Waste SW Disposal?

[FirstContact]

Just curious what most people do with their waste water. I have been dumping mine in the back yard with a 32 gallon brute trash can on rollers for years, but I am expanding my system and this is not going to work for me anymore. Going forward, should I pump the water out to the back yard or send it down a drain? My question basically is: if we are dumping aquarium waste water into a drain where does it go, and is this responsible reef keeping?

 

[Timfish]

Usually it goes through your local sewage treatment plant which will dump it into the local watershed/river after treatment. How ethical is this? I'm not sure but it is less salt than is being dumped by water softeners that use salt to clean ion exchange beads

 

[twon8]

I send mine down the drain

 

[FirstContact]

Thanks Timfish and twon8!

Do both waste water drains and sewage waste lines go to the same place?

(Honestly, I really don't know; but I am under the impression they are separate. I don't see tapping into a sewage line for my waste water as a possibility due to the problems that might arise.)

What does everyone think?

 

[jamie1981]

Your sewer/waste water are the same thing and goes to a treatment plant. If you live in town and have storm drains on the street they would dump directly into a nearby stream or river untreated. Saltwater is much better going down the drain than into the street or your yard. The amount of salt in a water change would not even be measurable compared to what is used in water softeners throughout a neighborhood. Dumping it outside could be more of a hazard if it ends up in a nearby pond or stream where organisms "could" potentially be released and threaten native organisms. Dumping it down the drain it goes through a treatment process making it safe for the environment before it reaches any streams or lakes.

 

[jamie1981]

The only debatable scenario is if you have your own septic system because the volume of water is tiny compared to a municipal treatment system a town would use. Large amounts of saltwater may cause a imbalance with the microbes that break down the waste in a small private system.

 

[FirstContact]

Hi jamie1981,

Thanks for clarifying that for me. No streams or lakes near my house. Just a lot of woodland in our backyard. No septic either. So, I guess I'll go with a drain going forward.

Thanks,
FirstContact

 

[DesktopReefer]

I used to dump mine down the bath tub...Corroded the tub fixture, switched to the toilet...lol

 

[FirstContact]

Too funny!

 

[Zoodiver]

Yeah, any metal (especially copper) used in typical indoor plumbing can (will) be destroyed after prolonged exposure to dumping waste saltwater.

 

[Ckyuv]

I dump mine off the balcony onto the neighbors property

 

[SVTour]

The only debatable scenario is if you have your own septic system because the volume of water is tiny compared to a municipal treatment system a town would use. Large amounts of saltwater may cause a imbalance with the microbes that break down the waste in a small private system.

I've been dumping mine in the septic system since 2002 (about 50 gallons every 3 weeks). Haven't had any issues with it yet. :lol:

 

[firebirdude]

Other than the grass dying where you dump it, I seriously doubt waste saltwater will have ANY negative impact on any surrounding environment. Additionally, pouring 100+ gallons of saltwater down your drain is still so insignificant compared to the waste your city handles. I'd be much more worried about corroding your pipes than any impact on the environment (because it's nil). If you dump down the drain, I'd use the toilet...or at least follow it will a freshwater dump.

 

[mikeande]

I've been dumping mine in the septic system since 2002 (about 50 gallons every 3 weeks). Haven't had any issues with it yet. :lol:

I was going to make a thread on this (still might) because I live out of town and rely on a septic system. I'm worried about pump/equipment issues along with the effect on the end of the system such as the cement and drainage parts. Salt is not kind to very many things. Have you ever inspected your system ?

 

[rainydave]

I dump it into the toilet.

 

[FirstContact]

Well, the wife doesn't approve of adding an extra hole to the house for AWC run through a DoS, Litre Meter, or otherwise. So, I am looking at a washtub type sink plumed into a pvc drain in the basement. Plan on asking the LFS in the area how they do it. But I really prefer the former which the wife will not approve. "Toilet" seems to be a popular option- LOL -sometimes that's where the water from our freshwater tanks go and bathtub too!

 

[FirstContact]

I dump mine off the balcony onto the neighbors property

Do they get upset? :wavehand:

 

[slief]

Mine is expelled through PVC drains in my yard that go outside to the curb/street. I go through 5 gallons per day at a rate of 1 gallon every 4 or so hours.

 

[kurfer]

Shoot mine into my basement Jacuzzi tub, finally found a use for that thing.

 

[sean357]

I dump mine down the toilet but have recently started to worry about this. For people in Iowa, etc. it may not be a big deal but I live in Houston and worry about it possibly getting out into the bay/gulf. Is this a legit fear? Could An invasive species make it from my toilet to the Gulf?