rooroo October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 I'm not really new to the hobby but am new to my Ro/DI unit so I guess this goes here. I got my ro/di filter from Premium Aquatics, the cheaper ones they have on there, 50GPD. Its filtered maybe 150 gallons total. I keep the filtered water in a 20 gal brute trashcan. Well the fresh filtered water is nice and clear, smells fine. But if it sits for a few days it starts to smell like ammonia, ie cat pee. I'm guessing this isn't good for the tank, so I usually dump out the bad smelling water and filter fresh. So what is going on? I don't airate or circulate the filtered water. Should I? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 I don't airate or circulate the filtered water. Should I? absolutely Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocko918 October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 I'm not really new to the hobby but am new to my Ro/DI unit so I guess this goes here. I got my ro/di filter from Premium Aquatics, the cheaper ones they have on there, 50GPD. Its filtered maybe 150 gallons total. I keep the filtered water in a 20 gal brute trashcan. Well the fresh filtered water is nice and clear, smells fine. But if it sits for a few days it starts to smell like ammonia, ie cat pee. I'm guessing this isn't good for the tank, so I usually dump out the bad smelling water and filter fresh. So what is going on? I don't airate or circulate the filtered water. Should I? I would circulate it, you can airate it if you want but i would drop a pump in there for sure, even a heater if you want so you don't dump cold sw into your tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascal October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 If you are talking about your mixed salt water then yes, you should definitely keep a pump running to circulate and aerate it before adding it to your tank. If you are just talking about your fresh water resevoir though, I am not sure this will solve your problem. I don't have any circulation pumps in mine, and it has never smelled like cat pee. Have you tested it for ammonia to make sure that is indeed what you are smelling? If so, my guess would be you are somehow introducing a nutrient source into the water. If your RODI is new and set up properly, I doubt this is the source. Maybe airborne? Do you have a top on the container? Was the trash container used for anything before this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
unninair October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 (edited) Do you own a Cat? He/She may not be appreciating your new hobby. Edited October 31, 2006 by unninair Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 Do you own a Cat? He/She may not be appreciating your new hobby. That's weird, since ammonia should actually dissipate, not concentrate in water that's sitting. Maybe it would have been best to use a new trash can, not one filled with trash? :wink: tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo October 31, 2006 Author Share October 31, 2006 Brand new trash can. Brand new rodi. It is somewhat possible that the cat was poed about the new water container, but I really think the smell is coming from the water itself. There is a lid to the can, and it is fresh water only, not mixed with salt. I do circulate and warm the water for water changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rascal October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 Hmmm. A mystery then. Maybe you should scrub it out with bleach and rinse it well before filling it up next time, or better yet just start over with a new container. If that doesn't work the only other thing I can think of is to run a bunch of tests on your rodi water. I can't think of any reason that a sealed container of pure water should start smelling unless something is being added to it somehow. So, either the water is not really pure, or the cat is pi**ing in your trash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo October 31, 2006 Author Share October 31, 2006 Lol, she'd have a heck of a time getting into the can, but you never know with cats... I'll scrub down the can and try testing the water for ammonia and the like. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flowerseller October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 Use vinegar to clean it. The cheap stuff works wonders. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emissary October 31, 2006 Share October 31, 2006 Did you test the water for ammonia? TDS readings? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo November 2, 2006 Author Share November 2, 2006 Tested the filtered water this morning for ammonia, nitrite, and nitrate. 0 on all. I don't have a TDS meter. Guess I will try getting one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch November 2, 2006 Share November 2, 2006 I've got one if you want to borrow it.... Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rioreef November 2, 2006 Share November 2, 2006 I have heard of this and read the container should be filled with ro water and a cup or two of bleach and let sit for 4-5 days. After that rinse and fill with ro and add dechlorinator and let set again for 4-5 days. Rinse and check for bleach smell. If present, dechlorinator again. Others say it is important to keep the lid on tight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo November 2, 2006 Author Share November 2, 2006 Alright rioreef, I'll fill up my buckets for the next week and bleach over the weekend. Dave, if after this it still smells funny I'll let you know and borrow the TDS. Thanks everyone! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mogurnda November 2, 2006 Share November 2, 2006 The RO/DI water in my topoff reservoir has always smelled a bit like cat pee. Zero TDS, no cat, and the reservoir was a brand-spanking new tank from US plastics. Never hurt anything. I was tank sitting for another WAMAS member last month. His RO/DI tub smelled like cat pee too. I figure it's just a little NH3 left over from the massive doses of chloramine in the water here. Your nose is very, very sensitive to small amounts of ammonia. If it's not ionized to ammonium, ammonia won't be detectable by a TDS meter. Have all of you sniffed your RO/DI lately? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo November 3, 2006 Author Share November 3, 2006 Phew, good to know its not just me. I'll clean it out anyway. I don't know what kind of chloramine/ammonia levels Frederick County Public Water maintains, but as long as other people have noticed it and not had problems with it then I won't worry about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dhoch November 3, 2006 Share November 3, 2006 I'm on the same water as you I'm sure and I don't have any problems (I try to keep TDS low though)... Also I can't comment on smell as my sense of smell is not very good at all.. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grav November 27, 2006 Share November 27, 2006 I've found water buckets that were ever used to mix salt can get a funky rotten egg sulpher smell. This normally goes away with circulation and airation. Remember RO/DI water has all of the things that keep "stuff" from growing in it. It's just a peetrie (sp?) dish waiting to happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smarsh97 November 28, 2006 Share November 28, 2006 I had the same thing happen with my fresh RO/DI water and I was heating and circulating it. So I don't store any RO/DI water anymore. Sandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jason the filter freak November 29, 2006 Share November 29, 2006 A thought, if you really want to track down the source or at least eliminate your tap water / ro/di water as the source. Go get a few gallons of spring water for the store for $.40 a gallon or what ever it costs, put that in your holding container and see if you get the same smell. If not it's your tap water / ro/di water, if you do I'd suspect that cat and or container Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
extreme_tooth_decay December 8, 2006 Share December 8, 2006 A thought, if you really want to track down the source or at least eliminate your tap water / ro/di water as the source. Go get a few gallons of spring water for the store for $.40 a gallon or what ever it costs, put that in your holding container and see if you get the same smell. If not it's your tap water / ro/di water, if you do I'd suspect that cat and or container Or you could just stop peeing in it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckeye Field Supply December 11, 2006 Share December 11, 2006 Its not uncommon for DI water to have a "fishy" smell - is that what it smells like? Russ @ BFS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rooroo December 11, 2006 Author Share December 11, 2006 Nope, it smells just like cat pee. Not fishy at all. In any case I've found that aerating it and heating it seems to remove the smell. I scrubbed down the container a few weeks ago, but I do mix water for water changes in it. I try to rinse out the container after every water change. Just something in the basement maybe (like the cat). In any case if some other people notice the same thing I'll just ignor it unless it gets bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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