Biolytix system? Anyone got one?

[fiona]

I don't think I've seen this mentioned here. Anyone got a biolytix system? Any thoughts/comments on it?

http://www.biolytix.com

Fiona

[dgriffith]

Getting one installed in our new place in a few months or so. Quoted cost for the site (Daintree area, FNQ) is about $10000 for the high secondary model with the underground drip system (no UV sterilisation). Could have had a gravity-fed model installed as the place is on a fair slope, but I wanted to use the water on gardens above it, so there's a pump in there. There's a 5W air bubbler that runs all the time, the discharge pump runs when there's a few hundred litres of water ready to go.

Seems to be the most simplest of the recycling-type systems around. All the others (aqua-nova, some other brand I can't remember - biocycle?) need a decent source of power to run circulating pumps/blowers on and off 24/7. As our place is off grid for everything except (oddly enough) the phone, power consumption for me is a big issue.

Thought about a septic system - pretty poor soil and the leach field would need to be pretty big.

Thought about a composting toilet - design has a 2nd storey toilet, and the wife doesn't like "long drop" style composters. You can get micro-flush composting toilets from nature-loo if you want to go that way. (google for "centrex 2000"). But then I'd also have to do some sort of greywater system as well. Bit of mucking about there with two systems, hence the all-in-one ability of the biolytix one seemed pretty good.


Few things to note:

- Only needs yearly service , as opposed to quarterly for other brands. I don't really like "outsiders" having to visit often... I suppose (sigh) yearly is ok :D . I read their service manual and the yearly service is pretty much a case of looking in on top and saying "yup, everythings ok."

- No UV/chlorine dosing needed for the underground drip irrigation. Power hungry for the UV, lamps need replacing yearly ($250 ea), something else to go wrong. Chlorine needs ,well, more chlorine on occasion. If you go with the UV option (another $2000 or so) you can spray it above ground as opposed to drip irrigate.

- Worm driven system - needs input. Any more than a month or two of disuse and they might die off or go dormant.

- They recommend an insinkerator to take all your scraps to give the worms a bit of variety. The insinkerator option is nearly a thousand bucks though. You might want to choose a cheaper model.

Quite a few systems installed in FNQ, apparently they've been pretty good. Heard a few horror stories about the aqua-nova ones from the builder.

[cathy]

We found this system on the web just recently so looking forward to hearing about it as it does sound a very good idea. Thanks dgriffith for the info - very helpful. On curiosity if you don't mind - what price do they quote for the yearly visit. My understanding is that you have to sign a long term maintenance contract too.

Cheers

[dgriffith]

They have an all-in-one service/warranty plan thing that's $352/yr.

It covers all emergency repairs - parts/labour/callout fees,etc and also includes the yearly service.

It doesn't cover the irrigation side of it though. I'd have to check up on that part of it.

[fiona]

Being in a suburb of Sydney, we currently don't have to worry about our grey/black water at all - just all goes (not even septic/pump out). I am really wanting to use it for irrigation and also am feeling very guilty about the waste of it all, which is why I'm considering the biolytix.

Anyone know if it can just be retrofitted into a normal, suburban situation like this? I can't see any reason why not, pending council approval.

[del]

We looked at Biolytix very carefully and thought it looked like a great system. However, the only thing we didn't like was the phone line link required for monitoring system failure. Just didn't want to commit to always having a landline.
We ended up choosing a local system (SE Qld) called Natureflow.
As for getting approval in Sydney, About 10 years ago a sydney guy retrofitted his terrace house with all eco stuff (including an early model Biolytix system) and wrote a book about it - I think it was called 'The Sustainable House' - see if your library has it.
cheers!

[anaturallearner]

We were keen on getting one and ummed and ahhed for a year or two. We can't couple another toilet to our existing clivus multrum, which we're very happy with, by the way.

One potential problem we saw was powering the fan. We'd need to up our power generation and storage capabilities and that meant extra expense. The clivus manages without a fan because we are in a windy spot and we painted the flu above the roof black. The fan that came with the toilet drew too much during winter and in any case stopped working after a year. The only time we get smell in the bathroom is when we're raking the pile.

We've opted to eventually install a regular septic tank (run on rainwater) because the toilet(s) won't be used that frequently and the blackwater won't amount to much, plus the whole system works out cheaper and we don't need to continually monitor it. We ran a septic tank years ago without any of the problems that other septic tank uses seem to strike. We're on 4 acres, nowhere near a watercourse, so a suitably designed soakage trench would work for us. We intend growing mulch above the trench. Or putting the guinea pig run on it...

The other thing that bothered us about the biolytix was that it needs to be serviced annually. We're very much do-it-yourselfers. Anything to cut ongoing cost!

cheers
Beverley

[heuristics]

Hi Del,
The guys name was Michael Mobbs. Yes his book is the Sustainable House.
he is in the inner city and I visited on one of his tours about 15 years ago - I was interested in all this sustainability stuff long before I discovered permaculture.
He was a pioneer of real determination because inner city councils had ALL sorts of rules and regulations and he basically wnated to flout the lot.
He had a lot of qualifications and was able to fight them at their own game, but I think he has a bloody-minded determined nature and he just never gave up.
Despite the wins and precedents he has set other councils are still very obstructionist about all this sort of thing. They all get quite paranoid about sewerage disposal as it has such public health implications. They worry about saving their arses and it is easier to get everyone to follow the same rules.

Worth giving it a try, Fiona. Eventually as enough people buck the system and prove alternatives are possible, the easier it'll get.