Looking For Advice On Using Ro In Big Tanks

[RipSlider]

Hello all.

A house move shortly is meaning that my tanks are getting pulled apart and re-set up, so I'm taking the oppurtunity to make some changes.

My biggest tank is going to be turned into a discus tank, which leads to lots of RO being needed.

So here's the issue:

Tank is 1,100 litres. A water change is going to get through an easy 200 liters, and I have NO intention of putting all that in with buckets!

So, I need to set up some form of tank to hold, heat and age all the water. I'd like some way of pumping the RO back into the main tank, and if could also speed up the removal of the old tank water, that would also be good.

So, I'm just wondering how you guys with large tanks and RO sort it out?

The issues I see are:

1) what sort of container are you using to hold large amonts of RO?
2) Do you cover it ( it'll be heated to about 30c, so don't want a load of damp )
3) Do you find you need a powerhead in the water store to stop the minerals from fallin out of the system?
4) How do you get the water back into the tank? Pump it in? Man carry it?
5) If carried, do you pump directly into the tank, or into the filtration system?

Any advice, pitfalls, useful tips and tricks etc will be gatefully recieved.

Thanks in advance

Steve

 

[mister-t]

i use an hma filter,which takes out metals only,which goes straight into my holding tank,which is heated to 30,then i just use a hose to drain my discus tank straight into the bath,then its a matter of using buckets to refill tank,but am considering getting a pump from a filter to pump the water direct into my tank,i dont age my water tho,and my discus are doing really good
mister-t

 

[darkwolf29a]

1) what sort of container are you using to hold large amonts of RO?
2) Do you cover it ( it'll be heated to about 30c, so don't want a load of damp )
3) Do you find you need a powerhead in the water store to stop the minerals from fallin out of the system?
4) How do you get the water back into the tank? Pump it in? Man carry it?
5) If carried, do you pump directly into the tank, or into the filtration system?


I use 5 gallon buckets. I have 165 gallons of water, total in my tanks.

But...what I have been doing for awhile is this:

I made a 40 ft long hose that fits on a Mag3 pump. The inlets and outlets are 1/2in. I bought a 15 gallon Rubbermaid tub. I put the pump directly into the tub and start my water changes by making 12 gallons of hot water and emptying it directly into tub. I then add the cold water, that's stored, into the tub. I pump water at about 80 to 85 degrees. I can refill my 55 gallon tank in about 3 minutes. It's very quick and far less intrusive than the old 5 gallon bucket/pour method.

The only thing I've add to this is a PVC T at the outlet end of the hose. It makes the water go in with less splashy current. The fish seem to prefer that to the direct method.