I am planning to make one more of the containers below for water storage in my room but up the total to 10 gallons. I poured in measuring by the gallon and marked it for easier filling next time. I'll have one for PH adjusted water and one for adjusted water with nutrients. Anything bad about making water for the week ahead of time in this fashion and storing in a plastic container?
Water Storage
- Thread starter Hurdbird
- Start date
meangreengrowinmachine
Well-Known Member
Put an air stone in there imo or it could go anaerobic on you and you don't want that
Anaerobic? How about a couple little circulator aquarium pumps?
meangreengrowinmachine
Well-Known Member
No oxygen. Then it will smell and not be good for your plants. Anything to oxygenate the water will work.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
How do you get the water out of that tub to your plants? I just use the 20L blue water jugs we fill at the store with RO water. I have 2 that I measured out water and marked every 2L to make it easy to measure out the water I need. Then have an airstone going in it as I add nutes so it's being stirred and oxygenated while mixing up a batch.
Hardest part of the whole operation is hauling the full jugs down the narrow staircase into the basement.
I'm hoping to have my own RO machine before too long then I'll have it in the basement which will save me that dangerous trip down the stairs.
Hardest part of the whole operation is hauling the full jugs down the narrow staircase into the basement.
I'm hoping to have my own RO machine before too long then I'll have it in the basement which will save me that dangerous trip down the stairs.
a senile fungus
Well-Known Member
As mentioned, you'll want to keep the water moving and aerated. Air pumps work, water pumps work. A water pump left on 24/7 will heat up your water. I run my water pump between my 55gal barrels for 15min every two hours, keeps it from getting stagnant and the waterfall effect aerates the water. If i ran my pump 24/7 then water temp is too warm in the summertime.
I would be careful about putting nutrients into a clear container and letting it sit. I only mix enough nutes for a day or two, i dont like letting stuff like that sit around, seems risky.
Also, i dont have any science to back this up, but im also wary of having acidic solution sitting in a plastic container. Some of these plastic types will leach chemicals into the water. Everything i have plumbed with is food grade or at least for potable water.
That's just some food for thought. It is good that you are planning ahead and trying to make things easier for yourself. I use to have to walk my water into my room, about 400ft from the water source. I'd do 2x pickle buckets at a time, if i was careful i could bring about 11gal per trip. But once i started needing more than 10gal at a time then the carrying of the water got old real fast, lol! Now i have 120gal barrel system plumbed in with pond pump. Highly preferable.
OldMedUser
Well-Known Member
I mix my nutes up and they get used right away then the bottle gets rinsed so algae won't grow in it. The water bottles are food grade unlike the clear tub the OP uses.
I just assumed everyone knew not to pre-mix nutes and leave them sitting around. Silly me.
Thanks everyone. Very valid points. I was planning to circulate water but I'll figure out a better method.I mix my nutes up and they get used right away then the bottle gets rinsed so algae won't grow in it. The water bottles are food grade unlike the clear tub the OP uses.
I just assumed everyone knew not to pre-mix nutes and leave them sitting around. Silly me.
OldMedUser,
I like it haha. This newbie can take his beatings when deserved. Thanks.
Came up with a solution to my water storage issues:
- (2) 10 gallon fish tanks w/ tops. One will always be full of PH adjusted water. Other will be for mixing nutrients for immediate use / cleaning. Measured out and marked gallon levels on both tanks.
- (1) small circ pump for water circulation / water transfers. Circ pump running on a timer for 5 mins every half hour. Installed a switch on the circ pump cord for easy on / off during filling of watering can.
- (1) air pump, w/ (2) air stones running 24/7 for now. May put this on the timer as well.
Seems to be working great!
- (2) 10 gallon fish tanks w/ tops. One will always be full of PH adjusted water. Other will be for mixing nutrients for immediate use / cleaning. Measured out and marked gallon levels on both tanks.
- (1) small circ pump for water circulation / water transfers. Circ pump running on a timer for 5 mins every half hour. Installed a switch on the circ pump cord for easy on / off during filling of watering can.
- (1) air pump, w/ (2) air stones running 24/7 for now. May put this on the timer as well.
Seems to be working great!
