We used your idea to recycle our washing machine, laundry sink, shower and sink and the kitchen sink water to water the grass and fruit trees in Outback Queensland Australia. The only difference is we don't filter the waste waters.
One thing I want to ask that can I use this filtered grey water for the same activities like washing clothes and bathing? In my country, we don't get sufficient amount of water for these purposes.
This is very helpful! Could you explain a little more about the worms on the wood chips? Wouldn't they die with too much water? I know that the water just flows through there, but still... Also, what kind of plants did you plant after? Thank you :)
Glad it was helpful. The wood chips and worms aren't necessary. They did fine for a while but I never replaced the chips. I planted perennial grasses and plants that don't mind a lot of water. You will have to research plants in your area because they can be different.
Yeah, I was wondering about the greasy kitchen dish water especially and would that hurt the worms? The wood chips are great because they really catch the greasy stuff well.
Nice tips! Quick question: do you have to use any special detergents, washing liquids or other soaps with this system or does it cope ok with regular household goods? Will worms/plants like hot water full of detergent coming from your washing machine?
We use an ecologically sound detergent called Exos but it is not necessary. Modern detergents do not have phosphatic them anymore I believe. Those were the harmful chemicals that people worried about in the past. As for the water, it is cooled off very quickly as it runs through the system so no worries there.
Maintenance of most modern frontload washing machines requires you to use bleach to clean the tub. During those times, I would use the diversion valve to prevent chlorinated water from killing my worms or plants (salt will kill worms & chlorine is salt).
Thank you so much! I will plant some edibles at the end of the system. I will utilize a biodegradable laundry soap for the system so that there is no worry about contaminants.
Great informative video! Love the idea. I was wondering about how you connected the grey water from your kitchen sink (and any other grey water sources) to this line.
Thank you. I have not connected them yet. Too many other big projects going on right now. When I do connect them, I will be sure to make another video.
I like the project but my experience with the winters in MN makes me doubt whether the rock rain barrels would withstand freezing temps when it slows the flow of the water to 'a treacle'.
I totally understand your concern, I grew up in Michigan. It is super cheap to make so you could give it a shot without much investment. Also, the water coming out is warm. It may move through the whole system before freezing.
im curious. have you done a follow up video on this project? Its been four years since you posted. How is it working? Have you changed, or updated anything since? Was there any failures in this system? I have been researching this very topic for our own system here on our farm. Just havent pulled the trigger quite yet. Because i am looking to design it on a bit larger scale, with living aquatics, maybe even some fish in the last water catchment area. Make it more interesting, even do it as a test to see if it could work. And yes, i want living plants as well.....
I never did a follow up video on this system but I still have it and it is still working great. I had to clean it out a few times when weeds blew in and grass crept in from the sides. Other than that, a few of the planted grasses I put in to clean the water died in the cold.
It would be smarter to give people incentives like tax rebates to install this. Just making things mandatory is a dangerous precedent, government needs to shrink not grow.
I’m super interested in this and hope to put one in some day. Would it be possible to incorporate a more decorative fountain into the filter system, something like the ones used in natural pools? Something like a waterfall with rocks and biological media for filtering?
Our regular country home is crowded. Killed our septic tank from 1980’s 4 generations and 5 men under 1 roof for 5 years is tooo much. Lol split bathrooms laundry and dish washer last weekend. Thanks for your research and can do while filming. A tote for a junction box is brilliant.
Great vid and very helpful! Thank you! How would u alter it if u had temperature below freezing point at winter? How should i start in that instance? Thanks a lot.
Thank you. No modifications at all. The temperature of the water coming out of the house is 105°. There is never any freezing as it moves through the system fairly fast.
I’d just run it out onto the ground. This just seems like extra work to me. I plan on hiring a plumber run all mine out into the yard. I only want my toilets going into the septic tank.
In your first stage what kind of wood did you use and won't has worms drown what kind of worms do you use.you don't need to replace the aggregate at any time.
The only maintenance I have performed is to clean out debris (leaves and grass, etc.) that falls into the large pool. The small containers keep out most of the blowing debris because of the density of the planted grasses.
@@CountryLivingExperience Sorry I'm not following you, how are grasses a part of what you are describing here? I'm looking at multiple filters that will eventually start to clog and will need to be cleaned. Or maybe not?
Thank you. I don't cover them up. Any rainwater just flushes through the system and drains out the same as the laundry water. The only debris that gets in are leaves and I count them as part of the filtration.
Hi there. Great video. Have you made any updates to your system? Is there anything you would have done differently? How is your system working out for you?
Thank you. The system still works well but I need to clean out the barrels and pool because a lot of dirt has blown into them. The water still filters well through the system though.
Dont you want water entering at the bottom of the barrel/pool and exitint at the top? This "overflowing" makes sure only the most filtered water is exiting after moving upwards thru 3-4 different substates.
