7 Best Bacteria Treatments for Septic Tanks

A septic system is an important part of a residential property. In this article, we will discuss 7 of the best septic tank treatment options on the market for your septic tank. Check out our top recommendation Septifix here.

A septic tank gets its name from the bacteria living in it. The word “septic” means to be infected with bacterium, so when we talk about a “septic tank” we are actually referring to a system that relies on bacteria to do its job as intended. Your septic tank is built to make use of bacteria and enzymes to decompose solid waste that enters it, as well as fats, detergents, grease, and oil.

The bacteria in your tank feed on such materials, decompose organic matter, and liquefy solids so that they are effectively disposed of. The purpose of a septic tank is to serve as a big settling chamber where solid waste is turned into liquids and then flushed out via a drain. This process, in turn, prevents blockages in your plumbing.

Without a sufficient population of bacteria, the solid waste will not get properly decomposed. As a result, the sludge at the bottom will increase more rapidly than normal, which can eventually cause all sorts of problems, like clogging your pipes.

What bacteria treatments are best for septic tanks? Biological additives, such as bacteria and extra-cellular enzymes, are the most effective and safest way to promote a healthy and strong bacterial ecosystem. This kind of septic tank treatment improves the population of bacteria and enzymes in your tank, both of which are needed in good amounts to decompose fibers and break down septic tank scum that collects at the top of the liquid in the tank and other solid waste that the naturally-occurring microbes may have problem decomposing.    

Continue reading below you will find a list of 7 Septic Tank Additive options. Our number 1 recommendation is SeptiFix.

septic tank tablets fix

If you are dealing with clogged drains, one of the easiest ways to get rid of it is to pour boiling water down the drain. If that doesn’t work, try baking soda and vinegar solution. Pour approximately 2-3 teaspoonfuls of baking soda into the clogged drain, and follow it up with a ½ cup of vinegar.

The mixture will create a strong “fizzing” action to remove the clog and restore normal flow in the drain. However, if this too fails, consider using bacteria treatment because low bacterial activity usually causes issues like clogging.

In case your home relies on a septic tank, you should always keep a bacteria treatment product for septic tanks on hand. That’s because it can help troubleshoot clogging issues when other DIY methods fail to produce the desired results.

We’ve drawn up a comprehensive list of best bacteria treatment products for septic tanks currently available in the market. Read this for natural ways to increase bacteria. To prepare this list, we took into account many factors, such as efficiency, active ingredients, eco-friendliness, and price. Here are our top six picks in this category:

#1 SeptiFix

septifix review banner image

Septifix is probably one of the lesser-known brands on the market but it’s also one of the most powerful.

SEPTIFIX tabs are septic tank treatment tablets that are solid, environmentally safe, and OXYGEN releasing.

After you flush them down your toilet, they will easily solve all your septic tank’s problems!

Once they reach your septic tank, they:

  • reduce, then eliminate noxious odors (the smell) extremely fast – in just three to five days!
  • break down and eliminate all organic sludge from septic tanks, including natural oils, grease and organic hydrocarbons.
  • destroy all the bad anaerobic bacteria like e-coli or salmonella and other harmful pathogens which are usually found in septic tanks and can cause many health problems to your family.
  • prevent back-ups, and clogs, and all other associated problems in septic tank systems, including corrosion.
  • reduce, and in many cases, eliminate the need to have your septic tank pumped!
  • Read our In-depth SeptiFix Review Here

CHECK OUT THE SEPTIFIX PAGE HERE TO PURCHASE

#2 Cabin Obsession Septic Tank Treatment

Featuring 12 pre-measured monthly doses, Cabin Obsession treatments offers one year protection to your tank. Each treatment pod consists of billions of “good” bacteria that decomposes the solid waste and replenishes shrinking bacteria population in the septic system.

This environmentally-friendly bacteria treatment for septic tanks doesn’t contain chemical additives. Also, the carefully-selected bacteria colonies boast odor controlling qualities, which help you ensure your home smells great all the time. Homes with four bedrooms or more or with septic systems having a capacity of over 1,000 gallons need to add two pods every month to the septic system in place of one.

Cabin Obsession treatment makes sure the bacteria population in your tank doesn’t drop below the optimal level, improving its performance and eliminating non-scheduled pump-outs.

PRO: This is an eco-friendly product, and its each pod contains billions of bacteria, sufficient to ensure your tank can handle all the waste you send its way.

CON: Price is a tad bit higher.

#3 – GreenPig Solutions Live Septic Tank Treatment

This is a workhorse product for septic tanks if there ever was one. On top of this, its content is biodegradable, so you can rest easy knowing it is good for environment as well. The powerful enzyme and bacteria mixture is present in the pod form. It is highly effective in breaking down fats, paper, grease, oils, and many other compounds that cause clogging in the pipes.

As far as cost is concerned, GreenPig is priced much lower than other septic system treatments. But that’s not all. Its pods contain additives that are anti-corrosive, which help protect the tank’s interior, as well as pipes and drains.

A good choice for 500, 1000, and 1500-gallon septic tanks, this product features 8 solution packs that gives 2 years of tender loving care to your septic system. The fact they are easy to use is another added advantage. Just flush one pack down the toilet every three months to keep your septic tank performing as good as new.

PRO: Makes it easier for the tank to handle waste such as toilet paper, grease, oil, and fats. It is affordable and good for the environment too.

CON: Doesn’t have odor-eliminating qualities to keep your home smelling good.

#4 – Instant Power 1868 Septic Shock

If you are looking for an easy-to-use septic tank treatment, this product may be right up your alley. Using it is as easy and simple as one-two-three. Just pour the bottle’s contents into the toilet and then flush it. The solution starts working immediately adding billions of bacteria to your tank and helping in the digestion of paper, grease, and soap.

