A stone or sand trap is always recommended as part of an effluent management system. But why? What happens if you don’t have one?
The purpose of a stone trap is to capture all the useless solids (the ones without any nutrient value) and prevent them from entering your effluent storage. These are things like silt, sand, stones, palm kernels….the abrasive solids.
What happens if abrasive solids get into the effluent pond?
- Your pond/storage capacity will be taken up with useless solids that provide no nutrient value for spreading.
- You will need a powerful stirrer to be able to achieve a thorough mix and prevent these solids from accumulating at the bottom of the pond.
- These solids are abrasive and can harm your pump. This can cause pre-mature wearing.
- It is more likely your pipes will become clogged as the materials are heavier and harder to push through.
- It’s unlikely your irrigator will be able to handle the abrasive solids, and this too can become clogged.
How do you deal with abrasive solids?
Whether you have a stone/sand trap or not, the best way to deal with the unwanted abrasive solids is with a slurry tanker. A slurry tanker can suck up and pump out thicker slurries. This means it can be used for spreading your effluent if you decide not to have a stone trap. It can also be used to clean out a stone trap.
What can the abrasive solids be used for?
Since they hold little nutritional value, the most common use is for filling in holes in paddocks.