Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. All Hydraloop devices have a start-up time of 21 days, this is required by the NSF-350 standard. During this period, the Hydraloop device will supply backup water. After the startup period, the device automatically switches to reuse water.

Yes. You can control your Hydraloop device with the app on your smartphone. In the app, choose Settings, and Priorities to change your priorities for greywater reuse at any time. For example, in summer you may decide to reuse water in the garden, in winter for laundry.

When a Hydraloop device has utillized all reusable water in the tank, the device will automatically switch to backup water. Backup water is usually tap water. As soon as new reusable water is available, the Hydraloop device will automatically switch back to reusable water to supply your non-potable sources.

When no greywater flows into the device for 72 hours, it will automatically switch to ‘holiday mode’. Once you start using water again and greywater is produced, the device will automatically restart water treatment.

When you go away for more than 3 weeks, the Hydraloop device will automatically empty all the reusable water from the tanks. Once you start using water again and greywater is produced, the device will automatically restart water treatment. Do not turn off the Hydraloop device during your absence. The power consumption will be very low.

This depends on your situation.

1. Your washing machine delivers greywater into the Hydraloop device and you use Hydraloop reuse water for laundry.

In this case, you can only use laundry detergents containing bleach in the washing machine if you use the Bypass option in your Hydraloop app. 

How to activate a temporary bypass:

In the Hydraloop app, go to Settings and select button four. (Cleaning shower/bath)

In the popup screen, select confirm.

In the Settings menu, button four now switches to green, indicating that the bypass is working. 

After cleaning, rinse well with plenty of tap water. 

To stop the bypass, select the green button. The color switches back to white and the bypass is stopped. 

If you do nothing, the bypass automatically switches off after six hours. 

Please note: If you accidentally use bleach without selecting the Bypass option, the biological treatment in the Hydraloop device is affected. Then you need to restart the bioreactor with your Hydraloop app. The ‘start-up procedure’ takes 21 days.

2. Your washing machine does not deliver greywater into the Hydraloop device, but you do use Hydraloop reuse water for laundry.

You can use laundry detergents containing bleach in the washing machine, because the used laundry water flows into the sewer. 

3. Your washing machine is not connected to the Hydraloop device for input or output water.

You can use laundry detergents containing bleach in the washing machine, because the used laundry water flows into the sewer. 

Yes, but if you want to dye your hair in the shower, you need to use the Hydraloop app for temporary bypass. This will temporarily redirect the incoming greywater directly to the sewer.

If you do not activate the bypass, hair dye will flow into the Hydraloop device. It wil not destroy the bioreactor, but the reuse water will be colored and could impact the treatment process.

In the app, go to Settings and select button three. (Rinsing out hair dye)

In the popup screen, select confirm.

In the Settings menu, button three now switches to green, indicating that the bypass is working. 

After washing out the hair dye, rinse well with plenty of tap water. 

To stop the bypass, select the green button. The color switches back to white and the bypass is stopped. 

If you do nothing, the bypass automatically switches off after six hours. 

The following items can negatively influence the cleaning performance of a Hydraloop device: 

Bleach 

Strong chemical non-biological cleaners  

Paints and solvents 

Pesticides and herbicides 

Motor oil and high amount of lubricants 

High amounts of pharmaceuticals and personal care products 

Heavy metals 

High amounts of body fluids or excretion 

Exceptionally large amounts of large particles or debris (sand/soil) 

Abnormally high amounts of massage oils, shampoos or liquid selfcare products like sunbathing oils. 

Hydraloop devices are designed to efficiently treat lightly contaminated greywater, like water from showers and baths. To ensure optimal performance, it’s important to avoid certainsubstances that can impact the system. Here’s a list of items commonly found in households that may affect your Hydraloop device: 

Bleach: While great for cleaning, high concentrations can harm the biological activity in the system. Avoid introducing water with chlorine concentrations above 1 ppm. If needed, use the Hydraloop app to activate the bypass option. 

Strong chemical non-biological cleaners: Harsh cleaning agents with strong chemicals, like oxidizers (in some bathroom cleaners and general cleaners), can disrupt the biological processes in the system. 

Paints and solvents: Chemicals in paints and solvents may be harmful to the biological processes occurring in the bioreactor. 

Pesticides and herbicides: These chemicals can negatively impact the microbial communities responsible for treating water in the bioreactor. 

Motor oil and lubricants: These substances can clog the treatment system, affecting both the process and the quality of the reusable water. 

Pharmaceuticals and personal care products: Certain substances in pharmaceuticals and personal care products may not be effectively treated in greywater systems, potentially affecting the biological treatment process. 

Heavy metals: Avoid introducing substances containing heavy metals, such as mercury or lead, into the system. 

Large particles or debris: Items that could damage the system or impede its operation, like excessive amounts of sand or gravel, should be kept out. If you intend to connect your Hydraloop device to showers in an outside pool area, make sure to install a sand filter that avoids larger amounts of sand to enter the device. 

Body fluids or excretion: While Hydraloop can handle small amounts of body fluids, large amounts (more than 250 mL during an average shower) should not be intentionally introduced. This includes vomit and blood. 

Massage oils, shampoos, and self-care products: Excessive disposal of these products through the shower drain can affect the system’s performance. As an indicator: do not empty a quarter (1/4) bottle of product in the shower drain.    

Please note: if you want to use these substances in the shower, you can always activate the Bypass Mode in the Hydraloop app. That way, the substances do not enter the Hydraloop device and are disposed directly into the sewer. 

In the Hydraloop app, select ‘Start-up Procedure’. This will empty the tanks and restart the bioreactor inside the Hydraloop device. During the start-up period, the device will automatically switch to backup water. You can use the shower and bath like you always do. When the biological treatment is fully operational, your Hydraloop device will automatically start recycling greywater and offer reusable water again.

The ‘Start-up Procedure’ takes 21 days. 

Descaling is part of the scheduled maintenance program of your device. Your Hydraloop installer will insert citric acid in the shower drain, which enters the Hydraloop device. Then, the device runs an internal cleaning cycle, descaling all essential components.

If a Hydraloop device does not have electricity for more than 1 hour, it will empty the tanks to the sewer. Once the power is back on, the device continues its normal program.

The start-up of a Hydraloop device will only take a few minutes.

No, but we do not recommend to disconnect your device. 

To disconnect a Hydraloop device, you first turn off the backup water supply, second you disconnect the power and third, you disconnect all physical connections (input and output connections). If you want to keep using all water sources in the building, we recommend connecting the the greywater input line to the sewer and connecting the backup water line directly to all reuse water outlets.