Storing RO/DI water?

[dkuster]

What's the best way to store RO/DI water for later use?

I tried filling a 30 gallon plastic trash can (and putting the lid on),
but I noticed that some kind of slime formed (grew?) on the
inner walls and bottom.

Thanks!

[mille239]

That slime is just bacteria.. pretty much harmless, and doesn't hurt the water quality. Just scrub out your storage containers every few months or so and you should be fine!

[Æonic]

I would recommend a mostly air-tight seal. I had a problem once where fumes from a cat litter box were leeching into the water and adding ammonia o.O

Now maybe not putting the water right next to the cat box might be a good idea too, but the point is you never know what might waft into the container and then your ro water.

[mille239]

Wow, really? I've never heard of that! I keep my containers in the laundry room with the cat box as well. It can get pretty smelly at times, but I've never experienced any problems with ammonia in the top off or water change supply.

but definately, keep them covered if possible.

[dkuster]

Thanks for the info, I'm glag to hear the slime is harmless. If
RO/DI water is so pure (nothing but H2O), I wonder what the
bacteria are eating?

Anyway, I'll try and scrounge up an airtight storage container.

Weird story about cat litter fumes leaching ammonia into
RO/DI water. Are you _sure_ that was the source??

[Davidb6]

I have two 30 gal plastic Rubbermaid roughnecks, one for RO/DI water storage and one for premixed salt water. I run a mag3 pump in each and a heater in the pre-mixed salt.

Makes life so much better and great for emergencies.

Some day I'll join the pros and have the water pumped directly from storage into the tank but, for now….buckets!

[mille239]

I have a very similar setup Davidb6, I just finished hooking the two reservoirs together and providing a pump for both mixing the salt and delivering it to my sump via hose 30 ft. away. makes water changing a snap!

[mille239]

Here is my new and improved RO/Salt mixing set up....
the top container stays full of RO water with the help of a float valve, and the bottom container is the salt mixing container.
The bottom container also has a float valve to refill it with RO water, and maintain the level from evaporation.
Additionally, I can open one valve and fill the bottom container from the top if I need to make back to back batches of new salt water. The pump is a MAG 7, used to circulate the salt water container, and also has a hose spigot which allows me to pump the newly mixed salt water to the sump of my tank 30 ft away.
The downward facing pipe in front allows me to fill up buckets of RO water only if I need to wash parts, top off my tank, etc...

I only wish I set this up earlier, it makes maintenence so much easier!

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d166/mille239/CIMG5348.jpg

http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d166/mille239/CIMG5349.jpg

What do ya think!?

[Alaska_Phil]

Pure water is a very powerful solvent, it'll absorb just about anything it comes into contact with, especially metals. But it'll also disolve CO2 out of the air. RO/DI water storage needs to be in plastic, or something epoxy lined, and as close to air tight as possible.

Phil

[Dingo Dog]

Try some of those large clear water bottles from a place like Culligan's, Ozarka, etc. The kind that fit into the water dispensers. You can totally trust those to be safe, plus you can see what's going on inside.

[Reefer82]

mille239 - Nice setup. I was considering the same style with 55 gal food grade barrels. Any tips on setup? I'm planning to build this over the winter.

[mille239]

Thx Reefer82!
as far as tips: make sure you have unions in the plumming right outside each bulkhead so you can disconnect the containers for cleaning. Also (which you prob. know) unions on both the inlet and outlet of the pump for the same reason.
lastly, when building the stand, leave enough room above the lower container so you can access the container if you need to.

other than that, it's a pretty easy, straight forward and fun project. Including the containers, lumber, pump, plumbing, and float valves, it was just under $200.

when you get around to it, post some pics of your project.