Sandmound ... *lots Of Pics*

rino1494

In another thread, some ppl were asking about a sandmound and how they are installed. I just did one last week and took some pics. The mound measures 12' x 50' (600 sq. ft).

Pics 1 and 2 are staking out the area. We used a backback blower and rake to clear the absorbtion area of any vegetation and leaves. Also, the absorbtion area must be chisel plowed.

Pic 3 is the sand. It called for 22" of sand at the highest elevation.

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rino1494

Pic 1-- is more of the sand

Pic 2-- is placing the berm material around the mound before placing the 10" of gravel on top of the bed. The dirt must be placed first so that the stone doesn't drip over the side of the sand.

Pic 3-- is us leaving the truck on site overnight.

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rino1494

Pic 1 -- Pump inside tank with water for testing.

Pic 2 -- Laterals dug into the stone.

Pic 3 -- Testing the system. There are 1/4" holes every 6' in the 1.5" laterals.

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rino1494

Pic 1 -- after testing, we shovel the stone back over the laterals and cover with hay before placing dirt on the mound

Pics 2 and 3 -- Me going to work and grading up the mound with the hoe.

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Last pics...... graded up, seeded and hayed.

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dkillianjr

Very cool pics I am guessing that is a type of septic system? I have never seen anything like that around here.


Dave

cexcavation

Nice, clean, and efficient work Rino. I'd hire you for sure, looks good

trav007

What's the hay for?

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RPC470

Hey rino what is chisel plowed? We dont use that term around here.... They only let us put in conventional septic systems, 2' deep trench stone and drain tile. Looks like those sand beds are different!

dlcj

cool pics and nice work but id like to know a little more about that system too. Ive heard about it being done around here a little but never saw one. What are the advantages? why would you do that over a conventional tank and feild line system? is there a tank? seems to me it would cost alot more cause all the sand, gravel, piping, pumps and finnish work involved.
Not against it, just curious.

Tinstaafl

Sand mounds are done when the soil in the area won't pass a perc (percolation) test, which measures how quickly water will "dissipate" from a hole in the ground. If it's too fast or too slow, you have to create an area that satisfies the specs.

There is a holding tank, the only difference being that you're not allowed to use a gravity feed to the mound. You have to pump the liquid. That's a PITA requirement that I've never heard a good reason for, unless it's to help ensure that you get flow all the way to the ends of the lines.

Expect it to come your way sooner or later, as population and housing density rises.

Tinstaafl

Oh, and the hay covering is simply to protect the grass seed until it takes root.

tgeb

Nice work Rino.
Is that up on Mountain Top? Looks nice a nice view, Awful rocky though.

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rino1494

99.9% of new septic systems around here are sandmounds. They are used in my area because of poor soils. We have clay, hardpan and rock and the soils do not drain well. For a conventional system where you dig it into the ground with stone, you need 6' of good soil. For a "stone" mound, you need 4' of good soil. You place 12" of stone on top of the ground and cover with 12" of dirt. If you do not have 48" of good soil, then you need to make up the rest with sand. For example, if you have 22" of good soil, then you will need to install 26" of sand to make up the 48".

Chisel plow is a plow that is pulled behind a tractor chiseling up the ground to loosen it. I do it with the teeth on the excavator. It opens up the dirt to allow for the effluent to drain into the soil.

Yes, there is a tank. Here I used a 3 compartment tank. Solids flow into the first compartment, water flows into 2nd compartment and then again overflows into the 3rd which is the pumping comparment. Some systems will call for 2 tanks. First one has 2 compartments with the 2nd tank containing just the pump. It is called the pump tank or dosing tank. This system is also called a pressurized dosing system.

Also, I am not allowed to drive onto the absorbtion area. Compaction of the soil is a no no. Also, all material must be place onto the bed from the high side so that I don't compact the soil on the downslope. Also, the stumps must remain in the ground. They feel that if you dig around the stump, then you are compacting soil.

Look out, because there is a new system out that is a peat moss septic system. It is the same exact thing as the sandmound except the effluent flows from the septic tank to a 9' x 13' fiberglass tank containing 30 bags of peat moss. Then from there, it flows to the dosing tank and pumped to the bed. The peat moss acts as a added filter and needs to be pumped out and replaced every 5 yrs. Just the fiberglass tank delievered with peat moss is $7,800. I may be doing one of these systems within the next 2 months.

We get around $15 sq. ft. depending on height of sand and slope of absorbtion area. I just priced one out that was $24 sq. ft.

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rino1494

The hay on top of the stone prevents the dirt from choking up the gravel.

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rino1494

It is in Pittston. I have alot of pics of the rock too. That is for another thread to come soon.

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mickeyco

It's a giant cat box.



.

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tgeb

I have an Aunt and Uncle who live in Pittston. Main Street, across the rail road tracks, if I remember correctly.

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tgeb

Speaking about the straw over the stone, would a geotextile fabric be suitable for that application? That would be my preferance.

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neolitic

Never saw such tiny laterals.
Must be something to do with
the pump in the system?
Sounds like a maintenance
bummer having a pump
in a septic system.

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