Snyder Industries 500 Gallon Snyder Septic Pump Tank

What a pump tank does

A septic tank settles and separates; it does not move anything uphill. When the drainfield, mound or drip zone is higher than the tank outlet, or when the design calls for the field to be dosed in measured volumes rather than trickle fed, a pump tank goes between them. It holds the effluent, the floats switch the pump on at a set level, and the pump sends a dose to the field through the outlet. The 500 gallon size gives working volume for the dose plus reserve storage above the alarm float for the hours it takes to get a pump replaced. At 60 by 60 inches the tank is close to square in plan and 63 inches tall, so it goes in a round or square hole beside the septic tank with the manway near grade for pump access. Our note on septic tank approvals and how they map to US plumbing codes explains what the approval wording means to an inspector, and our Norwesco and Snyder comparison covers how the two makers' septic lines differ.

Setting and backfilling it

Dig to a flat, level base and bed the tank on sand or fine gravel with no stones under it. Fill the tank with water as you backfill, keeping the water level even with the backfill as it rises, so the wall is supported from both sides at every stage; a polyethylene tank backfilled empty is the usual cause of a distorted wall. Use clean, stone-free backfill compacted by hand in layers, never by machine against the wall. A pump tank in a wet site needs anti-flotation measures when it is pumped down and the ground is saturated; ask your designer. Keep the manway at or near grade with a riser and a secure cover, because this tank is opened every time the pump or a float is serviced, and keep vehicle traffic off the area over the tank for its whole life. The pump, the floats and the control panel are not part of this listing; choose them to the lift and the dose volume on your design.

Openings and fittings

1. Inlet. A 4 inch gasketed PVC pipe, installed. The septic tank outlet line connects here.
2. Outlet. A 4 inch gasketed PVC tee assembly, installed. The pump discharge and its check valve are routed through the outlet to the field; keep a union in the line so the pump can be lifted out without cutting pipe.
3. Manway. A 20 inch manway cover on top, sized for the pump, the floats and a hand on the discharge union. Bring it to grade with a riser.
4. Drawing. Snyder's drawing for this tank is linked under Technical Drawing on this page and shows the inlet and outlet heights and the manway position.

Sizes nearby

For a smaller dose or a tighter site, the 300 gallon Snyder septic pump tank is the size down. If you are still choosing a maker, our tank manufacturer comparison and buyer guide sets the four we stock side by side, and the tank sizing guide covers how septic and pump tank capacities are worked out.

Shipping and receiving

The tank ships LTL at freight class 300 from the nearest of Snyder's plants in Chowchilla, California, Marked Tree, Arkansas and Philippi, West Virginia, 60 by 60 by 63 inches at 182 lb, light enough for two people to unload by hand. The listed price is before freight; the freight cost estimator gives the cost to your ZIP. It does not ship to Florida. At the tailgate, check the part number against 5170000W94203 on the bill of lading, inspect the inlet, the outlet tee and the manway cover for transit damage, and keep the tank off sharp ground until it goes in the hole.

Questions before you order? Call 866-418-1777.