Reed Beds

[MidnightFarm]

We were thinking of having a reed bed filtration system to manage our waste water. We know that it is the rhizomes on the roots that do the deed as it were, but would we have to stop using detergents and other cleaning products in order to not kill them off? Come to think of it, how big would it need to be and and siting requirements too? We assume there will be some sort of ratio, or formula relating to output service and surface run off areas. Anyone got any experience or ideas?

[The Riff-Raff Element]

In principle, you should be able to use any detergent on the market: they are supposed to be biodegradable. That said, my inclination would be to the natural brands. I looked at this years and years ago and the equation is not a simple one. A lot depends on lifestyle, soil, climate and the numbers of people involved. The CAT - Centre for Alternative Technology - in the UK has done masses of work on reed bed systems: you could try them.