Saltwater in the grass?

Shnabbles · 10/05/2006, 05:38 PM

We are in the process of having a home built now and i was just talking to the builder about putting a utility tub in the basement specifically for the fish tank..

No problem he says ill run piping right over from the hot water heater and you'll have hot and cold.

So the problem comes with the drain in the basement.. There is no way of getting the water pumped back up into the regular plumbing with out spending big bucks on a pump. (there is no laundry or anything in the basement to run the water drain into) so the builder recommend just plumbing the drain of the utility sink into the sump pump of the house which just returns the water out side into the yard.

If the sump pump pumps salt water (mainly from water changes) into the yard will it kill the grass?

dustins · 10/05/2006, 05:42 PM

I dont know for sure but I would guess that it would kill the grass.
Why dont you take some and dump it on a small patch and leave it for a couple days to see what happens?

elephen · 10/05/2006, 05:42 PM

I've dumped tons of water in my yard and my neighbors and the grass where it is dumped does better then the rest of my yard it seems like.

jgoodrich71 · 10/05/2006, 05:43 PM

Yes it will kill the grass. It kind of depends on the soil. If you have sandy soil with good drainage, you may be able to get away with it, but you may still be taking the chance that you will never be able to grow any vegatation there again (without digging up the soil and replacing it).

My recommendation, don't. If you could run the piping into a storm water drainage, that wouold work, but depending on local codes, you may have to have a discharge permit.

dustins · 10/05/2006, 05:44 PM

Maybe it could depend on the salt?

silverwolf72 · 10/05/2006, 05:51 PM

If it's run into a septic system I think it would prob be ok. If it drains strait onto the lawn prob kill the grass

xrunner1234 · 10/05/2006, 05:51 PM

I thought that was againt code.

docmenace · 10/05/2006, 05:59 PM

Who care, grass sucks, and yard work sucks big time! Dead grass=good =) lol

Shnabbles · 10/05/2006, 06:03 PM

lol... i considered into the syptic system but again id have the problem with getting the water pumped up from the basment.. .

I dunno ill have to talk to the builder some more.

usmcsgt · 10/05/2006, 06:31 PM

Putting to much salt water into the septic system can kill the benificial septic bactiria and you will have to get it pumped more often.

graveyardworm · 10/05/2006, 06:46 PM

Does the foundation have a drain? I have my foundation drain accessible from inside the basement for stuff like that currently its where my RO waste goes but I dont see why it couldnt be used for dumping waste change water. If your foundation is already complete and backfilled than it this may no longer be an opyion without alot of extra work.

Shnabbles · 10/05/2006, 06:51 PM

Ya they did the foundation today lol.

Shnabbles · 10/05/2006, 06:52 PM

Hey I could always have the sump pump pump the water behind the house into the pond behind us then have a 5000+ gallon reef lol.

graveyardworm · 10/05/2006, 06:57 PM

If they havent backfilled yet then you may still be able to create a drain access to the foundation drain. This may involve creating a hole in the foundation to get out to it, but its fairly simple to do.

lclzgarling · 10/05/2006, 06:58 PM

if your worried that the salt will kill the grass buy a trash contanier with wheels and dump it in the drive. it killed the weeds once i think they like it now.

graveyardworm · 10/05/2006, 07:30 PM

Anyone who lives where the roads are regulerly salted can attest to the fact that atleast desireable lawn grass doesnt do well in areas where large amounts of salt are present, just check the sides of the road. There are of course some grasses/weeds which have adapted.

A thought just occured to me, if you consider using the foundation drain for waste water, you may also want to check local codes, or the building inspector to make sure its okay.

salty joe · 10/05/2006, 08:02 PM

If your septic system is an ETA, (evaporation, transpiration, absortion) it is a bad idea to introduce saltwater. It will damage or kill the evergreen trees necessary for the system to function.

Where I am getting ready to build, ETA is currently the system of choice. Brine from a water softener is generally diverted to the downspout or footer drain. I am going to try to get a varience to drain the fishroom sink to the footer drain. So far, the inspectors have been very helpful.

Is connecting the sump pump to the downspout drain an option?

VWD · 10/05/2006, 08:28 PM

It will over time kill it

yoboyjdizz · 10/05/2006, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by VWD
It will over time kill it

yes don't do it.. i killed a patch of my grass by dumping some saltwater on it a few times.

namdrib2 · 10/06/2006, 09:31 AM

Your utility sink should not be pumping its waste out into your yard (a code violation in most states). The waste from any fixture is supposed to be piped to the proper point of discharge. The sump in the basement is typically just to get rid of ground water not waste water. If it handles wastes like from a toilet or a laundry it is called a sewage ejector and has a sealed and vented pit. As far as the salt killing the grass it would depend on the amount of salt water. If you are dumping five gallons a day everyday in the same location it will eventually kill the garss. If you spread it around it won't. I dump an average of 15 gallons a week on to mine in different spots each time and my grass is doing fine. There is a lot of beneficial bacteria in the waste salt water.

stereomandan · 10/06/2006, 10:22 AM

With a septic system, you are kind of screwed. Unless you can have your sump pump discharge into some remote area you don't care about, or out to the street.

