Show us your mixing station!

Nick Stanton · Feb 24, 2020

Almost finished with my station.
I’m taking another stab at the hobby after about a 7 year hiatus. A buddy of mine who’s in the hobby told me he makes his own water so I did a little research and this is what I came up with. Just have to make graduated marks on the cans by the sight glass tubes and I’ll be finished.

GregDaKeg · Feb 24, 2020

Bender said:
I'll bite. Mines not super fancy but gets the job done!

Just like mine!

Silent · Feb 24, 2020

GregDaKeg said:
Just like mine!

Same here. Just need to finish plumbing mine.

krash7172 · Feb 24, 2020

Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone have 2 tanks? I just have 1 with a float valve connected to my RODI. I add salt to match DT then do WC.

GregDaKeg · Feb 24, 2020

krash7172 said:
Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone have 2 tanks? I just have 1 with a float valve connected to my RODI. I add salt to match DT then do WC.

I keep one fresh and one mixed salt.

Topekoms · Feb 24, 2020

Mine

mike550 · Feb 24, 2020

krash7172 said:
Pardon my ignorance but why does everyone have 2 tanks? I just have 1 with a float valve connected to my RODI. I add salt to match DT then do WC.

Same. I'm only using one Brute, but I understand why people have separate tanks for RODI and saltwater. I think part of the issue is that if you plumb a brute can that there will be standing water left even if you run the can "empty" because of the slight height difference between where the pipe enters and the bottom of the can. I then pump the saltwater into 5G jugs and haul them up the stairs. But that's a different problem ....

mike550 · Feb 24, 2020

Daveobrien said:
The plumbing isn't installed yet on my mixing station, but it's ready for it. The station is in a darker corner of my fish room, so I decided to back light it. Super worth it!
Picts
- Back lit tanks
- LED Light bar ($20 amazon strip lights, mounted in 3/4" pvc cut in half. (I can rotate it to act as light shield and not blind me)
- Freshly built stand for tanks
- Lined with Vinyl sheeting to help eventual spillage

Backlighting is a really slick idea.

krash7172 · Feb 24, 2020

I leave a significant amount in my mix tank when I pump to do a WC. I just don't have room to do anything different. RODI tops it off.

saltyhog · Feb 24, 2020

I do it so I always have 25 gallons of RO/DI to use for refilling my top off containers, making emergency salt water, filling the spray bottles I clean my testing equipment with, etc.

This is my mixing station plumbed through the wall into the room where my tanks are.

krash7172 · Feb 24, 2020

Your setups are way cool. I also have a float valve in my sump for RODI as ATO. Is this bad practice?

First-time Reefer · Feb 25, 2020

Mines in the garage for now. Always jealous of all the basement setups.

boacvh · Feb 25, 2020

Mine is in my patio. Jealous of basement ones too!

wcharon · Feb 25, 2020

Daveobrien said:
The plumbing isn't installed yet on my mixing station, but it's ready for it. The station is in a darker corner of my fish room, so I decided to back light it. Super worth it!
Picts
- Back lit tanks
- LED Light bar ($20 amazon strip lights, mounted in 3/4" pvc cut in half. (I can rotate it to act as light shield and not blind me)
- Freshly built stand for tanks
- Lined with Vinyl sheeting to help eventual spillage

Can you please share where you got the tanks?

Solomonster · Feb 25, 2020

boacvh said:
Mine is in my patio. Jealous of basement ones too!

Lol mines out in the open in the backyard. I like this idea! Good job!

K7BMG · Feb 25, 2020

wcharon said:
Can you please share where you got the tanks?

I recomend ordering through Tractor Supply, Big R, or other farm supply type of store near you.
I drove 4 hours to get the 165's I have.
These tanks have always been difficult to get ahold of.

homer1475 · Feb 25, 2020

wcharon said:
Can you please share where you got the tanks?

Tractor Supply Company is where I recently got my 65G Norwesco tank. Don't have it plumbed up yet, but it will be just for storing RO/DI. The 32G brute I have for mixing is plenty big enough, and I don't have any plans to replace it.