Slime in RO storage barrels

[56longroof]

I did a search but came up with nothing. I'm getting a clear slime in my RO storage barrels. I haven't noticed any ill effects in my blackwater tank but is there a concern for a reef aquarium?

 

[Formulator]

I did a search but came up with nothing. I'm getting a clear slime in my RO storage barrels. I haven't noticed any ill effects in my blackwater tank but is there a concern for a reef aquarium?

Sounds like some kind of bacteria. Probably not harmful, but it does tell me that your RO water is probably not as pure as you think it is because bacteria needs nutrients to grow. Have you measured your TDS from the RODI?

 

[thatmanMIKEson]

fill up with r.o mix with some bleach let it sit for a few days rinse, rinse should be good

 

[56longroof]

TDS is always 2 or less. I've tested it with 2 different probes with the exact results. The curious thing about it is I keep one tank heated for larger water changes. The heated one has it and the room temperature one is clear. I pulled the heater to see if it goes away.

 

[Formulator]

TDS is always 2 or less. I've tested it with 2 different probes with the exact results. The curious thing about it is I keep one tank heated for larger water changes. The heated one has it and the room temperature one is clear. I pulled the heater to see if it goes away.

Depending upon what’s in that 2 ppm, it could be enough to support bacteria. The heat thing would reinforce the idea that it is bacterial. I like your idea of turning the heater off, but if there was enough bacteria and you just kill it by chilling it to death, all the dead bacteria will decompose and generate ammonia. I like what @thatmanMIKEson suggested with bleach and rinsing.

 

[slingfox]

TDS is always 2 or less. I've tested it with 2 different probes with the exact results. The curious thing about it is I keep one tank heated for larger water changes. The heated one has it and the room temperature one is clear. I pulled the heater to see if it goes away.

When is the last time you changed your RO membrane and other filters on the RODI? If I had TDS of 2 coming out of my RODI I would replace enough to get it down to zero.

 

[DED65]

Are you circulating the water? Stagnant water grows bacteria, not so much if it is moving.

 

[56longroof]

When is the last time you changed your RO membrane and other filters on the RODI? If I had TDS of 2 coming out of my RODI I would replace enough to get it down to zero.

It's been close to a year. I'm planning on changing all of the filters and DI resin soon. But this is not a new issue. It's been going on for a long while. I've only been using the RO on my freshwater tanks to date. My saltwater tank build is nearing completion and I just wanted to be sure it's not a huge issue.

 

[56longroof]

Are you circulating the water? Stagnant water grows bacteria, not so much if it is moving.

I am not. I used to keep a air stone in them but it still did it. I do have a couple small powerheads I can drop in there. I'll definitely give that a shot.

 

[Malum Argenteum]

I'd suspect that anything that leaches from the plastic bin could contribute.

RO water is very biologically unstable, and grows bacteria more than you might think. For drinking purposes, it is recommended to be UV sterilized before use because of this. I used to maintain a commercial RO system in a business, and some of the equipment fed from it grew some odd pink cyano-looking biofilms.

I store my RO and premixed WC water (for both my FW and SW systems) in glass aquariums, and have no obvious bacteria issues (I'm sure they're growing stuff, but I do not notice it).

 

[Sophie"s mom]

Are you circulating the water? Stagnant water grows bacteria, not so much if it is moving.

Agreed! I put a power head in mine when I store it for more than a day.