Q: how deep should that first layer of woodchip be, under the mesh? Or if you're not using woodchip and worms there (I saw your reply further down - I too would be concerned about the worms drowning!)) could you just use gravel there as in the other containers?
i admire that... this is great effort ..looks fantastique . question: with little help from previews video in UA-cam, i have no idea why i convince my self, that the charcoal. can help to filter my greywater system? if there is any comment on this pls?
I am creating a wildlife watering pond complete with a small waterfalls. Since I am in Arizona water is at a premium. Is there a filtration system that would allow birds and other wildlife to safely drink the water from my shower and bathroom sink. There would be no food particles anywhere. Just the water from a bathroom sink and shower. Thanks for an excellent video
Animals usually do not drink tainted water. They have a sense of what is bad for them. I wouldn't worry about it too much. What I would do is only use natural bio-degradable soaps like castile soap, etc.
Thanks so much. I'm actually doing a project on this and I have a question. Please I'm worry about the fact that, if color water is insert can it go through the same process and come out clear.
You’re welcome. You can store water for a while. There is really no set number of days. Frey water is not potable so it would just be used for irrigation. You should be able to store it for that purpose indefinitely.
I have stored my laundry water as is in a big black tote for a good 6-12 months and kept it covered. After a short while it starts to smell bad (thus had it covered) en then eventually it becomes sort of just strange smelling. I then diluted it with rainwater, about 50/50 and then wateted the garden. We had a terrible drought.
Thank you. No I never made a follow up to this vid. The system works great. I have a lot of plants in growing in the rocks that are helping to clean the water as it flows through the system.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks for the great video! I'm going to be doing something like this, also in Texas. You laid sand and soil on top of the rocks, right? How thick? What plants did you have success with?
@@thereeldaniel1338 You're welcome. I actually ended up leaving the rocks bare. I took potted perennial grasses and cut the bottom off of the pot. I then nestled that pot inside of the rocks. Works like a charm. As a tip for commenting on UA-cam, don't comment on somebody else's comment. Start a new comment of your own. It was lucky I saw this in my email junk box or I would have never replied because I would not have seen it. UA-cam does not inform me of replies on other's comments. Cheers.
I enjoy your videos. They are informative and full of ideas. Keep up the good work. I have a few questions. Besides filtration, do the two 1/2 barrels and the kiddie pool serve a purpose? You mentioned the water eventually goes to a dry creek. Is this system only to relieve stress on your septic system? Thanks again.
Thanks man! I appreciate it more that you know. They really just serve as filtration at this point. Once the sand and topsoil are placed above the rocks, you could plant edibles in them (if you use a biodegradable soap). The system serves a couple purposes. 1. Taking pressure off the septic and 2. serving as irrigation for any fruit trees, etc. planted after the last stage (pool).
@@CountryLivingExperience Are those blue barrels and pool made out of food grade plastics?. I tried to look up what those pools are made out of, but I couldn't find the answer. I wanted to use some as temperory raised beds, but went a different route.
I liked the video.can you create a video on how the vermi composting work as there is a constant flow of soap water which makes the filter always wet + will worms survive in detergent water?
@@CountryLivingExperience This is definitely the question I had, how do the worms not just die from the laundry detergent soap? Also, what do you do with the water once it gets into your dry creek? Is it used eventually to water an actual garden?
@@matthewleewillis The water is clean by the time it makes it to the creek. It usually doesn't even make it there because of the distance. Yes, We are planting fruit trees, etc at the end of the line that will utilize the water. Additionally we use biodegradable eco friendly soaps instead of detergent.
Great information. We were talking about doing this. But going to our herb garden. I am not sure how well that would work. Still doing research on it. Can you provide your feedback on it. Thanks
Cool. If you run it to an edible garden of some sort, you need to use the biodegradable detergent. We use the Ecos brand. Also make sure that you build in many stages of filtration before it gets to your edibles. With ours, there are essentially 10 stages before it empties onto our property. Some videos out there show laundry water being dumped directly on plants without filtration. I think this is a huge mistake on their part. Have fun with your project.
I would love to build a gray water system but I couldn't do this. I am on a 1/2 acer property but it doesn't slope enough and my yard has been established for over a hundred years so digging it up is not an option. Also my laundry room is at ground level so the drain from the washer would go through the wall to the outside at the same height and only drop the distance of the height of the washer and if I wanted to also use my bathroom sink and shower water the piping from them would have to go through the wall at ground level. So my gray water would have to just go into a tank down in the ground with a filter to catch hair and such and a pump would be needed to pump the water out through garden hoses to whatever needed to be watered. The laundry detergent and fabric softeners would have o be biocompatible but I'm not sure what to use as far as soaps, shampoos and conditioners in the bathroom that are both good and safe for cleaning and outdoor watering. I live in Sandy Utah and we are in a bad drought right now. We have had very little rain or snow this past winter and spring so I need to do something to use as much of my used water as I can.
