RO/DI Water Storage

[reefer321]

How long can you store the RO water in one of the blue 7g camping containers you find a wally world and it still be good?

[Playa-1]

A long time. How long do you want to store it for?

[reefer321]

I was just wondering if it is good for a while... say a month or so... so i can make a big batch and store it and not have to worry about running the ro every week for top off and water changes.....
Thanks

[Tigre9]

I just purchased 2 for my new tanks that I am building. The only quality of the water that could change is Salt Mixture or lack of mix. Since there is an air tight seal you should be able to keep it indefinately.

I usually just fill with water and mix the salt in a 5 gal bucket prior to adding to the tank.

[reefer321]

That is what I was thinking i just wanted to make sure!
Thanks

[Flipper62]

As long as you keep it sealed, it should keep for a long time.

I have a COM-100 portable TDS meter that I check my RO/DI water with before I use it...just to be sure. I have checked it 2 months later ( from the sealed contained ) and it was just fine to use.

[reefer321]

sounds good.. I have a TDS meter on order now.
Thanks!

[tingleyl]

Can you store mixed salt water like this as well, or only non-salt rodi water?

[reefer321]

bump
Good question.... I am guessing that for the mixed you would need a power head running in it to store it for a while because of the many elements the salt mix adds to the water.... but what do the experts say?
Thanks

[Boundless]

I guess you could do that but I think the question is can you seal it properly to prevent water loss from your water storage with a powerhead going?

[bertoni]

Salt water should last indefinitely, as long as the evaporation is topped off. I kept saltwater around for months without issues.

[Jaycen B.]

Cool and low to no light saltwater will last a very long time in a sealed container.

If mixed properly to start.

[Frogmanx82]

It hard to seal a container and keep it circulating. I asked this on wetwebmedia and was told that saltwater mix should stay circulating.

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I asked this on wetwebmedia and was told that saltwater mix should stay circulating.

That would be wrong for most salt mixes.

A salt mix without organics in it does not need circulation or aeration to store it forever. A mix with vitamins or other organic matter may suffer degradation, whether it is circulated or not, and could get anaerobic without aeration.

[Sugar Magnolia]

When I buy premixed saltwater in a 5g container I don't keep it circulating. The night before a water change I'll put however much I need in a bucket with a powerhead overnight.

[Frogmanx82]

Good to know, I can shut off the pump once the salt is mixed. Thanks.

[BradMugs]

I've got a 50 gal "blue" water storage tank that my RO/DI keeps full. I also have another storage tank (about 15 to 20 gal) of salt mix water in it. I keep the lid on the salt mix with a power head and heater in the mix. The lid closes tight enough while letter the power cords enter. I've also added a top up float for possible evaporation problems.

This supplies both my son's and my tanks with a large supply of change top off water.

Test everything and it always come out great (do agree I use up most of the salt mix weekly).