I have a septic system that smells up the bath and yard. I have noticed it for the past couple of years and decided to get the tank pumped out and a new aerater installed.It seems worse when there is high traffic,which is common here, as this is a fishing camp.I have a 2 inch vent in the bathroom.Is this enough?
Since we got it pumped,it has only gotten worse,a lot worse... Can anyone help?

The two inch vent's fine. What bothers me is that you don't say anything about a drain field and that's where I think t6he problem might be. Tell me more about this "aerator" Is it on a vent from the tank? Please explain in detail? Regards, Tom

I have a small DIY-built camp.It have a goodly flow of people using our toilet but that and the kitchen sink are the only thing that goes into the tank. I have an approved septic system with an air pump.For the first 5 or 6 years,I noticed a smell only when the wind blew a certain direction,but now it is often.
We replaced the pump and had the system pumped out recently,thinking that that would help.It became worse! Now it really reeks.
My hubby has no training in plumbing even though he tries!Maybe he didn't do enough venting or didn't put the vent up high enough... we have a 2 inch vent in the bathroom.:eek: What can we do?Ive called the modad people AND the pumping company and they don't know... Help.

Thanks Tom for your reply.I reposted because I couldn't find my question... sorry.
Anyway,here in La.we have to use a special septic system that is supposed to treat the water and make it 90 something percent clean. It doesn't require a drain field.The waste is flushed into a tank with several baffles and an air pump that simply pumps air into the tank helping to somehow break down wastes in some magical way that I don't understand.The air pump line goes directly into the tank on a separate line.It goes by several names like"MODAD" or in our case"HOOT".It was installed by a reputable company.
The end product,a clear water,goes into a ditch or even a waterway.It doesn't smell like a regular septic tank did.
Does that help any?

You have the spelling wrong it is anaerobic which means waste without oxygen. You probably have too many people, now, using your septic system. That is the only reason I can think of. Gray and black water are the only things that can actually go into a septic system from an operation as you describe. I don't know what you mean by the pumping company not knowing what it is. Of course they do. You need a bigger septic system or more frequent pumpings. I guess you have to spend more money.

By the way, aerobic is an cardio exercise.

did that help any? it sure did. While i've never worked on a hoot system i'm familiar with them. You might wish to study this.
The hoot aerobic treatment system
Declaration of warnings
Warning! To prevent malfunction of your sewage system, do not discharge
The following materials into the system: plastic materials ! Cloth ! Cigarette stubs !
Paper towels ! Large quantities of acids or caustics, soaps or cleaning materials which have a high
Or low ph factor (use low suds detergents) ! Throw-away diapers ! Rubber products ! Kleenex,
Some toilet tissues which do not decompose readily in water ! Rainwater from gutters ! Automatic
Toilet disinfection products ! Excess grease or fatty materials (use garbage disposal sparingly) !
Oily materials, motor oils, grease, kerosene, gasoline, paints, etc. Backwash water from
Water softeners of any type or whole house reverse osmosis systems!
Other materials which do not disintegrate in water !a/c discharge ! Sump pump discharge
Warning! To function properly, the hoot system must be maintained by a
Qualified professional at least every six (6) months for the life of the
System. Failure to maintain the hoot system voids the limited warranty and
May cause serious bodily injury or illness to people and pets and may
Cause serious damage to the hoot system or other property.
Danger! Only a qualified professional should attempt to repair or fix the
Hoot system. Attempted repair by anyone other than a qualified
Professional may cause serious bodily injury or death to the homeowner
Or other persons and may cause serious damage to the hoot system and
Other property.
Danger! Do not disconnect the power to the hoot system. Disconnection of
The power from the system may cause serious illness or death to the
Homeowner and other persons and may cause serious damage to the hoot
System and other property.
Warning! In case of imminent flood, immediately turn off the electrical
Power to the hoot system at the independent breaker located on the
House. Failure to turn off the electrical power may cause serious injury
Or death to the homeowner and other persons and may cause serious
Damage to the hoot system and other property.
Warning! If the unit fails to function properly, do not use the bathroom
Facilities until qualified personnel fix the problem. Use of the bathroom
Facilities during a system failure may cause serious injury, illness, or
Death to persons and may cause serious damage to the hoot system and
Other property.
Warning! Do not allow children to play on or around the aerobic treatment
System, the sprinkler system, or other over-land discharge area. Allowing
Children to play in these areas may cause serious bodily injury, illness, or
Death to the children and other persons and may cause damage to the hoot
System and other property.
Danger! Do not open control panel without electricity discontented and
Locked out on the system. Failure to do so could cause severe injury or death.
Regards, tom ps. Tomorrow i'll do some more checking and see what i can come up with.

