Do-it-yourself septic tank from concrete rings: construction scheme and work procedure
The presence of a septic tank on the site is not only a matter of comfort, but also a sanitary and hygienic necessity. Such a device is required both in the house under the condition of permanent residence, and in the summer cottage, where they come periodically. It is only important to choose the optimal design for specific conditions. . A do-it-yourself septic tank made of concrete rings, the scheme and location of which is correctly chosen, will have maximum efficiency.
Important for those who decide how to make a septic tank from concrete rings with their own hands: the design scheme can include from one to three tanks, and with an increase in their number, efficiency increases, the need for the services of a sewage truck decreases, but the cost of the project also increases.
For clarity, we should consider in more detail the most complete version of the septic tank scheme from the rings using three containers.
Contaminated water is collected in the first, largest tank, where the largest fractions are settled and precipitated, after which partially purified water goes through a similar procedure in the second tank, which practically does not differ structurally from the first (sometimes it is advisable to make it somewhat smaller in volume).
The second tank precipitates small inclusions, the water becomes relatively clean and enters the third tank. Its distinguishing feature is the presence of a filter bed instead of a concrete bottom. Passing through the drainage layer, the water gets rid of the remnants of contaminants and goes into the ground.
The photo shows an example of how to install a septic tank from concrete rings with your own hands - a diagram of three containers
If a two-tank septic tank of concrete rings is selected, the scheme may include two tanks with concrete bottoms or one with a concrete bottom and one with a filter layer.
Single-chamber models only collect wastewater and partially precipitate insoluble inclusions. Such modifications are cheap, but ineffective and are suitable only for periodically visited dachas. Removal of contaminated water from a single-chamber septic tank can only be carried out using a sewage machine. Similar cleaning is required for both two-chamber and three-chamber designs, however, the required pumping frequency in these cases is much less.
About the features of the organization of sewage in the bath we.
Design nuances and complete equipment
In order for a self-made septic tank from well rings not to betray its presence with an unpleasant odor and not to have a harmful effect on the composition of the soil or water in nearby water bodies, it is important not to neglect the nuances and equip the structure in accordance with the requirements.
So sewer (preferably use plastic products) must have a slope of 2 cm per meter of length throughout and enter the concrete section no deeper than 20-25 cm from the upper edge of the upper ring. However, in practice, very often the pipe enters the section much lower when digging a trench and laying pipes deeper than the level of soil freezing (approximately 1 m.)
A feature of the first section is the presence of a concrete bottom, which minimizes the likelihood of dirty drains entering the ground. Similarly, the first section is arranged when choosing a two-chamber septic tank, as well as the only tank of single-chamber models.
The scheme of a septic tank made of concrete rings for three or two containers provides for filling the bottom of the last of the tanks with materials that can trap large and medium insoluble inclusions, if any, and remove the liquid into the ground. To do this, you can use sand, gravel or expanded clay, and the optimal solution would be layer-by-layer laying of materials with different fractionation.
preliminary calculations
The reason for the inefficiency of the structure or the inconvenience of its operation can be not only a violation of technology at the construction stage, but also an error in the calculations when determining the required volume and the optimal location of the structure.
Based on the average volume of water consumption (approximately 200 liters of water is required per person per day), it is customary to choose the following volumes of septic tanks from reinforced concrete rings:
- for 2-3 people - 1.5 cubic meters. m (in this case, there is no need to install a three-chamber design, with proper organization of drainage and cleaning, two chambers will be enough),
- for 4 people, tanks of 2 cubic meters are optimal. m,
- when installing one septic tank for 2-3 families (10-12 people) living in separate parts of the house, a volume of at least 5 cubic meters will be required.
The volume of the septic tank is set taking into account the fact that a full cycle of wastewater treatment takes an average of 3 days, so the tank must accommodate a three-day rate without the risk of overflow.
When choosing the location of the structure, the following requirements for the distance of the septic tank from certain objects should be observed:
- from natural natural reservoirs - at least 30 m,
- from the place of drinking water intake - at least 50 m,
- from fruit trees, vegetable beds - at least 3 meters,
- at least 5 m from the road (it is important to ensure the possibility of unimpeded access of large vehicles, since at certain intervals it will be necessary to drive a sewage truck to pump out sewage, and during the cleaning of the septic tank, the material of the drainage layer will be disposed of).
Assembly of the structure
Do-it-yourself construction of a septic tank made of concrete rings involves the use of elements with a large weight; it is impossible to move and install such products manually, and it is also unacceptable to roll them if transportation is necessary (in this case, microcracks form on the side surfaces, which contribute to the penetration of dirty liquid into the soil). Thus, without the use of sufficiently powerful lifting equipment, it will not be possible to do.
The choice of the method of digging pits remains with the owner of the house, and before you build a septic tank from concrete rings with your own hands for a private house or cottage, you need to decide which way to stop:
- The excavator will do the job quickly, but it needs a lot of free space. In addition, dimensional accuracy in this case cannot be expected, which means that backfilling after installation will require more time and effort.
- Manual excavation of a pit is more laborious, but more accurate.
Further installation work includes several stages (do-it-yourself installation is considered according to the scheme of a septic tank from concrete rings, which provides for three chambers):
Service
To ensure efficiency, it is not enough to have information on how to properly make a septic tank from concrete rings. Competent maintenance of the building is also required. With a large distance, an inspection well is required for every 20 meters of the pipeline, regardless of the type of design chosen.
The rest of the requirements depend on the cleaning scheme. In the most efficient septic tanks, it is enough to clean every three years with disinfectant treatment and (if necessary) restore the inner layer of waterproofing. At the same time, the dirty filter material is removed and disposed of, for which it is better to use the services of specialized services, since the usual storage of such waste is a gross violation of sanitary standards.
For single-chamber septic tanks, maintenance mainly comes down to timely emptying with the help of a sewage truck. Nevertheless, even such simple structures need to be periodically revised, checking their tightness, and treated with disinfectants.
Pro, we have a separate material on the site.
About methods of cleaning cesspools and septic tanks.
Advantages
Having made a septic tank from concrete rings with your own hands, you can be sure that it will be durable and efficient. With proper operation, it practically does not wear out, does not collapse and will last for decades. At the same time, you do not have to spend a lot of money on maintenance.
