Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

[Spaced Cowboy]

You can see the way I do it on my build thread - I've just got past the mixing station and storage tanks area. I'll be doing continuous water changes using a LiterMeter III so it's important to have a constantly available NSW supply. The LM3 will be doing the ATO as well, using the RO/DI tank which is also kept constantly full.

The waste water just goes down the drain for the time being, but I might try to use it for irrigation. You can never get enough water in the garden in CA....

Simon

 

[LukeGI]

I am impressed by the size, and detail of some of your setups...very inspiring.
I look forward to the day where I have a house with a basement, or some storage area I can use beyond what I have.

My options for water storage were extremely limited...the only place I found I could use was the small gap between my HVAC blower, and my hot water heater. Not large enough for one barrel, and most custom shaped plastic containers were incredibly expensive.
I built a custom stand that was incredibly hard to get into the spot...and was designed to hold two 40B tanks with millimeters to spare and about 1" of clearance to the bifold doors.
I plumbed my RODI to the top tank for pure water, and have it drilled at the side to go to the lower tank where I mix saltwater with a simple powerhead running 24/7.
I have hoses/ball valves on each tank to draw pure water, or SW into containers I can pour into my tank. (my tank is setup on an ATO now...wasn't when I installed this system)

 

[RattlerSkin]

Does anyone have any knowledge as to whether or not the food-grade 55 gallon drums would release anything into the water stored in them? I have a place where I can get two drums in great condition for $20 but I dont want to do something that would potentially kill everything. They are food grade and only held food, but unknown what kind of food.

 

[digitalchrisg]

Does anyone have any knowledge as to whether or not the food-grade 55 gallon drums would release anything into the water stored in them? I have a place where I can get two drums in great condition for $20 but I dont want to do something that would potentially kill everything. They are food grade and only held food, but unknown what kind of food.

If they where food grade you should be safe. Just make sure to clean them out really good. I know around here there is a place on craigs list that you can get the same type of deal. They store pickles and olives in theirs. So it is very strong but several washes, and then a quick viniger scrub and they should be good to go.

 

[goma]

Great thread!! Thanks everyone for sharing their setups. What do you use to connect all the pvc together? Is there any risk of it getting into the water supply?

 

[digitalchrisg]

Just PVC cement from Home Depot or Lowes. As long as it has dried you should be fine.

 

[goma]

So this is my plan. Will this work ok? Is there anything I should change?

 

[jefferskn]

Here are some pics of mine. My 120 gallon reef tank is directly above the area in the basement where I have my saltwater mixing station. When I do water changes I shut down my return pump which drains back into my sump until my sump is just about full. I control how much water goes into the sump when the power is off based on how low I positioned the return locline. I than open some valves and the water drains out of my sump via siphon/gravity. Once the sump is empty, I turn some valves and pump mixed water back into my sump. I have a valve located on this line next to my sump so once the water is back to where I want it, I turn the valve and than go downstairs and turn off the pump. I can also pump water from the RO tank over to the mixing tank by using valves. I use the last barrel on the right for my water to drain into from my sump and than it drains much slower into a floor drain in the basement.

 

[goma]

^^^ That is an awesome setup!!

 

[Kmkmd]

So... What about the hot garage?

So... What about the hot garage?

This was brought up earlier in this thread but not really answered...

I live in south Texas. I'd like to keep my water in the garage, but it is probably around 110 in there in the summer. How do you deal or should I really undertake convincing my wife that taking over part of the laundry room is really necessary?

Speaking of laundry room -- its upstairs, so I really don't need a pump to bring it down to my tank... Right?

Kevin

 

[jefferskn]

Here is an updated picture with electrical outlets I installed so I don't have to use an extension cord. The outlet box on the far left has a switch in it that I have my pump plugged into so I can turn my pump on and off using the switch. I also replaced the existing outlet that the extension cords were plugged into with a gfci and than ran the new outlets after that so they are all protected.

 

[jcmelski]

One barrel for NSW, one for ro/di, but whats the third one for?

 

[jefferskn]

The barrel on the left is mixed saltwater, the one in the middle is RO/DI and the one on the right on the floor is just dirty drainage from the tank upstairs. I got a good deal on three barrels. Plus the water drains down pretty fast so I don't know how well the floor drain would do so it goes into the barrel on the right and than slowly drains into the floor drain.

One barrel for NSW, one for ro/di, but whats the third one for?

 

[moparace]

 

[jcmelski]

Moparace
What are the two canisters below the ro/di? where do those pipes come from/go?

 

[DEERE G]

Great ideas. Tagging along.

 

[GvineReefer]

I envy you guys with basements. Great setup!

Here is an updated picture with electrical outlets I installed so I don't have to use an extension cord. The outlet box on the far left has a switch in it that I have my pump plugged into so I can turn my pump on and off using the switch. I also replaced the existing outlet that the extension cords were plugged into with a gfci and than ran the new outlets after that so they are all protected.

 

[jcmelski]

I wish my basement was that high.

 

[fote03]

I wish a HAD a basement!

 

[DRThompson]

Wish I had a basement too ....built this in my garage last weekend. RO/DI collects in the upper barrel, lower barrel is for mixing and dispensing using the 75foot hose. I use a iwacki 30 pump to mix and pump to my tank.