a bath, since there is practically no solid waste in the wastewater that needs to decompose.
The operation of a two-chamber septic tank without pumping consists of the following steps:
- Water through the pipes leaving the bath enters the first chamber, where the waste is sorted and the heavy sediment remains at the bottom;
- At the same time, the dirty water in the first chamber is purified by microorganisms that do not require oxygen for normal functioning;
- Upon reaching the level of the pipe connecting the two chambers, the water flows into the second section. It can be without a bottom, in which case water is absorbed into the soil through a pillow of crushed stone or gravel;
- If there is a bottom in the second compartment of the septic tank, then when a sufficient amount of water is collected in it, it moves through the outlet pipe into a well or ditch.
It must be said that the bacteria working to purify water are not specifically removed. They are already in sufficient quantities in the soil and decompose waste into gas and water.
To remove harmful gases from the septic tank, ventilation is done and when the gases enter the outside, they quickly disappear, that is, they are safe for humans.
If for some reason bacteria are not in the right amount, then their growth is specially stimulated with drugs intended for this purpose.
Thus, the waste water is self-cleaning and is discharged from the sewer already in its pure form.
Choosing a septic tank
Since the design of the septic tank can be different, and the independent drainage of water from the sewer occurs in different ways, you need to choose the type of septic tank that is right for you.
The device of a septic tank for a bath depends on the following conditions:
- The composition of the land on the site and the level of groundwater flow;
- The relief and the availability of free space for a septic tank;
- Distance from sources of clean, drinking water.
The composition of the land on your site depends on how exactly the water will be drained. If the earth is sandy, then it can absorb a large amount of water, which means that it would be a reasonable solution to arrange an absorbing well that will absorb the water purified by the septic tank.
If the earth is clayey or the groundwater flows high in the area, then water leaving the ground is almost impossible.
In this case, you need to immediately think about where the water from the septic tank will go. It can be a storm sewer nearby or any body of water. You can independently arrange a gutter in the form of a concrete tray for water outside the site.
The relief also plays an important role, because the septic tank must be installed evenly and correctly, and all pipes must be sloped so that water flows freely into the containers.
You can see an example of the correct drainage of water from a bath to a septic tank in the diagram below.
Location of sewer pipes
If the water from the septic tank is absorbed into the soil, then according to all standards and requirements, the distance from the septic tank to drinking water wells must be at least 20 meters, otherwise this water may become contaminated.
Also, the septic tank must keep a distance of 10-15 meters from housing or baths.
The choice of a septic tank also depends on the materials that you can use in construction. It can be concrete or ready-made concrete rings, as well as metal rings. You can even make a septic tank from car tires, but this device is only suitable for infrequent drains into the sewer.
Septic tanks from car tires
Making a sewer shaft from used tires is the most budgetary way to equip a septic tank. Old tires can be found in a landfill, large enterprises or in a car service. You should take tires of large diameter from large vehicles. Such products are durable and resistant to pressure from the outside.
Rubber is resistant to corrosion and fungus. It will never be corroded by the aggressive liquid that flows through the sewer. The construction of sedimentation tanks from tires will not take much time, even if you install it alone.
This work is done like this:
- A pit of the required depth is dug and with a diameter of 15-20 cm larger than the tires. The bottom of the pit is covered with a layer of gravel, which is tightly rammed.
- All wheels are trimmed. Edges of 10-15 cm are left for high-quality docking.
- The first tire is laid. If a primary pit is being made - for preliminary cleaning, then the bottom of the product is poured with concrete.
- The upper edge of the wheel is lubricated with hot tar. The second fragment fits on it. To increase the strength of the connection, the walls are twisted with self-tapping screws.
- In a similar way, the rest of the workpieces are connected.
- Holes are cut in the walls of the septic tank into which pipes are inserted. The cracks are sealed with sealant.
- Concrete is poured into the opening between the tires and the walls of the pit. It will reliably protect the structure from soil pressure.
- The shaft is closed with a hatch, which is made of a sheet of steel trimmed with rubber.
The undoubted advantage of this design is its low price and durability. The disadvantages include the possibility of deformation and loss of tightness due to excessive pressure from the outside.
