RO storage/transport

[sman]

Right now my RO is stored in a Rubbermaid trashcan, and I use a those 5 gallon jugs for water coolers to get the water over to the tank, which works OK I guess but I want something better.
Right now to get water out of the storage I have to submerge the 5 gal container to fill it.
There has to be a better way to do this. I loose almost 2 gallons a day due to evap, and water changes are a pain because the tank is a good 35 ft away from the storage.
Any suggestions are welcome!!!

 

[t316]

My RO storage is in the basement and the tank is upstairs. I bought a cheap plug in pump from home depot, in the garden section, and put it in the bottom of the storage tank in the basement. Then I ran pvc pipe from the outlet on the pump up to the topoff tank upstairs (or straight to your tank if you like). The pump is plugged into an outlet in the basement, but I ran another electrical wire up to the tank area upstairs and put in a light switch. I did this for my RO fresh water, and another switch for salt water. Anytime I want water, I just flip the switch and it's pumped from downstairs to upstairs.

 

[t316]

Here's the switch

 

[sman]

Verry sweet setup, the only problem, is my tank is accross the basement. The RO is the the half of the basement thats not finished, and the tank is in the half that is. IDK if that helps anyone for ideas. I was thinking maybe something like that, but im not sure how I would do it.

 

[trippkid]

I was going to say to use a pump, T316 has the sweet setup. You could just put a tap in the storage container, near the bottom to fill your buckets, you still would have to carry them though. I use a pump for water changes and my RO/DI is "T'd", one line goes to the water change can and the other goes to the ATO container, it is a good 20ft of tubing from the unit.
Matt

 

[t316]

Originally Posted by sman
http:///forum/post/2719981
Verry sweet setup, the only problem, is my tank is accross the basement. The RO is the the half of the basement thats not finished, and the tank is in the half that is. IDK if that helps anyone for ideas. I was thinking maybe something like that, but im not sure how I would do it.

Originally Posted by trippkid
http:///forum/post/2720098
I was going to say to use a pump, T316 has the sweet setup. You could just put a tap in the storage container, near the bottom to fill your buckets, you still would have to carry them though. I use a pump for water changes and my RO/DI is "T'd", one line goes to the water change can and the other goes to the ATO container, it is a good 20ft of tubing from the unit.
Matt
As trippkid is proof, distance doesn't matter. Actually, sounds like you have it better than me. I had vertical distance to travel (up 1 story) which requires a bigger pump. All of those pumps have a chart on the back of the box that tells you how far it will pump. But you only really have to count "vertical" feet. Sideways doesn't matter. You could go from one end of the house to the other. It would just mean more piping, but not an expensive pump.

 

[t316]

Another way that I have seen it done, but would require that you have a small topoff tank sitting near your display, is to keep your RO unit where it is, and instead of running the exit line to your holding tank, replace that short line with refrigerator tubing (very cheap, and flexible) and run it along the ceiling, thru walls, etc, until you get to your tank area. You could run right into the tank, but you would have to manually turn the ro unit on/off as needed (and that's a slow process). So, setup a small holding tank near your main tank and run it in there. Then get a auto-top off system, which will top off your main tank, from your small holding tank, when it detects that it's gettting low.

 

[trippkid]

Yeah, I have to turn on and off manually, but it isn't a big deal to automate it all, I just haven't done it yet( I guess I really like cleaning up water when I forget it is on), I really need to get off my can and fix that problem.

Matt

 

[spiderwoman]

When I do a water change in the 75, I have to pump the RO salt into 5 gallon buckets and carry over to the tank. Have done the same with the 150 but we are going to attach a longer hose to the Little Giant pump hubby attached to the RO salt storage container. The 75 tank is on the other side of the first floor so there is no nice way to pull pipes to it.
Lowe's and Home Depot sell transfer pumps that could do the job for you or if you have an external pump laying around, you can use that for at least pumping the water from the storage to container.

 

[rostato]

I just use a rubber maid brute contrainer with wheels on it to roll around my ro water. Simple and easy.
I have a pump in the brute container with a 1 in. hose coming off of it and pump whatever amount of water I need into my 5 gallon ATO container that sits next to the tank.
If I am doing a water change I have a 20 gallon rubber maid container I bring next to the tank and throw in some salt, pump water into the container and add a heater and pump to keep it circulating. I leave that next to the tank for a night and change the water the next morning.
I only have a 55 gallon total volume set up though...