# Storing RO water



## aliclarke86 (20 Sep 2013)

I am not in a position to get my own RO unit but I am able to get it from a friend the thing is I don't personally drive and the Mrs is not keen on driving for water every week if I was to use a power head and air stone how long would it be feasible to store water? Or even just in a sealed container? 

Thanks
Ali

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## sa80mark (20 Sep 2013)

I used to store mine in sealed water containers (25l) and it was good for upto 2 months never kept it longer than that as it was used for top ups


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## aliclarke86 (20 Sep 2013)

Thanks mate I have had a lot of conflicting information, some saying that it can be stored for a week tops others saying months and months if its mixed 

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## sa80mark (20 Sep 2013)

I had the same problem when I first used it but it was a lfs that put me right they run off tons of it and kept it stored in 1000l containers then when a customer wanted it they just filled up 25l bottles it lasted them upto 3 months 

Im not sure on how long it lasts if mixed though when I was into marines I would only keep salted ro for 7 days maybe it would last longer but I just followed what everyone else did


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## Juliusz (20 Sep 2013)

Theoretically your water will be good forever, as it has no life or organic waste. However - your container probably does. I had a white 25l container with RO water which I left outdoor and forgot about it. When I opened it after two months I could see some algae. So - in my opinion - if you want to keep it for a long period - keep it in the dark.


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## ceg4048 (20 Sep 2013)

The OP should consider collecting rain water. You should have lots of it where you live. It's just as good.

Any water left in a container will develop bacteria with an associated Nitrogen Cycle. This is exactly the same thing we do with our tank. It's a container that we put water in and life colonizes the water with it's own community. So long term storage of any water will result in another biologically active system with it's own water chemistry resulting from the metabolism of the organisms that will inhabit the container eventually. Things such as iron and hardness may or may not increase unless some foreign object is dropped int to container, but TDS will increase.

Cheers,


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## aliclarke86 (20 Sep 2013)

Thanks Clive, I understand where your coming from but unfortunately I am not able to install a water butt. I spoke with my landlords about it and they have told me I am not to touch the guttering as they have only had it replaced last year. The property is checked quarterly so I can't even go about it without there knowledge. 

I guess I can monitor the TDS and adjust my mix along with it. I was only really planning on keeping about 2 weeks worth at a time anyway.

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## Christian Walker (21 Sep 2013)

ceg4048 said:


> The OP should consider collecting rain water. You should have lots of it where you live. It's just as good.
> 
> Any water left in a container will develop bacteria with an associated Nitrogen Cycle. This is exactly the same thing we do with our tank. It's a container that we put water in and life colonizes the water with it's own community. So long term storage of any water will result in another biologically active system with it's own water chemistry resulting from the metabolism of the organisms that will inhabit the container eventually. Things such as iron and hardness may or may not increase unless some foreign object is dropped int to container, but TDS will increase.
> 
> Cheers,


 
Thats an interesting proposal.  God knows it rains a lot here !  CEG can you elaborate on if there is a right way to do this ?  I mean, rainwater has to be collected from our roofs, many of which are splatted in bird poo.  Is there a particular way of ensuring water collected is safe and contaminant free ?  Thanks.


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## foxfish (21 Sep 2013)

I used to use rain water as it was considered necessary at one time! (probably mid 80s)
I collected it directly from the house roof into a water butt, but I would filter it with activated carbon on occasions.
If there had not been rain for a few weeks then I felt it was sensible to place an internal filter filled with carbon, in my 5 gallon buckets for a couple of hours.
If we were having plenty of rain then it went straight into the tank.
Never bothered after the fad wore off & I have mostly stuck to tap water, however I must admit that the RO bug is infecting me enough to give it a try pretty soon.
I have used RO for my reef tanks but it is not something I enjoy doing - wasting so much water that is!


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## ceg4048 (21 Sep 2013)

aliclarke86 said:


> Thanks Clive, I understand where your coming from but unfortunately I am not able to install a water butt. I spoke with my landlords about it and they have told me I am not to touch the guttering as they have only had it replaced last year. The property is checked quarterly so I can't even go about it without there knowledge.


