Septic tank covered in foam :-(

[flanagaj]

I looked out of our static caravan this morning to see the below 😞

 

can anyone advise.  We have a 7PE tank and it’s just my wife and I.

 

 

[Bonner]

What does it smell like?

[markc]

I’m guessing detergent .. looks too white for anything else

[Mr Punter]

Have you used washing up liquid?  Maybe the air treatment has made it bubble up.

[flanagaj]

1 hour ago, Bonner said:

What does it smell like?

Smells fine.  It's only been in operation two days.

[Redbeard]

19 minutes ago, Mr Punter said:

Have you used washing up liquid?  Maybe the air treatment has made it bubble up.

 

Looks very like it. Try to get rid of the bubbles that are there and do a 'controlled experiment' with significantly smaller amounts of detergent. 

[crooksey]

I only use Ecover products (and recommend the same to others) when using a PTP, on my last service the engineer said "I had to put my gloves back in the box, they were that clean".

 

For anyone that states you can service yourself, yes you can very easily, but if you ever come to sell your house, having years of annual services will be worth its weight in gold.

[JohnMo]

1 minute ago, crooksey said:

Ecover products

Yes

 

And use these each month - stops smells from vent, their other products are quite good also

https://www.muck-munchers.co.uk/

 

[flanagaj]

Not sure if anyone else has a Graf, but does your lid have a seal in it.  I opened mine this morning by undoing the bolt in the lid and there is no seal.  Seems strange, especially considering that the lid on the distribution chamber does have a seal.

[ProDave]

I can't imagine the quantity of washing up liquid you would have to add to a 7PE tank to get the air blower to make it foam up like that.  Normally after doing the washing up, there are hardly any bubbles left in the water to send down the drain.

 

Are you sure the tank has "started"?  Folklaw up here says throw a dead Rabbit into a new tank to get things going, you can even buy chemicals to put in to start it if you don't like the former idea.

 

If the lid you are talking about is where the air blower is, then it needs a vent so can't be sealed.

[saveasteading]

Did it start empty or did you fill it with water? If the latter then the drainage to date is a tiny proportion and the clean water will foam up, as in the difference of the frothy water before you start the washing up, and the lack of foam after.

I don't know the science of detergents, but it is along the lines of it clinging to fats etc, and the rest forming bubbles.

It will be going back up the inlet pipe too.

 

Less detergent* (which will help digestion anyway) and a bit of patience is all, I think.

 

And maybe turn off the bubbles for a few days while the festering gets going.

 

But do keep us informed as I have never seen this...

 

* we all know there is only one way to wash dishes and everyone else is wrong.

I use little, as and when. I've seen other people use maybe 10 times as much... a great big scoosh and there is still loads of foam when finished.