On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 12:17:29 -0600, "JB" > wrote:

>Ross,
>
>Thanks for the web site. I found a wealth of information. Looks to me that
>my problem may lie with my field lines if my theory about the bacteria kill
>is incorrect. I had my system pumped out a couple of days ago and I'll find
>out soon enough if the same thing happens again. As I'd said, I have a lot
>of experience with septic systems and, from the information I read on the
>web link you shared, I seemed to be doing most things right. I looked back
>over the past several months to see about anything that had changed and the
>wine equipment sanitizing/cleansing was all I could come up with. I usually
>ferment two batches at once so, whenever I have to rack, I clean/sanitize
>two 9 gallon tanks before and after racking. I originally used a bleach type
>powder but more recently switched to an "Oxy" type cleaner. I just got to
>thinking that if this stuff is so good at killing bacteria then is it also
>wiping out the same in my septic system?
>
>Again, thanks for the follow up.
>
>John

John,

You're welcome.
Here's a link to another site that will give you a lot of information
on sanitizing solutions. I copied this page many years ago and refer
to it quite often. It is geared toward beer making but pretty well all
the info applies equally to wine making.
http://realbeer.com/jjpalmer/cleaning.html
Take a look at the chlorine info and you'll see the recommended
concentration is 200 ppm which is achieved with 1 tablespoon household
bleach in 1 gallon of water. That concentration would not even be
noticed by a healthy septic system.
Also, you will note that after sanitizing with chlorine, or any other
sanitizer for that matter, if you rinse with tap water you are in
effect nullifying the sanitizing you just did because tap water
contains bacteria. This is even more likely if, like me, you are on a
septic system, your water is probably from a well and untreated like
municipal water supplies.
I don't know where you are located but, if you are in an area where it
gets very cold for extended periods of time here's another
consideration. If the frost gets down to the weeping bed and the
tile/ground interface freezes, absorption is drastically reduced.

Again, good luck.

Ross.