You must be careful what soaps you use. You can make this system much more condensed also it doenst matter what sloep you have if you just build stands for barrels in descending fashion. Grey water should be flushed thru several natural filtering materials before used longterm.
This is from the laundry not the kitchen sink. Minimal amounts of "grease". The pre-filter with wood chips and screen alleviates most of what you are concerned about. Talk to people as if you are talking directly to them next time.
I agree. Detergent chemical and oils will kill the animals and plants. Those things need to be filtered out as well before contacting animals or plants. Very important if you don’t want to poison yourself in a looping water system.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks! I think I'll give something similar a go! I'd like to maybe use the water in the winter to make an ice rink as a way to conserve energy, but also use the water purposefully in the winter.
We use castile soaps and one called Ecos. The worms are never really in much contact with the soaps as the water drains out very fast. It enters the tote in one area and never soaks the other areas. The wood chips remain moist so they can be broken down by the worms.
Being in Texas maybe this isn't a consideration for you, but did you factor in the frost line? I live where the frost line is about 36" and I'm wondering if I need the reservoirs to be below, or just the last one? Also if there would be a clog due to standing water turning to ice wherever I am above the frost line in winter?
I didn’t factor it in . However, in the winter it is usually in the 20’s and the water coming out of the washer is hot. I have never had a pipe or a reservoir freeze.
Our climate is mild but we do have several weeks at or below freezing. It has not affected the system at all. The pipes are large enough that nothing freezes inside and they all have positive drainage of at least 1/4" per foot. Additionally, the water is warm coming out of the house so it is mostly out of the system before it can freeze.
It would have to be fairly large. You will have to find out your water usage. This system handles about 200 gallons per week and is at about 50% capacity.
I have taken the leaf blower to blow out debris. I have not had to clear out the bottom of the containers yet. I am sure someday I will. The worms didn't work out.
Did they not work out because of the amount of water? Do you know what the issue was with them? I think your idea of incorporating them into the initial filter is quite clever
@@pigeon4405 soap even biodegrdeable soap probabably killed them is my guess. I personally think it's not a good to put organic matter as the first step, most grey water systems have organic filters like a pond as the LAST step. other wise the system gets clogged up with organic crap.
Thank you. With a system like this, it would not be possible to recycle the water for new use in the machine. Maybe you could build a cistern at the end of the system to capture the water and pump it back to the machine somehow. I do not think it would be worth it.
For people living in an urban/suburban setting, can this be installed in a semi-basement? What would you recommend in the modification so that it would save space? Thank you.
DO NOT drain anything under a home; moisture, wood, and lack of circulation will result in the destruction of a home! However, if you have a basement grow set up with adequate circulation and humidity control, it could be done, perhaps by using cinderblocks to step down the system. The distance between the retention bins doe not matter.
Hi! Thank you for your educational video! My need is for a system for bigger volume of waste water. Do i just enlarge the system you describe? I have a wedding venue and I can't require the caterers to use biodegradable soap for washing up. Does this mean the end water is cleaner but can't be use for plants? Thank you and hope to hear from you soon...
You're welcome. I am not sure of the volume of water you would be putting through the system. You may have to build a wetlands type of system which in a way is just a large scaled up version of this. There are companies that can do this but at an elevated cost. A wetlands/reed bed type of system is what you need to look at I think.
Thank you for your reply....Is there anything of you tube that i can watch to have an idea of a wetland type? There are no company here which would specialize in this kind of thing :-(
We blow out the large pool with a leaf blower. The smaller ones have a lot of plants in them so not as much debris gets in from above. We have not cleaned out the tubs to date but will eventually have to remove the rock and wash them off.
Hello there! I have an aerobic septic system with a direct discharge from the clorinator into the field but over the years it has created an area is constantly wet even in the dryer months. I am thinking a adding a sand filter but have not come around any good ideas. Can you make any suggestions?
One solution would be to have the discharge happen deeper underground. However, this assumes that you don’t have a high water table. If you would like the water distributed over a much larger area, then you could discharge into a tank and then pump out the tank as needed to irrigate different areas of the field. This is a high initial investment, so perhaps French drains in the area where you currently discharge water would be a better solution.
Won’t detergents/water kill the worms and leave a smelly mushy mess slowly disintegrating them ? Worms very sensitive to constant dampness and any chemicals , Even biocompatible direct contact perhaps put worms further down the system ground level so the can escape if needed and any left over toxins would be already diluted just a thought but a wonderful system nonetheless or add silt pond !
Thank you. I use biodegradable natural soaps not detergents. I have no smelly mess or dead worms. The system drains in a way that some water is held but is moved every few days. The plants on top of the system have roots that penetrate down into the held water and assist in cleaning it.
I saw the 2012 Ron Paul shirt and it was an instant sub.
