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PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 12:40 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2003 2:43 pm
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Location: Princeton, TX
I have planted some fruit trees (9). I need to have my septic system improved/repaired. Is it safe/advisable to install an aerobic system and use the water for my fruit trees.


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PostPosted: Tue Feb 03, 2004 6:31 pm 
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Joined: Sat Mar 08, 2003 8:39 pm
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Location: Lavon,Texas
SisterGrove,
If you do decide to go with the aerobic system, please maintain it properly by putting the clorine tablets in the tank. The area I live in has this systems and alot of the people either forget to put the clorine tablets in or wait until their septic maintenance company comes around. The smell is so bad, it smells like raw sewage coming out when the sprinklers are running. I elected to not go with this septic system and went with low presure dowsing. Everthing is under ground except for the PVC pipe, which extends up about 2 feet. For irrigation they work great. Also, they have to be inspected once a year buy a licensed inspector. I was told by my neighbor that it costs him $150 for this. Before I made up my mind, I would speak with people that have the aerobic system installed.

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 Post subject: Aerobic system
PostPosted: Wed Feb 04, 2004 8:56 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:25 am
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Location: Krugerville
I agree with the proper maintenance of this system; either that or enjoy the odor.

We had one put in Last year at house at Lake livingston area. Had option to use a spray or drip. Septic guy said drip would be twice as expensive. It has plastic pipe laid out in a grid under ground and dispurses treated water through small openings. Another problem, he explained, is that once installed, he recommended not driving anything heavy over it so pipes would not be damaged.

We are building another house now in Krugerville and will have spray system. They are not bad, but when you look at the amount of water put out daily, probably not enough to maintain many plants. Plus the spray must be dispursed over a large area.

good luck!


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PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 4:32 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jul 21, 2003 2:43 pm
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Location: Princeton, TX
Thank you for your help.

My main concern is health. Will fruit grown with sewage water be safe to eat even after washing it.

I'm thinking some sort of drip system that could be redirected from the drain field during dry periods would cut down on my water bill.

I'm concerned about spraying even the bark of the tree. I'm worried that spraying the tree bark may promote fungus, mold, or some other sort of bark rot or disease.


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 Post subject: sewage
PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 6:48 pm 
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Joined: Sat May 10, 2003 5:48 pm
Posts: 806
Location: Weatherford,TX
My first concern would be with the chlorine! It is terrible for your trees & yard. Composted sewage might :?: be OK if heavy metals are not present. I worry more about what goes into sewage considering what we humans consume. This includes all the pills we take & the stuff we flush or drain into sewers. The remnants of this stuff all ends up in our sewage. With the chlorine present, I don't believe much of anything will break down. In my opinion, I would not use this water or compost on any food plant!

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PostPosted: Fri Feb 06, 2004 7:12 pm 
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Location: Lavon,Texas
Does anyone know if there is an alternative to using chlorine? I would love to convince my neighbors to not use chlorine but rather switch to an organic equivalent.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 7:33 pm 
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:25 am
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Location: Krugerville
I can't recall reading in any of the literature that came with our system where there is an alternative to chlorine. May be, but I haven't seen anything on it. the system there was a Clearwater. Check the web, may have some answers.

The amount of chlorine is small, and the amount of water sprayed each day is pretty minor. They said our daily use would be around 200 gallons. When that small amount of treated water is spread around a fairly large spray area( several thousand SF), there isn't much water/chlorine getting to the plants. We always had to water when it hadn''t rained because we could not rely on the septic spray to provide enough water to the landscape.

Didn't have any bad reaction from plants and grass, had two small figs that survived and put out fruit but wasn't eaten. Nearly everyone in our subdivision had to have aerobic with spray.

We move into our new house in Krugerville Feb 25; will have spray system there.

Good luck.


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PostPosted: Sat Feb 07, 2004 8:36 pm 
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Location: Lavon,Texas
Iceman,
Isn't 200 gallons a day alot of water. We only use between 500 and 1000 gallons a month. At 30 days, that is 6000 gallons per month. I sure would not want to pay for all that water. My water bill would be at least $100 or more. I timed one of my neighbors aerobic sprinklers, last summer, and they ran for 10 minutes. They have 3 sprinkler heads, so alot of water was coming out.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 10:56 am 
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Joined: Mon Jan 26, 2004 7:25 am
Posts: 6
Location: Krugerville
Greg,

You are right about the amount of water.

I guess what I should have said was that the system is designed to treat 150-200 gallons of water per day and then spray on the large area allows it to be dispursed without a concentration. That includes all water in the house; showers, dishawatering, toilets, etc. I am not an aerobics expert by any means, but tried to understand the system we had.

Like I said, we never had a problem with too much water being sprayed from the system and didn't seem to hurt the plants and grass. From what I have read, it is a better way to treat our waste products than the older system. But again, I am not an expert. We had to have that kind because we were near a lake.

I think I gave the wrong name of the system we had. it was a Whitewater aerobic system. New one a different brand but same concept.

I will try to track water use just to see how much is used through the system versus irrigation of the yard.

Have a great day!


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PostPosted: Sun Feb 08, 2004 11:32 am 
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Location: Lavon,Texas
Iceman, I live by a lake also [Lavon] I elected to not go with the aerobic system because of the cost for upkeep. I was told, by the septic architect that there is a $150 - $200 charge yearly for inspection, plus the cost of chlorine. I went with the low pressure dowesing system. Everything is under ground except the PVC pipe that sticks out of the ground where the air escapes. The ground over the leach field is the greenest of the entire yard. It also grows the fastest.

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Converting one person at a time to Organics, the only way to go!! [ ME ]


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