jtcitrus
03-08-2013, 01:36 PM
Hello all, I'm looking at one of two options and need thoughts/resources on what I need to know to make option 1 work...
1) pump septic effluent (both black and grey water) through a constructed wetland (two or three stage; plants used to supplement animal feed/vermiculture operations) into a pond where fish will be maintained. That water would then be pumped from the pond into a series of grow beds for human food crops (and possibly for general irrigation.
The design I'm considering involves:
- bell-siphon/flood-drain first stage constructed wetland (as opposed to intermittent loading, I think the key term is tidal-flow).
- The second stage could be a repeat of the first stage (with partial recirculation to first stage) or a traditional Subsurface flow wetland.
- The "third stage" would be either a shallow pool where filtered water from the vegetable growbeds would mix with the wetland water before flowing downstream to the pond OR the growbed water would empty into the second stage wetland which would then dump directly into the pond.
2) If that's completely impractical or very cost prohibitive, then forget the constructed wetland, and just use the septic tank effluent for general irrigation (primarily fruit trees), and keep the pond/growbeds on their own loop. I would then Pump well water and/or harvested rainwater to maintain pond water level. So this option would be standard aquaponics knowledge
note:
- law requires that greywater go through a septic tank, so splitting out the grey and black water is cost prohibitive, as the black water will still need to be treated.
- I'm north of Houston, Texas border region between great piney woods and gulf coastal prarie
- I may also incorporate quackuaponics as well ...ducks/waterfowel :)
[u]my concern: what do I need to be worrying about filtering from the septic effluent from the household. We already use pretentious hippy soaps for most things, but what about the impacts of liberal use of bathroom cleaners (primarily clorox or clorox"green"), etc.
Thanks All! I look forward to your input!
1) pump septic effluent (both black and grey water) through a constructed wetland (two or three stage; plants used to supplement animal feed/vermiculture operations) into a pond where fish will be maintained. That water would then be pumped from the pond into a series of grow beds for human food crops (and possibly for general irrigation.
The design I'm considering involves:
- bell-siphon/flood-drain first stage constructed wetland (as opposed to intermittent loading, I think the key term is tidal-flow).
- The second stage could be a repeat of the first stage (with partial recirculation to first stage) or a traditional Subsurface flow wetland.
- The "third stage" would be either a shallow pool where filtered water from the vegetable growbeds would mix with the wetland water before flowing downstream to the pond OR the growbed water would empty into the second stage wetland which would then dump directly into the pond.
2) If that's completely impractical or very cost prohibitive, then forget the constructed wetland, and just use the septic tank effluent for general irrigation (primarily fruit trees), and keep the pond/growbeds on their own loop. I would then Pump well water and/or harvested rainwater to maintain pond water level. So this option would be standard aquaponics knowledge
note:
- law requires that greywater go through a septic tank, so splitting out the grey and black water is cost prohibitive, as the black water will still need to be treated.
- I'm north of Houston, Texas border region between great piney woods and gulf coastal prarie
- I may also incorporate quackuaponics as well ...ducks/waterfowel :)
[u]my concern: what do I need to be worrying about filtering from the septic effluent from the household. We already use pretentious hippy soaps for most things, but what about the impacts of liberal use of bathroom cleaners (primarily clorox or clorox"green"), etc.
Thanks All! I look forward to your input!