what do yall do with the water removed from a water change?

[freshfish]

Can it be recycled some way like for plants or ???

John

[allan]

I approached that a few years ago.

[FireWater]

Not sure to be honest. The salinity level would have to be reduced in order to suffice for plants. Most people just let it run down the street. I pick a different spot in the yard to dump it each time. As long as the grass and/or plants aren't inundated with salt water it will be ok.

[allan]

Darn, I hit send.

My intent was to take the old water and supersaturated it with algae for oxygen increase and to take out all the nutrients.

The problem is that it's not just the salt content, our salt has a lot of other stuffs in there as well (eg, calcium, stotium, ect). So in addition to recycling it you would have to dose the revitalized water with a few chemicals to get it where it needs to be.

It's kind of like only drinking rodi water, you can but after awhile your body will miss a few of the extras that come from our regular water source.

[aceer15]

I pour mine down the sink...I know the water is 'nutritious' but I feel like all that salt would wipe out plants that are used to freshwater.

[allan]

It would be a bit of a job, and I'm not sure the roi would make it feasible. But the task gets me motivated. I like the idea.

[allan]

Aw man, I misread. Yeah, too salty for plants. Down the sink mine went. Actually, to preserve my drain piece I sent it down the John. I didn't want the screen thing to rust.

[Dean]

Mine rinses my driveway.

[FireWater]

Be careful with sending down the drain in a sink or flushing it down the Allan. Any extras such as sand or algae particulate will cause problems.

[Reef Swimmer]

down the street for me 15g every sunday

[allan]

Ha ha ha, John.

[350gt]

Mine goes down the driveway.....

[alton]

Since 1991 I have been throwing it on my St. Augustine grass in my front yard. It is the greenest part of my lawn, I attached a picture of it during the small ice storm

[350gt]

I was watering the grass with it too, but heard it was bad, so i stopped....

Was worried it had something to do with my oak tree going south....

[Dean]

It will kill trees and plants. If poured on the ground over their root system continually.

[350gt]

Alton has been doing it since 91

[Dean]

Perhaps grass likes it. I do know of 1 shrub in particular that did not. Lol

[350gt]

Ya thats why i stopped.... I doubt its what is killing my tree... But i planted 2 monterey oaks and didnt want to chance them...

[Dean]

It took about 4 water changes to make it drop all of its leaves. Maybe it just wasn't as nutrient rich as Altons?

[alton]

If I would of noticed the patches of the St. Augustine dying years ago I would of stopped. In some years when we had a drought, the only water the grass got was when I did a water change. Look at the coast and the soil there? I walk out the door and throw the buckets of saltwater to the left or straight out. If anybody wants to come test my soil they are more than welcome. Also my wife's Aloe Vera loves it too. If I was a guessing person 500 gallons a year?

[alton]

Oh yea I forgot to add, I only have about 8 to 10" of top soil, then its Caliche.

[ramsey]

I pour it down the driveway. I felt bad about "wasting" the water until I gave it more thought and realized I "wasted" more water taking a shower. So I just stopped taking showers instead. JK

[FireWater]

Ewww.

[FireWater]

St Augustine is a coastal variety of grass. It will withstand salt better than others.

[alton]

Oh by the way I have two Coastal Live Oaks planted in the back yard also. Maybe plant those in lieu of the other type of live oaks if you have a salt water tank? The one in my front yard is a true Virginian Live Oak.

[ramsey]

Ewww.

When they said I needed to be more green, I didn't know they weren't being literal. :)

[jrossjr79]

I use to drain it to my yard on the side of my porch, bad news is that I have (rather had) a nice rose bush near by. Which I am pretty sure killed it, will know for sure during the spring. So now it goes down the toilet. But if there is a better way of recycling the water to use in my lawn, I would love to do so. Maybe I will give it a try.