Salt Water Mixing Stations Let's See Them

Stupid question maybe.

My mixing station will be 50ft from my tank. For Those of you using a hose/flex tubing to pump the salt water from your container to the tank. Once the flow to the tank is stopped the flex tube will still have water in it. So now what. Do you just lose the water in the hose?
 
RiddleEagle18 said:
Stupid question maybe.

My mixing station will be 50ft from my tank. For Those of you using a hose/flex tubing to pump the salt water from your container to the tank. Once the flow to the tank is stopped the flex tube will still have water in it. So now what. Do you just lose the water in the hose?
Click to expand...

If the hose is clean, and it should be after filling the tank, I'd just drain it back into the holding tank.

Assuming a 1/2" hose ID there is about 1/2 gallon in the hose (if I did the math right :) ).
 
I stop mine just short of full and drain the hose into the sump, and if I'm still a little short a just use a small pitcher and top it off to the full mark
 
For those who have stations that the water travels far (20-30 ft or more) ... what kind of pumps do you use? I tried testing the head loss calc on RC and I can't find a pump that doesn't cost $600 that will suite my needs.

Temporarily I have to go about 50-60 ft, 15-18 of which are vertical (up a set of stairs), the rest horizontal.
 
I pump thru a 50 ft. 'Python' hose. It's 1/2" vinyl. I'm using a Mag 9.5. No elevation gain. It pumps about 1-2 gal/minute so for my typical 12g. water change the fill takes about 6-10 minutes.

Your biggest issue is the vertical head. Although size of pipe effects head a little, pushing it uphill is really hard.

Have you looked a 'sump pumps'? Not talking about aquarium sumps. Used for pumping water out of basements. The first one I hit with google is a little giant 5.5. 20 GPM at 15 ft. head. About $125.

You shouldn't leave this kind of pump in your mix container, but just dropping it in for a WC would be no problem. Rinse in FW after.
 
Any setups where you bubble RO water (to remove CO2), before you send it to the DI? I'm trying to think of a design.
 
carpas said:
Search for food grade barrels on craigslist, looks like there are a number of them near you.
Click to expand...

Yep, that's where I got mine. Found a local guy through Craiglist selling used soft drink barrels. They were cheap IMO and he offered different sizes and quantity discounts.
 
BOSLawGuy said:
For those who have stations that the water travels far (20-30 ft or more) ... what kind of pumps do you use? I tried testing the head loss calc on RC and I can't find a pump that doesn't cost $600 that will suite my needs.

Temporarily I have to go about 50-60 ft, 15-18 of which are vertical (up a set of stairs), the rest horizontal.
Click to expand...

Its not the length its the height that makes the difference. I am using a triton-5 i bought new for $75 from my lfs. It has 15' of head which is able to pump upstairs from my basement about 100gph through 65' of hose.

Hope that helps.
 
I just pick up 4 30g drums today to make my mixing/storage station. It'll be rigged like most on here. Hoping to get it done in the next week or so once I pick up the plumbing and order some uniseals and get an external pump for the mixing.
 
I am getting ready to put my mixing station together this week I just have one question do you guys do anything to circulate the ro/di water or is it not needed?

Thanks
 
Paaty said:
I am getting ready to put my mixing station together this week I just have one question do you guys do anything to circulate the ro/di water or is it not needed?

Thanks
Click to expand...

I don't. I hadn't really ever thought about it to be honest. I do circulate the SW, but not the RO/DI. It's also not circulating in my ATO bucket either. I definitely can't circulate it in there as I am running saturated limewater and would basically be kicking up the extra sediment all the time.
 
This is what I set up the other day. I still need to paint the stand and install a pump from the fresh water to the salt water bin but other than that it was quick, cheap, and works great. It gravity feeds 24' down my wall straight into my ATO reservoir and filter sock in my sump. I did my first water change with it yesterday and it works great although I am still having to manually mix the salt and move the RODI line over to the salt barrel. I may have about $120 invested in it all so far (minus the RODI unit).
 

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My water changing setup. Top tank holds ro water. Bottom tank holds DT salt water. This is constantly circulating DT water.

To change water. Close DT inlet valve and return valve. Then open bottom storage tank valve (center valve) and drain valve on LH side of station.. Pump the 10 gals of tank water out. Then pump in a 1gal slury mix of salt water using front rh valve.Close valve when done. Now open the r/o tank valve on the front lh side and pump the fresh r/o water into the bottom DT storage until full. Done! Close all station valves then open the DT return valve and the feed valve. Water change completed.

20131118_193619.jpg~original


20131118_193816.jpg~original


The blue 1/4 valve on lh side goes to my ATO. Gravity feed with a float valve to auto shot off.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Great work guys. I'm in the build process for my changing station and have a question I haven't seen (could've missed it).

I'd rather not use typical threaded hose barbs that way I can quickly disconnect hose after each use for storage. Are there any pvc quick disconnect fittings with barbs anyone has seen/used?

Cheers,
Adam
 
I've not seen any but your best bet might be using one of the slip barbs and just putting it into the end of union. Disconnect would then be just unthreading the union which would remove the barb/hose.
 
adamwheel said:
Great work guys. I'm in the build process for my changing station and have a question I haven't seen (could've missed it).

I'd rather not use typical threaded hose barbs that way I can quickly disconnect hose after each use for storage. Are there any pvc quick disconnect fittings with barbs anyone has seen/used?

Cheers,
Adam
Click to expand...

Here is what I would do. Go to a hardware store and buy some of these.

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-Hose-Connector-Kit-2-Piece-11MQC/203136407

http://www.homedepot.com/p/DIG-Corp-3-4-in-Thread-x-Hose-Nipple-D49/100111603

http://www.homedepot.com/s/drinking+water+hose?NCNI-5
 
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