I'm starting a new build. The tank is a Planet 150. Build thread to come, the sump will be in the utility room in my basement. I have a Zoeller sump pump which is a pretty decent pump from what I can tell. Was thinking about kicking my water change waste water to my home sump pump, as well as my RO run off when necessary. Is there a verdict out for this? It would be 30-40 gallons of saltwater once every month or two with RO water flushing the pit as well. I would flush with freshwater after the W/C as well. Thanks in advance.
Saltwater into home sump pump
- Thread starter Bkatz1
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Gtinnel
10K Club member
I don't see why the ro waste would be an issue. I don't know anything about that pump but I'd guess the saltwater would be hard on it. My qt tank is in my utility room and when doing a water change I dump the old water into my sump and then turn the pump on to remove most of the water. I haven't had any issue from it, but I'm using a cheap sump pump that I need to replace anyway.
dennis romano
Valuable Member
Flushing with fresh water is the way to go. The salt may corrode the pump. Where does the water go, sewer or septic? Here in NJ, it is illegal to pump water from sump to sewer. My town made me replumb my sump because they said all of the excess water overwhelms the sewers
Gtinnel
10K Club member
Not encouraging you or anyone to do something illegal, but how did the town know that your sump was tied into your homes sewer drain?
Both my tanks water changes (both tanks are over a 100 gallons in size for reference) are dumped into a utility sink in my basement powered by a Zoeller pump. No issues with this pump in 2 years. I did replace a cheaper contractor grade sump pump (Home Depot generic) and that did not last too long. The Zoeller pump is solid though, you'll be fine.
I'm in NJ too. I think the poster is talking about the same setup I have where the laundry sink drain is plumbed to a pit with a sump pump. Perhaps you are referencing the house sump pump that keeps water out of the house. I actually have both. A house sump to keep water out that drains to the outside and then the laundry sink sump which the washing machine and laundry utility sink drain into a sump and into the house main sewer line.
dennis romano
Valuable Member
When my neighborhood was built in 1960, they used Orangeburg pipe for sewer lines. Orangeburg pipe was nothing more than tar paper rolled into a tube. Within the last decade, every house in my neighborhood had their sewer line collapse. When mine failed, there was a geyser of sewer water coming out of the kitchen drain. The town sent inspectors to every collapse, who brought all kinds of sensors and cameras. They saw my sump hook up and requested nicely to change it. If the line failed from your house to the curb, you were responsible. If it failed from the curb to the main sewer in the street, the town had to repair it. Typical repair was $5000.
workhz
Valuable Member
I only do about 15 gallons once a month and decided that just carrying buckets of salt water to the bathroom was a better idea, not because of the pump issue which is replaceable but I had no idea what the salt water would do to the concrete sump pit or whether anything weird would start growing in there. Do you have a bathroom near your utility room on the same floor at least?
dennis romano
Valuable Member
I have the same set up. My washer is plumbed into a macerating toilet, then is pumped into the sewer. Whenever I dump salt water into the tub that pumps into the sewer, I always flush with fresh water afterwards. I know how salt water is corrosive, so I would rather be safe than sorry.
Gtinnel
10K Club member
Ah ok. I do my best to keep any kind of inspectors out of my house.
workhz
Valuable Member
How about access to a drain pipe? Maybe you can add a utility sink easily. Not saying dumping it all in the sump is a problem but perhaps this is impetus to add something even more useful.
Rmckoy
7500 Club Member
It would depend where you live and whether the sump pump pumps it into the sewers or outside as run off water which would eventually end up in the ground .
Some municipalities would frown on salty water as run off or pumped into the ditches ( salt kills vegetation )
Along with what ever else is in the water .
What they don’t know won’t hurt ……
Some municipalities would frown on salty water as run off or pumped into the ditches ( salt kills vegetation )
Along with what ever else is in the water .
What they don’t know won’t hurt ……
trainbob
Active Member
Once worked for Ingersoll rand and we built pumps for the navy and they would some times send a pump back to us for research . After seeing what the saltwater did to those pumps I pour my water in the ground by bucket
Utility sink in the basement would end up in my ejector pump in basement. Same issue. It's either going to ejector pump or sump pump, and I think my sump is better quality. 40gallons once every 4 to 6 weeks shouldn't be a huge deal considering everything that goes in our sump.
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