RO Water Storage

jules11vb · Jun 23, 2009

I'm wondering how long I can store RO water in a plastic bin in my basement. Does it have to be used immediately after being filtered or can it be stored for a while? Does temperature affect how long it can be stored? The basement stays fairly cold...65-70 degrees in the summer. Thanks.

EliteReefs · Jun 23, 2009

yes you with no real problem.

I try not to make more water then I can use in a month. prior to use i turn on the mixing pumps for a bit and then use

moto826 · Jun 23, 2009

it will be fine i put a pump in mine

Yellowtang · Jun 23, 2009

Rubber maid containers would be better than just some plastic container, some plastics can leach out due to manufacturing processes. Glass containers also would be better. All should have a lid and not let light in. Dark sealed containers should hold RO water dang near forever.Temp sould not be an issue.

JR,

stunreefer · Jun 23, 2009

Yellowtang said:
Rubber maid containers would be better than just some plastic container, some plastics can leach out due to manufacturing processes.

Some Rubbermaids leach Phosphates as well (first hand experience), so I'd suggest looking into containers rated for "potable water" (drinking water).

Yellowtang · Jun 23, 2009

Rubbermaids makes some potable water containers, why I used their name,

JR,

seascape · Jun 25, 2009

use portable water containers and try not to let lite get nto it and covered it will last forever.

iunknown · Jun 25, 2009

What about bacteria? Without the chlorine what keeps the water from fouling? I notice it starts to smell like dirty socks. Isn't stagnant water dangerous.

Also, any recommendations on large water containers? I wanted something with a stand and a drain so you can fill up 5 gal jugs, but everything I found ran around $300? (at least 30 gallon size?) Where would be the best place to get one?
Thanks

Fishcrazy06 · Jun 25, 2009

Check around with your food industry places in the area. Alot of people use the 55 gallon drums in which some sort of food was stored at one time. I use the 55 gallon drums from work that some of our stuff comes in. Works out awesome. Build a stand out of 2x4's. A couple of uniseals and a valve and you have it.

Eric

AZDesertRat · Jun 26, 2009

Here is my RO/DI storage. It is a Rubbermaid 23 gallon recycling can. I mounted it on a stand high enough I could fill 5G water jugs. The float switches are mounted far enough apart it has to drop 11 gallons before it refills automatically so I do not suffer the effects of TDS creep. The float switches start and stop my MaxCap UHE RO/DI system.
The valve at the bottom did not seal well so I ended up replacing it with a 3/4" ball valve with a barbed nipple and short piece of clear tubing to fill the jugs. The line which exits close to the bottom feeds my autotopoff system via 40 feet of tubing through a wall and into the house.

The water going bad really is not an issue if you keep the storage container in a protected place away from temperature extremes and direct lighting. If you keep it covered there are not pollutants to feed bacteria and viruses. The water will stay good for months if its kept clean. I don't aerate the water used for topoff but I do aerate it in a seperate Rubbermaid trash can or buckets when I do water changes with new saltwater.

seafansar · Jun 26, 2009

iunknown said:
What about bacteria? Without the chlorine what keeps the water from fouling? I notice it starts to smell like dirty socks. Isn't stagnant water dangerous.

Also, any recommendations on large water containers? I wanted something with a stand and a drain so you can fill up 5 gal jugs, but everything I found ran around $300? (at least 30 gallon size?) Where would be the best place to get one?
Thanks

I just ordered a couple of these.
55 Gallon Heavy Duty Double Bung Barrel

Braves Fan · Jun 27, 2009

I have 7, five gallon bottled water bottles, that I have my water in, as I use water to put in my sump, I use 5 gallons and fill up the empty container and the grab another container that is filled. I just keep rotateing them in this way. I go thru 5 gallons every two days so my water only sits there for 12 days. I make my water for water changes in a 32 gallon Rubber Maid Brute container. At first I had a leaching problem when I first started using the container and just skimmed the top of the water before doing a water change and it had no effect in the tank. I no longer have a problem with leaching.