I was told by the septic people that, for this new septic, neither detergent pods nor bleach should be used, because it can clog the system and harm the bacteria (it's a biological septic system).

You have to PROVE you were harmed and that you had damages.

So on a recent trip to Myrtle Beach to feed my golfing habit, I discovered that the majority of the "Resorts" along the grand strand were in fact Condo's that were handled by a board and rented out weekly.

We don’t know any PMCs to recommend in the area mentioned, but since selecting the wrong PMC is usually more harmful than selecting a bad tenant, you might want to read our series about “How to Screen a PMC Better than a Tenant”:https://www.biggerpockets.com/member-blogs/3094/91877-how-to-screen-a-pmc-better-than-a-tenant-part-1-services-and-processesWe recommend you get management contracts from several PMCs and compare the services they cover and, more importantly, what they each DO NOT cover.

I imagine it must be tough to maintain low spending habits after graduation, but I'm ready for the challenge!

If I were, posting here under my own name would pretty crazy.I merely want to know if there is any flexibility in this particular situation, where the basement is reasonably habitable. 

A tenant does not have a right to an accommodation unless: 1) the tenant has a recognized disability, 2) there is a disability-related need for the requested animal, 3) accommodating the animal is necessary to afford the disabled tenant an equal opportunity to use and enjoy the dwelling, 4) accommodating the animal would not impose undue financial or administrative burdens on the landlord, and 5) the specific animal requested by the tenant does not pose a direct threat of harm or property damage.

You are taking action that results in the units not being habitable for 4 days.

Different ones can vary in harmful elements.Good Luck!

Although you might stumble, the start-up cost and kit are worth it to get you started, instead of analysis-by-paralysis, which earns you a headache, and becomes a bad habit!!!