Detergents compatible with greywater?

Discussion in 'Planting, growing, nurturing Plants' started by -, Oct 11, 2004.

  1. Guest

    G'day,

    Have recently read the book "Create an Oasis with Grey Water", by Art Ludwig:
    https://www.oasisdesign.net/greywater/createanoasis/index.htm
    (great little book, BTW)

    My biggest outstanding question is: what detergents etc. are available in Aus that would be compatible with a greywater system?

    From reading the book, the issue is different to the typical one of cleaners being biodegradable and low phosphate. Yes, we want biodegradable as we'll be watering our gardens with it. But there is a difference between what is harmful to a river or lake or the sea, and what is harmful to plants on land.

    Greywater is different in that nutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium are actually desirable in the water - so low phosphate etc. cleaners aren't a benefit here. However, sodium is very detrimental, as it builds up in the soil and can literally kill plants. Most cleaners are high in sodium compounds. In a quick survey of washing machine detergents at the supermarket, they all either don't disclose anything useful or disclose an active ingredient based on sodium compounds.

    I haven't made the trip to the local health food shop yet, so I'm still hopeful that they'll have something useful there. But I can see some work ahead, emailing the various manufacturers and asking them what they have that is suitable.

    If anyone has already done this work, I'd be very grateful for your shared knowledge.

    cheers,
    Ross.
     
  2. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day ross,

    for our dishes we use a brand called 'earth choice' for our clothes we make our own. but we use our grey water straight to the plants we don't use any sort of reed bed system, currently we can't generate enough grey water for our uses.

    best advice i can give is keep it simple don't store it and use it as fresh as you can.

    len :)
     
  3. rosko

    rosko New Member

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    G'day Len,

    That is pretty much my plan too. Pipe to drum, then hose to swales or ditches almost immediately.

    Thanks for the brand name, it lead to a search that uncovered this:
    https://www.lanfaxlabs.com.au/papers/P44-cont-conv.PDF

    Also, this about Earth Choice:
    https://www.naturesorganics.com.au/natures_organics_household_faqs.htm

    How do you make your washing detergent?

    cheers,
    Ross.
     
  4. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    following is the recipe ross,

    we don't worry about the perfume oil additive we just up the amount of eucalypt oil preffereing that aroma. the wife uses it as a general purpose cleaner as well ie.,. cleaning the bath tub, wiping benches etc.,. can be use as a dish detergent just it doesn't lather so take some getting used to.

    we move our grey water outlet hose around so we haven't seen or had any plant show adverse effects, and the EC detergent we use so very little in the washing up.



    enjoy

    len :D
     
  5. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    just to add more to my previous post ross,

    that recipe is posted exactly in the form we recieved it, we make no claim to ownership of the recipe, just we use it and it works. and we only make it in a 10 litre concentrated lot in preference to the 20 litre, we find 10 litres a lot easier to store.

    try to set your tank up so it holds no residue of water ie.,. similar to how a bath tub drains, the sytem we use is governed by local government regulations by design and requirement it degrades the water. don't use drippers they will clog just use 1/2" or 3/4" hose to take it to where you want it, a simple screen like on a rain water tank will then suffice to screen the water as it enters your tank.

    len 8)
     
  6. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    Have you used the recipe in the dishwasher Len. If so, how does it perform.

    Also, are the suggeted quantities for the concentrated (10l) or non-concentrated (20l) version.
     
  7. Veggie Boy

    Veggie Boy Junior Member

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    I found the comment about storage of greywater interesting. I have the old septic and grey water/grease trap system at my place. Accordingly the grey water goes to a holding tank after passing through the grese trap. THe holding tank has a sump pump in it that automatically switches on when the water gets to a certain level.

    What is the problem with the water being in the tank for a bit. I know that this probably lead to it being a bit more smelly, but are there more serious implications?
     
  8. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day vegieboy,

    we wash our dishes by hand far more control over water and detergent use that way.

    we use a twin tub wash/machine and bev uses 1 cup that last app' 3 loads of washing. we wash the light cleaner stuff first and the grubby stuff last and quiet often if bev only has a bath the water is still quiet good so we do a load of washing with that water.

    the original author suggest how much for a dishwasher when made at the 20l quantity. to us doesn't make sense to use all that water when you are adding it to water anyway.

    and yes my water goes through a grease trap and into a tank that doesn't empty fully this does degrade the water and the smell tells me that, there would be no smell at all with the sytem if it went straight through no grease trap and no regulation tank.

    len :?
     
  9. Mont

    Mont Junior Member

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    I use Planet Ark powder in the washing machine and it goes straight onto the garden. I've been meaning for ages to do a soil test to see if it's increasing the salts too much but haven't got around to it. Planet Ark's information about it's suitability on the garden is at
    https://www.planetark.com/productspage.c ... /story.htm
     
  10. rosko

    rosko New Member

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    G'day Len,

    Thanks for the recipe, we'll give it a shot. Will try to work out sodium levels - but not until the weekend probably (busy week!)

    Exactly as I had in mind - as per the greywater book, so we don't get nasty water.

    Mont, will check out the Planet Ark site later tonight.

    cheers,
    Ross.
     
  11. junglerikki

    junglerikki Junior Member

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  12. Antonino Giglio

    Antonino Giglio Junior Member

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    hei where is your head today? :lol:
    rosko, in the 3rd message, wrote the same link!!! :roll:
    ciauuuuuu!!!!!!!! :wink:
     
  13. Cly

    Cly Junior Member

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    Gardenlen! Many many thanks for posting that recipe, I had used it previously though lost the book somewhere in time and haven't been able to find it again, it's certainly a wonderfully economic recipe to. Never added eucalyptus to it though I shall in the future. Diluted Lavender is also lovely to rinse your bed linen in as the fragrance is lovely and relaxing when you're in bed ready to watch the 'blanket show' as my father used to say.

    Cheers!
     

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