Will pre-mixed salt water grow algae in pipes run through attic??

[Macimage]

Hi,

I want to run pvc piping from my garage to the family room through the attic to pump my pre-mixed salt water in for water changes.

I am worried that as the water sits in the pipe between the water changes or as some portions of the pipe are empty, that the pvc pipe will become filled with algae, especially as it is really hot in the attic.

But I was wondering it maybe the ro/di water has all the bad stuff removed and it would be ok??? My pre-mixed salt in the barrel does not seem to grow algae.

Thanks, Joyce

P.S. My Brita pitcher which sits on the kitchen counter gets green algae if I don't wash it out often enough, so I'm not sure whether the pipes in the attic would become algae filled.

[Edited by Macimage on 05-20-2001 at 10:36 AM]

[TonyHNYC]

Hi!
I know what your saying about the Brita Filter, but that has to do with your tap water with Phosphates /nitrates. If you use R/O water, there should not be any problems with algae since it is pure water with no Phosphates/nitrates... However, if the water sits long enough in warm conditions, you could get some bacteria blooms....Good Luck

[DgenR8]

I wouldn't expect algae to grow in pvc as light can't get in. That coupled with R.O./D.I. water would be enough to put my mind at rest.

[jimhobbs]

Are used to transport the condensed runoff of your AC coils...It is basically "distilled" water, but still grows and clogs up piping systems{I gues some of you would say the 'Human dander' that condenses along with the water fuels this}...

There would be a way to do what you are trying to do; but it would involve a sealed system, that would never drain and have stagnant air enclosed in the moist environment of the pipe...I think some type of dosing pump, along with a proper perge and install of the rest of the system, would provide what you desire...It would depend on the ability of the dosing pump to seal-off from the ambient conditions:)That's where the air would enter the system;)

I'm not so sure that a pvc system could be used, due to the amount of time the water would be in contact with the pvc{low turnaround of topoff volume}, coupled with lack of a good seal...I would recommend some of the flex vaccum tubing used by labs for critical substance transfer...A roll of it from the right supply house would be cheaper than all the fittings and tubings you would need for the pvc:)

Sounds like an interesting project:)

[hughem]

I wouldn't expect a problem with using PVC to transfer NEW salt water to the tank. It probably would be an issue to leave water IN the pipe though, as various salts would precipitate out with heating and cooling.

If you could put in a tee somewhere near the highest point, with the "stem" of the tee pointing up, then plumb up over and down to a valve. You could use this to "vent" the system, allowing air to enter from a high point, and the salt mix to drain out of the pipe. Of course, this wouldn't work if the pipe was routed up/down/up/down... to miss various beams and air vents!

Another solution would be to use a shop vac to suck all the remaining salt mix out and dry the pipe after use.

Think about putting the pump on a appliance module (X-10) so you can shut it off from the livingroom.

[Macimage]

Thanks for all the input. I think I need to plan this out a bit more. Also, thanks for the X-10 tip, I was wondering how to run back & forth turning it on & off!!

Joyce