Awesome! Welcome to the channel.
We used your idea to recycle our washing machine, laundry sink, shower and sink and the kitchen sink water to water the grass and fruit trees in Outback Queensland Australia.
The only difference is we don't filter the waste waters.
Very cool.
What are you using for containment, and pumping out to the areas you need to water?
@@OneSssyRedhead A 3000 L poly rainwater tank in the ground and we pump it out using a 240 volt pump.
Thank you for sharing your home built water filtration system you are truly awesome and wonderful^^
You are very welcome
Amazing and happy to see you guys work
Thank you!
Subscribed! I like your t-shirt 😉
Awesome! Welcome to the channel.
same - as soon as saw the T
I have never seen such a detailed video on grey water recycle system !
Glad it was helpful.
One thing I want to ask that can I use this filtered grey water for the same activities like washing clothes and bathing? In my country, we don't get sufficient amount of water for these purposes.
Not really as it is not clean enough for that. If you want it to use for bathing or laundry again, I would run it through a sand and charcoal filter.
Ok. Thanks for explaining it. Now I have understood the whole fact.
@@9e_amreetaapu797 You're welcome
fantastic work....lots of love from India....your work is same as my idea
Thank you very much!
An excellent presentation, thanks!
You're very welcome!
You can have your soil tested periodically to see the Ph and the relative amounts of trace minerals in the soil that the greywater has been used on.
Yes. Thank you.
This is very helpful! Could you explain a little more about the worms on the wood chips? Wouldn't they die with too much water? I know that the water just flows through there, but still...
Also, what kind of plants did you plant after? Thank you :)
Glad it was helpful. The wood chips and worms aren't necessary. They did fine for a while but I never replaced the chips. I planted perennial grasses and plants that don't mind a lot of water. You will have to research plants in your area because they can be different.
Yeah, I was wondering about the greasy kitchen dish water especially and would that hurt the worms? The wood chips are great because they really catch the greasy stuff well.
Nice tips! Quick question: do you have to use any special detergents, washing liquids or other soaps with this system or does it cope ok with regular household goods? Will worms/plants like hot water full of detergent coming from your washing machine?
We use an ecologically sound detergent called Exos but it is not necessary. Modern detergents do not have phosphatic them anymore I believe. Those were the harmful chemicals that people worried about in the past. As for the water, it is cooled off very quickly as it runs through the system so no worries there.
Found it!
Maintenance of most modern frontload washing machines requires you to use bleach to clean the tub. During those times, I would use the diversion valve to prevent chlorinated water from killing my worms or plants (salt will kill worms & chlorine is salt).
@@CountryLivingExperience
Thank you for the video and information. What do you do with the grey water in winter? Where do you collect and filter it?
@@Elmirochka100 Same thing. Water coming out of the house is warm. It flows through the system just fine.
Great Video !
and also...
I Like the shirt... I may have a couple Ron Paul shirts myself !
Awesome, thank you! I have a few more that I will never wear so they stay in pristine condition.
I've never seen a grey water system with vermicompost in it
Amazing
Thanks
They use it in india
Excellent video and impressively briefed. One thing I want to ask is that have you planted edible plants or planning to in this system.
Thank you so much! I will plant some edibles at the end of the system. I will utilize a biodegradable laundry soap for the system so that there is no worry about contaminants.
Very cool budget system
Thank you
Thank for the great video.
Our pleasure!
Immediate thumbs up even before showing materials... “Great shirt”
Awesome! Thank you.
Excellent video thanks
You’re welcome
Great informative video! Love the idea. I was wondering about how you connected the grey water from your kitchen sink (and any other grey water sources) to this line.
Thank you. I have not connected them yet. Too many other big projects going on right now. When I do connect them, I will be sure to make another video.
Thanks. Good demo.
Glad it was helpful
Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome
Awesome ! and thank you.
You're welcome
Thanx this helped me a lot
You're welcome. Glad to hear it!
So what would all these gravel do to the detergents in your water? Seems like a bad idea to me.
My question too. Even after 3 years no answer was given to your question shows how dubious this process is.
Nice shirt, thanks for the info!
Awesome! You're welcome.
what kind of worms would you use in breaking down the garbage
Red wrigglers are the best
thanks
how often will you renew the wood chips, to put new ones
Add purple primer to your PVC joints.
Hey,
You talk about providing worms in the first tank. Do you have zen video of that? Or an indication of how many worms and which worms? Grtz
you need to do the mesh around thw wire cage cause the woodschips gonan break down and clog it either way xD
Even putting like a grate above that would be better and then small gravel under with the woodchips above
Any chance of an update of your get water system and how it's going with your plants in it. Cheers
It’s going very well. Some of the grasses died this Winona the freeze but other than that it’s great.
Thank you
You’re welcome
Great Tshirt!
