Currently, treating wastewater is quite simple. If 15 years ago there was no such opportunity, today it is. An extremely popular solution is the development of the domestic company Topol-Eco - the septic tank Topas. Negative reviews, of course, are present, but there are much fewer than positive ones. Let's take a closer look at this issue and decide on all the important nuances, and there are a lot of them, believe me.
About the principle of action of a septic tank
First you need to understand how the described system works. A septic tank is a system containing microorganisms (anaerobic bacteria) that are directly involved in cleaning. It turns out that under the influence of these bacteria, organic compounds decompose, as well as their degreasing and processing.
At the first stage, the effluents enter the installation chamber, where the main stage of treatment is carried out. Here, large contaminants are removed, and then through the airlift the water goes to the main compartment of such a design as the Topas septic tank. Negative reviews for the most part relate to this particular stage of purification. The aeration tank contains all active bacteria that destroy all the contaminants that got here after the initial cleaning. Some consumers say that at this stage, cleaning is not always good. Most likely, this is an isolated marriage, and you need to contact the company for help.
After the above cleaning steps, sludge is formed. It is removed in 3 sectors called the “pyramid", it is also a sump. The principle of action is that pollution settles to the bottom, and clean water passes on. With some periodicity it is necessary to remove sludge from the bottom. If you use a septic tank in the country, then it is quite suitable as fertilizer. Now let's go ahead and look at another very important point.
Septic tanks for summer cottages: consumer reviews and professional advice
Before making a purchase, you need to familiarize yourself with what ordinary people think. Most say that the septic tank should be quite roomy. For example, if your family has 3 people, it is better to buy with a small margin, for example, for 4 residents. In any situation, a small margin will not be superfluous. Many professionals note that the main advantage of the Topas septic tank is its non-volatility, but this does not apply to all models. Simply put, the device does not need to be connected to the network. You can install the unit in the country and generally forget about its existence. It is only necessary to periodically clean it of sludge. Another indisputable advantage of septic tanks is that they are high-performance units operating with an efficiency of more than 90%.
Quite a lot of attention in Topol-Eco was given to the compactness of the product. This is indicated by many consumers. In principle, the most popular septic tanks for summer cottages, the reviews of which we have reviewed, are distinguished by good ergonomics. Many would say that the dimensions in this case do not matter, since the system is located underground, but this is somewhat different. With small dimensions, you can independently carry out installation, although in most cases it is advisable to use the services of the company from which the purchase was made. In general, it can be said that approximately 70% of the responses are positive, respectively, 30% are negative reviews about the Topas septic tank. The latter most often include low build quality and marriage.
Specifications septic tanks "Topas"
I would like to say right away that it is very convenient to choose septic tanks from this manufacturer. This is due to the fact that special marking is introduced. For example, “Topop-8” serves a family of 8 people, and “Topop-5" - from 5. The main technical characteristics include cleaning efficiency. In our case, regardless of the model, the efficiency is approximately 99%. It is unlikely to be able to achieve better results. What else differs this equipment is that the principle of operation of the Topas septic tank allows you to slightly reduce the dimensions of the structure. This was achieved thanks to the successful location of the compartments. For an illustrative example, you can imagine an average two-chamber refrigerator, “Topas-5” has approximately the same dimensions. In principle, you can install such a device yourself.
Most modern septic tanks consume quite a lot of electricity. But this applies to those models that connect to the network. So, modern technology and the automated principle of the septic tank allowed to reduce electricity consumption by about 15-25%. In addition, manufacturers managed to almost completely get rid of noise. But most of all, it pleases ordinary consumers that there are no special requirements for operation, the same applies to equipment care. Since the line is very monotonous and implies only a change in volume, then problems with the choice should not arise. Moreover, all models have a robust plastic case that is resistant to mechanical damage.
Site preparation and installation of the Topas septic tank
Before proceeding with the installation of the system, it is necessary to properly prepare the place. This is done as follows. First, you need to move at least 5 meters from the foundation of the house. Secondly, the dimensions of the pit should be determined by the septic tank model, sometimes a small margin is needed. At the final stage, formwork is performed. It can be made of plywood, although it is better from boards, due to the increased strength. After all this, you can proceed directly to the installation work.
First we need some sand. This building material is needed to create a sand cushion. Its height should be at least 15 centimeters, therefore, the septic tank will “peek” 15 cm from the ground. This is necessary for normal and comfortable maintenance of equipment. Moreover, if the aeration system is level with the ground or lower, then it can be flooded during snow melt, which will lead to breakage. If you carry out installation work yourself, then use the ropes. They are threaded through the stiffeners in the case, and installing the Topas septic tank in this case will not be a problem. Remember that you need to choose a treatment plant model based on the level of groundwater. If they are not deep, then it is advisable to choose a septic tank with a forced drain, and if deep, then with a free drain of purified water. But the work does not end there, because the main difficulties are yet to come. Let's talk about this.
Sewerage installation and sealing
To properly organize the outflow, you must be guided by a few simple rules. One of them is to use HDPE pipes, and not any others. As for the diameter, it can be different: from 50 to 130 millimeters. The insertion into the septic tank is carried out approximately 70 cm underground. There are so-called "long" models, where the insert is made at a level of 120 cm underground. Another important detail is the choice of a slope, which directly depends on the diameter of the selected pipe. So, if it is 50 millimeters, then the slope should be at least 3 cm per meter, if 100, then at least 2 cm. In principle, the smaller the diameter, the greater the slope.
