Storing Saltwater/RODI Water

[Tbone675]

I'll make this as simple as possible. I fill my brute with ro, i mix in salt until it is at the desired salinity. then I unplug the pumps and leave it. no mixing, no nothing for weeks. (i go 3 weeks between WCs.) the night before a WC i turn on the pumps and heater. the next day before the WC I double check salinity and temp. that is all...been doing it for years this way without one issue.

 

go buy a brute. they are structurally sound, dont leach, they have a lid, and many many many people use them. do not buy a square/thin container you will regret it.

[Wizzy]

I am in the same boat as you, in asking about premix, however, where I think I am ahead of you is in storage containers. I live in San Diego, and have 3 or 4 locations to choose from, I simply looked for a water recycling business (of which there are 3 or 4 in my immediate area). They had 20gallon, 26g, 36g, 40g, and 55g, along with 110g and 220g drums available. I guess food storage containers for vinegar and other substances are plenty full. I ended up with 2 18gallon plastic drums, with lids that had liners on them and clamped down with medal locking devices, I could tumble them down a 45 degree hill and hey wouldn't break. I paid $1 per gallon, and they had a entire back yard filled with hundreds of them, so I gotta figure you can find such a thing in your neighbor hood. Looks for composting, worm raising, any of those "green" water recycling type hippe type areas and you'll be set up. I had no problems finding containers that fit in my trunk, in my pickup, and in my garage, it was easier than finding a good LFS to sell me the specialized stuff that I wanted to find.

 

Good luck, if in San Diego, or near San Diego, I can point you to the locations, and I've even found them in Orange County, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, so Id say they are ABUNDANT, and you just need to search knowing what you are looking for.

 

 

Good luck...

 

-John

 

That sounds perfect

 

Could you give me a specific example?

 

Such as the place you went to get them.

 

It may make it easier for me to locate one in my area.

 

 

I'll make this as simple as possible. I fill my brute with ro, i mix in salt until it is at the desired salinity. then I unplug the pumps and leave it. no mixing, no nothing for weeks. (i go 3 weeks between WCs.) the night before a WC i turn on the pumps and heater. the next day before the WC I double check salinity and temp. that is all...been doing it for years this way without one issue.

 

go buy a brute. they are structurally sound, dont leach, they have a lid, and many many many people use them. do not buy a square/thin container you will regret it.

 

Thanks for the input.

 

I would like to not have to run a pump to save on the electricity.

 

Does anyone else do this with success?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

 

P.S. If I stored the water in a standard aquarium would I need to cover the sides to prevent algae growth?

[Wizzy]

bump

[Wizzy]

Just want to get some more opinions on-

 

Brute Trash Can OK?

 

Rubbermaid Storage Tote OK? (Link in above posts)

 

Circulation needed?

 

 

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[basser1]

I store water in 5 gallon plastic tote jugs, both SW and FW. I've kept them in a closet for as long as 3-4 weeks without any problems. No circulation needed.

[matt frizz]

For my RO water I keep it in a 7 gallon water jug used for camping from wally world. Pre mix saltwater just in a Home Depot bucket with lid, powerhead and heater.

 

This is what i do. Home depot buckit/powerhead/heater/lid and I do two at the same time and that's a 20% change for me.

[kalifornia]

Depending on where you are but I found food grade storage containers, ranging from 10 gallons and up for really cheap on craigslist

[Wizzy]

I store water in 5 gallon plastic tote jugs, both SW and FW. I've kept them in a closet for as long as 3-4 weeks without any problems. No circulation needed.

 

This sounds ideal.

 

I want to purchase a rubbermaid storage tote, but am worried about it leaching phosphates, etc.

 

Do you have a picture/link to the exact tote you are using?

 

 

This is what i do. Home depot buckit/powerhead/heater/lid and I do two at the same time and that's a 20% change for me.

 

Do you have a link/picture of the exact bucket you are using?

 

Is the plastic safe for a week or two of storage?

 

 

Depending on where you are but I found food grade storage containers, ranging from 10 gallons and up for really cheap on craigslist

 

Link or Location?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[Wizzy]

In addition to my other questions-

 

If I am storing RODI/saltwater and not circulating it do I need to circulate it before use?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[C.I._Reefer]

Hey before you get a can check this out. http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic101230.aspx I was going to get a can yesterday since i got my 90g system up and running, and now i dont know what to get, as that thread is making me wary.

[MrReefMan411]

In addition to my other questions-

 

If I am storing RODI/saltwater and not circulating it do I need to circulate it before use?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

 

 

 

everybody has answered your question do you still not under stand? i use 5gal orange homer buckets from home depot cost 2.60 for bucket 1.27 for lid i have stored ro and sw mix for over 6months in them just use a circulation pump 24hr before you use it

[Wizzy]

Hey before you get a can check this out. http://forum.marinedepot.com/Topic101230.aspx I was going to get a can yesterday since i got my 90g system up and running, and now i dont know what to get, as that thread is making me wary.

