Saltwater Mixing Station Earthquake Safe

Susan Edwards · Jul 12, 2021

I am in California, Central Valley where we just had like 3 quakes (first I've known near here in 21 years--most are in the bay area etc.!). The 2 65 gal water containers I got (vertical) caution against hard plumbing the 2 together for earthquake safety.

So what is the best way to plumb a mixing station that will also be earthquake friendly? We will bolt containers to the garage wall as well.

Anyone have different plumbing other than hard plumbed?

Celestion · Jul 12, 2021

Lol bam lol

Jedi1199 · Jul 12, 2021

Susan, to be honest, hard plumbing is probably the last thing you should do... If you want to join your collection and mixing cans, soft flexible tubing is by far the safest choice. Think, roll with the flow. Anything rigid runs the risk of breaking under the rolling stresses of an earthquake.

I have lived in California for the majority of my life. I have only once experienced a quake of any real significance, and that was the one in '89. The little jolts we had last week are nothing to worry about. Any quake strong enough to cause damage to your water station, will also be strong enough to damage the DT as well...

Susan Edwards · Jul 12, 2021

Jedi1199 said:
Susan, to be honest, hard plumbing is probably the last thing you should do... If you want to join your collection and mixing cans, soft flexible tubing is by far the safest choice. Think, roll with the flow. Anything rigid runs the risk of breaking under the rolling stresses of an earthquake.

I have lived in California for the majority of my life. I have only once experienced a quake of any real significance, and that was the one in '89. The little jolts we had last week are nothing to worry about. Any quake strong enough to cause damage to your water station, will also be strong enough to damage the DT as well...

I remember the '89 quake! And you have a point on earthquakes. I worried about the ones we just had and my tanks!

I guess we'll look at flexible tubing. The station is going to be in the garage where my hubbies machine shop is so we don't want even a smallish quake sending saltwater all over. All the images I've seen were with pvc, ball valves, etc.