55 gallon water drums. wash them weekly?

[Drizzle]

I grow soil and fill 3 or 4 drums of water with my RO system and have air stones in them keeping the water fresh. my question is when i refill the drums I notice the tubes for the air stones get quite slimy. Should I bio green and rinse the drums and tubes every other week or something? even though its just water going in and out of them

 

[CamelToeJoe]

I sanitize mine once a month. I grow hydro and I try to leave them empty the night before a rez refill I turn on the RO machine. I used to let them sit around full they would get funky. You can always add some bleach in small doses. .25 ml per gallon, should dissapate in a day or so with those air stones.

 

[Meowzor]

Possibily anti algae agent you would put in a fish tank ? If it does not hurt a fish I think your safe, least my plants are doing fine. Then again you would think alge of some sort would be good for the plants, not to drink of course. Seaweed is algae?

 

[MonsterRobot]

I always gave my res's a wipe down when I emptied them out because of the slimy stuff you are talking about... I only sanitize them once a month too unless they get nasty for some reason... I just dilute some h2o2 down in a spray bottle and give them a quick spray and wipe when I sanitize also...

 

[Seamaiden]

Yes, seaweed is macroalgae. The slime you're observing may be cyanobacteria, though, assuming little to no light is entering the water column. I would just use bleach, myself. Or you could drop in some H2O2, but know that once it's reacted it's done with its sanitizing properties.

 

[sky_blue]

You are using an individual bucket system? No table w/giant reservoir?

 

[Seamaiden]

Are you asking me, or someone else? I store water, and have extensive experience in the aquatic ornamental trade. I've also worked a short time at a large California public aquarium. We can talk giant if you'd like. :)

 

[kushtrees]

What bleach dilution would u use seamaiden?

 

[slap14]

I keep a 44 gallon food grade container full of R/O water and have never had any slime or residue build up of any kind. I would think if your PPM is at zero there wouldn't be any build up of any living organisms but I've been wrong before. :)

 

[Seamaiden]

What bleach dilution would u use seamaiden?

Just like what those disaster preparedness booklets tell you to use, and IIRC it's either 1 teaspoon (5mls) or 1 tablespoon (15mls) of Cl to a 55gal drum of water. You're supposed to only just be able to smell it, just barely, or it'll be extremely difficult to get it outgassed or neutralized again.

But I will note that I keep barrels of water in my basement and I don't have to treat them with anything, no slime (cyanobacteria or microalgae) buildup occurs. I do keep them covered, and the basement is dark.