Speedball, I didn't appreciate the comment about the dunce cap and although my terminology may have been misplaced 'anearobic' means treatment of waste in the absence of oxgygen. There are septic systems based on that. I don't think a dunce would have that knowledge.

My sincere apologies to the OP for a misleading post.

Speedball, I didnt appreciate the comment about the dunce cap and although my terminology may have been misplaced 'anearobic' means treatment of waste in the absence of oxgygen. There are septic systems based on that. I dont think a dunce would have that knowledge.

My sincere apologies to the OP for a misleading post.
Nah Tickle! You earned that dunce cap when you attempted to correct a posters correct spelling twice with your own incorrect one. Let alone what the meanings were, we don't correct posters on this page, we help them. I can see where you confused the two words but we don't come on all superior and correct them like a school teacher. If it's that important we post the question with the original misspelled word and use the corrected spelling in our answer. The rule of thumb on the plumbing page is, " If you can't help or if you're simply gonna repeat a earlier post then don't post!!"
Regards, Tom

Kitch, Us "crusty old farts" have to stick together. After studying the cutaway of the system I see two openings on top that have seals. If those seals are bad they would allow sewer gas to escape. Does it smell worse around them? Is there a above ground vent anywhere? A normally functioning system will have a damp, musty type odor. Foul odors can be present and the system indicate that the mechanical components are properly functioning. Please be certain that you are not using any of the materials specifically mentioned to cause problems with the system on the first paragraph of page one of this manual. If you are, discontinue their use and the problem within a few weeks should clear up by itself. If you are not using any of the items, or you have discontinued their use and the problem has not corrected itself, then call your service provider for assistance. Regards, Tom

Don't take it personally Tickle. Frankly, I've never heard of an anaerobic system. I'd be interested in learning more about that. I suppose all conventional systems are anaerobic since they have no real means of introducing oxygen into the septic tank. Is that what you are referring to, or is it something more complicated?

Septic system maintenance for problems with septic tanks, drain fields, leach fields, cesspools and drywells (http://www.septicremedy.com)

Hello, just wondering if you have a grease interceptor on the kitchen drainline to catch any grease or food waste in the line before going out to the aerated septic system. I imagen you have a busy kitchen there, it could be your getting a lot of fish byproduct in the system and its rotting food your smelling. :rolleyes: ----what do you think tom? :confused: ----- Zeke

Don't take it personally Tickle. Frankly, I've never heard of an anaerobic system. I'd be interested in learning more about that. I suppose all conventional systems are anaerobic since they have no real means of introducing oxygen into the septic tank. Is that what you are referring to, or is it something more complicated?
JLIS,
Google a Hoot or FAST septic system to learn more about aerated systems. Regards, Tom

Hello, just wondering if you have a grease interceptor on the kitchen drainline to catch any grease or food waste in the line before going out to the aerated septic system. I imagen you have a busy kitchen there, it could be your getting a lot of fish byproduct in the system and its rotting food your smelling. :rolleyes: ----what do you think tom? :confused: ----- Zeke
Hi Zeke, Welcome back! He has a Hoot Septic System which is a closed system. He shouldn't have any odor coming from it unless the two seals on top of the tank were leaking and I'd bet the farm he doesn't have a grease trap on the kitchen sink drain line. Regaqrds, Tom

Thesytems that use Aerators and pumpa are AEROBIC since they aerate the waste. Anerobic are the old fashioned septic system with leech field.

Thesytems that use Aerators and pumpa are AEROBIC since they aerate the waste. Anerobic are the old fashioned septic system with leech field.

Oxfordvoc,
Thanks for the informatiuon however you are responding to a two year old thread that's dead. Please look in the upper left hand corner for the date. Thanks, Tom