Storing PWC water in 55g Rubbermaid trashcan?

[PAwrangler08]

Hello all. So I've had this idea, from reading around, to store my RO water in a 55g Rubbermaid Brute trashcan. I have 2 ways of getting my RO water. At my parents house (she has a RO filter system for drinking water) or the local grocery store which charges 0.25 a gallon. The grocery store is a heck of a lot closer, not to mention the filter system and my parents house won't keep up with filling a 55g trashcan. I'm in a position now, where installing a RO or RO/DI system at my house isn't possible. I no longer want to use tap (from a well) water due to its chemistry.

My plan is to get one, or two, 55g Rubbermaid Brute trashcans. I would transport the water in smaller buckets to fill one trashcan. I'm assuming I would need a pump to circulate the water, and a heater to keep it at my tank temp. I'm debating on using the extra trashcan to empty my tank for the PWC, and obviously the filled trashcan to put back in the tank, using a pump.

Does anyone have any input, suggestions, comments, or anything? Haha. I'm also looking for some pictures if anyone has any kind of set ups like this.

Thanks for the help in advance.

-Blair.

 

[Mebbid]

Yeah, it's fine to use that to keep water in. I would worry about using straight RO water for your tank though. It's fairly devoid of minerals and nutrients that everything in an aquarium really needs and can cause a fairly large number of issues if used as is.

It is best to cut your tap water with RO and mix it at approximately the same level every time you refill your barrel.

The other option is to use a mix to remineralize the water to make it safe for your fish.

 

[PAwrangler08]

Yeah, it's fine to use that to keep water in. I would worry about using straight RO water for your tank though. It's fairly devoid of minerals and nutrients that everything in an aquarium really needs and can cause a fairly large number of issues if used as is.



It is best to cut your tap water with RO and mix it at approximately the same level every time you refill your barrel.



The other option is to use a mix to remineralize the water to make it safe for your fish.

Sorry forgot to mention that part. I have Kent's liquid RO right. I would be mixing that appropriately.

 

[PAwrangler08]

Anyone else have any input?

 

[jetajockey]

It really sounds like a lot of work. A cheaper alternative may be food grade 55g plastic barrels, I use one to catch rain for my greenhouse misting system.

These cheap r/o systems are easy and small enough to set up, use, and then put away. I know you said you can't have one there for whatever reason but could you if it was portable/removable? For an example:

0ppm Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis Ro Di Filtration | eBay

Something like that would pay for itself in about 5 trips of getting the water from the store, not even factoring in the cost of gas and the amount of work involved.

I don't know how much water you plan to be changing out, if it's just a little nano then no biggie, but if it's a bigger tank then consider getting r/o. Collecting rainwater is another option.

 

[PAwrangler08]

It really sounds like a lot of work. A cheaper alternative may be food grade 55g plastic barrels, I use one to catch rain for my greenhouse misting system.

These cheap r/o systems are easy and small enough to set up, use, and then put away. I know you said you can't have one there for whatever reason but could you if it was portable/removable? For an example:

0ppm Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis Ro Di Filtration | eBay

Something like that would pay for itself in about 5 trips of getting the water from the store, not even factoring in the cost of gas and the amount of work involved.

I don't know how much water you plan to be changing out, if it's just a little nano then no biggie, but if it's a bigger tank then consider getting r/o. Collecting rainwater is another option.

Yes I probably could if it was portable. This is true, especially with the prices of fuel now. I'll be doing 30 or more gallon changes. It's in my 120gal tank.

 

[PAwrangler08]

It really sounds like a lot of work. A cheaper alternative may be food grade 55g plastic barrels, I use one to catch rain for my greenhouse misting system.

These cheap r/o systems are easy and small enough to set up, use, and then put away. I know you said you can't have one there for whatever reason but could you if it was portable/removable? For an example:

0ppm Portable 100GPD Reverse Osmosis Ro Di Filtration | eBay

Something like that would pay for itself in about 5 trips of getting the water from the store, not even factoring in the cost of gas and the amount of work involved.

I don't know how much water you plan to be changing out, if it's just a little nano then no biggie, but if it's a bigger tank then consider getting r/o. Collecting rainwater is another option.

After researching more into costs, I have decided to purchase an RO/DI unit like the one you suggested. It will be MUCH cheaper in the long run. Any idea how well this one you suggested works? And why some that do the same thing are $300??? I would like something that can hook up to the garden hose.

 

[Luananeko]

The different RO units usually go up in price the more gallons per day you want it to generate, combined with how large a storage tank you want. If you're going to turn on the unit and have it empty into the container, a larger storage tank is unnecessary. The GPD determines how fast it can fill your container. Faster gallons per day, the less time you're sitting around waiting. I'm not sure if any are designed to be hooked up to a garden hose, as I've only just started researching RO setups myself.