To: permaculture <permaculture@franklin.oit.unc.edu>
Subject: Re: (fwd) Re: Grey Water
Date: Sat, 17 Feb 2001 09:26:05 +0800
Couple of thoughts on this thread
In W.A. Alcoa markets caustic red mud ( a by product of alumina production)
as a
highly efficient phosphate absorber.
Also the best way for biological systems to remove phosphate is through animal
production - i.e. fish as in chinese carp/paddy field systems.
In grey water reed bed systems I'd reckon that invertebrate production would
be worth
a go e.g yabbies/gilgies/snails etc. Although I wouldn't eat them but feed
them to
another animal (chooks may be).
Phosphates main biological uses are in ATP and in teeth (i.e. apatite) - so
hot
blooded animals with lots of teeth are ideal - I know - genetically
engineered sabre
toothed tigers :-)