mikamaq
New Member
My water sucks. Liquid rock that smells like a public pool with every additive known to man. Just to have water to bathe and wash clothes, dishes, etc in I need to have a 5 micron sediment, 10 micron carbon plus a water softener with the iron fighting pellets. I don't even drink it. I have a water cooler for drinking water. Public water from a for profit company in rural/suburban PA. Township disallows wells because of the water company.
So for water changes I have a 40 gallon tough plastic storage tub on a dolly and 6x 5-gallon buckets with the screw on tops. I then drive 1 hour round trip to my in-laws to use their well water. Dump that into the 40 gallon, run a heater and 2-air stones and dose it with water conditioner. I then wait for 12 hours for it to reach temp, check the PH and match it within .2 of my tank water with ph-up/ph-down. Then I can do a 45% water change on my 55 gallon and a 50% water change on my 10. I have a pond pump connected to a python j-hook. For evacuation, on the 55 I have a Fluval FX4 and I hooked its drain port to a garden hose fitting, I then run a hose out my front door into my garden. The 10 I use a hyger pump that I McGyver'd to a tube that connects to the hose.
Now eventually (by years end), I want to swap out the 55 for a 120 w/ sump and the 10 for a 30 XH. The 55 and 10 would become quarantine in my basement, or a massive whole home refugium. I am not doing water changes on those manually, no way. Both will still be freshwater, community tanks.
I'm thinking RO/DI system and add in a remineralization filter, but then the temp and the PH would be off. My idea was to have a tank in my basement to hold said water and to do it once so I don't have to upsize it. I need to hold ~96 gallons (to be able to handle 50% water changes on a 120 and 30 in a single day). From what I have seen with 30 gallons in this Commander XXL bin from Lowes, may need to go thicker material. I had moderate deformation on the sides. I can do a 95 gallon overpack drum. Other options are .344" structural plywood with 2x4 exoframe with rubber paint or 3/8" HDPE. 96 gallons would be around 800 lbs. If my math is correct at 36" W x 24" D that is ~370ish lbs on the side of the tank. I can probably do G10/FR4 at 1/4" or some other Micarta but its absurdly expensive. Acrylic isn't needed unless it would be cheaper. From quick and dirty online shopping it looks like plywood or HDPE.
Unless, I can do this inline. I'm not sure what the pH would come out the remin filter with, but I'm assuming only 7.2. I've had an issue with my pH being too high as they sit near 8.2-8.4. I could get a cheap tankless hot water heater and just set it to 75F. I can get an electric tankless heater for 1.5GPH for under $250 from HD. I'm sure if I go to a commercial plumbing supply house I can get it cheaper.
As for the overflow system, I'm torn between saving the water for plants or a drip system for my front porch hanging baskets or just dumping it to sewer. Obviously dumping it to sewer would be 1/10th the price. Also to save time, money and human error (I burnt myself 3x in 2 weeks all on the same arm) - I wanted to just get box overflows so I don't have to drill. At least for now. I know I can get a 120 with overflows, doubt I can get a 30XH with overflows.
Obviously inline I can use a simple sprinker system timer (cheaper). With a tanked system I need pumps and a controller, I can do it, but more complicated. Both would require a pressure reducer.
Is their anything I'm missing? I mean if I temper them to a different pH, so by doing small daily changes and then upping it then they will just have pH where I want it.
So for water changes I have a 40 gallon tough plastic storage tub on a dolly and 6x 5-gallon buckets with the screw on tops. I then drive 1 hour round trip to my in-laws to use their well water. Dump that into the 40 gallon, run a heater and 2-air stones and dose it with water conditioner. I then wait for 12 hours for it to reach temp, check the PH and match it within .2 of my tank water with ph-up/ph-down. Then I can do a 45% water change on my 55 gallon and a 50% water change on my 10. I have a pond pump connected to a python j-hook. For evacuation, on the 55 I have a Fluval FX4 and I hooked its drain port to a garden hose fitting, I then run a hose out my front door into my garden. The 10 I use a hyger pump that I McGyver'd to a tube that connects to the hose.
Now eventually (by years end), I want to swap out the 55 for a 120 w/ sump and the 10 for a 30 XH. The 55 and 10 would become quarantine in my basement, or a massive whole home refugium. I am not doing water changes on those manually, no way. Both will still be freshwater, community tanks.
I'm thinking RO/DI system and add in a remineralization filter, but then the temp and the PH would be off. My idea was to have a tank in my basement to hold said water and to do it once so I don't have to upsize it. I need to hold ~96 gallons (to be able to handle 50% water changes on a 120 and 30 in a single day). From what I have seen with 30 gallons in this Commander XXL bin from Lowes, may need to go thicker material. I had moderate deformation on the sides. I can do a 95 gallon overpack drum. Other options are .344" structural plywood with 2x4 exoframe with rubber paint or 3/8" HDPE. 96 gallons would be around 800 lbs. If my math is correct at 36" W x 24" D that is ~370ish lbs on the side of the tank. I can probably do G10/FR4 at 1/4" or some other Micarta but its absurdly expensive. Acrylic isn't needed unless it would be cheaper. From quick and dirty online shopping it looks like plywood or HDPE.
Unless, I can do this inline. I'm not sure what the pH would come out the remin filter with, but I'm assuming only 7.2. I've had an issue with my pH being too high as they sit near 8.2-8.4. I could get a cheap tankless hot water heater and just set it to 75F. I can get an electric tankless heater for 1.5GPH for under $250 from HD. I'm sure if I go to a commercial plumbing supply house I can get it cheaper.
As for the overflow system, I'm torn between saving the water for plants or a drip system for my front porch hanging baskets or just dumping it to sewer. Obviously dumping it to sewer would be 1/10th the price. Also to save time, money and human error (I burnt myself 3x in 2 weeks all on the same arm) - I wanted to just get box overflows so I don't have to drill. At least for now. I know I can get a 120 with overflows, doubt I can get a 30XH with overflows.
Obviously inline I can use a simple sprinker system timer (cheaper). With a tanked system I need pumps and a controller, I can do it, but more complicated. Both would require a pressure reducer.
Is their anything I'm missing? I mean if I temper them to a different pH, so by doing small daily changes and then upping it then they will just have pH where I want it.
