Tom Watson experiments with, designs and builds various sustainable projects including pumice wicks, worm toilets, night-sky refrigerators, pumice-crete buildings, site, land and water analysis, water purification and low-cost housing, and simple bridges. He is interested in exploring failures. PO Box 8, Embudo NM 87531; ph (505) 579-4001.
What are One Rock Dams and Pumice Wicks? One Rock Dams, or "ORD" structures, are simple water harvesting techniques that work extremely well in our high desert …
Multiply this number by 7.48 (this is the number of gallons per square foot). For example, a 10×10 foot roof will give 100 square feet. If your rainfall in 2 feet, this will equal 200 square feet of rain — multiplied by 7.48 equals 1497 gallons of water per year. Metric measurements are slightly easier.
A pumice wick is made up of layers of pumice, newspaper or porous mesh, and dirt. Water directed into the wick slowly filters down and along it – sometimes to a deep gravel-filled hole that water can be recycled from, sometimes to a rain garden or swale. ... Rainwater can be collected and used on your garden and for other uses such ...
A pumice wick is made up of layers of pumice, newspaper or porous mesh, and dirt. Water directed into the wick slowly filters down and along it – sometimes to a …
The only way to increase drainage in a potting medium is to change its composition, which change its physical properties, turning it into a faster-draining potting medium. The diagram below shows how the size of particles in a potting medium affect drainage. The first pot is filled with a potting medium in a pot, and has a perched water …
pumice wick; July 21, 2010. July 21, 2010. Categories . rain gardens; rainwater harvesting; stormwater pollution; stormwater runoff; water pollution; Managing Stormwater. Ever thought of where stormwater ends up? Poorly-managed stormwater can damage your property and the wider environment – but, managed properly, it can be good for […]
City/Town Water Community Well Private Water Rain Water Shared Well Reclaimed Water System Greywater Reuse System. Sewer Utilities . City/Town Sewer Private Sewage Pumice Wick Rock/Reed Tight Tank. Do you live in an HOA? Yes No. Association Fee . What does the fee include?
To build a Watson Wick system, you´ll need to dig a 2.5-foot deep trench and lay 18-24 inches of pumice covered by 6-12 inches of topsoil. The length of your trench will depend on the size of your family …
Pumice Wicks: Rainwater or Greywater System A pumice wick system functions in a similar way whether it is a rainwater or greywater infiltration system. Water can captured …
Pumice is a very low-density, form-like, mostly light-colored glassy volcanic rock with a vesicular texture, not a mineral. This rough, porous rock forms from mostly silicic, high-viscosity, volatile-rich lava during an explosive volcanic eruption. The explosive eruption ejects blobs of lava, which rapidly froth up, cools, and solidifies ...
However, you can also use it to wick away moisture. ... Thus, pumice is a better choice when it comes to amending soil for taller plants, ... To help keep fluoride from accumulating in your plant's soil, try giving your plants rainwater, distilled water, or filtered water. You should avoid mineral waters and tap waters since these usually ...
Wicking beds are a unique and increasingly popular way to grow vegetables. They are self-contained raised beds with built-in reservoirs that supply water from the bottom up – …
The Watson Wick System takes a plumbed flush toilet and directs the goods through 3-inch ABS or PVC pipe directly into an infiltrator (or several) with no septic tank. In this system the infiltrator sits on top of a bed of pumice rock — the "wick" part of the system — on grade, not buried below the surface. The one we installed used ...
Four successive trials with gypsophila, rose, cucumber, and lettuce grown on different pumice grades were conducted in a heated glasshouse. In the gypsophila experiment, three grades of pumice (0 to 2, 0 to 5, and 0 to 8 mm) were tested, whereas in the rose, cucumber, and lettuce experiments, four pumice grades (0 to 2, 0 to 5, 0 to 8, …
Water is drawn upwards through the Leca balls by a wick system, also known as capillary action: the liquid adheres to the material in the cavities and is propelled upward through the porous network by the …
Forked Lightening Ranch - Design and installation of erosion control gabions, native species re-vegetation, rainwater catchment system and pumice wick infiltration. Santa Fe River Restoration Project - Native grass and wildflower restoration along the Santa Fe River from San Isidro river crossing to Lopez Lane, funded by the County of …
networkearth. Aerobic Pumice Wick. TOM WATSON. An aerobic pumice wick is used to filter, clean and decontaminate greywater and blackwater. To create a pumice wick, an …
Install a rain garden, pumice wick or swale. A rain garden is an attractive and effective way of slowing stormwater flow. Water is filtered and absorbed as it slowly …
If you want to use water far from the canale, the location must be downhill. Run 4-inch (unperforated) pipe from the canale to the desired location, and begin your wick. Add 10 to 12 inches of pumice to the bottom of the trench then on top a layer of 20-24 sheets of newspaper, which will prevent dirt from clogging the pumice.
When integrated with a rainwater, greywater or blackwater system, they provide a great method to reuse water onsite and reduce our water footprint. In Northern New Mexico, …
When designing your wicking bed, it is important to keep the depth of the media-filled water reservoir at or below 300mm as the capillary action struggles to lift the water higher than that. The soil above the …
Because pumice is heavier, it does not blow away in storms or winds, unlike perlite, which is lighter. You may use pumice to increase the weight of potted plants that may trip over during a storm. Pumice is more expensive than perlite. Perlite can be found in the local garden center, but pumice is not widely available.
Summary: vWatson Wicks, also known as pumice wicks, are a very simple, inexpensive septic system alternative; shallow, subsurface bio swales designed to reuse the nutrients and water in blackwater for irrigating and feeding plants. Tom Watson —the guru. He's available for consulting at PO Box 8, Embudo, NM 87531 or (505) 579-4001.
Formed during explosive volcanic eruptions, pumice is a type of igneous rock that emerges when frothy magma cools rapidly, trapping gas bubbles within its structure. As the magma solidifies, it forms a lightweight, porous rock with a distinctive spongy texture. The Secret of Buoyancy: Imagine a rock so light that it can float …
The weight of the soil should provide some corrective pressure. 5. Make sure the base is on a level plain (this is important for adequate wicking). 6. Finish punching the holes and attaching the ...
tion of pumice wicks is to harvest rainwater, but another function is that they help to control erosion. Instead of allowing gallons of water to pour off of ... begin your wick. Add 10 to …
Line this hole with impermeable plastic sheeting. Cut a length of plastic pipe so that it spans the hole, and drill several holes into the side of it that faces down. Attach a 90-degree bend and a shorter straight piece to one end of the pipe, so that it reaches straight up higher than the final soil line.
The second most common use of pumice is in landscaping and horticulture. The pumice is used as a decorative ground cover in landscaping and planters. It is used as drainage rock and soil conditioner …
Cost: 1 1/2″ 3-way valve $50, salvaged stock tank $0, salvaged pipe and fittings $25, filter fabric for frost-free sump $10, gravel $50. Total materials: $135. Fixtures: Shower/ bath. MUD's greywater system combines a …