This article will cover how calcium can clog an aerobic system. A house that is always occupied should always be maintained. It is understood that that a budget and a certain amount of effort should be given to make the home’s components are always in tiptop condition. To care for your walls and roof, you have to keep them coated with good paint and clean them regularly. You could also hire professionals to do a more efficient job for you. The same goes for your septic system. Normally, septic systems are underground systems that are run by anaerobic bacteria. These microorganisms are primitive and tenacious. They break down organic solid waste materials that are in the wastewater produced by your household on a daily basis. An anaerobic system like this can be improved by transforming it into an aerobic system. This is a more efficient way to handle wastewater. The oxygen provided by the aeration system increases the number of aerobic bacteria in the drain field. More aerobic bacteria means the wastewater will be purer and the biomat will be more regulated. Unregulated biomat results to clogging.
Because of several factors, an aerobic system could still be clogged. Here are some of them:
- Use of harsh chemicals
When you use harsh chemicals in cleaning, the aerobic and anaerobic bacteria are all killed off. Without these bacteria, the wastewater treatment process will never push through. When aerobic bacteria die off, the biomat proliferate uncontrollably. This clogs the system. You should opt for more organic and environment friendly products to make sure that you get the job done while keeping your system safe.
- Improper waste disposal.
Non-biodegradable materials are usually dumped into drains and toilets. These substances cannot be degraded by bacteria anymore. They just stay in the system to clog the process. Place them in proper waste bins or recycle them. Even if you use your garbage disposal units before you dump them in the septic system, they are still non-biodegradable. They stay the same.
- Calcium sulfoaluminate formation or ettringite formation
This is caused by the production of hydrogen sulfide by the anaerobic digestion of the thiocillus bacteria. The hydrogen sulfide gas accumulates in the headspace above the water line. Then the gas combines with oxygen. This makes way for sulfuric acid. Sulfuric acid then forms ettringite. The ettringite corrodes the cement reinforcement of the septic system. When this happens, the metal components corrode. They are then subjected to sediments, which clog the flow of wastewater.
You should know how calcium can clog an aerobic system. Even with oxygen being produced, ettringite could still form. This could happen if the cement used to make your septic system is highly sensitive to the sulfuric acid that is formed by the anaerobic digestion. Yes, it is true that aerobic systems mostly prevent the interaction of oxygen and hydrogen sulfide to produce sulfuric acid but generally, a small amount of sulfuric acid is still produced. This still corrodes the septic system’s cement reinforcement especially if the cement is not tolerant to the acid at all.
Another reason why an aerobic system could be clogged by ettringite is if the aeration system is not regularly checked and maintained. You should set a schedule with your septic expert so that the septic system can always stay in optimal condition. With regular inspection, the aerobic septic system will not experience clogging or damage that could lead to huge repair and replacement expenses. If the aerobic septic is always maintained, there will be no problems in calcium clogging.
If you are a lucky homeowner who gets to monitor the installation of the septic system, make sure that the cement reinforcement used for your system is highly tolerant of sulfuric acid at any level. It should be able to endure the corrosive acid as it does its job. It may cost a bit more but you can be sure of the results on a long-term basis.