John Rains

I agree with the other posters, the setup seems a little complicated not to mention the cost of getting a custom tank and stand built. I guess if the stand is supported by the floor and not the RMH that should be fine. Heat transfer is a function of area and it doesnt seem like you would get much area from having the fire riser partially (I dont see dimensions) envloped by the tank. I wonder if anyone has thought about putting the exchanger (copper coil and jacket) around the outside of the fire riser instead of the J-tube? Good luck!

Just my thoughts. If your site has higher elevations you could always pump waste somewhere on site that is above the water table. If not you could still pump to a mound system or elevated reed beds/constructed wetland. You might want to verify with some perc tests on your site to verify the depth to high water table.

You might could go tankless if you use a compost toilet and bin system for your solid waste and then have all liquid waste goto a reed bed/subsurface wetland. One reason I dont want a septic tank for treatment is just having to pump residual solids out of the tank and dispose/compost. Just put a grease/grit interceptor before youre discharge to the reed bed/wetland from the graywater plumbing. You could probably get away with draining the compost bin leachate to the reed bed as well. Check your local/state regs for locating your system though...Here I have to maintain a 75' setback from the property line and its making me rethink where Im going to put my system.

Your family may generate enough solid waste for a digester but in your climate it would probably be a slower digestion rate and that might affect digester volume and gas production. I could see puting the digester or a series of small digesters in a solar greenouse solving this without much heating cost. To me it seems simple enough to try compost toilet with graywater system. To me these alternative system outside of a standard septic tank and leachfield only make sense if youre going to reclaim nutrients in your wastewaters from harvesting biomass out of a reed bed or wetland...if I didnt care about that I would just do a standard septic and leachfield.

Austin Durant wrote:OMG plasmoid tech, yes! Who have you been studying here-- Bendall & Alchemical Science? Dan Winter? Clif High? Joe Cell? Others? Always looking to learn more here. It's definitely high on my list to get some land where I can tinker with this in relative privacy!

I love hearing Clif High ramble on about schizo weird woo stuff...this is the year right?

I guess Ill throw it out there too for those in north central Alabama. The Indian Creek Trail in Huntsville, AL has alot of Osage Orange and PawPaw trees. I was able to collect OO seedballs this fall...folks in the area can check in with me later in the year for seedlings.

Hey there, someone with a PDC might be better qualified for your landscape design but if you need any assistance with layout, grading and drainage I can take a look from a civil engineering perspective, just send a PM.

Please keep us posted on your orchard progress Dennis and let us know when you have stock to sell! Good luck!

Wow this thread really blossomed while I was sleeping. Can anyone recommend good local vendors for reasonably priced perennials, shrubs and trees? Does anybody in this thread propagate and sell?

I should have grabbed bagged leaves in the fall but just didnt get around to it. Do you have any other local resources for stuff?

So only 3 dudes into permaculture in the Huntsville area? come on now

Dennis,

Where can you get this free wood chip mulch? I could definitely use some for my perennial beds.

Hey there, Im in Madison these days but I do most of my gardening in Mentone still. Is there any place to get free mulch in the area?