I have been considering creating a water storage container for water changes. I perform 5 gallon water changes every two weeks. The plan is to have enough water mixed to cover me for a year. 150 gallons will cover all scheduled changes and there would be enough to compensate for some unanticipated use as well. I am in the military so when I deploy I would like to make the tank associated chores as minimal as possible for my wife. If she could just walk out to the garage open a tap and get 5 gallons when needed that would be super convenient. I've come up with this:
A 150-gallon tank would cost about $300 and the stand would be another $150. The cost for a Mag drive 5 for circulation is $80 and $200 for JBJ 800 watt true temp digital controller and heater. Total setup cost about $750.
I'll be getting out of the military in about 4 years. At that time I will be buying a more permanent home and I would like to plumb this system into my tank so all I would have to do is press a button and water would drain from the tank to the sewer and then pump in from the storage tank.
My concern is how long can I really store pre-mixed water? Will it deteriorate over time or start to grow algae or something? What other options do I have that would produce the same end user result?
Thanks for your help.
Matt
Long term water storage
-
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2011 6:28 am
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): Usa, north pole alaska
Long term water storage
I'm pretty sure I have a blue thumb.
- Pufferpunk
- Queen Admin
- Posts: 32764
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 11:06 am
- Gender: Female
- My Puffers: Filbert, the 12" T lineatus
Punkster, the 4" red T miurus
Mongo, the 4" A modestus
2 T biocellatus
C valentini
C coranata
C papuan
Also kept:
lorteti
DPs
suvattii
burrfish
T niphobles - Location (country): USA, Greenville, SC
- Location: Chicago
- Contact:
Re: Long term water storage
You're going to have to keep it moving. I have mine stored in a 33g Brute can--always ready for a WC on my reef tanks. As soon as I use it for a WC, I start making another one. It takes about 10 hours to fill the bucket with RODI water.
You are getting sleepy... you only hear the sound of my voice... you must do water changes... water changes... water changes... water changes...
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
"The solution to pollution is dilution!"
- JRC3
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:10 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: F8(55g)
F8 (46g)
4-DP(29g) - Location (country): U.S.
- Location: S.W. OH
Re: Long term water storage
What size is the tank you are changing out at 5g every 2 weeks? We talking FW, BW, or SW?
There are many knowledgeable fish keepers on this forum willing to help and give great advice...The advice is free; What you choose to do with it gives it value.
-
- Figure 8 Puffer
- Posts: 184
- Joined: Sat Sep 17, 2011 6:28 am
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): Usa, north pole alaska
Re: Long term water storage
The tank is 29 gallons, with a 10 gallon sump, actual total water volume is around 34 gallons. The tank is full marine with mixed corals.
I'm pretty sure I have a blue thumb.
- JRC3
- Fahaka Puffer
- Posts: 904
- Joined: Wed Jul 07, 2010 4:10 pm
- Gender: Male
- My Puffers: F8(55g)
F8 (46g)
4-DP(29g) - Location (country): U.S.
- Location: S.W. OH
Re: Long term water storage
I had to ask that ?wagner7123 wrote:The tank is 29 gallons, with a 10 gallon sump, actual total water volume is around 34 gallons. The tank is full marine with mixed corals.
I'm sure the full marine members will be around soon. I'm guessing LR, and other quetions are gonna ne asked.
Good luck on the tank and mostly on your deployment.
There are many knowledgeable fish keepers on this forum willing to help and give great advice...The advice is free; What you choose to do with it gives it value.
-
- Mentor
- Posts: 6155
- Joined: Tue May 31, 2005 4:39 pm
- Gender: Male
- Location (country): East Coast, USA
Re: Long term water storage
PP's respose is much like my own practices. I do strongly prefer pre-mixed, aerated and tempered water for all tank uses, whether FW, BW, or SW. The advantages are many, but extremely long-term storage is not desirable IME and IMHO. Long term water storage undergoes changed related to evaporation (which is unavoidable). Water storage for tank use need not be stored long-term. Such water would not be the best for tank use. In my opinion, anything beyold a month would require radically different processing - essentially it would need to be sterilized and bottled.
Don't shoot yourself in the foot. One to two week's supply provides ample margin for safety.
Don't shoot yourself in the foot. One to two week's supply provides ample margin for safety.
Where's the fish? - Neptune