RO/DI water storage?

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AlexV

Registered Member
Jan 13, 2006
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:help: Hi guys, thank you for all the info you provide.
I have some questions and I apologize for my ignorance.

I just bought a RO/DI unit and this is what I want to do and you tell me if I would be doing the right thing:

-I want to fill two 60gl containers with RO/DI water and just use the water for my water changes, I have a 90gl reef tank, so at 10 gl per week I would have enough water stored for a while....will the water be ok?

-I was thinking if it was better to mix the salt in the big containers already or should I mix the salt only when I do the water changes??

-As you know water evaporates in a dayly basis....when I top my water should I use plain RO/DI water? or should I always top it off with RO/DI water mixed with salt?

thank you guys, I need some inputs, I am having some green hair algae and Im starting to see the foams in my powerheads turning redish and some trace of hair algae in the rocks and some corals...I hope this RO/DI water issue can solve the problems....THANK YOU! :help:
 

LittlePuff

LittlePuff
May 18, 2004
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What containers are you using?

Mix the salt, put a powerhead in each container, wait at least 24hrs.

Top off water should be R/O. When the water evaporates, it leaves it's salt behind.

HTH
Kim
 

AlexV

Registered Member
Jan 13, 2006
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Thanks for the input.....I am using two 60 gal plastic containers (new).
Do I need to always prepare the saltwater 24 hrs in advance, even during my regular weekly change?
 

Crown Royal

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Dec 17, 2004
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Just make sure that you don't store RO/DI or just DI water in any kind of metallic container, only foodgrade plastic.
 

wastememphis

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Sep 6, 2003
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Don't put salt in the two storage conatiners, the salt will settle on the bottom if you're leaving it there with no circulation. You'll need to heat the water up anyway when you do a 10gallon change, so might as well just add the salt when you put it in a bucket. I'm doing a simlar thing except I'm buying one of those 20-40gallon ponds and setting it up in my basement, so I can add a drain line, and keep the bucket under the tank.
 

carpediem

Registered Loser
In order for the salt to dissolve completely, you'll need to heat up the water and use a powerhead.

See my thread in the freshwater DIY, I went to Tractor Supply and bought a 300 gallon rubbermaid holding tank ($181)and a 100 gallon rubbermaid holding tank ($69). The 300 is filling with RO/DI now and has a float valve. The 100 is for holding saltwater. I have a heater and a powerhead inside both holding tanks so I can use a python to siphon water out of the reef tank and I just hook a hose to the powerhead to fill it back up again. Just make sure the temperature and PH are close before you do it.
 

AlexV

Registered Member
Jan 13, 2006
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Thank you guys for all the inputs....one last question.....my TDS meter will not go below 3 ppm, thats good enough isnt it?...my tap water read at 99 ppm so I am pretty sure I am good to go right?...I was told the TDS will never read 000 ppm.

thank you again guys!!!
 
Last edited:

msouth468

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Nov 29, 2005
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AlexV said:
Thank you guys for all the inputs....one last question.....my TDS meter will not go below 3 ppm, thats good enough isnt it?...my tap water read at 99 ppm so I am pretty sure I am good to go right?...I was told the TDS will never read 000 ppm.

thank you again guys!!!
No, it won't ever read 000 ppm. In fact it seems that you have pretty good water coming in your house already. 99ppm is really good for house water, mine ended up being 225. But, 3ppm is pretty much the lowest you will get.
 
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