Started noticing the smell of sewage around my tank vent. I had the tank pumped and a few days later plugged my aerator pump back in. Pump is blowing and I can hear bubbles coming from the tank. Clear water is coming out of tail line. What could be causing the smell to continue being strong? Could bugs be dead? Anyone recommend something I can add to increase bug production, thus decrease smell?

Pumper guy told me to cap my vent. In the past, when Ive smelled the sewage smell, Ive always called the pumper and the tank was full and needed to be pumped. If I cap the vent, how will I know when its full next time?

And we haven't been using any new cleaning/disinfectant products that I know of.

Thanks in advance.

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Posted by LSUtigerME

Walker, LA

Member since Oct 2012

3796 posts

Posted on 7/31/20 at 9:22 am to Tiger In the Swamp

quote:
Pumper guy told me to cap my vent. In the past, when Ive smelled the sewage smell, Ive always called the pumper and the tank was full and needed to be pumped. If I cap the vent, how will I know when its full next time?

Like, the big vent on the tank? It’s open? All my vents and pipes are capped (3 of them).

How often do you pump the tank? It sounds like you’ve pumped it multiple times, which unless you’ve been there a long while seems excessive to me.

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Posted by fishfighter

RIP

Member since Apr 2008

40026 posts

Posted on 7/31/20 at 10:43 am to LSUtigerME

quote:
Like, the big vent on the tank? It’s open? All my vents and pipes are capped (3 of them).

This.

Close that shite up.

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Posted by Tiger In the Swamp

Louisiana

Member since May 2014

841 posts

Posted on 7/31/20 at 2:49 pm to fishfighter

yeah one of the vents has a vent style cap on it where rain cant get in but its a vent. If I cap it, how do I know when its ful?

In the 15 years Ive lived here, this is the 3rd time Ive had it pump. One of the times it was only halfway full, but due to issues with the drain line plugging I got it emptied and drain line reworked.

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Posted by gerald65

Moss Bluff, LA

Member since Jul 2020

710 posts

Posted on 7/31/20 at 7:42 pm to Tiger In the Swamp

It sounds like you don't have any bugs in your tank. Get a box of Rid-X to recharge your tank with bugs.

When the tank is pumped out... some of the "slug" should be left in the tank as a "starter" to allow the bug population to start growing. Your guy might have pumped all your tank slug out, and now there are no bugs to eat up the shite.

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Posted by mctiger1985

Baton Rouge

Member since Oct 2009

3693 posts

Posted on 7/31/20 at 8:56 pm to Tiger In the Swamp

Pulled this from modad website

Usually the 4” white pipe, with a push-on cap or a screw-on cap, is your sewer clean-out. Mo-Dad Utilities wants to encourage you to never bury this pipe below ground level and always protect the pipe from lawnmowers. At some point in the future you will be glad to know where this clean-out is located to determine a blockage and keep backups out of your home. This is one of the main places a plumber will use to clean out your drains one day. Replace the cap if it becomes damaged: otherwise, your yard will smell bad and your sewer lines will clog. In the event of major storms and power outages you must remove these clean-out caps to eliminate the possibility of sewerage backing up into your home.

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