The difference between aerobic and anaerobic systems IN SUPER SIMPLE TERMS
The question of how aerobic and anaerobic septic systems are different comes up daily around here. So, we decided to explain it in as simple terms as we could After putting our heads together, we think we came up with a pretty good analogy…
Imagine a Fish Tank; An Aquarium
When you have a fish tank, you often have a little machine that makes bubbles, right? That machine adds oxygen to the water to help the fish breathe and live.
Now, think of a septic system as a big underground “tank” where all the water and waste from your house goes. There are two main types of these tanks:
- Aerobic System: This is like the fish tank with the bubbler. In this system, there’s a machine that adds air (oxygen) to help tiny “good” bugs (bacteria) eat and break down the waste. These bugs love oxygen and work faster when they have plenty of it.
- Anaerobic System: This system is like a fish tank without a bubbler. There’s no machine adding extra air. Here, different “good” bacteria work to break down the waste, but they don’t need oxygen to live. They’re a bit slower than the bugs that love oxygen but they eat the waste.
So, in simple terms:
- Aerobic = With extra air (like a fish tank with a bubbler).
- Anaerobic = Without extra air (like a fish tank without a bubbler).
Both systems have their own ways of cleaning the water and waste, but they just use different types of tiny bugs to do the job!
Incidentally, Accelerator by Dr. Pooper® products work in both aerobic and anaerobic septic systems because it multiples the reproduction and growth of both types of bacteria (aerobic and anaerobic).
Will chlorine tablets still be needed in my aerobic system? I live in East Texas.
Hi, Judy! Thanks for asking. If you have a spray system, it is still a good idea to use them. They should not be put into the first tank(s) where the bacteria break down the solids since chlorine kills the bacteria. They would be put into the pump tank, where the effluent is stored before pumping.
I have received the tablets for my aerobic system but my aerator is not working right now. So when I add the tablets it works for a few days and becomes stinky again please help.
Hi Melissa! The tank on an aerobic system is small. The water in the first tank will be flushed out in a couple of days — flushing out the treatment.
If the aerator was working, that would keep the smell from returning.
Trying using a small treatment every day — a quarter tablet. Or try the Accelerator by Dr. Pooper Liquid (Bottle) and use 1/4 ounce daily until your aerator is repaired.