Friday, June 28, 2013

The best treatment media for onsite systems


Have you ever thought about how advanced onsite septic systems work? Is there a key component similar to the engine in a car that is the driving force of their functionality?

 

Most wastewater treatment systems rely on microorganisms to effect the treatment. These biological organisms are naturally present in the environment and are ideally suited for the task. The only thing we have to do is provide a comfortable home for them...like Field of Dreams, if you build it, they will come.

 

The goal is to provide a place to which the microorganisms can attach themselves so that they can populate the treatment system and grow. That's it. The heartbeat of an advanced onsite system is therefore the attachment surfaces or media as it is commonly called. (Systems that use air bubblers and little or no treatment media, aerobic systems, are not discussed here because I want to focus only on systems that actually have a hope of working)

 

Eliminite is one of the few, maybe the only, advanced onsite system manufacturer that developed its own proprietary media designed specifically for the onsite industry. Most of the other system manufacturers borrowed something from some other application, stuffed it into a tank and called it a wastewater treatment system. This is not unlike "fixing" something by wrapping duct tape around it; it may hold for a while but it is a temporary solution at best.

 

The cost associated with developing a new media is significant. There is the testing, patenting, manufacturing and marketing. This is why most manufacturers have opted out of development in favor of utilizing something off the shelf. They did not see the need to re-invent the wheel.

 

My opinion is, the wheel needed reinventing, or at least, perfecting, and that's why we did it. We developed our MetaRocks media to address the specific needs of this industry. One of our achievements is a media that does not require cleaning. 

 

We engineered our MetaRocks with large open spaces that allow the free movement of air through the system because if the microorganisms cannot breathe, they will die.  If air flow is restricted, solids will build up on the surface of the media further restricting air movement. 

 

Everyone has seen a clogged drain.  Most sink drains in a home receive relatively clean water and they still have a tendency to develop clogs.  Now imagine the liquid flowing out of a septic tank and think about the potential for clogging.  Most media-based system manufacturers will tell the owner that it is necessary to hose off the media, fluff it(because the stuff it is made from compresses over time and strangles the microorganisms) or replace it entirely.  If you think about the actual procedure necessary to accomplish any of these tasks, you can see why none of them are very desirable requirements.  It's not like they can take the system to their shop and do the dirty work, it must be done right in your yard.

 

MetaRocks are an entirely different beast.  A system based on MetaRocks is simply more stable and robust than the others.  Owners may use it without the constant worry that any little thing they do will damage the system.  Once you know about MetaRocks you will never want to use anything else.

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