RD50 for salt water mixing /water change station

[jlfalin]

I am currently designing my salt water mixing station. I am usin RD pumps for my tank and wanted to be consistent with what pumps I am using. Would there be any issue with using the RD50 to mix salt water. Mainly would dumping in salt and allowing some solid the get pulled through the pump cause any issues? Don’t want the granularmsalt to damage the pump in any way.

[slief]

Originally Posted by jlfalin

I am currently designing my salt water mixing station. I am usin RD pumps for my tank and wanted to be consistent with what pumps I am using. Would there be any issue with using the RD50 to mix salt water. Mainly would dumping in salt and allowing some solid the get pulled through the pump cause any issues? Don’t want the granularmsalt to damage the pump in any way.

I don’t think it would cause any issues but undissolved salt can be hard on equipment. I generally prefer using external pumps like Little Giants and Iwaki’s for that kind of duty.

[jlfalin]

For the RD50’s. Will the pump be able to tolerate multiple on/off cycles every day. I plan on using it at about 50% and the turning it on for 5 minutes every 6 hours once fully mixed. To help prevent granular salt from being sucked into the pump I may do initial mix with a powerhead. The RD would be for turnover, to transfer water from one tank to another, to fill tank after water change, and to fill buckets.

[slief]

Originally Posted by jlfalin

For the RD50’s. Will the pump be able to tolerate multiple on/off cycles every day. I plan on using it at about 50% and the turning it on for 5 minutes every 6 hours once fully mixed. To help prevent granular salt from being sucked into the pump I may do initial mix with a powerhead. The RD would be for turnover, to transfer water from one tank to another, to fill tank after water change, and to fill buckets.

I don’t see an issue with that but as I said before, I don’t think this is the best use for these types of pumps and think a pump like a small Iwaki, little giant or blue line would be a much better choice for your application. Especially since you will be switching the pump on and off several times a day.

[jlfalin]

As of now I think I’m going with a blue line / pan world pump. Only issue is my local source and go to online source can’t get the pump right now. Guess I’ll be waiting a little bit. That, or I may move up to an Iwaki. Need to start doing some water changes on my new tank. The die off from my Pukani has pushed my nitrates up to over 100 in my ~500gallon tank. That’s a lot of nitrate. ��

[slief]

Originally Posted by jlfalin

As of now I think I’m going with a blue line / pan world pump. Only issue is my local source and go to online source can’t get the pump right now. Guess I’ll be waiting a little bit. That, or I may move up to an Iwaki. Need to start doing some water changes on my new tank. The die off from my Pukani has pushed my nitrates up to over 100 in my ~500gallon tank. That’s a lot of nitrate. ��

As much as would love to see you buy another RD3, I do think that is a better choice for the application. If you were doing the on and off via 0-10v control, I’d still suggest a pump like those you mentioned in large part because of the salt in the mixing station which inevitably will be getting into the motor at times even if your power head is doing the mixing. Plus, with a pump like you mentioned, you could ditch the powered and plumb the mixing station so that the same pump is doing the mixing which would be much more effective since you will likely plumb it in at the bottom if the mixing tank and could return it to the top. I use a little giant for my mixing tank. I open a valve and use it to pull water from my RODI into my mixing tank. Then close a valve and it mixes water. It’s controlled by my controller and turns on every 3 hours and runs for 15 minutes to keep the mixed water fresh. I can also close one valve and open another valve and send water directly to my sump from the same pump.

[jlfalin]

I’m trying to decide on plumbing size. Scott, what size pump are you using and what size plumbing on the intake. I ended up getting a pan world 50px-x which has a 1” in and 1” out. My guy recommends 1” plumbing for intake but I wasn’t sure if I should upsize to 1-1/4 or even 1-1/2 on the intake. Output will for sure be 1”.

[slief]

Originally Posted by jlfalin

I’m trying to decide on plumbing size. Scott, what size pump are you using and what size plumbing on the intake. I ended up getting a pan world 50px-x which has a 1” in and 1” out. My guy recommends 1” plumbing for intake but I wasn’t sure if I should upsize to 1-1/4 or even 1-1/2 on the intake. Output will for sure be 1”.

My mixing tank is 100 gallons. I’ve got a little giant 4MDQ on it and the tanks are plumbed with 1” PVC. I have a 1/2” line routed to my main display for pumping water in when I need it. That said, I never really use that 1/2” line because I have a Genesis Renew for my AWC.