Clay Sink Drain Solutions For Mild Climates-My Setup

[Mark C.]

I recently a few months ago redid my studio sink drain scene.

I have a old recycled sink that has been in use since 1973 in clay studio.

Notice the high spout and the ball valve you can turn on or off with your elbow 

Also the flexible silicone tubing for squirting out buckets.

I replumbed it to these settling tubs-the sink drains into a 35 gallon long plastic feed tub

then gravity feed the next 30 gallon tub then drains to a 75 foot rubber hose to a shallow planter tray that waters one of my timber bamboo patches-also is a bird bath.

The tubs have wooden-tight lids to mosquitoes cannot get into them. Since it does not freeze much these work fine in this climate.The feed in abs pipe is not glued and pops off to get the lid off to shovel.

I use the flat shovel to  get the solids out and fill a clay box and let dry and then recycle them to my road grinding plant down the street . This is working very well as I'm on  larger scale than most but you could scale down the idea to your situation.

The 3rd water catcher is always clean looking with no clay in it.

I"m on a well so water conservation is important.

Mark

PS the sink need cleaning I know-but its looked this way for 4 decades 

[Denice]

I also have a settling system it's in the basement, I have 3 five gallon buckets stacked on each other.  Each bucket interior is divided into three section, the clay water has settled in 9 sections before it comes out clear and runs into a sump pump.  My studio is upstairs and I have a regular kitchen sink that the drain lines are routed to the buckets.  I am still very conservative with water.   Denice

[Chantay]

Thanks for the photos and explanation.  I'm moving a-g-a-i-n and will need to use a home made set up with a water hose and similar drain system.