What to do with a septic?

[LineLefty]

I've strayed from the woodwork side of things to aks y'all a question.

We've purchased a 1970s home recently that had a terrible water featre in the middle of the patio, about 3m from the laundry door. In a flash of energy one sunday morning, we removed the concrete blocks, bond, statue and soil and lo&behold, underneath is the septic tank we thought was under the lawn somewhere. Now this septic tank is, by regulation, too close to the house but it's not like we can move it.

So the question is, what to do with it? The top of flush with the top of the bick paving so it can't be paved over. We were thinking of a treated pine sandit for the child that is now about minus 3 months old.

[silentC]

It's a terrible thing to dig up a septic in your yard. I suggest you cover it back over again quick before it starts telling you how much bigger and better things are back home and trying to introduce democracy in your household.

But seriously, is it still in use? If not, why not just smash it up and fill it in?

[journeyman Mick]

You could cover it with a terrible water feature! :D Failing that a tasteful water feature. Whatever you do cover/disguise it with will need to be relatively easy to remove in case you need access to the tank for maintenance. A sandpit would be a good option, or perhaps a potted plant feature area with maybe a timber tiered arrangement for plant display. Outdoor carpet/astro turf with a picnic bench and seating arrangement on top (sounds awful but could work well with a bit of thought and the right materials. A small pergola which could be dragged off the top if needed? If there is a bit of height difference between the house and the patio then a timber deck with a removable section for access is another possibility. Get someone to apply a textured and stencilled paint finish to match your existing pavers perhaps? I'm sure others will come up with an equally wide range of possible solutions ranging from aesthetically pleasing :) to bizzare. :eek:

Mick

[LineLefty]

Hmmm, a tiered timber pot plant feature. Thats more like it, I can incorporate woodwork into it.

SWMBO is desparately keen to get the tank coverd and that option justifes the aquisition a whole range of new tools. A bigger 235mm circular saw of course, and I'd really need one of those nice panasonic drills and HNT Try plane to straighten it all out. And if she wants it to look smooth, a new precision ground straightedge/level is a must.

Great idea!

[ozwinner]

What to do with a septic?Dont let it near the quiz forum!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Al :p

[Sturdee]

After my recent run in with another septic tank, I would name it " Joe " and then bury it very quickly before it accuses me of tardiness. ;) ;) ;)


Peter.

[soundman]

How about a little rotunda.
While its accessable get it pumped & patched.

[Taffy]

We had a septic tank for about thirty years in two homes, the regulation in Qld was that the tank must be no more than 7ft horizontally from the toilet outlet, I assume from your concern that it is still in use so demolition is not an option. If wiffy is keen to hide it then as per the previous replies you will have to use a bit of immagination, not the easiest thing to do on such a subject, if it is still in use I strongly suggest you have it pumped out and re sealed before doing any major work over the top. (should give you about 5 years trouble free use).You may need to confer with the relevant authority if you are allowed to cover it with anything structural and to what extent.

Taffy

[Robert WA]

You could always build an outside dunny on top of it. The plumbing would be cheap.

[Markw]

How about a rockery made of those plastic (FRP) fake rocks - easy to remove for maintenance.

[LineLefty]

Not really a fan of rockeries, a bit contrived for my liking.

Thanks for al the suggestions, I think I'm going to go for the sandpit idea. Suggested by, believe it or not, the mother in law.

Old jarrah sleepers or treated pine with a timber lid for pot plants and things until the baby is old enough to use it.

[gemi_babe]

I wouldn't put treated pine anywhere near children. Its treated with arsenic. I would go the sleepers or as I did, used 100mm polly pipe.

Love the site guys.

Learning heaps of stuff :D

[LineLefty]

This thread is a bit old, but little lefty is now 6 months old and it's tiem to get this sandpit-over hte septic tank idea happening.

Given hygeine issues, the plan is to build it elevated from the ground by 50mm which will mean that it'll need a base.

It's a 1.8m square and I'm not sure what to use for the base. Exterior plywood? I have some flakeboard from some pallets which seems like it could handle the wet? Can you get sheets of galv steel in this size?

[TassieKiwi]

IF it's a flat surface, I'd batten it out under there with treated timber - you could scribe these to fit an uneven surface also. I don't think pathogens will be a problem, unless you have a flood or a spill.

How about a potager herb garden?

[LineLefty]

Yeah I'd thought of battens to take the weight. It's not very even because the septic lid has a raised concrete strip down the middle that is proud of the surrounding brickpaving by 20-30mm or so. If some of the battens were resing on the concrete lid of the tank, do you think it would hold the weight ok?

[jackiew]

re hygiene. make provision for a lid for your sandpit when it is not in use and use it.

Within minutes of you filling it with sand you can be sure that every cat for miles around will know about the new public toilet that ( in their opinion ) has been specially built for them. Unless you have dogs patrolling the boundaries 24x7x52 I can guarantee that there will be a cat waiting to christen the sand at the first opportunity :eek:

[LineLefty]

Jackview, good advice indeed.

My previous signature labeled me as a 'greyhound adopter extraordinaire'.
Brave is the cat that steps foot into our yard.

She (the dog) does spend sometime inside so a lid may be prudent.

Theres two options here.

1) Build a fully enclosed, elevated (on battens) sandbox.
2) Build a simple frame, and line the bottom with thick pond liner and then fill it with sand.

Option 1 will take a bit more thought with the material for the base and the weight of the sand etc. Option 2 puts a lot of wieght directly on the tank a is not portable. Also, the kids will be playing straight on top of a septic tank which isnt that nice a thought.

[Fat Pat]

Lefty, you forgot option 3....

Shoot every Fecking cat that dares to enter the property. After all, the dog has to have a sleep everynow and again.

I'm not a real cat lover!

[journeyman Mick]

Lefty, you forgot option 3....

Shoot every Fecking cat that dares to enter the property. After all, the dog has to have a sleep everynow and again.

I'm not a real cat lover!

What about fecklesss (blind) cats? (Gaelic: Feck=to see, feckless= blind)

Mick

[rackrussel]

mate if you are going to elevate why not elevate all the way and continue it into a cubby house (good excuse for even more tools ;) ) which would also shade the sandpit and then could be enclosed with shade cloth or similar to keep the sandpit animal faeces free

cheers:D

[Zed]

septics are far too elevated for my liking, in my opinion I would bring the mongrels down a notch or two.... just because thier economy and military is strong doesnt give them the right to stand higher than the rest of us. chainsaw the bastard at the knees I say!

[LineLefty]

mate if you are going to elevate why not elevate all the way and continue it into a cubby house (good excuse for even more tools ;) ) which would also shade the sandpit and then could be enclosed with shade cloth or similar to keep the sandpit animal faeces free

cheers:D

Thats not a bad idea, If you look at the original piccie you'll see that it's close to the house and therefore half under the new patio. A sandpit actually gets more use than I cubby house I reckon. But a cubby house will need more tools.