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Thread: Remolding house and plumbing

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    Remolding house and plumbing

    Hi everyone,hope some of you remembeer me and my posts on the aquarium I am still working on.
    Long story but I am hopefully getting there.I have a septic system and my house is on a slab.I am running plumbing to my garage for my ro system and a saltwater holding tank for water changes.The ro system will drain in the back yard along with my washer and a slop sink in the garage into a drywell witch is seperate from my septic system for the house.My questen is can I drain the salt water that comes from water changes into this seperate drywell.If not what can I do with it?
    Phil

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    That might be a code issue BUT if you don’t tell, we won’t tell.
    Amphibious

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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Thanks Dick and I'm not worried about code issues.But there must be someone out there who has a septic and drywell system along with a saltwater aquarium.

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    Grand Master Reefer Amphibious's Avatar
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    If you are not worried about code issues then do it. I can’t imagine it causing a problem in our lifetime. I dump my water changes into my septic system, an acceptable method here in FL.
    Amphibious

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    Amblyeleotris randalli commonly, Randall's Goby.

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    Thanks Dick,I am going to run it into the drywell that I am going to put in the backyard for my washer and slop sink that I am putting in the garage.It will be 2 55 gallon plastic drums with holes drilled in them surounded by stone.I think that should work well.The washer has been draining into 2 55 gallon drums for years with no problem and The slop sink won't get used enough to cause any problems.With making RO water the drain off should actually help I would think.

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    This is an issue that has been kicked around for years. Some recent testing on septic systems and leach fields has shown the salt brine from backwashing a water softener actually improves some clay type soils ability to hold or transmit water. The brine in a softener is much more concentrated than that from a RO or even from salt water reef water changes. I would not be too concerned about it. You might want to watch the waste ratio on the RO unit though, at 4:1 waste ratio you can fill up two drums pretty quickly if your soil is not very porous. Many RO units waste too much to begin with so its worth monitoring that waste and buying an adjustable or capillary tube flow restrictor to bring it back to 3-4:1 if need be. Colder water also makes more waste as do lower pressures.

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    Thank you.
    I am remolding and trying to make sure I get the plumbing done right first because I don't want to make a mistake.I have lived in this house for 3 years and the washer drain was going out in the back yard all that time,never dug it up until last weekend when we excuvating for my patio that I am putting the back yard.Thats when I found out that the washer drain was going to 2 55 gallon drums that were just buried in the sand that I have,no stone nothing just the 2 drums.It's just myself and my wife here and with maby 4 loads of wash once a week never a problem.I will be relocating my drywell for the washer and slop sink along with my RO system and plumb everything so I can do my water changes and be able to add eather RO water for top off or premixed salt water and be able to drain my water changes into this drywell.
    Many RO units waste too much to begin with so its worth monitoring that waste and buying an adjustable or capillary tube flow restrictor to bring it back to 3-4:1 if need be. Colder water also makes more waste as do lower pressures. I need some help understanding what you are saying here.
    Thanks again
    Phil

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    Insightful Reefer AZDesertRat's Avatar
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    Most RO/DI units sold today come with a fixed non adjustable flow restrictor. The problem is we know not everyon has the same water quality, temperature and pressure so the flow restrictor cannot be a one size fits all and work correctly in all cases. Some better vendors such as Spectrapure and Buckeye Field Supply use capillary tube restrictors you the end user trim based on a simple test you perform once you have the RO installed. Takes maybe 5 minutes one time only.

    Colder water is more dense so is harder to pass through the membrane leading to increased waste, remember manufacturers test the membranes at 77 degree water temp and that is for a reason. Lower pressures act similar in the tthey do not force water through the membrane as well again leading to more waste, the higher the pressure the more efficient a membrane becomes. I run mine between 90 and 100 psi with a booster pump for this reason.

    With the capillary tube flow restrictor you can overcome much of the above and they are only $5 most places.

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    you mind posting a shot of what it looks like phoenix



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    Insightful Reefer AZDesertRat's Avatar
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    I assume you mean the flow restrictor?

    Top of the page here:
    http://www.buckeyefieldsupply.com/sh...ry=197&Sub=109

    They look like a long piece of spaghetti with a flange on one end and stick inside the 1/4" waste tubing.

    Or the middle of the page here:
    http://www.purewater4u.com/store/flowrestrictors.shtml

    Or even here:
    http://www.marinedepot.com/Flow_Rest...RORAFR-ct.html

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    I think it is yes. You can drain the salt water that comes from water changes, as you have said in a separate dry well. From what I understand, saltwater can kill the bacteria in your septic tank that help to break down waste.
    Last edited by kyramary10; 07-23-2010 at 05:12 AM.
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    I would agree with Kyrmary. I would look at or call companies that produce septic helper products to see if they would know. They specialize in improving septic performance so they should know what kills performance. Also, you may consider doubling up or more on the RO units to reduce the total waste water and save some money over time. So the waste water on one RO goes into another RO unit before being "wasted". I am likely to do that with the unit I have now just to lower by water bill. But the main concern is if the salt added to the sump will kill the beneficial bacteria in the septic tank. Also, any build up of salt over time may kill grass so you may want your waste RODI water go out the same line you put the waste tank water to keep that area dilluted. Just a thought since some grasses will get killed from higher salt concentrations while others may thrive on them.
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    The small amount of salt in a water change is actually benficial for most septic systems, it helps break down clay soils.
    Doubling membranes is not really a water saving feature as the membranes must still be flushed to last and work as intended. Those who advertise this as a water saver are misrepresenting the way they work and have probably not been in the industry long enough to understand the consequences of lack of waste or brine flushing via the correct waste ratio. Talk to those who have been in the industry for years and you find its not a popular idea if they plan to stay in business by word of mouth.

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