Septic Tank

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Steve C

New member
Hello Everyone
We installed a Marsh Ensign 6 treatment plant with a pumped outlet in February this year
All seemed well until I noticed bubbles coming out of the vent pipe on taking the lid off the tank was full so pump obviously not working
Spoke to the Marsh rep who told me the ball valve was probably stuck
So had the tank emptied 08 July and checked that the ball valve that works the pumped outlet was free and working correctly which it appeared to be
Checked tank for a few weeks after this and everything seemed to be working properly and waste levels correct
Lifted lid today tank full to the brim again and backed up the drain as before
So will be contacting Marsh again on Monday as it’s a joke the tank had to be emptied again at a cost of £225 In less than two months
Has anyone else experienced this problem before ?
 
Nick...

Nick...

Well-known member
These tanks are allways an issue when emptied via float pump.gravity is the way to go.seen lots of tanks full right up when pumps fail,letting the plastic round snowflake things cover all the chambers inside.next door neighbor got a new tank with float pump to empty it.advised to use gravity which would have been easy but he knew better.these pumps need alarms so you know what's happening but as we know people won't spend the money then moan when things go tits up
nick...
 
Furniss

Furniss

Well-known member
These tanks are allways an issue when emptied via float pump.gravity is the way to go.seen lots of tanks full right up when pumps fail,letting the plastic round snowflake things cover all the chambers inside.next door neighbor got a new tank with float pump to empty it.advised to use gravity which would have been easy but he knew better.these pumps need alarms so you know what's happening but as we know people won't spend the money then moan when things go tits up
nick...
We incorporate alarms if they have to be pumped, for obvious reasons, but over here you would never get the agreement to install a system with a pump if it could be done with gravity...in fact who would pump it if gravity was an option ?

I dont know anything about the marsh setup unfortunately.
 
S

Smiffy

Well-known member
These tanks are allways an issue when emptied via float pump.gravity is the way to go.seen lots of tanks full right up when pumps fail,letting the plastic round snowflake things cover all the chambers inside.next door neighbor got a new tank with float pump to empty it.advised to use gravity which would have been easy but he knew better.these pumps need alarms so you know what's happening but as we know people won't spend the money then moan when things go tits up
nick...

The ones I've installed have four float switches and two pumps. And uses latching relays. Lowest switch turns all pumps off. Second turns pump 1 on. Third turns on the second pump and sends message that something is wrong with pump one and forth switch send an overflow alarm via text email and a red flashing light. Only problem is I one pump needs servicing there is no way of running on one pump due to the pipework arrangement
 
S

Steve C

New member
We incorporate alarms if they have to be pumped, for obvious reasons, but over here you would never get the agreement to install a system with a pump if it could be done with gravity...in fact who would pump it if gravity was an option ?

I dont know anything about the marsh setup unfortunately.
Unfortunately was advised by the marsh rep that as it’s 150m run gravity not and option and we are in heavy clay so very poor drainage so soak away no use
 
Nick...

Nick...

Well-known member
We incorporate alarms if they have to be pumped, for obvious reasons, but over here you would never get the agreement to install a system with a pump if it could be done with gravity...in fact who would pump it if gravity was an option ?

I dont know anything about the marsh setup unfortunately.
I’ve never come across alarms on these tanks but it makes sense.im guessing people don’t want to spend the extra money.i reckon I’ve put probably 150 treatment plants/septic tank in over last 40 years.had another customer who I done a basement for.it was 12x12 metres in size And went down 4 metres.it had perforated pipe under the slab and permeable stone round the sides due to the site being wet.it all drained into a concrete sump hole which was pumped out with a screwfix float pump,customers choice.when the pump failed,as they all do, the water rose up in the sup hole and leaked through a window into the basement causing flooding.that episode cost a huge amount of money to put right.
nick...
 
S

Steve C

New member
Click to expand...
Unfortunately was advised by the marsh rep that as it’s 150m run gravity not and option and we are in heavy clay so very poor drainage so soak away no use
 
robertsnuffles55

robertsnuffles55

New member
Hello Everyone
We installed a Marsh Ensign 6 treatment plant with a pumped outlet in February this year
All seemed well until I noticed bubbles coming out of the vent pipe on taking the lid off the tank was full so pump obviously not working
Spoke to the Marsh rep who told me the ball valve was probably stuck
So had the tank emptied 08 July and checked that the ball valve that works the pumped outlet was free and working correctly which it appeared to be
Checked tank for a few weeks after this and everything seemed to be working properly and waste levels correct
Lifted lid today tank full to the brim again and backed up the drain as before
So will be contacting Marsh again on Monday as it’s a joke the tank had to be emptied again at a cost of £225 In less than two months
Has anyone else experienced this problem before ?
Hey,
Emptying a Septic tank can cost a lot of money, we've always used DASA as they've been reasonably priced and done a good job. Hope that helps.
 
B

Brendan

Well-known member
Got similar issues with a tank on, one of the sites I was at.
Not a pumped one, but lots of groundwater so it's either a tank failure or backfilling from the soakaway/leach field.

No one really has any idea what it goes into or how old it is, so now looking into other options
 
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