FAQ

A wicking bed is a raised contained growing bed used for growing vegetables and herbs. It holds a body of water underneath the soil and this water wicks up into the soil from below and feeds into the root structure of your plants.

It works opposite to the conventional way of watering plants from above. It is a water wise method of growing vegetables and proves to use a lot less water than conventional methods of growing vegetables.

Water is contained below the soil (like a reservoir), it is wicked up via capillary action into the soil. The roots of your vegetable have access to this abundance of water.

Studies have shown that growing vegetables in a wicking bed system uses less water than conventional methods of growing vegetables.

A tunnel covered in plastic holds the heat within creating a warm and sheltered environment. This sheltered environment is a good thing as wind can severely damage and set back the growth of your vegetables. The warmth in the tunnel means you can “extend” the growing season of your summer vegetables.

The faeces of fish is composed of nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Interestingly fish excrete ammonia mostly from their gills as part of their digestion process.

In a RAWW System, the fish faeces solids are held back through mechanical filtration (this can be used as a fertiliser on fruit trees etc). The ammonia in the water is then biologically treated, which makes it available to plants in the form of nitrates. Nitrates is a form of nitrogen and plays an essential part in healthy leaf growth.

Fish excrete ammonia, bacteria break the ammonia down into nitrites. The nitrites are then broken down by another form of bacteria into nitrates. Nitrites consist of one nitrogen atom with two oxygen atoms. Nitrates consist of one nitrogen atom and three oxygen atoms.

From fish faeces you get nitrogen, phosphorous, potassium, calcium and magnesium along with several trace elements.

Most vegetables and herbs can be grown in a wicking bed system. I’ve had success with leeks, carrots, butternut, aubergine, beetroot, all leafy greens, tomatoes, beans and a variety of herbs.

I have a healthy rue plant growing in the wicking system which I trim and drop around my vegetables as a form of pest control. A comfrey plant is thriving in my wicking bed too. This I chop and drop, or make a tea from, to add into the soil as a natural fertilizer. I also let stinging nettle grow in the wicking bed and make a natural fertilizer tea from it.

The initial set up of Wicking beds is expensive.

Yes, a good layer of mulch is important. Not only does it provide food for the microorganisms but it also assists with water retention in your wicking bed.

Use organic fertiliser such as bone meal, chicken litter, vermicompost, matured cow, goat, donkey, horse manure and well-made compost.

The first layer is sand to assist with the wicking, followed by a good mix of potting soil and compost.

1. Vegetables don’t dry out in a wicking bed as they have a constant supply of water to absorb through their roots.
2. There is less weeds to control in this type of environment.
3. Being raised beds, the vegetables are grown at a comfortable height.
4. In a closed tunnel system with wicking beds, the temperature is consistently warm and protected from cold winds and excess rain.

Grey water is made up of the water used from your bathroom (baths, showers, wash basins) and water used for clothes washing. It contains the products that we use to clean with – soaps, shampoos, oral hygiene products and laundry detergent chemicals. It is also comprised of “fluff” from the clothes wash and hair.

Untreated Grey water can be directly used on your lawn and flower beds. Treated Grey Water has more uses such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.

The easiest and most cost-effective way to reuse your grey water is to redirect all the relevant waste water pipes into a transfer tank. From here it can be pumped out onto your garden.

Greywater must be used within 48 hours. Storing it for longer will cause the grey water to rot and an unpleasant smell will occur. The unpleasant smell is due to the lack of oxygen and the grey water becomes anaerobic making the grey water noxious, and this needs to be avoided. Rule of thumb for reusing untreated grey water is – grey water in, immediately grey water out.

Untreated grey water, if managed correctly, will not necessarily have negative effects in your garden. By moving your garden sprinkler around often, the grey water is spread out as widely as possible and this will alleviate build-up of salts in the soil. By making a conscious choice to use more ecofriendly products in your cleaning routine, you will be lessening the salt and chemical load that could potentially build up in your garden.

About 80% of the water we use on a daily basis can be reused. Most of the water we use is to keep ourselves clean. This water can be reused directly into your garden which keeps your garden flourishing and provides a sanctuary for insect and birdlife.

Reusing grey water has a positive impact in keeping your garden flourishing which, in turn, impacts the natural world of insect and birdlife in a positive and balanced way. Up to 80% of your daily water usage can be reused in this way.

Every toilet flush uses between 6 to 12 litres of fresh water. Multiply that by 5 flushes in a day and that amounts to 30 to 60 litres of fresh valuable water. By recycling your grey water through a Grey Water Treatment Plant and piping it back into your toilet cistern, you will make a huge impact on your water bill and our precious water resource.

The perfect time to install a Grey Water Treatment Plant is at the beginning of a new build. This will take into consideration that the necessary pipe work is put in place, creating a more ecofriendly, water efficient way of living.

Grey water can be treated biologically making it more user friendly with a wider use of application than untreated grey water reuse. Treated grey water can be reused for topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.

It can only be a problem if it is utilised incorrectly. Untreated grey water must not be stored for long periods of time. And it is not fit for human consumption.

Grey water can be treated and reused. Waterfirst offers Grey Water Treatment Plants that uses a biological treatment process to clean the water. The water can then be reused in various ways such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.

Pipelines coming from your bathroom and laundry get diverted to a central collection point. From here, if it is untreated, it will get pumped onto your garden. If you are treating the grey water, it goes into a Grey Water Treatment Plant where it is treated biologically and can be used in various ways such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.

You can either use it directly into the garden or biologically treat it through a Grey Water Treatment Plant which will give you a wider application such as topping up swimming pools, flushing toilets (this entails a separate pipeline from your municipal line feeding into your toilet cistern), washing cars, tackling outdoor cleaning projects and for irrigating vegetables.

All tank manufacturing suppliers will have individual warranties/ guarantees. By installing your tank in a shaded area or undercover, you can increase the longevity of your tanks.

An over flow pipe should be installed so that when your tanks are full, the excess water can be directed to a convenient location to drain out.

A pump will increase the volume outflow and assist in pressurizing your system, be it for irrigation or for household usage.

A concrete plinth or solid level compacted area is necessary. Water tanks get heavy when they fill up! Remembering 1litre of water is the equivalent of 1kg weight.

Ideally place your tanks on the shady side of your home. This will increase the longevity of your tanks and keep your water cooler.

Having a screen and first flush unit installed will keep debris out of the tank. Make sure that the lid is properly closed and that there are no holes that are open for creepy crawlies and such to enter.

You can cut down on your municipal water bill by harvesting rain water. Rainwater can be used for general household purposes, watering your garden or to top up your swimming pool. By installing a rainwater harvesting unit, if there is a municipal water outage, you have a backup supply of water.

You can cut down on your municipal water bill by harvesting rain water. Rainwater can be used for general household purposes, watering your garden or to top up your swimming pool. By installing a rainwater harvesting unit, if there is a municipal water outage, you have a backup supply of water.

The best method of rainwater harvesting is from your roof into tanks or an underground reservoir. Make sure you have the correct guttering installed to maximize the water flowing into your storage units.

Water is harvested from your roof. Having a good guttering system in place ensures your maximum harvesting of water. These gutters are fed into tanks that hold the water for further use.