Suggestions needed for water storage for water changes/top off

[sscheitel]

Does anyone have ideas on how best to store water for water changes?

I currently have (2) 44 gallon rubermaid pails that I plan to house large amounts of RO/DI water. How do "rig" them for the beat possible solution?

Obviously I would have one pail for salt water and one for clean water(for top offs).

Do I put a heater in both? In one?

plumb them together with PVC ball valve?

pump?

[xtopher]

I would suggest that you return those as they are not really made for storing liquids and are quite thin and may leak. Go to your local hobby brew centre and get yourself some plastic barrels that they use. Clean it out real well with a little dilute bleach and you'll know for sure that they will hold water for years to come

[xtopher]

for your top-off do you have an automated unit or plan to do it manually? and as far as w/c go I use a small pump to pump it into the sump from one of those containers and it has a float valve on it attached to the RO output. this wa no worries, I would suggest ou get the same for the top-off as well. You can get them at HD

[sscheitel]

the pails I have are brute rubermaid pails...there a super heavy duty. I do not fear that they will leak. I was on some website where the guy had the two pails side by side and plumbed together with pvc and ball valves. I cannot remember which website. Real nice set up. Wish I have a photographic memory

[theron]

You must be talking about Weatherson's tank. That is the way I would do it. http://www.weatherson.com/saltwater_mixing.htm

Theron

[sscheitel]

Bingo!

Thanks Theron

[Caoineag]

The rubbermaids work well, I have a 37g with lid that has a small hole in it for the water tube.

Unless you have a fast unit that you are running when you are not home, I would probably just set one up with heater and then swap buckets when full. Of course if you are forgetful, I would probably connect them so that the second bucket acts as an overflow area

Make sure you have lids though as sitting ro/di water will accumulate more tds just from the air.

[sscheitel]

I think I will modify this a bit...I have gravity on my side (sump in basement is right below my tank) so I do not need the second pail for waste. I will use the second pail for fresh water. One salt and one fresh.
love the idea of having it on wheels...serves two purposes.

[ChrisPrusha]

Where do I get something like that with wheels?? Home Depot?

[Caoineag]

or get your bucket a wheelly thingy, those are more easily obtainable than a bucket with wheels.

Boy was that not very good, does anyone know I am refering to a type of cart with a handle?

[ChrisPrusha]

A dolly is what you are refering to, I believe.

[thebutler4]

I have 2 37 gallon garbage cans that I store my water in ... 1 salt and 1 fresh RO/Di .. I run a power head and a heater in bolth ... that way is there was an emergency .. I am good to go for mixing salt with out waiting for the water to warm up .. I use a Mag 12 to transfer salt water to the tank .. and fresh water to the salt water container for mixing ... I also have an auto top off for my sump plumbed directly into my RO/DI unit ...

[VWD]

What I do is have one for the new salt water then one for the old salt water, They are 44 gallon brutes with wheels, I roll then to the tank I am working on and use the one to remove the water to the level of the one that hads the new water, very easy and fast. I can change 40 gallons in 20min.

[sscheitel]

is it best to change the water from the sump or the tank?
Also, if removing water from the tank...how low can you drop the water? To the rock? or lower?

[skeety]

personally, I think it's better to do the WC from the sump. Less stressful to the fish.

Also, less corraline die-off around the top of your tank.

also...just a quick question. When you use the term "pail", you mean bucket? or is it actually a metail pail?

if it's the buckets...you're good!