In addition to bacteria, the solution contains lipase, cellulose, and protease and other powerful enzyme strains to dissolve clogging matter. This is an environmentally-friendly product, so you can use without any worry about it harming your tank or the environment in any way. However, this product is more than an eco-friendly clog buster; it also has enzymes that eliminate bad odor to ensure your home is free of undesirable scents.

And the fact the product is affordably priced is a great advantage as well. A pumping of septic tank can set you back by about $350 (perhaps even more), so it is heartening to see an affordable product that ensures you are never in need of an unscheduled tank pump-out.

PRO: Contains millions of “good” bacteria, removes foul-smelling odor, eco-friendly, and has many enzymes to help break down paper, fats, soap, and grease.

CON: It may not be able to clear very stubborn clogs.

#5 – Rid-X Septic Tank System

Thanks to this monthly gel backs, taking good care of your septic tank has become easier than ever before. This septic treatment enables the breakdown of oil, protein, paper, and grease continuously with just a little bit of help from your side.

Rid-X includes cellulase that breaks down vegetable matter, toilet paper and foods; Lipase that breaks down oils, grease, and fats; Amylase that breaks down starches; and Protease that breaks down protein. The quantity of the septic treatment solution in the gel pack is pre-measured, which basically means you don’t have to worry a bit about any right or wrong quantities.  

This gel pack stays in the toilet bowl and gets automatically applied to the septic tank every time you flush. A dissolvable pouch is also there, which is not detriment to your drain pipes. Rid-X uses a powerful combination of advanced enzymes and natural bacteria to decompose solid waste and get rid of unwanted problems in the septic tank.

PRO: This product treats your septic tank with every flush, improves bacterial and enzyme activity, and helps in efficient handling of solid waste.

CON: Doesn’t have odor-eliminating qualities to keep your home smelling good.

#6 – Walex Bio-Active Septic Tank Treatment Drop-Ins

This product features 12 reasonably-priced doses to keep your septic tank in good condition. One dose is for a septic tank of up to 1500 gallons. Using Walex septic treatment is ridiculously easy — simply drop one packet every month in the toilet and flush it.

The pre-measured treatment pods has billions of helpful bacteria. This way you can replace bacteria that may have got killed by septic-unfriendly cleaning products. As this product is labeled eco-friendly, you can use without any worry. The pods also include enzymes that help tackle solid waste that bacteria cannot break down. This includes fats, proteins, and paper.

While this is an effective septic treatment than as any one discussed above, it may leave a residue in the toilet bowl. For this reason, we recommend you to use it before you clean the toilet. This will help prevent repeated scrubbing of the toilet.

PRO: Contains billions of “good” bacteria and many powerful, tank-specific enzymes.

CON: It may leave a residue in the toilet bowl.

#7 – Bioflush Natural Septic Tank Treatment

With this product you get 12 affordably-priced, pre-measured tank treatment packets for a 1000-gallon residential septic system. These are drop-and-flush pods, so using them is a cinch. And the best part is the packets dissolves in a matter of just minutes, without leaving behind any mess.

This all-natural product boasts of having billions of bacteria, as well as powerful enzymes that together make sure that sludge doesn’t grow at a faster rate, an event can cause you to pump out the tank more frequently. Bioflush treatment is environment-friendly product, so that’s another plus. At a fraction of cost of other septic system treatments, this product keeps your septic tank in top shape.

PRO: This is an all-natural, eco-friendly, and affordable septic tank treatment for 1000-gallon septic systems.

CON: It doesn’t have odor-eliminating qualities.

#7 Green Gobbler Septic Treatment

What You Should Never Flush Down The Toilet

When regularly and appropriately maintained, your septic tank should not give you any problems. You can save on costly septic system repairs by knowing the items you should never flush down the toilets. Many people don’t think about such things, until they end up paying a large bill for sorting plumbing issues that they could have easily avoided.

Don’t want this to happen to you? Take care to not send these items down the drain:

  • Diapers: Flushing diapers down the toilet is a complete no-no. Since they expand in water, if you flush them, there’s a good chance they will get stuck in the sewer pipe, causing blockage that may cost you dearly.
  • Medicine: Medicines, particularly antibiotics, can kill bacteria in your septic system left, right, and center. That can be a big setback to your septic tank, which depends on its bacterial population to break down solid waste. So make sure you never send medicines down the drain.
  • Chemical Drain Cleaners: Harsh chemicals are just as bad as medicines when it comes to killing bacteria population in a septic system. As a matter of fact, a study reveals that just about a teaspoon of chemical drain cleaners can eliminate good bacteria — need we say more?
  • Bleach: There’s a big difference in using bleach in moderate amounts and using it in excessive amounts. In moderation, bleach is safe for your septic system. However, when used excessively, it can be the death of the good bacteria in your septic system.
  • Dental Floss: Because dental floss is very small and fine, some think they are safe to dump in the toilet — but that’s not the case. Unlike natural waste, dental floss does not decompose. That basically means one small strand you flush daily can quickly add up and cause a big problem one day.
  • Feminine Products: Many people flush sanitary napkins, tampons, and other feminine products down the toilet only to repent later. These products don’t break down in the septic tank, and over time can cause clogging, wastewater backing up, and other serious problems.

To wrap things up, it’s important that you make sure that the bacterial population in your septic tank is always up to the mark. The simplest and most effective way to do this is by adding an all-natural additive to your tank from time to time.

However, keep in mind that these septic treatments, while important and therefore necessary, is not a substitute to scheduled tank pump-outs. Also, make sure you don’t make things harder for your septic system by shoving things down its throat that it’s not built to handle. Regular care and timely maintenance can help you avoid unnecessary problems and eliminate unscheduled tank clean-ups.