air stones

[Briney Dave]

For a pretty long time I have been using those blue airstone bars in my r/o buckets to keep water moving. I have a nice sized air pump and get a good stream of bubbles.

This afternoon I am cleaning buckets and find the stones have degraded a great deal.

Other than the ugly blue bits is there harm in this?

Should I just switch to a maxi and forget the airstones or get new stones ??

 

[Altpers0na]

i would just use the maxi or air pump w/ out the stone...

i dont know that you 'need' to keep your water moving, as long as its covered..

 

[Briney Dave]

There will be times when the water sits for more than a couple days before it gets used. I do keep it covered but think it ought to at least stay on the move to avoid any sort of funky what ever.

I have never seen films on my water but just assumed that it was needed. Maybe I picked that up from seeing the r/o storage kits that Fosters sells. They sell a heater, powerhead, hydormeter, not sure what else maybe a thermometer ? anyway

am I wasting my time and energy keeping the water on the move?

 

[Altpers0na]

i think the salt will kill anything that trys to grow while its sitting.

so if you seal your water after its made, it should be good for a long while... imo.

 

[rob.holbrook]

when you buy the premixed saltwater from a store like jacks they do not keep the saltwater mixed it is just in a blue jug.

I dunno, I heat mine and keep a pump in it while not using it, when it is just plain RO water I just leave it covered.

I am not sure if this is good or bad just know what works for me

 

[Briney Dave]

I have always heated mine and just went on with the pump too, but you both make a fair point about the jug water and the effects of salt on bacteria etc.

Reflecting, I think that it was one of those weird things you do that you picked up as a new keeper and never let go. I am pulling the stones for good.

 

[rosebud161616]

I know of a lot of people who make premade saltwater and leave it sitting without moving. Then for 24 hours before use they rapidly aerate the water to bring the PH back up. I, however, have yet to have the motivation to make water more than 48 hours before I need it. As long as it's within 48 hours of use I keep it moving.

 

[RokleM]

From what I've heard/seen, it's best to keep your RO/DI container dark, mostly air tight, and free from movement. That will cause the least amount of "growth" in there. Once the water is moved to whatever your mixing container is, that's when you get a pump/powerhead moving (both aerated and salt mix) and get it heated up (I personally don't even heat mine). I keep my salt mix container stocked for the most part, with a pump always running.

 

[Briney Dave]

I do keep water longer than 48 hours, I like to mix up a whole can of water the week most of my kids are changing or if I want the class tanks changed that week. not all of it will get used and I add fresh R/O on top. The air stone was slower than the power head but got the same results over the long haul

so I think I am back to the orginal question but now with an extra twist

stone or not
pump or not

keeping water longer than 48 hours: ok or not

 

[RokleM]

If RO/DI with no salt, neither. Keeping RO/DI mostly sealed in the dark for over 48 hours, ok.

 

[rob.holbrook]

I would ditch the stone and go to a pump

I would use the pump when mixing saltwater and no more

my two cents

 

[Briney Dave]

so only pump when mixing and once its mixed and sealed its ok to keep around

 

[rob.holbrook]

I run my pump just when mixing, I also run a heater to help mix the water a little better.

I also try to keep the water heated all the time just so I can do a water change whenever I want.