bio-filtering

    bio-filtering cannot be done during the freezing time of the year, unless climate-controlled.  a greenhouse, or similar.  in the urban environment, the best place, imo,for such a tempered system, is the roof.  pump dirty water up using a solar-powered pump, where it is turned into plant matter, such as algae for food and fuel.  clean water returns to the house by gravity.  have it return to the house via a convuluted black metal pipe, and heat it in the winter via insolation.  it would sterilize the already clean water.  have this run through some thermal mass to transfer its heat, for release later, when temps drop.  a living house.  i'd love to have the gas line shut off because i know longer needed it.  and cancel PECO.  i'd keep water service for the toilet.  have nothing in the basement, except water tanks, and a large woodstove, or a masonry stove.  load it up every two days.  do some bio-filtering down there.  doesn't take much light.  a few solar panels on the south-facing wall,  a couple of golf cart batteries.  cucumber plants climbing up the wind generator pole........
not needing "trashbags"..............
*sigh*..........



    imagine....harvesting cyanobacteria and algae (major super-foods), from the system that cleans your water.          i have some surfing to do :)

http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/hawaiirain/Library/Guides&Manuals/CAWST%20files/Biosand%20Filter%20Manual_Version%2010_Sep%2009[1].pdf

http://www.sodis.ch/methode/anwendung/ausbildungsmaterial/dokumente_material/manual_e.pdf

so.......I will collect rainwater, into the big green thing; it is my collection tank.  it will have a drain pipe near the bottom, to empty into a clean 55g drum filled with crushed limestone, to correct the acidic ph of the rainwater.  from there, it will enter the bio-sand filter (i will fill it by opening a valve), and i will personally monitor the water level to ensure 2in. of water above sand.  once i have bio-filtered water, i will sterilize it using the sun.  i'm not sure of the method yet.  i don't like SODIS.  PET plastic or not.  i'd want glass.  but even better..........i'd like stainless steel tubing, painted black, attached to the wall ("the wall" 9 times out of 10, refers to the exterior wall, which faces southish), and run my water through it on sunny days, to collect and protect.
 or, an insulated, glass-faced unit, framed out in re-claimed lumber..............

the bio-filter would shut down in winter, and take time to start back up in spring, so i need a good amount of storage. a bank of 55g drums in basement, perhaps...........use a photo-voltaic powered pump to circulate stored water through the black steel tubing on sunny winter days, and heat up drums of water in your basement;  that's gotta help a heating bill.
 
sit around, telling stories next to the warm drums of pure fluoride/chlorine-free water...........the green fireplace.