Thank you
I would like to see how that works with the laundry. Seems like it would back up
It doesn't. Has worked perfect for years. It is several feet below the washing machine.
I like the project but my experience with the winters in MN makes me doubt whether the rock rain barrels would withstand freezing temps when it slows the flow of the water to 'a treacle'.
I totally understand your concern, I grew up in Michigan. It is super cheap to make so you could give it a shot without much investment. Also, the water coming out is warm. It may move through the whole system before freezing.
excellent!!
Thank you
This is a great idea! I'd like to know if this system will work in -40 weather. I'm looking everywhere for a setup for this weather. Thank you
The water should move through somewhat fast. It is warm or hot coming out of a washing machine or shower so it should move through before it freezes.
Excellent,best regards from Mexico, we will try that. Do you have any videos about dry creek?
Thank you and regards. No vids about the dry creek
This is craziness. A septic system easily handles grey and black water with little maintenance or hassle.
Your shirt says it all!
In a positive or negative sense?
@@CountryLivingExperience 100% positive sense! I would have loved to have him as our president. It was clear the puppet masters didn’t.
@@brainwashingdetergent4322 Awesome! He would have steered this country back onto the right direction for sure.
@@CountryLivingExperience well, Godspeed to you and your family sir!
im curious. have you done a follow up video on this project? Its been four years since you posted. How is it working? Have you changed, or updated anything since? Was there any failures in this system? I have been researching this very topic for our own system here on our farm. Just havent pulled the trigger quite yet. Because i am looking to design it on a bit larger scale, with living aquatics, maybe even some fish in the last water catchment area. Make it more interesting, even do it as a test to see if it could work. And yes, i want living plants as well.....
I never did a follow up video on this system but I still have it and it is still working great.
I had to clean it out a few times when weeds blew in and grass crept in from the sides. Other than that, a few of the planted grasses I put in to clean the water died in the cold.
Thank you for the information. California needs to make this mandatory. We are back in a draught in the first quarter of 2021.
You're welcome.
It would be smarter to give people incentives like tax rebates to install this. Just making things mandatory is a dangerous precedent, government needs to shrink not grow.
I’m super interested in this and hope to put one in some day. Would it be possible to incorporate a more decorative fountain into the filter system, something like the ones used in natural pools? Something like a waterfall with rocks and biological media for filtering?
Yes, absolutely. I did this one on the cheap but it can certainly be beautified.
I had that shirt and hat and pin.
Awesome!
Our regular country home is crowded. Killed our septic tank from 1980’s 4 generations and 5 men under 1 roof for 5 years is tooo much. Lol split bathrooms laundry and dish washer last weekend. Thanks for your research and can do while filming. A tote for a junction box is brilliant.
Glad it was helpful
Great video, thank you. I would like to know how do you cover the barrels?
Thank you. They are not covered. They have plants growing in them.
like that shirt, I voted for RP twice
Awesome!!!!
Great vid and very helpful! Thank you! How would u alter it if u had temperature below freezing point at winter? How should i start in that instance? Thanks a lot.
Thank you. No modifications at all. The temperature of the water coming out of the house is 105°. There is never any freezing as it moves through the system fairly fast.
I’d just run it out onto the ground. This just seems like extra work to me. I plan on hiring a plumber run all mine out into the yard. I only want my toilets going into the septic tank.
My goal is to have just the toilets in the septic as well. If you filter it, you can use it more effectively for plant irrigation.
In your first stage what kind of wood did you use and won't has worms drown what kind of worms do you use.you don't need to replace the aggregate at any time.
Looks great. Can you speak to maintenance. How often? What's the process?
The only maintenance I have performed is to clean out debris (leaves and grass, etc.) that falls into the large pool. The small containers keep out most of the blowing debris because of the density of the planted grasses.
@@CountryLivingExperience Sorry I'm not following you, how are grasses a part of what you are describing here? I'm looking at multiple filters that will eventually start to clog and will need to be cleaned. Or maybe not?
Seeing all the sand beside the different water tanks I assume this is all underground?
No. All above ground.
Do you cover those up? I'm guessing you do so rain and debris doesn't fill them up. Awesome shirt!
Thank you. I don't cover them up. Any rainwater just flushes through the system and drains out the same as the laundry water. The only debris that gets in are leaves and I count them as part of the filtration.
@@CountryLivingExperience Good to know! Thanks!
Hi there. Great video. Have you made any updates to your system? Is there anything you would have done differently? How is your system working out for you?
Thank you.
The system still works well but I need to clean out the barrels and pool because a lot of dirt has blown into them. The water still filters well through the system though.
Dont you want water entering at the bottom of the barrel/pool and exitint at the top? This "overflowing" makes sure only the most filtered water is exiting after moving upwards thru 3-4 different substates.