Well, I see no reason to install anything. How much water do you need? Why can't you just put some buckets outside and collect the free falling rain? Then bring the buckets inside for storage in a container. It's more work, but that's just how it goes. Good exercise I reckon.....just like in those kung fu movies where the hero has to carry water buckets up the mountainside due to lack of funds for a proper gym equipment...



Christian Walker said:


> God knows it rains a lot here ! CEG can you elaborate on if there is a right way to do this ? I mean, rainwater has to be collected from our roofs, many of which are splatted in bird poo. Is there a particular way of ensuring water collected is safe and contaminant free ? Thanks.


You'll find some more information in the thread=> A theoretical question about EI | UK Aquatic Plant Society

Cheers,


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## GreenNeedle (23 Sep 2013)

ceg4048 said:


> Well, I see no reason to install anything. How much water do you need? Why can't you just put some buckets outside and collect the free falling rain?


 
This is what I do.  I have 4 x 25ltr containers that are stored in a dark cool cupboard.  I don't collect any from roofs, that is used on the garden.  I leave 10ltr buckets out when its raining and empty into the containers when the buckets are full.  That's enough for me and those 4 will last me through 4 dry months if needed (UK so obviously a joke) and I don't see any problems.

I tend to cut my water half rain, half tap.

Andy


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## criptic (14 Jul 2014)

Don't you get lots of insects and bugs in the buckets or do you filter it into storage containers ? My buckets are full of critters after one rain catching session :-/


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## Andy D (14 Jul 2014)

Nothing wrong with critters. Fish love them!


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## James O (17 Jul 2014)

Get yourself a black IBC container.  1000l capacity in a square steel cage. Make a collecting cover for it and plumb it into your shed/garage roof.  That's what I do at my allotment.  I have 3000l


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## george dicker (16 Sep 2014)

just get your self an ro unit, dead easy to set up


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## dw1305 (16 Sep 2014)

Hi all, 
You can store RO indefinitely. It will grow a small fuzz of green algae if it is more than about 5 microS., if you are worried about this you can store it in the dark.

I've been a rain-water user since the 1970's without any problem. I use 2 water butts daisy chained together, this allows you to clean the butts without losing all your water, and also means that any moss etc ends up in the first butt, and you take water from the second butt. 

Have a look here for some water butt details: <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/if-its-yellow-let-it-mellow-and-ro-is-the-devil.20571/> and here for some details of using Daphnia to make sure your water is OK to use: <http://www.ukaps.org/forum/threads/distilled-deionised-water.26098/>.

cheers Darrel


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## Alje (16 Sep 2014)

Having lived a little in Bermuda rooftop rainwater collection was the favoured method for domestic water supply. Most houses have a large collection tank, might be under or next to the house. This is used for showers, washing up etc. bottled water for drinking. The storage tank might be as big as the foot print of the property and you need scuba gear for maintenance. I could be mistaken but I vaguely remember they coat the roofs with a paint containing lime to aid in purification.
The tank next to my pad had fish and pond skaters and god knows what else living in it,  I could watch them as I cleaned my teeth over bathroom sink (before anyone asks I don't have pictures or know what species they were, the fish not my teeth)
and you learn to use water conservatively as once it's run out your up sheeite creek until it rains. I would assume that the atmosphere over Bermuda is a little cleaner than London.
But even if i say so myself this has nothing to do with storing RO water so of no help whatsoever!


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## parotet (16 Sep 2014)

I wish I could use rain water, but in my city (eastern Spain) we have an average rain volume of 455 liters/year, mostly concentrated in autumn. This year it has been a disaster, I doubt if we will reach 300 liters... I don't have a RO system because I don't want to waste water in such climate and our water is very hard as mentioned in other threads.

Jordi


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## GHNelson (16 Sep 2014)

Move to Scotland


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