Show me your water storage

[Jubei2006]

Hello,
I am brainstorming my water storage setup, and have been having trouble figuring out how to fill my "salt" side without having it backup into my "fresh" side. Seeing all your photos, I'm highly confused by all the plumbing. I have 2 food-grade plastic 55 gal drums. I will be putting in a float valve in the "fresh" one. My plan was to simply connect the 2 tanks with a hose and let gravity fill the "salt" side. In my head, it seems like all I would need is a ball valve to stop the "salt" side from filling when I do water changes. But, the backflow is still a consideration at the refilling stage. That brought me to the idea of a check valve. It would require both.
I'm wondering what you all think of this.

Also, I'm wondering how to keep a bunch of algae from growing in the fresh side as it sits full for days/weeks? Do you guys keep a bunch of freshwater snails in there? Maybe a pleco

So yeah the check valve would work, but Im not a huge fan of them. Also make sure it's an all plastic one, as most at the hardware store have a metal spring in them. I use my mixing station pump to pump freshwater to the salt side, but if it's empty I can just let gravity feed it as well. My bins are dark so no light gets through to the water. I use 64 gallon rolling trash bins for water storage, so far no problems. Lots of people use the brute trash bins as well.

 

[Mathew0]

Update:
The pluming and pumping was becoming a headache. I have opted to split my RO line and use 2 float Valves, one for each bin. I'll have a ball valve on each line to close it off when needed. Once the salt side is full, I'll flip the ball valve until I empty. This seems like a far simpler approach than trying to connect the 2 bins.
K.I.S.S.

 

[mpoletiek]

Little overkill for my waterbox infinia 165, but I wanted to fill it fast when setting it up so I went with 2, 100g containers.

Also, adding the waterbox stickers makes all the difference in water quality

 

[ChiefReefin]

Little overkill for my waterbox infinia 165, but I wanted to fill it fast when setting it up so I went with 2, 100g containers.

Also, adding the waterbox stickers makes all the difference in water quality

Where did you pick up these containers?

 

[ChiefReefin]

Little overkill for my waterbox infinia 165, but I wanted to fill it fast when setting it up so I went with 2, 100g containers.

Also, adding the waterbox stickers makes all the difference in water quality

I am in the mist of setting up my waterbox reef 220, was looking at getting two 65 gallon tanks, but thinking of 100 gallon also. Think the 65 would be fine, or do you recommend going with the 100?

 

[ChiefReefin]

Every tank you could ever want...

Norwesco Tanks: Buy Norwesco Poly Tanks For Sale Online

www.ntotank.com

Most of the reefers I know use these for their mixing stations. I personally have 2x 65g vertical tanks; one for RO/DI and one for salt.
There are a lot of threads on R2R for mixing stations. You may want to start there.

Do you think two 65 gallons is big enough for a 220 gallon tank?

 

[ChiefReefin]

Two 55 gallon containers, used for my 220-gallon and 30-gallon tanks. I wish I had gone bigger.

How big would you have wished to go? I am setting up a 220 gallon and weighing out options. Was looking at 65 gallon tanks.