Anyone had issues with orange "homer" buckets??

[ReeferMaddness843]

So I've noticed that at the latter portion of my top offs my sand starts to get this brown coat on top of it. On a whim I tested the tds in a standing bucket and got a reading of 40. I always test as I fill buckets as I ran across an issue with needing to change RODI filters once. Never again! Ha. So the water going in has a tds of 000ppm. Is it possible these buckets are leeching silicates or some other contaminants into the water? I don't have a silica test, but may snag one now just to see if can help anyone save this headache. My blue other store buckets have the remaining 000 tds. Didn't know if this is an issue anyone else has ran across.
I make up multiple 5s at a time ready for emergency change and one 5 for top offs. As I live in an apartment it's not feasible for me, well my better half, to have a brute can "in the way".
(The 40 ppm tds water was dumped and making all new water in my blue buckets now)

 

[Mattrg02]

I've read of plastic buckets leeching silicates. I use a glass cube tank for my top off water.

 

[Griff]

I use the orange buckets to mix water and it goes in the tank in 24 hours or less. Not sure if I'm having any issues as I don't have a tds meter outside of the one that's on my RODI unit.

Following along

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Yup. If I use same day it remains 0. Caught it once at 6ppm, but just made assumption I didn't clean bucket well enough on my end. Going to fill one 1/2 way today and test daily over next week just to see what happens.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Added some phosguard today just as precaution and going to be snagging a silica test asap as well.

 

[Mattrg02]

Added some phosguard today just as precaution and going to be snagging a silica test asap as well.

Keep us in the loop.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Will do.
Here's straight tap:

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Starting the bucket fill:

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Nothing drastic, but less than 24hr and 001 ppm. Sorry for the bad pic. Was concerned with dropping phone in the bucket. Lol

 

[TD13]

interesting... I have a 5 gal bucket that I keep RO in and an auto shut off connected to it. I have water that has been in there for a week at a time....

 

[Zero Nitrates]

Is their a top on the bucket?

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Yes

 

[Zero Nitrates]

I wonder if all plastics leech something into the water.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

That's what I'm hoping to find out over course of next few weeks. Testing tds daily at moment. Plan to snag a silica test when I get some time as well. Appreciate the interest thus far. Hope to save someone some future headaches if I do find anything.

 

[Mfreddy]

You need to look on the bottom of all buckets and storage containers. You want a 2,4 or 5 on the bottom

 

[Duke4Life]

I wonder if all plastics leech something into the water.

I've wondered this myself. I made a mini disc golf basket for my tank and added. Cyano grew like crazy, removed and dosed with peroxide and nothing since. Coincidence?

 

[SandJ]

As I live in an apartment it's not feasible for me, well my better half, to have a brute can "in the way".

I store my brute cans in the corners of the dining room, covered with a round table cloths, so they looks like a small table. It is on wheels so we just roll it to the tanks to fill with saltwater, or to make rodi water at the kitchen sink. Farm feed stores (TSC) carry a smaller brute (maybe 20 gallon) that is a perfect size for our water changes and it does not take up much room.

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

Hmmmmm. I may be able to work something like that out. Thanks for sharing the idea!

 

[Alanc425]

Are you keeping the rodi water air tight? It could be air contamination with dust settling etc?

 

[ReeferMaddness843]

So, still holding a TDS of 001. Starting to think there was an error somewhere on my part. Nonetheless, experiment will continue and silica will be tested this weekend.