Tank Selection
Navigation
The Tank Selection page appears multiple times in the wizard . The page title indicates which type of tank you are selecting (e.g., “Tank Selection: Septic”, “Tank Selection: Dosing To Discharge”).
Tank Categories
Depending on your system configuration, you may see one or more of these tank categories:
| Category | When It Appears | Sizing Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Septic Tanks | Standard septic primary treatment | Minimum capacity in gallons (based on flow rate) |
| Aerobic Tanks | Aerobic primary treatment | Minimum capacity in gallons; nitrogen-reducing models may be required for some stream discharge systems |
| Combination Tanks | When a single tank can serve as both primary and dosing | Must meet both primary capacity AND dosing capacity minimums |
| Dosing Tanks (to Discharge) | Pump or siphon systems that dose effluent to the absorption area | Minimum dosing capacity in gallons; may also need to meet tank footprint requirements for siphon systems |
| Dosing Tanks (to Filter) | Systems with secondary filters that require a pump to deliver effluent | Minimum capacity is 2x daily flow rate |
| Free Access Sand Filters (FASF) | FASF secondary treatment | Minimum surface area in square feet |
| Effluent Filters | Added to primary tanks for additional solids filtration | Minimum flow rate capacity in gallons per day |
Multiple categories may appear side-by-side on the same page when the wizard can present them together (for example, Septic + Combo + Effluent Filter).
Selecting Tanks
Each tank category is displayed as a tree organized by manufacturer. Expand a manufacturer group to see individual tank models. Tanks that meet the minimum requirements are shown in normal text; tanks that are too small or otherwise unsuitable are grayed out and cannot be selected.
Click a tank to select it. The selection behavior depends on your settings:
- No restriction — you can select any number of tanks (or none)
- At least one — you must select at least one tank to proceed
- Exactly one — you must select exactly one tank to proceed
If you are entering the page for the first time, the wizard automatically selects the smallest qualifying tank in each group as a reasonable default. You can change this selection at any time.
Tank Visibility Filters
The Design Options menu (gear icon in the wizard header) controls which tanks appear in the list:
- Generic tanks — tanks identified by capacity only, without a specific manufacturer name. Useful when you want to specify a size without locking in a brand.
- Named (branded) tanks — tanks from specific manufacturers (e.g., Eljen, Orenco). Shows the full product catalog.
- Local tanks — a subset of named tanks available from suppliers in the design’s county. When enabled, only tanks supplied locally are shown.
These filters can be adjusted at any time from the options menu. The page refreshes to show the updated tank list.
Tips
- When the local tanks filter is enabled but no tanks appear for your county, senable generic tanks.
- Selecting multiple tanks (when allowed) includes all of them in the design report as acceptable options for the installer.
- Effluent filters are required for some system types and juristicetictions, but are often advisable for the long term health of the system.