Next you need to seal the septic tank "Topas". Negative reviews quite often relate to the fact that this operation was performed incorrectly. It is difficult to call it the fault of the manufacturer, rather, the negligence of the masters who carried out the installation. That is why it is advisable to save a little and do everything yourself and honestly. Before proceeding with sealing, professionals recommend leveling the unit using a building level. After that, drill 2 holes in the septic tank under the sewer pipes, then the nozzle is inserted and soldered to the polypropylene cord. The latter should be included. In any case, read the installation instructions several times and do everything as it is written there.
Mains connection and pressure normalization
Since most of the high-performance septic tanks are powered by electricity, which is due to the need for forced removal of purified water into the ground, it is necessary to properly connect. Everything is quite simple here. Firstly, you need to find the IPS cable with a cross section of 3 x 1.5 mm. Secondly, you need a corrugated pipe. All that is required of you is to lay the corrugation near the sewer pipe. To connect the cable, ordinary terminals are used, and to connect to the distribution panel, a separate 6-16A machine is needed. In principle, it’s not a big problem to connect the Tapas septic tank with your own hands, and even a beginner will cope with this task.
The final stage is the normalization of soil pressure on the unit body. In simple terms, the installation must be properly covered with earth. What is important here is to maintain uniformity. It is necessary to fill the station with water and at the same time fill it with soil. Most professionals recommend doing this as follows. Fill the septic tank with water at 25-30%, and then bury it to the appropriate depth so that the level of the carrier approximately matches the level of the soil. This must be done until the septic tank is completely underground. As a result, you will be able to compensate for the pressure on the body and avoid mechanical damage.
Features of operation in the winter
There is a fairly common myth that it is impossible to use a septic tank for seasonal living (cottage, country house). These allegations are completely groundless. Now you will understand why. The fact is that most autonomous sewer systems are designed to work in extreme conditions. That is, at low temperatures of soil and air. For example, ski resorts and polar stations also have a sewage system, and you must admit that it is autonomous in any situation. Therefore, do not worry, the septic tank "Topas" in winter can be used without any problems, do not worry about this. Nevertheless, a number of important rules must be observed. One of them is conservation, which we will talk about a little later.
Preservation is necessary when you are not going to use the device all winter. Of course, in some cases this procedure is mandatory, but if you visit the house at least once a month, you can leave the septic tank working. In this case, it is advisable to turn on the equipment every 2 weeks, although it is better not to turn it off at all. In principle, you are unlikely to go broke due to 150 rubles per month for electricity.
About conservation for the winter
About 70% of consumers prefer to turn off their septic tank for the winter. You can do this as follows. First of all, we disconnect the unit from the network, and then we take out the air compressor and carry out the dismantling of the purified water discharge pump (with forced drainage). Please note that the proper preservation of the septic tank "Topas" for the winter does not imply pumping water. Its level should fluctuate at the level of 80%. Most do the opposite, pump out the entire medium, which significantly increases the pressure of the soil on the body and can lead to sad consequences. You can not be afraid that the water will freeze, this is simply impossible, because the temperature in the chamber is positive and does not depend on air temperature. If there is any doubt, then between the stone and the top cover of the septic tank you can put a couple of sheets of foam. The latter, as you know, is a good insulation.
If you do everything as described above, then you will not have problems. Remember that preservation of the septic tank "Topas" for the winter is required if you are extremely rarely going to use the sewage system. This is due to the fact that in the absence of organic substances in about a month most of the bacteria die, as a result of which the degree of purification drops sharply, and you definitely won’t get the promised 99%. But since microorganisms self-form when wastewater enters, it is necessary to include an autonomous system at least once every two weeks. In principle, you can use the purchased bacteria or pour a little kefir into the chamber, which will accelerate their reproduction.
A few important points
As you can see, the maintenance of the Topas septic tank is very simple. It takes you very little time. Once a year, the Topas septic tank is automatically cleaned with a pump that collects sludge accumulated at the bottom. In any case, always use the instructions. For example, preservation should be carried out in strict sequence, and any non-fulfillment will lead to the fact that next year it will not be necessary to service the Topas septic tank, but its comprehensive repair, which is not entirely cheap. Many people forget that most manufacturers strongly recommend that preservation be performed after the temperature drops below 0 degrees Celsius. This is due to the banal freezing of the earth and a drop in the level of groundwater. Now you know how to preserve the “Topas” septic tank correctly. The manufacturer gives a pretty good instruction, which is always attached. But this does not mean that you should do everything yourself, as you can always turn to specialists for help.
Conclusion
So we talked about how the “Topas” septic tank is cleaned, its preservation and use in the cold season. In fact, there is nothing complicated, but it is mandatory to comply with all the requirements of the manufacturer. It is safe to say that the operation of a septic tank will not be a problem only when you do everything right. Moreover, for this it is not at all necessary to constantly call the masters, it is enough to re-read the product passport several times.
This article did not address the issue of the cost of such equipment as the Topas septic tank. The price is different and depends on the performance of the unit. So "Topas-5", designed to serve 3-5 people, will cost about 60-70 thousand rubles. But a model for a family of 8 people will cost at least 80 thousand. The largest septic tanks, such as Topas-20, used for industrial purposes, have a cost of at least 190,000 rubles. But it is unlikely that you need just such an autonomous sewer to the country. That's basically all about this topic. Do not forget about the timely maintenance of the equipment, as well as the properly performed conservation, and you will be happy. Of course, this manufacturer also has defective products, which is why the company receives negative reviews. If you stumble upon this, then you need to change it under warranty, with this, as a rule, there are no problems.