The sump pump is only supposed to be for removing excess water from the soil around the house though. Not salt water.

Dan

Shnabbles · 10/06/2006, 02:04 PM

What if i dug a 6-8 inch trench and put a PVC pipe in it that attached to the sump pumps exhaust... The PVC would be 30-40 feet long with holes drilled in it along the whole length so small amounts of water would leak out over a long stretch of yard so it wouldnt be a super amount of salt water in each location..

Im only doing 5 gallons a week now, but when the new tank is up ill probally be doing 20 gallons a week since it will be about 4 times the size..

The pond my house is a rain water run off collection area AKA pond lol... so even if i did it to the street it would eventually end up in the pond... only the sale might stain the street?

graveyardworm · 10/06/2006, 03:17 PM

I would doubt that 20 gals per week into your septic tank would cause any harm considering the hundreds of gals per day going in there. Thats alot of dilution, there is actually some components of the saltwater which are beneficial to the tank.

SCR · 10/06/2006, 04:07 PM

I don't know if you thought about it but your sink or pump may not like having salt water going threw it. Just a thought.

salty joe · 10/06/2006, 04:09 PM

I'd agree, except for an ETA where salt would accumulate in the ETA leachfield. Would not do the evergreens a bit of good.

10/05/2006, 05:38 PM	#1
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	Saltwater in the grass? We are in the process of having a home built now and i was just talking to the builder about putting a utility tub in the basement specifically for the fish tank.. No problem he says ill run piping right over from the hot water heater and you'll have hot and cold. So the problem comes with the drain in the basement.. There is no way of getting the water pumped back up into the regular plumbing with out spending big bucks on a pump. (there is no laundry or anything in the basement to run the water drain into) so the builder recommend just plumbing the drain of the utility sink into the sump pump of the house which just returns the water out side into the yard. If the sump pump pumps salt water (mainly from water changes) into the yard will it kill the grass?

10/05/2006, 05:43 PM	#4
jgoodrich71 Premium Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Mobile, Alabama Posts: 849	Yes it will kill the grass. It kind of depends on the soil. If you have sandy soil with good drainage, you may be able to get away with it, but you may still be taking the chance that you will never be able to grow any vegatation there again (without digging up the soil and replacing it). My recommendation, don't. If you could run the piping into a storm water drainage, that wouold work, but depending on local codes, you may have to have a discharge permit. __________________ "For some reason I can't blow right." ~ crp "By the way Brian, nice colon." ~ Orchids Current Tank Info: 65 gal reef

10/05/2006, 06:31 PM	#10
usmcsgt Premium Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Pensacola Fl. Posts: 999	Putting to much salt water into the septic system can kill the benificial septic bactiria and you will have to get it pumped more often. __________________ There are no such things as limits to growth, because there are no limits on the human capacity for intelligence, imagination and wonder. -- Ronald Reagan Current Tank Info: 100 Gal Mixed reef Cube.

10/05/2006, 06:46 PM	#11
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Does the foundation have a drain? I have my foundation drain accessible from inside the basement for stuff like that currently its where my RO waste goes but I dont see why it couldnt be used for dumping waste change water. If your foundation is already complete and backfilled than it this may no longer be an opyion without alot of extra work. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/05/2006, 06:57 PM	#14
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	If they havent backfilled yet then you may still be able to create a drain access to the foundation drain. This may involve creating a hole in the foundation to get out to it, but its fairly simple to do. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/05/2006, 05:42 PM	#2
dustins Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 157	I dont know for sure but I would guess that it would kill the grass. Why dont you take some and dump it on a small patch and leave it for a couple days to see what happens?

10/05/2006, 05:42 PM	#3
elephen Moved On Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: kc Posts: 2,763	I've dumped tons of water in my yard and my neighbors and the grass where it is dumped does better then the rest of my yard it seems like.

10/05/2006, 05:44 PM	#5
dustins Registered Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Victoria, BC, Canada Posts: 157	Maybe it could depend on the salt?

10/05/2006, 05:51 PM	#6
silverwolf72 Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Lake Forrest CA Posts: 1,732	If it's run into a septic system I think it would prob be ok. If it drains strait onto the lawn prob kill the grass

10/05/2006, 05:51 PM	#7
xrunner1234 Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: NJ Posts: 618	I thought that was againt code.

10/05/2006, 05:59 PM	#8
docmenace Registered Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 93	Who care, grass sucks, and yard work sucks big time! Dead grass=good =) lol

10/05/2006, 06:03 PM	#9
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	lol... i considered into the syptic system but again id have the problem with getting the water pumped up from the basment.. . I dunno ill have to talk to the builder some more.

