bacteria for biocycle

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Ned_ie

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Hi all

Have an issue with biocycle in that it stinks!!! I have a feeling that the bacteria may have been killed off and so the system is not working correctly. I had the system serviced and de sludged last year.

Does anyone know if i can add bacteria? If so where can it be got?

thanks
 
Ripe road-kill or a dead cat... I seem to remember another thread from a few years ago on seeding a system and I believe that was the, eh, 'value' solution!
 
Is a biocycle the same as a concrete figure of 8 septic tank as we have the latter and it also smells in the general vicinity? Any advice appreciated. Sorry to hijack post but if its the same then no point duplicating answers. If not I will move it.
 
Cat101 - are there supposed to be Chlorine Tablets in it? We bought the place with a biocycle and no instructions!!!

Yoganmahew - there is an aeration pump constantly working in the chamber - would that have an impact on the, um, "value solution"??
 
Um, not sure! I've the same sort of yoke and the aeration pump is really just aerating the top part of the chamber.

What makes me wonder is that I didn't have to seed it when I put it in. It just sort of began working itself with a very slight ammonia smell if you take the lids off, but otherwise no smell around it.

I'm interested in any answers you get as I'll be coming due for de-sludging soonish, so I don't want to destroy it.

I presume you have two chambers? One of which has bags of plastic balls in it? When you got it desludged, did you just empty the first chamber or both? If just the first one, can you take a few buckets from the second chamber into the first one? (Reseed it from itself, so to speak). Or do you think it is totally dead?
 
There is natural bacteria in the material going into the chamber so there is no need to seed it however, when they desludge they tend to add back a certain amount of seed to ensure that the process starts quickly.

I don't have a chamber with plastic balls in it at all - just the one chamber which is the one that gets emptied. I spoke to a guy yesterday who is involved in installing and getting these things right (I established the company and accounts for him at the time!) and he said its dead and has been killed by washing powder - even the smallest amount of washing pwder kills the bacteria. He told me best to have it desludged again and to start from scratch. He is to also give me some super dooper bacteria that they use in council systems to give it a boost every now and again - not sure how much that stuff is though.

will let you know.
 
Excellent. Yeah, you want to stick to the non-bio washing powder, take it easy on the bleach too.
 
to be honest i think it is any washing pwder not just the non bio that you should stay away from. We have started to use washer balls now. just as clean clothes!
 
We've been using non-bio now for three years without any problems.

edit: perhaps you need a certain level of, um, life in the tank first?
 
Ned_ie said:
Hi all

Have an issue with biocycle in that it stinks!!! I have a feeling that the bacteria may have been killed off and so the system is not working correctly. I had the system serviced and de sludged last year.

Does anyone know if i can add bacteria? If so where can it be got?

thanks
Click to expand...

I've used one of these for about 15 years, and do all my own servicing.

The only time I've had odour is when the air pump hasn't worked correctly. With the water pump off, you should hear air bubbling. Check that the air pump is operating. If it's on a timer, check that it's in the on status.

If the air pump isn't working, it may be faulty. Replace it ASAP. Otherwise, find out why.

If it's working, but there's no bubbles (in at least one of the outer chambers), there may be an air leak in the lines - possibly a rubber hose from the pump to the sprays. Otherwise, the pump may have lost pressure due to faulty/worn valves etc.

The chlorine tablet has nothing to do with the smell. This should all be taken care of in the aeration.

Note that once you fix the problem keep the air going 24h/day until the odour stops - could be about a week.
 
The "super dooper" bacteria is made here in Dublin for septic tanks / package treatment systems.PM if you need info.

C7

Note to Mods: please edit if in breach of guideleines
 
Unfortunately an awful lot of Effluent Treatment plants do not work very well. There are different reasons for this. Some are not serviced properly, some are undersized and hence overloaded, some are even switched off! Most will smell even if they are working well as they blow air in the treatment process. Not only is this very likely to expell smells but it is expensive to operate. If you want a low maintenance, system with low running costs which works well then consider the Klargester Biodisc. It doesn't blow air but operates with rotating discs inside on which the bacteria live.
 
Ask the manufacturer to come out and inspect the system and issue a report.

ONQ.
 
Is see the EPA have a warning that the onus is on the householder to ensure their Effluent Treatment Plant is working properly.
 
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