RO topup Water quality - How long do you keep water

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So my question really is, how long do you normally keep your RO water that you use for top up with?

I make my RO water on sundays (cause thats the only day that I won't forget to turn it off) I make about 30 liters that I store in those 25 liter containers.

As I use about 5 to 6 liters per day, I will use it from these containers, Now as this RO water has no nutients in it, how can I ensure that the water I am using on the friday's is still good? I tested the TDS of this water on a Friday and its still 0, how do I know if the water is stale?

How long do you guys keep your RO water for?
 
As long as it takes to fill the container, then mix with salt. Top upwater lasts about 4 days in winter and 2 days in summer.
 
OCELLARIS said:
guys how often do you top up your water?
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most of us use an auto top-up system in our sumps - a float switch connected to a little pump in a drum of R.O water - the amount of evaporation on the other hand differs from tank to tank and season to season. my tanks evaporation rate in winter is about 25l in 4 days...:thumbup:
 
I have a 250L tank, but due to the fact that I run a fan on the tank, to ensure its cool. I have to loose at least 4-6 liters per day.

Still have to connect my top-up system up (Its been in the garage for the past 3 months now), just don't have the time yet.
 
i have a 60L DT and a 60L sump, what would you say the condition of evapouration for me would be taken inconsideration its in a stable temp room? just a rough sketch
thanx
 
Occelaris - evaporation assists with cooling the tank down. So yes - yes. Even tanks with chillers on them have evaporation of fresh water taking place. The evaporation decreases the fresh water component of the salt water, leaving a high salt content. Therefore the replacement of water MUST be done with fresh water. And preferably RO water.
 
My boyu 550 nano seems to loose bout a 750ml to a litre a day - been dripping kalk at 500ml a day and I'm not keeping up with evap now as its getting warmer.

I'd also like to know how long RO keeps for and why - I also mix salt right away and the keep some RO for cleaning and kalk later in the week...
 
jacquesb said:
Occelaris - evaporation assists with cooling the tank down. So yes - yes. Even tanks with chillers on them have evaporation of fresh water taking place. The evaporation decreases the fresh water component of the salt water, leaving a high salt content. Therefore the replacement of water MUST be done with fresh water. And preferably RO water.
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hi jacques, so i take it that we top up with RO water, but you metioned fresh water, so could this top up be done with tap water? or even a little cleaner with lets say bottled water with a RO method in it, bonaqua has reverse osmosis staged in it, so clorine is at a tiny limit, so could i use the bottled water to topup.

i do understand that RO water is stripped of clorine ect and is thus vunarable to bacteria growth in it, so storing it in a fridge will be idea to apoint but what if i could freeze it and defrost what i need to the correct tank temp and use it with absolute minimal bacteria growth due to the freezing process ? could this be done
 
I believe that salt water keeps longer than RO water, right?

Normally I keep my salt water (for my water change) for about 3 days (to ensure that all the salt desolves) with a powerhead moving the water around. Is this okay? How long do you guys keep salt water for?

Do you believe that my water change water "matures" and looses it nutients? Or will it only loose it nutients once I put it into my tank? I was thinking of putting a piece of LR where I make my new Salt water, just to ensure that when I do a major water change, my tank won't cycle again.

Does ones tank go through a "mini cycle" everytime you do a water change?

I know I am asking stupid question, but I should have asked this 2 years ago when I started my tank, so up to now I have just been doing what I beleive is correct
 
OCELLARIS said:
hi jacques, so i take it that we top up with RO water, but you metioned fresh water, so could this top up be done with tap water? or even a little cleaner with lets say bottled water with a RO method in it, bonaqua has reverse osmosis staged in it, so clorine is at a tiny limit, so could i use the bottled water to topup.

i do understand that RO water is stripped of clorine ect and is thus vunarable to bacteria growth in it, so storing it in a fridge will be idea to apoint but what if i could freeze it and defrost what i need to the correct tank temp and use it with absolute minimal bacteria growth due to the freezing process ? could this be done
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Hi Ocellaris,

RO machines strips the water to 0 or almost 0 TDS. So ja you can topup with tap water, but its NOT ADVIDES !! THere is just to much phos in it, and things that you don't know thats added to the water.. So if you want a major algae outbreak, then go ahead.

I had a look at a bottle water over the weekend, the TDS is 91.. MY normal tap water is 92.. So I would never add bottle water to my tank either.

Not sure about freezing this water.. All I know if you boil RO water, the TDS increases
 
ok, the reson i ask about freezing is as ive read some guys loose quite a bit of water due to evaporation and by geting the quantity bought in 25L it would be used through out the week till the weekend when i could get more so finding a good storage would be good, there is a lfs in durban gateway that gives RO water at no cost to their customers.
 
I do not have a RO machine, so have to buy from LFS. My Nano loses +-1l per week. I buy the RO in a 20l container and store it in a closet. I use 5l every week when mixing SW. So 20l lasts 3 weeks.

Should I rather mix 15l SW immediately and keep 5l RO separate for top up? Is 3 weeks OK to store SW and RO?
 
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