RO /saltwater storage side by side or stacked.

UFO8MyCow · 12/02/2015, 08:24 PM

I am in the process of setting up my water storage and have seen some people set them side by side and some stack one container on top of the other. Is there a good reason to do one or the other?

MrG · 12/02/2015, 08:34 PM

I've done both and prefer RO stacked above the salt (less plumbing in my mind). I have two 29g tanks that were both drilled on the bottom. I then put a "T" with ball valves on each side out of the RO tank with one exit going straight down into the tank I used for mixing salt water. The other exit of the "T" was used to fill up 5g buckets to empty into my ATO reservoir. The saltwater mix tank just had a ball valve on the exit tube for me to fill up buckets for water changes.

Mouse · 12/02/2015, 09:34 PM

I think it has a lot to do with container size/shape, how much room is needed/available, and if your trying to achieve another goal at the same time

UFO8MyCow · 12/02/2015, 10:04 PM

I am using some old square water softener salt barrels that I got by dumpster diving at the water treatment place around the corner from my house. They hold about 30 gallons each but they tend to bow quite a bit when full so I will only fill them to about 20 gallons

Two of them fit perfectly beside each other next to my utility sink but I also have plenty of height to stack them as well.

I was thinking about adding a bulkhead to the bottom of the fresh water barrel so that when it is time to make new salt water I can just open the valve and let it drain into the bottom one

MrG · 12/03/2015, 07:25 AM

Found some old pics of my setup.

Went from this:

To this:

Stacked setup was much easier for me to work with.

Pastey · 12/03/2015, 08:34 AM

Mine is stacked with RO stored above salt. Only change I'd make to mine would be to elevate both barrels so that I could gravity drain the salt barrel like I do the RO. Other than that, it saves room.

12/02/2015, 08:24 PM	#1
UFO8MyCow Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	RO /saltwater storage side by side or stacked. I am in the process of setting up my water storage and have seen some people set them side by side and some stack one container on top of the other. Is there a good reason to do one or the other?

12/02/2015, 09:34 PM	#3
Mouse UnRegistered Member Join Date: Oct 2002 Location: Rio Linda CA Posts: 739	I think it has a lot to do with container size/shape, how much room is needed/available, and if your trying to achieve another goal at the same time __________________ Somedays it just isnt worth gnawing through the straps...... Current Tank Info: 125g > < this close to being set up

12/03/2015, 08:34 AM	#6
Pastey Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Baton Rouge, LA Posts: 835	Mine is stacked with RO stored above salt. Only change I'd make to mine would be to elevate both barrels so that I could gravity drain the salt barrel like I do the RO. Other than that, it saves room. __________________ I got a fever, and the only prescription is more pictures.

12/02/2015, 08:34 PM	#2
MrG Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 153	I've done both and prefer RO stacked above the salt (less plumbing in my mind). I have two 29g tanks that were both drilled on the bottom. I then put a "T" with ball valves on each side out of the RO tank with one exit going straight down into the tank I used for mixing salt water. The other exit of the "T" was used to fill up 5g buckets to empty into my ATO reservoir. The saltwater mix tank just had a ball valve on the exit tube for me to fill up buckets for water changes.

12/02/2015, 10:04 PM	#4
UFO8MyCow Registered Member Join Date: Sep 2011 Posts: 149	I am using some old square water softener salt barrels that I got by dumpster diving at the water treatment place around the corner from my house. They hold about 30 gallons each but they tend to bow quite a bit when full so I will only fill them to about 20 gallons Two of them fit perfectly beside each other next to my utility sink but I also have plenty of height to stack them as well. I was thinking about adding a bulkhead to the bottom of the fresh water barrel so that when it is time to make new salt water I can just open the valve and let it drain into the bottom one

12/03/2015, 07:25 AM	#5
MrG Registered Member Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlotte, NC Posts: 153	Found some old pics of my setup. Went from this: To this: Stacked setup was much easier for me to work with.