Let's see your mixing station

I spent a couple of years not really following RC or the boards, and I came back and mixing stations are huge. Could someone please explain to me how it works with the two barrels? Is one for fresh and one for salt?

Matt:cool:
Your correct. RO/DO feeds one barrel, the other is for saltwater mixing, coupled with a pump in the middle. Some just run a tee, valve and spigot for filling buckets. Most ideas include a hose with another pvc device for filling said tanks with whichever water you like. Below is a picture I made of said filling device. Hope this helps.
15766556216936462154013428698434.jpg
 
Your correct. RO/DO feeds one barrel, the other is for saltwater mixing, coupled with a pump in the middle. Some just run a tee, valve and spigot for filling buckets. Most ideas include a hose with another pvc device for filling said tanks with whichever water you like. Below is a picture I made of said filling device. Hope this helps.
View attachment 132287
Love the colors nice job chief...
 
How do you prevent the saltwater from flowing back into the freshwater barrel?

Anyways, this is my RO/DI station.
5CACF1C5-8432-4401-8111-E1F29B1F1AB0.jpeg


I need a booster pump, so the tubing is a lot more messy than I would like...

It’s fully automated.

When the RO/DI barrel upstairs reports a low level to the APEX, first the main water solenoid (large, bottom solenoid) opens, and the bypass solenoids actuate (sort of hidden behind the top of the RO/DI unit). Instead of using a 3-way actuator which I don’t have much experience with, the DI line is energize to close and the waste line is energize to open. This directs all RO/DI output to waste (black lines)

5 seconds later, the booster pump starts.

After 5 minutes, the bypass actuators de-energize, sending output to the DI barrel upstairs (white lines). Another minute later, the TDS controller (green box, top left) is powered on. This is set to send a signal to the APEX of the TDS if the DI water is higher than a set point, which stops the whole process and sends a warning. I have to manually reset the APEX to allow further water to be made.

When the RO/DI barrel upstairs reaches a high level, it also shuts down the whole process, but the process can start again when more water is called for.

Except for needing to manually change the DI resin cartridge upon high TDS output, the system will generate batch after batch of RO/DI water until the DI cartridge is exhausted (usually about once a month).

So I guess I did something different than a mixing station,

Matt:cool:
 
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Nice setup. I do something similar, but not as fancy, to fill my fresh water barrel. It’s not automatic, but all I have to do is turn a switch on my apex and the barrel starts filling until it reaches the top. I’m a little paranoid the RO/DI unit will leak and so I only run it when I’m around the house.
How do you prevent the saltwater from flowing back into the freshwater barrel?

For my setup, I use two true union ball valves so that either the salt water or the fresh water flows through the line, but not both. I keep the fresh water valve closed when I’m not mixing so nothing can flow back in to the fresh water barrel. When I am adding fresh water to the salt water tank, I close the salt water valve and turn the mixing pump on which provides negative pressure to help prevent backflow. And if that isn’t enough, I also installed an in-line check valve on the freshwater line to limit backflow in case I forget to close the valve when I’m done.
 
I feel so inadequate........ I have multiple marine diseases/addictions but it all starts with WSME (WaterStationMixingEnvy), it's a real downer.

Building mines now but with space constraints it's gonna be hoaky in comparison.
 
So i'm looking into these now and I wonder about the need/use of the mixing barrel. How are you using it? Are you saying "i wanna do a water change today" and transfer water and mix the salt to have it ready or are you keeping SW mixed and on hand?

I see a benefit for having RODI on hand but prefer to just pump that to my water change barrel, mix and heat vs having it plumbed into a setup. my big concern is any left over sediment in the bottom after its mixed......doesn't that get all mucked up after a while?
 
I keep mixed saltwater and rodi at all times. Currently making and filling rodi as top offs require more water in and out.
 
Do you continue to have flow in the mixed water bucket?
Usually, I'll aerate/run the mixing pump for a few hours before actually pulling water from it. Running instant ocean at the moment and haven't noticed any I'll effects yet. Switching to. Tropic Marin Pro this Wednesday for a more natural approach.
 
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