Make up water storage

[Brianw1970]

I have been storing my RO/DI water in a large Brute trash can for over a year now. Yesterday I put a heater in the bottom on it so the water can warm up to that of the tank and I found that the bottom of the trash can was very slimey. What is it and I am sure it is not good? What should I use to clean it and how wxactly should I be keep make up water? Should I use the heater and a powerhead?

 

[Cathic]

if you empty it Vinegar and Water, 50-50 solution will clean out most things and be safe to store your water in right after. Not sure what it is, could be solvents found in your salt that arent getting circulated do you have a powerhead in the container and are you using the water semi-fast?

 

[wontonflip]

Yeah, just part of stagnant water. You could put a powerhead in there, just to keep the water agitated. I don't do it myself, but mine doesn't really get slimy. I guess because the water gets used up quickly. But I do rinse the container everytime the water gets low. Adding a heater might just make it worse because you're making it a hospitable environment for bacteria. (my guess).

I suggest heating the water the day before your planned water change. I don't heat my water until the day before, and it's worked well.

 

[Navarchus]

Hi Brian,

+1 Wonton.

Things will grow in heated salt water. My storage trash cans used to get slimey as well when I kept them heated, even with a powerhead circulating the water.

Now, I don't heat the stroage water anymore, and that minimizes the slime. If I am going to do a water change, I bring the H2O up to temperature the day I'm doing the change. Then remove the heater again. This saves electricity, and it prevents the slime from growing and stealing all the nice nutrients from the water.

Also, I recommend running a small power head in your storage tank at all times.

 

[Brianw1970]

I don't have a dedicated faucet hook up for my RO/DI system so everytime I make water I have to disconnect my cold water hookup from my washing machine and then I make 20 gallons and store it in my Brute trash can until I need it. I get about 5gallons an housr. My 140gallon DT losses about a gallon a day with the lids off. I have an extra 29 gal tank I am going to use to set up a ATO system. Any suggestions on a reliable ATO system?

 

[Navarchus]

Many places that sell RO/DI wil lhave ATOs you can purchase. I would try looking at the website of your RO/DI manufacturer.

What a pain it must be to disconnect your washer and drier all the time. Putting in a dedicated fauctet hook up is pretty easy if you are willing to do a little plumbing. It is relatively simple to cut copper piping and install a faucet. Soldering Copper Pipes Tutorial

 

[Brianw1970]

I built my tank in the wall and there is some plumbing than runs in the ceiling above that I could tie into, which would make things so much easier, especially since I have to tote the 5 gal buckets from my 2nd floor to the tank in the basement. I just don't have the experience with plumbing but I'll check out your articel.tks.

 

[d2mini]

Scroll to the very bottom of this page.
I have one of those Y fittings attached to my cold water line behind the washer. One side goes to my ro/di and the other goes to my washer.
Tap Water Fittings

 

[Brianw1970]

Can I use an air stone in my make up water container instead of a powerhead? Any benefits to either?


d2mini- thanks for post. I will stop at Lowes and Home Depot to c if they have it. It will save me lots of aggrivation until I can install line next to DT.

 

[Bifferwine]

An airstone won't be strong enough. I don't use a powerhead. I just use a giant paint stirrer from the hardware store and stir it by hand until it dissolves. Then I stir it again before adding it to the tank.