Septic Tank hose attachment - need help
 

Hi All - our septic tank line is separating from the tank, and we are getting some strong smells coming from a small opening! I have attached a picture - I need to know how to seal that hole up. Not sure what product would be best, since it is on the ground needs to be able to hold up well. Epoxy, silicone, not sure... Thanks!

Septic Tank hose attachment - need help
 

Personally I would cover the opening with 6 mil plastic, maybe a foot overlap on each side then cover with pea stone then dirt


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At a previous home the contractor hacked up the exit port on the side of our tank so there was seepage around the pipe. Island Support patched it up with roofing cement.

That looks pretty ugly though, I would suggest having a professional look at it. You don't want that leaching out. You will never get rid of the smell.

Septic tank hose attachment-need help
 

Codeman 671 is absolutely right - call a professional. Besides trying to block the odor (from getting out), you also want to prevent ground water from entering the tank. You didn't mention if it is an all-gravity system, but if there is a pump in the bottom of your tank you definitely want to keep ground water and ground water-carried debris from getting into the tank and into the mechanism of the pump.

That's how the lake gets polluted, not to mention your well. A plumber can probably help you, please don't mickey mouse it, get it fixed properly.

You guys love spending other folks money. It is quite obvious that it's not a pressurized tank. It wouldn't hurt to get a "Professional" opinion. This doesn't look serious AT ALL.

WinnisquamZ's suggestion would work fine. It would also stop ground water from flowing in.

I would be curious if it's a "Holding Tank" (i.e. is it connected to a leaching field)?

This looks like the hose that comes from a lower elevation pump chamber that pumps the effluent up grade to this tank for ultimate distribution to a leach field. If the tank level ever got to the point that there would be leaks out of this area that is almost at the top of the tank (and well above where the leach field pipe goes out), it would come out the top of the tank anyway. I wouldn’t spend a bunch of money to get someone out to an island to look at this for concerns about pollution or the like.

I would do the plastic/pea stone recommendation, perhaps in combination with some simple non-expanding spray foam insulation to air seal it. What I would be slightly concerned about is to why this is happening. Is the hose pulling out of the tank? If so, I would want to figure out what is moving as that could be concerning. Or is it just the connection that failed? The spray foam should let you see if it pulls further by gapping in the spray foam. I would only be concerned if it pulls out significantly further. Until then, just deal with the smell and ensure dirt/runoff can’t get in the tank there.

WOW, thats not like any septic system I have ever seen. I've only ever seen iron or regular PVC pipe and only into a cement tank.

Is this something unique to near lake property or an NH thing or something really new age???

Totally agree with your assessment. Line is probably moving due to frost heaves.

Surprised the line going in is exposed to elements and possibly even freezing in the pipe, never mind the earth around it.

If the whole thing is on a slope or something maybe the earth (protecting it) eroded away?

Thanks for the input everyone, we have someone coming out to look at it this week. This is a holding tank at a higher elevation than the house, so that hose you see is from the septic pump under the house. It then flows through an intermediate tank and then is pumped to the leachfield from there, which is further uphill. As others have said, effluent is not leaking out due to the outflow pipe being lower that this inflow. Totally agree we don't want debris entering or smell escaping, so hopefully they can fix it easily. There has been some erosion over the past 10 years+, so like the idea of layering in more stone after repairs.

Really a simple problem to fix. Expose and clean around the pipe, A layer of roofing cement, a layer of 6mil plastic and bury it. Problem solved
By code, the system is nowhere near your well or the lake so that is not an issue
Interested to know what your quote will be from a professional.

With just the picture. Seems to be an easy fix with a shovel and some sticky cement.