Mushroom spawn — oyster (Pleurotus ostreatus), wine cap (Stropharia rugoso-annulata), or another saprotrophic fungus identified by an expert.
Straw or dry leaves to cover.
Stones or logs to channel water.
Build (in order)
Find where dirty water already flows. Stay at least 30 m (100 ft) from any drinking well, spring, or open source you draw from. Use a larger distance if local rules require it.
Dig a trench or build a raised bed: ~30 cm wide, 30 cm deep, gentle slope (≤1 %). Aim for hydraulic loading of 0.05–0.5 m³ per m² per day.
Add 5–10 cm gravel for drainage.
Add 5–10 cm coarse sand for sediment capture.
Add 15–25 cm fresh hardwood chips mixed with spawn (~1:10 spawn:chips by volume). Target ≥10 minutes residence time at design flow.
Cover with 3–5 cm of straw or leaves to hold moisture.
Direct inflow at one end, outflow at the other. Use stones to keep water in the bed.
Allow 3–6 weeks of moist, unloaded establishment before sending dirty water through. Keep the bed damp — never flooded.
What to expect — and what not to
Turbidity and suspended solids: typically reduced by ~50–90 %.
BOD/COD: typically reduced by ~30–70 %.
Indicator bacteria (E. coli, coliforms): typically reduced by 1–2 log10; not pathogen-free water.
Heavy metals, viruses, parasites, pesticides, fuels: not reliably removed.
Layer view
Straw / leaves moisture cover
Wood chips + mycelium main biology layer
Coarse sand sediment capture
Gravel drainage base
Maintenance — at a glance
Inspect after every heavy rain. Patch any bypass channels.
Top up dry straw cover when bare.
Replace wood chips every 2–4 months.
Bad smell = anaerobic (no oxygen). Add dry matter and improve airflow.
Stop using the bed and seek expert advice if you notice a fuel or chemical smell, an upstream spill, or an animal die-off near the source.
Do not
Drink the untreated output.
Use the output to irrigate vegetable gardens or food crops without verified disinfection in between.
Use for industrial chemical contamination.
Eat mushrooms grown on a contaminated bed.
Place near drinking wells without local expert review.
Final treatment is required before drinking. Use a verified disinfection method per your local health authority.
Mycelium beds are pre-treatment only. They do not make water safe to drink. For drinking-water treatment or any incident, ask qualified local people. MycoEco is informational only. It is not medical, first-aid, treatment, or engineering advice. Provided as-is, with no warranty. Check and follow your local laws and regulations.