 

Thanks for the heads up.

 

 

everybody has answered your question do you still not under stand? i use 5gal orange homer buckets from home depot cost 2.60 for bucket 1.27 for lid i have stored ro and sw mix for over 6months in them just use a circulation pump 24hr before you use it

 

Thanks for the suggestion.

 

So, it seems that many of you have had success with not circulating your water during storage and only just before using it.

 

I am planning on doing that.

 

However, I would still appreciate more suggestions on specific plastic containers you all use.

 

I have heard so many horrific stories about plastics leaching that I am almost considering just using a standard aquarium.

 

If I did this what would be the best way to black out the sides and cover the top to prevent evaporation?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[Singlefin]

+1 for orange home depot buckets.

[Bazzar1986]

I use 1 of these to store RO/DI

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/pro...37114_200337114

Says its FDA-approved for potable water use and the drain hooks to a garden hose, and theres a flat spot to set an air pump on top. I mix SW in 5gal buckets the night b4 I use it.

[Zante]

My landlord works in a chocolate factory and always has loads of containers available. For example they receive the spirits they use in chocolates in 25 litre plastic drums and the nuts and coconut flakes in 20 litre buckets wit lids, and they are available to take away for free, since they dispose of them.

 

I have been using them to store my RO water with no issue for ages now,and now I use one to store my SW too.

 

Check any food manifacturing plant or catering firms. They probably dispose of these containers, and in the worst case you'll have to pay next to nothing for them. Being used to store food they must be... well... food grade.

 

As for algae, if they are not fully opaque, just store them in the dark, or throw a rug over them.

[Wizzy]

+1 for orange home depot buckets.

 

I may end up using those just a quick fix before I find a larger container (20 gallon range).

 

I use 1 of these to store RO/DI

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/pro...37114_200337114

Says its FDA-approved for potable water use and the drain hooks to a garden hose, and theres a flat spot to set an air pump on top. I mix SW in 5gal buckets the night b4 I use it.

 

Looks good, but I'm going to try some of the less expensive containers before I pay the premium for an FDA-Approved container.

 

 

My landlord works in a chocolate factory and always has loads of containers available. For example they receive the spirits they use in chocolates in 25 litre plastic drums and the nuts and coconut flakes in 20 litre buckets wit lids, and they are available to take away for free, since they dispose of them.

 

I have been using them to store my RO water with no issue for ages now,and now I use one to store my SW too.

 

Check any food manifacturing plant or catering firms. They probably dispose of these containers, and in the worst case you'll have to pay next to nothing for them. Being used to store food they must be... well... food grade.

 

As for algae, if they are not fully opaque, just store them in the dark, or throw a rug over them.

 

That's a good idea.

 

I'll try contacting someone.

 

And I can't believe I didn't think of throwing a towel over a glass aquarium to darken it.

 

Only problem is I still don't know how I can seal it well enough to prevent evaporation.

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[Zante]

Only problem is I still don't know how I can seal it well enough to prevent evaporation.

 

Thanks- Wizzy

 

Well... If you go for the industrial ingredients/catering containers, they will most probably come with a cap or a lid, so you'll haveno evaporation issues.

[Wizzy]

Well... If you go for the industrial ingredients/catering containers, they will most probably come with a cap or a lid, so you'll haveno evaporation issues.

 

Thanks for the info, but I was actually referring to a standard glass aquarium Lol

 

Sorry for the Confusion- Wizzy

[Wizzy]

bump

[Wizzy]

bump

[Spirofucci]

I make my RO/DI water outside from the hose into a 32 gal rubbermaid. I store some of it in 5 gal buckets from Lowe's. But I get the white buckets they sometimes sell that have a tighter fitting o ring seal lid. The rest is stored outside.

[Wizzy]

I make my RO/DI water outside from the hose into a 32 gal rubbermaid. I store some of it in 5 gal buckets from Lowe's. But I get the white buckets they sometimes sell that have a tighter fitting o ring seal lid. The rest is stored outside.

 

Thanks for the reply

 

Does anyone know if storing water for 2-3 months would be harmful?

 

Thanks- Wizzy

[cxdot]

you can store ro/di water w/o any circulation.

keep saltwater mixed with a powerhead, stagant water is toxic

[Boboli]

Big tank RO/DI

Smaller tank Saltwater mixing and storage with heater and Korilla pump .

I mix 25 gallons for 24 hours then do a water change.

I store 20 plus gallons of mixed saltwater in the smaller container and a couple hours before using plug the heater and pump in. I do 5 gallon water changes once a week from the same batch of pre mixed saltwater. So the last 5 gallons has been in there for a month.

And its all good!

[NancyC]

Don't buy Reliance 4 gallon jugs. I did. They all leak