Wondering how the worms handle things like soap in the grey water
Q: how deep should that first layer of woodchip be, under the mesh? Or if you're not using woodchip and worms there (I saw your reply further down - I too would be concerned about the worms drowning!)) could you just use gravel there as in the other containers?
You can use a small rock medium in the first container. Make sure that mesh is in there to catch some of the bigger lint pieces from the washer.
i admire that... this is great effort ..looks fantastique . question: with little help from previews video in UA-cam, i have no idea why i convince my self, that the charcoal. can help to filter my greywater system? if there is any comment on this pls?
Thank you. I guess the question is what do you want to do with the water after it exits the system? Drink it? Water the garden?
Thank you for responding, of course it’s for gardening
@@Greenlife22 Since it is for gardening, I would not worry about the charcoal.
I am creating a wildlife watering pond complete with a small waterfalls. Since I am in Arizona water is at a premium. Is there a filtration system that would allow birds and other wildlife to safely drink the water from my shower and bathroom sink. There would be no food particles anywhere. Just the water from a bathroom sink and shower. Thanks for an excellent video
Animals usually do not drink tainted water. They have a sense of what is bad for them. I wouldn't worry about it too much. What I would do is only use natural bio-degradable soaps like castile soap, etc.
How you keeping the soap from killin the worms? Or do you not wash with soap?
Thank you!!!
You're welcome
Thanks so much.
I'm actually doing a project on this and I have a question.
Please I'm worry about the fact that, if color water is insert can it go through the same process and come out clear.
You’re welcome. It depends on how much color is in the water. In my small system, it would not take out much color at all.
Useful one thanks, like to know how many days we can store recycled grey water and how...regards
You’re welcome. You can store water for a while. There is really no set number of days. Frey water is not potable so it would just be used for irrigation. You should be able to store it for that purpose indefinitely.
I have stored my laundry water as is in a big black tote for a good 6-12 months and kept it covered. After a short while it starts to smell bad (thus had it covered) en then eventually it becomes sort of just strange smelling. I then diluted it with rainwater, about 50/50 and then wateted the garden. We had a terrible drought.
Is there a video showing the system working It would be great to see great content
Thank you. No I never made a follow up to this vid. The system works great. I have a lot of plants in growing in the rocks that are helping to clean the water as it flows through the system.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks for the great video! I'm going to be doing something like this, also in Texas. You laid sand and soil on top of the rocks, right? How thick? What plants did you have success with?
@@thereeldaniel1338 You're welcome. I actually ended up leaving the rocks bare. I took potted perennial grasses and cut the bottom off of the pot. I then nestled that pot inside of the rocks. Works like a charm.
As a tip for commenting on UA-cam, don't comment on somebody else's comment. Start a new comment of your own. It was lucky I saw this in my email junk box or I would have never replied because I would not have seen it. UA-cam does not inform me of replies on other's comments.
Cheers.
Great job! I see in the video you have some bags of all-purpose sand in the background. Were you planning on using that for filtration?
Thank you. I will use that for another stage in the future. I was not able to construct that portion at this time.
I enjoy your videos. They are informative and full of ideas. Keep up the good work. I have a few questions. Besides filtration, do the two 1/2 barrels and the kiddie pool serve a purpose? You mentioned the water eventually goes to a dry creek. Is this system only to relieve stress on your septic system? Thanks again.
Thanks man! I appreciate it more that you know. They really just serve as filtration at this point. Once the sand and topsoil are placed above the rocks, you could plant edibles in them (if you use a biodegradable soap). The system serves a couple purposes. 1. Taking pressure off the septic and 2. serving as irrigation for any fruit trees, etc. planted after the last stage (pool).
@@CountryLivingExperience that makes sense!! Thanks for the info.
@@CountryLivingExperience Are those blue barrels and pool made out of food grade plastics?. I tried to look up what those pools are made out of, but I couldn't find the answer. I wanted to use some as temperory raised beds, but went a different route.
@@robertcornelisse8664 The barrels are food grade. The pool is not.
@@CountryLivingExperience thank you. Are you not afraid the plastic from the pool leaching?
I liked the video.can you create a video on how the vermi composting work as there is a constant flow of soap water which makes the filter always wet + will worms survive in detergent water?
Thank you. We only do laundry twice per week and it drains very fast through the larger pipes so it is not soaking wet for very long.
@@CountryLivingExperience This is definitely the question I had, how do the worms not just die from the laundry detergent soap? Also, what do you do with the water once it gets into your dry creek? Is it used eventually to water an actual garden?
@@matthewleewillis The water is clean by the time it makes it to the creek. It usually doesn't even make it there because of the distance. Yes, We are planting fruit trees, etc at the end of the line that will utilize the water. Additionally we use biodegradable eco friendly soaps instead of detergent.
How can I use/pump out the stored grey water? Is there a holding tank? Is there be a gutter drain & grey water drywell combo? --Thanks
I am not storing any water so I am unsure of how to help you. This just runs strait through the system into my field.