10/05/2006, 06:51 PM	#12
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	Ya they did the foundation today lol.

10/05/2006, 06:52 PM	#13
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	Hey I could always have the sump pump pump the water behind the house into the pond behind us then have a 5000+ gallon reef lol.

10/05/2006, 06:58 PM	#15
lclzgarling Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: rossville Posts: 54	if your worried that the salt will kill the grass buy a trash contanier with wheels and dump it in the drive. it killed the weeds once i think they like it now.

10/05/2006, 07:30 PM	#16
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	Anyone who lives where the roads are regulerly salted can attest to the fact that atleast desireable lawn grass doesnt do well in areas where large amounts of salt are present, just check the sides of the road. There are of course some grasses/weeds which have adapted. A thought just occured to me, if you consider using the foundation drain for waste water, you may also want to check local codes, or the building inspector to make sure its okay. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/05/2006, 08:02 PM	#17
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	If your septic system is an ETA, (evaporation, transpiration, absortion) it is a bad idea to introduce saltwater. It will damage or kill the evergreen trees necessary for the system to function. Where I am getting ready to build, ETA is currently the system of choice. Brine from a water softener is generally diverted to the downspout or footer drain. I am going to try to get a varience to drain the fishroom sink to the footer drain. So far, the inspectors have been very helpful. Is connecting the sump pump to the downspout drain an option?

10/05/2006, 08:28 PM	#18
VWD Smelly fish Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Denham Springs, LA Posts: 262	It will over time kill it __________________ Vince 120 RR Bare Bottom & 56 Bean animal connected to one sump. Life Reef external/blueline 40 HDX, Carbon reactor, GFO reactor, proton 48 led, 2 Kessils 160we tuna blue on 120 & 6 HQ t-5 on 56, b

10/06/2006, 09:31 AM	#20
namdrib2 Registered Member Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Norwood MA Posts: 131	Your utility sink should not be pumping its waste out into your yard (a code violation in most states). The waste from any fixture is supposed to be piped to the proper point of discharge. The sump in the basement is typically just to get rid of ground water not waste water. If it handles wastes like from a toilet or a laundry it is called a sewage ejector and has a sealed and vented pit. As far as the salt killing the grass it would depend on the amount of salt water. If you are dumping five gallons a day everyday in the same location it will eventually kill the garss. If you spread it around it won't. I dump an average of 15 gallons a week on to mine in different spots each time and my grass is doing fine. There is a lot of beneficial bacteria in the waste salt water.

10/06/2006, 10:22 AM	#21
stereomandan Premium Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Michigan Posts: 2,888	With a septic system, you are kind of screwed. Unless you can have your sump pump discharge into some remote area you don't care about, or out to the street. The sump pump is only supposed to be for removing excess water from the soil around the house though. Not salt water. Dan __________________ 90g Tank, 75 lbs Live Rock, T5, T8 and VHO Lighting, Closed loop on Snapper Pump 1.5" Sand in main tank, DSB in 38g Sump, B-ionic Daily, Temp 79, SG 1.026 LPS, Softies Current Tank Info: 90 Gallon Reef

10/06/2006, 02:04 PM	#22
Shnabbles Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Clayton, DE Posts: 1,316	What if i dug a 6-8 inch trench and put a PVC pipe in it that attached to the sump pumps exhaust... The PVC would be 30-40 feet long with holes drilled in it along the whole length so small amounts of water would leak out over a long stretch of yard so it wouldnt be a super amount of salt water in each location.. Im only doing 5 gallons a week now, but when the new tank is up ill probally be doing 20 gallons a week since it will be about 4 times the size.. The pond my house is a rain water run off collection area AKA pond lol... so even if i did it to the street it would eventually end up in the pond... only the sale might stain the street?

10/06/2006, 03:17 PM	#23
graveyardworm Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Nottingham, NH Posts: 7,251	I would doubt that 20 gals per week into your septic tank would cause any harm considering the hundreds of gals per day going in there. Thats alot of dilution, there is actually some components of the saltwater which are beneficial to the tank. __________________ -David- President - New Hampshire Reef Club There’ll be no one to save, with the world in a grave Current Tank Info: 100 gal lagoon/seagrass, 100 gal sump, Lifereef 72" skimmer, 180 inwall, 125 inwall seagrass/lagoon in progress

10/06/2006, 04:07 PM	#24
SCR Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Central, Fl Posts: 708	I don't know if you thought about it but your sink or pump may not like having salt water going threw it. Just a thought.

10/06/2006, 04:09 PM	#25
salty joe Registered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: medina, ohio Posts: 2,419	I'd agree, except for an ETA where salt would accumulate in the ETA leachfield. Would not do the evergreens a bit of good. __________________ Time to roll the dice.