Can I leave mixed saltwater laying around for awhile?

[Solarfall]

The water pressure in my house is total ass and it takes forever to get a water change out of my RO.
I was thinking maybe I could just mix up a batch of like 30 gallons at a time to last me a few weeks and leave it in a sealed tote with a powerhead running.
Will my water get all kinds of bacteria if I do this? It would really make life a lot easier for me.

 

[dcantucson]

Most of us do.
I see nothing wrong with it.

 

[bjohanson1234]

You could just leave the RO water in the container then mix up salt water as needed. I have a 5 gallon bucket of RO that I use for top offs. Lasts me a bout 3 weeks or so for my 30 gallon.

Brian

 

[Solarfall]

Alright so I don't have to worry about it stagnating or anything?

 

[bjohanson1234]

just make sure that it gets mixed up real good with some surface rippling about 24 hours before you do a water change so that it is nice and oxygenated

 

[Bifferwine]

I let my water sit for weeks at a time too. But I let it sit when it's fresh. I'd wait until you're ready to use it to add salt.

 

[project5k]

i try and mix mine 2 or 3 days before i use it, and i keep a heater and a pump running in the trashcan non stop from start of mix till putting it in the tank.. I'm allways afraid that if i dont let it mix for a couple days that it wont all be desolved and i'm not getting good measurements..

a friend of mine told me that leaving it mixed for too long could cause other problems, but i never asked if he ment just from stagnation or algal growth or just cause the salt would eventually settle out some or what....

 

[daugherty]

i keep a 64 gallon trashcan full of ro water just incase i need it

 

[project5k]

yep, i'd like to do that as well... i just dont have the filter or the warewithall to transport that much in one pass right now...

but its a good idea, you can use it in the tanks, you can drink it, you could cook with it, lots of things, should the municipal supply stop.

 

[bjohanson1234]

That there is a good reason to get an RO unit. Incase contaminated!!!!

 

[daugherty]

yep, i'd like to do that as well... i just dont have the filter or the warewithall to transport that much in one pass right now...

but its a good idea, you can use it in the tanks, you can drink it, you could cook with it, lots of things, should the municipal supply stop.

here is my trash can it is easy to set up

 

[project5k]

i've seen that pic before...

did you ever end up changing out that brass fitting?

 

[daugherty]

no i have not my bad when i remember to change it i dont have the extra cash than i forget about it when i do i have it on my list of things to do but i will get it one day i hope

 

[Solarfall]

Sweet this'll make everything much easier.
My Ro came with a free float valve too that I just never bothered using because I never make enough water for it to be neccesary, now I can use it for either this or I could try rigging an auto-top off system.

 

[project5k]

yea, or you could order one more float valve, and actually do both at the same time.

 

[daugherty]

i have both but you will need a pressure tank to move the water better.

 

[project5k]

Yea, there is that...

 

[dcantucson]

Or an electric pump.

 

[project5k]

i dunno, i guess i'm just against the pump idea, cause its just another part that can fail, the level detection contacts could fail, the pump could quit, bla bla bla, i'm just more comfortable with a simpler solution.. gravity.. its all you really need.

 

[dcantucson]

Yeah that would be best I agree. But a big giant container mounted above my sump or tank wouldn't look too cool.