What’s in Your Pits?

By Michael Gordon

Keeping your carwash reclaim water clear, odour-free, and cost-effective starts with knowing what’s in your pits. If you’ve been around carwash reclaim pits, the signs of murky water, nasty smells or build of biomass in holding tanks that cause mesh filters to clog, are all too familiar – and they’re warning signals. Behind each symptom lies a system under stress, where water quality, equipment performance, and profitability are all at risk.

As water and sewer costs continue to rise, and environmental regulations become more stringent, carwashes increasingly rely on reclaimed water systems to stay competitive. But these systems don’t run on autopilot. Without proper maintenance and the right supporting technologies, reclaim water can degrade – causing poor rinse quality, odour complaints, equipment buildup, and rising sludge disposal costs.

Understanding the Problem: What’s in Your Reclaim Water?

Reclaim water pits accumulate everything your wash process removes – dirt, oils, soaps, waxes, and biological matter. Over time, these organic materials settle, ferment, and decompose in low-oxygen conditions, forming thick sludge and producing hydrogen sulfide gas (H₂S), the source of that “rotten egg” odour.

Beyond the smell, this buildup reduces tank settling efficiency, clogs filters, fouls equipment, and degrades wash performance. And the more solids your system holds, the more frequently you’ll need costly cleanouts and sludge hauling.

Anatomy of a Reclaim System: How Separation Works

Most modern reclaim systems use a three-tank gravity separator:

1) Tank 1 – Optional Mud / Sand Separator Tank

2) Tank 1: Heavy solids drop out here. Without regular cleaning, this tank becomes overloaded, reducing flow capacity.

3) Tank 2 – Separation Chamber: Targets lighter suspended solids and oils. Skimming and baffling help remove floating contaminants.

4) Tank 3 – Conditioning and Buffer Tank: Prepares water for reuse or further polishing via skids, filters, or pressurized systems.

While gravity does heavy lifting, separation alone is often not enough. To elevate water quality and extend equipment life, many operators now combine traditional settling tanks with enhanced clarification technologies.

Clarification Technologies That Work

Several best-in-class solutions can dramatically improve water quality:

• Cyclonic Separation: Spins water at high speeds to separate fine particles not removed by gravity.
• Media Filtration: Filters out suspended solids, reducing turbidity and odor.
• Odor Oxidation: Technologies like ozone, UV, or safe chemical additives neutralize odor-causing compounds.
• Microbial Treatments: Products like Arcadian Services’ Reclaim Defender introduce tailored bacteria strains that digest oils, waxes, and organics – reducing sludge buildup without relying on harsh chemicals.
• Nanobubble Technology: Dissolves oxygen into water using sub-micron bubbles, increasing oxidation potential, improving separation, and discouraging anaerobic bacteria growth.

The Next Evolution: Integrated Biological Water Treatment

BioTech Solutions offers a multi-step approach that integrates seamlessly into existing separator tank systems. Their three-step biological process enhances water conditions as it passes through each stage of the reclaim system:

1) Biological Activation: Specialized microbes (like Reclaim Defender) begin breaking down emulsified oils, waxes, and soaps.

2) Sludge Reduction: In low-oxygen zones, strains like Bio-SludgeBane consume organic buildup, improving tank capacity and reducing hauling costs.

3) Polishing and Stabilization: BioTech Solutions powered by Chemical Reduction Solutions’ SHAFT Technology injects passive electro-ion cavitation to produce oxygen-rich nanobubbles. These promote advanced oxidation, improving clarity and eliminating odor at a molecular level.

By integrating microbiology with nanobubble oxidation, BioTech Solutions advances water treatment well beyond basic settling – transforming reclaim systems into sustainable, high-performance water recovery processes.

Best Practices for Cleaner, Clearer Pits

Implementing smart maintenance and biological treatments doesn’t just reduce sludge – it improves your entire wash operation. Here’s how to keep your reclaim system running at peak efficiency:

• Clean Tanks Regularly: Don’t wait until they overflow with sludge. Set a cleaning schedule based on wash volume and system capacity.
• Balance Flow Rates and Retention Time: Overloaded tanks reduce separation efficiency. Make sure your system is sized and plumbed correctly.
• Use Microbial Additives Weekly: Products like Reclaim Defender keep microbial colonies active and effective.
• Control Foam and Odour: Use safe, effective defoamers like Bio-CitricClean, which also help maintain pH and add a fresh scent.
• Add Oxygen Strategically: Nanobubble generators not only fight odors but also boost overall system performance by improving oxidation-reduction potential (ORP).
• Pump Solids Before They Accumulate: Installing sludge pumps or valves in cone-bottom tanks makes routine solid removal easier and less expensive.

The Payoff: Reduced Costs and Better Wash Results

When reclaim systems are treated as active components of the wash process, not just dirty water holding tanks – they become powerful tools. Cleaner water means:

• Better rinse and drying performance
• Fewer odor complaints
• Less sludge hauling
• Lower chemical demand
• Longer equipment life

Final Thoughts: What’s in Your Pits?

Your reclaim pits are a window into your system’s health. If you see foam, smell odours, or notice increased sludge, it’s time to evaluate your treatment strategy.

By combining smart design, sustainable microbiology treatments, and new age water polishing technologies, you can transform your reclaim water into a reliable, high-quality resource – not a liability

Investing in the right tools and treatments today can save thousands on operational costs tomorrow. Start by asking: What’s in your pits – and what should be?

Michael Gordon is the founder of BioTech Solutions, a provider of Advanced Reclaim Water Treatment Solutions www.biotechsolutions.ai. He can be reached at Mike@arcadianchemistrysolutions.ai or 931-BIO-TECH.