Great information. We were talking about doing this. But going to our herb garden. I am not sure how well that would work. Still doing research on it. Can you provide your feedback on it. Thanks
Cool. If you run it to an edible garden of some sort, you need to use the biodegradable detergent. We use the Ecos brand. Also make sure that you build in many stages of filtration before it gets to your edibles. With ours, there are essentially 10 stages before it empties onto our property. Some videos out there show laundry water being dumped directly on plants without filtration. I think this is a huge mistake on their part. Have fun with your project.
Wow
Yep
this is amazing
can l please ask what mesh size is that wire screen
I don't know the size. Just regular window screen.
Nice shirt 😀
Thanks Troy. I still have a few of them.
Just remember to use the right products when reusing water for irrigation. I use EMO Eco-friendly products
We use ECOS detergents. No worries.
I would love to build a gray water system but I couldn't do this. I am on a 1/2 acer property but it doesn't slope enough and my yard has been established for over a hundred years so digging it up is not an option. Also my laundry room is at ground level so the drain from the washer would go through the wall to the outside at the same height and only drop the distance of the height of the washer and if I wanted to also use my bathroom sink and shower water the piping from them would have to go through the wall at ground level. So my gray water would have to just go into a tank down in the ground with a filter to catch hair and such and a pump would be needed to pump the water out through garden hoses to whatever needed to be watered. The laundry detergent and fabric softeners would have o be biocompatible but I'm not sure what to use as far as soaps, shampoos and conditioners in the bathroom that are both good and safe for cleaning and outdoor watering. I live in Sandy Utah and we are in a bad drought right now. We have had very little rain or snow this past winter and spring so I need to do something to use as much of my used water as I can.
You must be careful what soaps you use. You can make this system much more condensed also it doenst matter what sloep you have if you just build stands for barrels in descending fashion. Grey water should be flushed thru several natural filtering materials before used longterm.
Is there a follow up video that shows it finished?
It is essentially complete sans the rock in the kiddie pool and the plants.
do you have any issues with pH balance? or the other ingredients in your dish soap/laundry detergent, etc?
Not yet
he seems to have left out a grease trap which is key for a good system.
This is from the laundry not the kitchen sink. Minimal amounts of "grease". The pre-filter with wood chips and screen alleviates most of what you are concerned about. Talk to people as if you are talking directly to them next time.
Won't soap and oils kill the worms?
I agree. Detergent chemical and oils will kill the animals and plants. Those things need to be filtered out as well before contacting animals or plants. Very important if you don’t want to poison yourself in a looping water system.
Any thoughts on how to make this work in the winter or in cold climate where this system would freeze?
The water coming out of the laundry is very warm. It usually moves through the system somewhat fast and has never frozen for us. You should be ok.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks! I think I'll give something similar a go! I'd like to maybe use the water in the winter to make an ice rink as a way to conserve energy, but also use the water purposefully in the winter.
@@Adam0Beck Cool
What soaps do you use that will not effect the worms?
We use castile soaps and one called Ecos. The worms are never really in much contact with the soaps as the water drains out very fast. It enters the tote in one area and never soaks the other areas. The wood chips remain moist so they can be broken down by the worms.
Being in Texas maybe this isn't a consideration for you, but did you factor in the frost line? I live where the frost line is about 36" and I'm wondering if I need the reservoirs to be below, or just the last one? Also if there would be a clog due to standing water turning to ice wherever I am above the frost line in winter?
I didn’t factor it in . However, in the winter it is usually in the 20’s and the water coming out of the washer is hot. I have never had a pipe or a reservoir freeze.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks for the speedy reply!
How does this fare in the winter when temperatures drop below freezing for 6 months? Or do you live in a climate that doesn't happen?
Our climate is mild but we do have several weeks at or below freezing. It has not affected the system at all. The pipes are large enough that nothing freezes inside and they all have positive drainage of at least 1/4" per foot. Additionally, the water is warm coming out of the house so it is mostly out of the system before it can freeze.
do the gravel need to be eventually cleaned?
Yes. Every few years
I would love to see it finished (covered). Do you have any videos of it? Thanks
I have not done a specific update video on it but may in the future.
@@CountryLivingExperience I'd like to see this too please. also, how do you keep it from freezing in the winter?
@@CountryLivingExperience That needs to happen. You know, in all your free time. We are considering something very similar.
I need to make one like this in our school in Indonesia, it's a dorm for 100 people. How big should it be for 100 people? thanks
It would have to be fairly large. You will have to find out your water usage. This system handles about 200 gallons per week and is at about 50% capacity.
Thank you!
How often do you clean the rocks?
Also, is there certain about the worms when you run the water on hot?
I have taken the leaf blower to blow out debris. I have not had to clear out the bottom of the containers yet. I am sure someday I will. The worms didn't work out.
