Let's talk dirty. I mean real dirty -- like sludge and scum dirty. If you think I'm referring to your last boyfriend, however, you're wrong. I'm talking about the complex, bacterial interactions that take place deep within the bowels of your septic tank. This typically isn't something the average homeowner likes to think about, but if you ignore the health of your septic system, you're going to find yourself up a certain kind of creek (quite literally) without a paddle. One of the best over-the-counter septic tank activators is made by Rid-X , and their website has a fascinating and succinct explanation of how septic systems operate: "The septic tank holds wastewater from the home until solid debris settles at the bottom of the tank (the sludge layer) and lighter waste, such as oil, rises to the top to form the scum layer. Between the two layers lies clarified water, which flows into an outlet pipe and is gradually dissipated through a drain field. B...