Recycling Water from Water Changes

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

I know that much...but that's not the point of the task.

just pointing out that you are not "wasting it" as your wife says.

The point of the task i thought was to get your wife out of your ear about being wasteful. All the water you put down your drain will eventually make its way back to the ground water table. that is by definition recycling the water....

Now if what you meant was that you need to use the water for multiple uses before sending it back, thats different.

 

[James0816]

No...the idea is not to get her out of my ear. ;o)

It's like recycling paper and cans. Yes putting the water back in ground is "recycling" however, it's like pouring a bucket of water from the tap and putting it on the ground. No applicable use thus considered as "wasting".

 

[mdb_talon]

So your saying that I shower in recycled poop water each morning?

Well that would be the truly green way of recycling water. The ground is full of bugs/worms/etc that are all going into the water anyone with a well showers with. Of course that is the beauty of it the ground(and all those critters) naturally cleanses the water without the need for harmful chemicals,etc.

Sounds like the intent of the OP is more to appear green though than actually be green. Other suggestions like having seperate plumbing systems are just funny. The oil, other chemicals, energy, and water required to produce/transport those materials is much more harmful than putting the water into the ground where it eventually becomes part of the water table (whether you use a well or not). It may make sense from a cost standpoint depending on where you live, but only in extreme circumstances would make sense from a "green" perspective.

 

[IITUFFTOBEATII]

it's like pouring a bucket of water from the tap and putting it on the ground. No applicable use thus considered as "wasting".

well i disagree that it has been wasted, and i think your fish are on my side

I agree with the aforementioned idea of using a planted sump or some nitrate filter to reduce the frequency of water changes.

if you have the resources and space you could also set up an indoor nursery/garden; grow some veggies or herbs, or seedlings... the possibilities are only limited by your resources and what interests you.

 

[justin guest]

If you are serious about saving water (and time) then try the following. Run a tapwater line over a carbon filter to a ball float switch in the aquarium sump. Then rig a small pressure cutout pump from the tank sump that pumps aquarium water to the toilet. Each flush is a small water change.

j<><

 

[Zoodiver]

A lot of the land locked aquariums/zoos that run large systems reclaim all of their water. It's put into large storage chambers/tanks/etc.... then run on it's own filter systems and usually burned fairly well with O3 injection to clean it up. From there it's moved back into a holding tank (with a recirculating pump) until it's needed to top off a display after a water change.

 

[MalawiTango]

tell her if she's so worried about it she could take a bath with it!!

 

[invisyblegypsey]

i have a compost pit i run mine to after the house plants drink in the winter

 

[greengiant]

in my opinion you are doing the best recycling there is. you are using untreated water to fill the tanks so thats pretty eco friendly and no need for chemicals to get rid of Chlorine or chloromine. you likely need very little of any cycling products as the water is untreated if any at all. if you had a truly monster tank you could use it as toilet water but not really feasible for 90% of peoples tanks as that would amount to massive water changes. if you are using some of it to water plants then what you are really doing is reducing the amount of time that your pump runs in the well but really has no bearing IMO on it being recycled. you already are

 

[DucatiDragster]

Well that would be the truly green way of recycling water. The ground is full of bugs/worms/etc that are all going into the water anyone with a well showers with. Of course that is the beauty of it the ground(and all those critters) naturally cleanses the water without the need for harmful chemicals,etc.

Sounds like the intent of the OP is more to appear green though than actually be green. Other suggestions like having seperate plumbing systems are just funny. The oil, other chemicals, energy, and water required to produce/transport those materials is much more harmful than putting the water into the ground where it eventually becomes part of the water table (whether you use a well or not). It may make sense from a cost standpoint depending on where you live, but only in extreme circumstances would make sense from a "green" perspective.

Thanks for the explanation.