Mixing system questions

[viperrob]

Now that I have my tank to where I like (for now :yes, or at least to where my wife says. I am now looking at making a mixing station. I have looked at the majority of the threads here and have a real good idea how to create it and where to put it (for now).

But most everybody seems to use Brute containers. I have 2 heavy duty Rubbermaid containers that just sitting around. Will they be strong enough to use or is Brute the better brand?

After the Holidays are finally over, I am going to start getting things set up for this and a non-drilled sump.

 

[johniii]

Brute is made by rubbermaid they are just thicker than the normal ones. I use a 26 gallon storage container. I havent had any problems.

 

[giulianom]

Brute's are also food-safe.

 

[wbrown]

I have a couple Brute 44gallon cans, modified with bulkheads, unions, valves, and a MAG9.
Through several re-plumbings and a lot of trial and error, I have one bulkhead, union and MAG pump plumbed up and over the side to aerate when the stream reenters the can. Keeping everything submerged was kinda a waste as it took longer for the pH to stabilize than with aeration..
Got a redneck version for transferring fresh RO/DI water from one brute to the mixing brute, MAG with a 6ft section of hose, and a couple large spring clamps.
Drop the pump with hose in one can, hold the hose over the other can, and apply power.

 

[ff337]

I use dual 32 gallon brute trash cans. I use one for salt and one for fresh. I have my RODI set-up to where it automatically tops off the fresh. I top my salt off every time I do a water change. At that time, I flush the membrane. Usually every 2 weeks.

For mixing salt, I use a pondmaster submersible pump. Works like a charm.

Since my tank is not on a wall I can run pipes through. (The pitch of my roof, plus being an exterior wall won't allow the mixing station be near the tank) I use this method for water changes. I use another 32 gallon brute can on wheels with a bulkhead plus ball valve to an elbow turned down to make a spigot. I siphon the water from the 120 gallon tank to marked level. After the water is removed, I connect a hose to the pondmaster pump and refill with freshly made saltwater til water is topped off.

Simple, nothing fancy.

 

[90galguy]

Here's my setup. I'm lucky enough to have available space in my garage just on the opposite side of my DT that sits in the living room.

Of course the whole set up begins with the RO/DI 5-stage from BRS which flows into the RO container with a float valve. (The extra "tee" coming off the final stage goes to a shut off valve that I use to fill my CPAP humidifier chamber.):up:

I run all the water movements using a BlueLine X40 between the containers. Opening/Closing various ball valves will allow me to move water from the RO to the SM container. I can then start the mixing using the same pump until the salt dissolves then I keep it moving using an MJ1200 with a submersible heater.

The W/C gravity drain runs along the wall and out the garage door. After I complete the drainging, I can then refill the system using the 3/4" line running vertically between the containers.

I also tapped into the 1-1/2" pvc with a 1/4" line that fills my ATO container that's suspended from the ceiling high enough to give me a gravity fed line into the sump.

My iPOD player usually stays on Nickelback when I'm doing my water changes, but with the way its setup I only get in a couple songs before I'm finished up!

So far this has worked great, of course it's only been in use for a couple weeks. I used the setup during the initial water fill of the tank and everything went great!

I put some extra time and effort into "the behind the scenes" part of the setup so that WC aren't so cumbersome. The easier you make the process the more apt you are to perform them on a scheduled basis.

I'm very new to this hobby so suggestions on how to tweak the setup are always welcome although I think it serves its purpose very well.
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[tinmanunited]

Is the MJ1200 fixed or sitting free on the bottom?

 

[90galguy]

I have it just laying in the bottom of the container. I will use it to keep water movement in either container if I need it at any given time.

 

[90galguy]

To get the water from the RO over to the SW Mixing container I open the bottom valve on of the RO and the top valve of the SW and turn on the pump. In the process I suppose some saltwater could get trapped on the opposite side of the valves, but not enough to make a difference.

I could have added check valves everywhere but I didn't want to add any more cost to the project.

 

[90galguy]

To get the water from the RO container to the SW I open the bottom valve on the RO and the top valve on the SW leaving all other valves closed. That will pump the water from the RO to the SW. To pump the water to the sump I open the bottom valve on the SW and open the valve at the top leading to the 3/4" line running straight up.

I can also use the pump just to mix the SW by opening the top and bottom valves on the SW container. That will just recirculate the water in the SW container.

It's really just a matter of which valves are open and which are closed when performing different tasks. As long as there's water entering the inlet of the pump and exiting from the outlet, I'm good.

I added all the unions so that I can remove any of the barrels from the system for cleaning as well as replacement of the pump if necessary.