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Gravel less effluent disposal septic system - Chamber system - image courtesy US EPA, originally from National Small Flows ClearinghouseSeptic Pod Systems
SepticPod tanks, treatment, filter media, life, sources, manuals

This article describes pod septic systems that use one or more settlement tank and filter pods to treat sewage onsite.

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Pod Septic System Design & Operation

Rhizopod septic pod system from Arris home arris.com.au cited & discussed at InspectApedia.comThe terms Septic Pods, Filter-Pods, and similar names describe a variety of advanced sewage or wastewater onsite treatment systems suitable for single family homes as well as for larger installations and include at least those listed just below.

You will see that the phrase "pod" or "septic pod" is used in a variety of ways, but with the exception of septic tank "treatment pods" true septic pod systems all make use of an aerated chamber that distributes septic effluent through a filter media (man-made or plant-based).

The septic pod chamber itself may be of concrete, fiberglass, or plastic, and may be inserted in or external to a traditional septic tank.

Illustration: The Rhizopod® septic effluent treatment & disposal system from Arris Home, an Australian company cited below in this article.

[Click to enlarge any image]

  1. Recirculating plant-based septic pod systems

    such as Arris Home's Rhizopod® System.

    This design combines a septic tank or "primary treatment system" with an air-injected pumping chamber that circulates septic effluent through a cascaded system of shallow ponds into which various plants are hosted.

    The plant root systems remove nitrites, nitrates, and also perform additional filtering and treatment of the septic effluent, recycling water through the system, disposing of effluent by evapo-transpiration (a "no-release" system design).

    Other designs, "septic effluent volume reduction systems" ultimately relase some effluent into the surrounding soils. Some of these may use a dosing system for intermittent effluent release.
  2. In-Septic-Tank Septic Filter Pods

    such as those described by Crystal Tanks / PodTanks, that are installed inside the primary chamber of an existing septic tank. These pods combine air and a filter media to improve the level of treatment of wastewater in the septic tank.
  3. Septic Treatment Pods

    that combine a primary settling chamber with one or more additional chambers that include a septic filter media and air injection to treat septic effluent before it is discharged to surrounding soils.

    These septic filter pods are small individual septic wastewater treatment units that typically are made up of a settlement section and a filter section. These may be comprised of two physically separate tanks or they may be combined in one physical unit.

Ecopod septic system bioreactor from Infiltrator Water Technologies infiltratorwater.com cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com

Illustration: the Ecopod Infiltrator septic pod, an in-septic-tank bio-reactor from Infiltrator Water Technologies. This septic pod system increases the level of wastewater treatment.

  1. Add-On Septic Filter Pods

    or FILTERPODs installed downstream from a traditional septic tank to further-treat septic effluent before it is discharged into surrounding soils.
  2. Septic" tank treatment pods"

    - packets of enzymes and / or bacteria claimed by the vendor to improve septic tank treatment efficacy. These packets or "pods" have nothing in common with the true septic pod systems described in the list above and are not a treatment that we recommend for conventional onsite septic tank and drainfield systems.

Illustration above: ECOPOD® series intra-tank bioreactor provided by Infiltrator Water Technologies, cited in detail below.

Unlike some pod septic systems described in this article, the Ecopod® can be inserted into an existing wastewater treatment tank to provide additional levels of wastewater treatment. [Permission requested 2022/03/07]

In a typical podtank septic system, sewage from the building first enters a settlement tank where some bacterial action performs partial processing of the waste. This tank may be a traditional septic tank or it may be a front-end chamber of a combination system that includes subsequent filtration and bioreactor stages.

Effluent from the settlement tank or settlement chamber then enters the second stage or tank or chamber that consists of a filter media.

Air and effluent passing through the filter media allow additional aerobic bacteria to further break-down pathogens in the wastewater. Air to boost the aerobic bacterial action may be provided by natural convection, by a solar powered fan, or by an conventional electric blower-fan.

Processed septic effluent is then discharged out of the treatment pod into surrounding soils.

Various Septic Pod system manufacturers may use different media, including peat or other specialized media.

Multiple septic pods may be ganged together or may be connected in series depending on the manufacturer's design or that specified by a septic design engineer.

Additional septic filter pods may be added to increase the total wastewater handling capacity of the system or to handle waste from individual occupancy units in a muti-unit complex such as at some condominiums.

The sewage settlement tank in septic pod systems must be cleaned regularly on an interval specified by the manufacturer, perhaps every 1-2 years.

The sewage effluent filter media will also require periodic replacement, perhaps every 8-10 years, again depending on just what filter media is used and on the septic pod manufacturer's specifications and, of course, on the level of use or volume of wastewater being treated.

Septic filterpods systems are an example of MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS that we discuss more-extensively in that article where you will read that there quite a few varieties of packaged septic treatment systems.

Don't Confuse Septic Podtanks with "Septic Tank Treatment Pods"

Watch out: the article above describes a type of modular septic system that performs actual sewage treatment and prepares effluent for disposal into onsite soils.

Do not confuse pod type septic systems discussed above with "Septic Tank Treatment Pods" - small packages of "septic tank treatments" sold by some online vendors and that typically contain a mix of enzymes and bacterial cultures.

Septic tank treatment pods sold by online vendors - enzymes - cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com

Such septic treatments are not required, and in some jurisdictions, because some septic treatment chemicals may harm the septic system, those may be prohibited by law, depending on where you live. Other harmless additives like enzymes are not necessary and are not recommended by independent septic authorities and experts. And none of these will restore a failed septic drainfield. See details

at SEPTIC TREATMENTS & CHEMICALS where you'll see that the key to septic system life is proper maintenance including pumping the septic tank on schedule.

Septic Pod System Suppliers

Podtank septic treatment added to an existing septic tank podtanks.com cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com

Above: use of a septic pod-tank connected to an existing septic tank in order to provide additional processing of clarified septic effluent flowing out of the septic tank.

Rhizopod septic pod system from Arris home arris.com.au cited & discussed at InspectApedia.com

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Continue reading at MEDIA FILTER SEPTIC SYSTEMS, or select a topic from the closely-related articles below, or see the complete ARTICLE INDEX.

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POD SEPTIC SYSTEMS at InspectApedia.com - online encyclopedia of building & environmental inspection, testing, diagnosis, repair, & problem prevention advice.


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