@@CountryLivingExperience Thanks for your quick response! Sorry about the worms.
@@synchrogrl18 You're welcome.
Did they not work out because of the amount of water? Do you know what the issue was with them? I think your idea of incorporating them into the initial filter is quite clever
@@pigeon4405 soap even biodegrdeable soap probabably killed them is my guess. I personally think it's not a good to put organic matter as the first step, most grey water systems have organic filters like a pond as the LAST step. other wise the system gets clogged up with organic crap.
Good basics, but in "frost/freeze" climates this needs to be buried below the "frost line".
We have freezing temps here. No need to bury. The hot water drains out of the system before it can freeze.
I wonder how I could do something like this. my main concern where I live would be the water freezing.
It freezes here too. The water coming out is warm and moving so it should all drain out before it gets a chance to freeze.
Wonderful & the most in-depth video I've seen this far. Question, how would you recycle this water to be reused in the washer for other wash cycles?
Thank you. With a system like this, it would not be possible to recycle the water for new use in the machine. Maybe you could build a cistern at the end of the system to capture the water and pump it back to the machine somehow. I do not think it would be worth it.
How'd this turn out? Can we get an update video?
It works great. I took off the pre-filters and it still works.
What kind of detergent do you need to use that’s safe for plants?
We use ECOS Earth Friendly detergent. It works well. Here is the link: amzn.to/2RnAo1g
For people living in an urban/suburban setting, can this be installed in a semi-basement? What would you recommend in the modification so that it would save space? Thank you.
Not sure what you mean by semi-basement. This needs to be outside of a structure.
DO NOT drain anything under a home; moisture, wood, and lack of circulation will result in the destruction of a home! However, if you have a basement grow set up with adequate circulation and humidity control, it could be done, perhaps by using cinderblocks to step down the system. The distance between the retention bins doe not matter.
Sir any chances of bad smell In end stage water tank?
No bad smells at all. There is a drain out into the environment after the last tank. There is no standing water.
Hi! Thank you for your educational video! My need is for a system for bigger volume of waste water. Do i just enlarge the system you describe? I have a wedding venue and I can't require the caterers to use biodegradable soap for washing up. Does this mean the end water is cleaner but can't be use for plants? Thank you and hope to hear from you soon...
You're welcome. I am not sure of the volume of water you would be putting through the system. You may have to build a wetlands type of system which in a way is just a large scaled up version of this. There are companies that can do this but at an elevated cost. A wetlands/reed bed type of system is what you need to look at I think.
Thank you for your reply....Is there anything of you tube that i can watch to have an idea of a wetland type? There are no company here which would specialize in this kind of thing :-(
@@chiancallaghan7479 geoff lawton's
what do you do with your dishwasher waste?
Nothing yet. I will run it through the system in the future.
Gonna be screwed if your in chicago in the wintertime!!
Glad I am not in Chicago
How does this system remove soap/ detergent from the grey water?
It does not remove it. The plants help to filter it somewhat. That is why I mentioned using biodegradable soap and not modern detergents.
How do you clean the debris after build-up?
We blow out the large pool with a leaf blower. The smaller ones have a lot of plants in them so not as much debris gets in from above. We have not cleaned out the tubs to date but will eventually have to remove the rock and wash them off.
@@CountryLivingExperience What else is in the pool, just the rocks? Not covered by anything?
Hello there! I have an aerobic septic system with a direct discharge from the clorinator into the field but over the years it has created an area is constantly wet even in the dryer months. I am thinking a adding a sand filter but have not come around any good ideas. Can you make any suggestions?
I wouldn’t know what to suggest to you exactly. I would combine layers of other aggregate besides the sand to mitigate erosion.
One solution would be to have the discharge happen deeper underground. However, this assumes that you don’t have a high water table. If you would like the water distributed over a much larger area, then you could discharge into a tank and then pump out the tank as needed to irrigate different areas of the field. This is a high initial investment, so perhaps French drains in the area where you currently discharge water would be a better solution.
Hi… where’s list of items for this project?
In the video description.
Won’t detergents/water kill the worms and leave a smelly mushy mess slowly disintegrating them ? Worms very sensitive to constant dampness and any chemicals , Even biocompatible direct contact perhaps put worms further down the system ground level so the can escape if needed and any left over toxins would be already diluted just a thought but a wonderful system nonetheless or add silt pond !
Thank you. I use biodegradable natural soaps not detergents. I have no smelly mess or dead worms. The system drains in a way that some water is held but is moved every few days. The plants on top of the system have roots that penetrate down into the held water and assist in cleaning it.
How has maintenance been?
Not bad. Weed seeds do blow into the pool mostly. It is really easy to pull them out because of the gravel. Not much more than that.
Awesome! Well done champ, this video and system are awesome
@@tiisomaphasa4154 Thanks
What plants are you using?
All perennial grasses.