Aerobic Bacteria Are Critical To Saving Failed Septic Systems

Background Information

Incoming sewage or influent arrives in the septic tank containing both aerobic and anaerobic bacteria. It is important to understand the following:

• Aerobic Bacteria needs oxygen to live.
• Anaerobic Bacteria do not need oxygen to live.

A very important function of the septic tank is to allow bacteria to convert organic material into energy the bacteria then uses for its life functions.

This conversion is what breaks down the organic solids in the wastewater into simpler solids and gas, making the wastewater leaving the septic tank comparatively cleaner than what comes into it.

However, since most septic tanks do not contain oxygen, the aerobic bacteria quickly die off, leaving the job of breaking down waste to the anaerobic bacteria. Consequently, most septic tanks contain an anaerobic environment.

Why Do Anaerobic Septic Tanks Produce Odor?

Anaerobic septic tanks emit a rotten egg like odor.

The odor is a characteristic of corrosive hydrogen sulfide gas, a byproduct of the anaerobic respiration processes.

Both anaerobic and aerobic respiration processes need to have atoms or molecules willing to accept electrons to get the respiration processes started. Aerobic respiration uses oxygen, one of nature’s best electron acceptors.

Anaerobic respiration, however, must settle for less efficient options like sulfate (containing sulfur atoms). When the chemical reactions are completed, the odorous and corrosive hydrogen sulfide gas is eventually produced.

Why Aerobic is Superior to Anaerobic

Converting an anaerobic septic tank to an aerobic one will save a failing septic system. This is because there is a huge difference in the ability of aerobic bacteria to breakdown organic material as compared to anaerobic bacteria:

• aerobic bacteria will generate 20 times or more energy from the same amount of organic material than anaerobic bacteria.
• aerobic bacteria will reproduce and consume organic material at an explosive rate as compared to anaerobic bacteria.

For large municipal wastewater treatment plants, aeration and aerobic treatment of wastewater has been in use for more than 100 years.

For residential and commercial septic systems, introducing aerobic bacterial environments in septic tanks created through a carefully controlled aeration process reduces the amount of organic material leaving the septic tank by 90% or more.

This is how Aero-Stream’s patented septic aeration process successfully remediates and extends the life of failed and failing septic systems for a fraction of the cost of septic system replacement.