Stopping things from growing in the recirculation system

[rumbo]

I have a 200L barrel full of water in my garage. It seems to be rapidly growing some slime. The warm water from the runs seems to be encouraging this greatly! What can I add (and how much) to inhibit growth in this water. All it is doing is going through my condensor but don't want to add anything that will attack the plastic hoses or copper.

Cheers.

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

Pool chlorine. That's all I can think of, that or change the water every now and then.

[Shooter2377]

I'm having the same problem! In as wondering about maybe adding some bleach to the buckets. Not sure how much though

[shadylane]

I think Drunk-N-Smurf nailed it.
The only thing I could add is the 200L barrel is a lot smaller than a swimming pool.

[Coyote]

I toss one of the chlorine tablets from the Hot Tub in every 2 weeks
and change the water every 3 months or so

Works for me

Coyote

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

I think Drunk-N-Smurf nailed it.
The only thing I could add is the 200L barrel is a lot smaller than a swimming pool.

Yes, but the nice thing about most pool chlorine is that it comes in tablets you put in a rubber duck. Time release. If it's too much, pull it out, break the tabs apart till you find the right.

Also, the manufacturer usually have instructions on how much to add for a pool of x size, just do the math for the size of barrel

[rumbo]

Will it affect tubing or copper?

[S-Cackalacky]

I use about 15 to 20 gallons in a plastic tub. I use the same water for several months. I put a few glug glugs of concentrated chlorine bleach in it after each run session. I think the heat drives a lot of the chlorine out of suspension. I've also read that some members put their fores in the water to help keep it sanitized - haven't tried it myself.

[S-Cackalacky]

Will it affect tubing or copper?

Probably not in your lifetime.

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

Will it affect tubing or copper?

Does it bother your house waterlines?

[rumbo]

I've also read that some members put their fores in the water to help keep it sanitized - haven't tried it myself.

That is an interesting idea. I wonder how much would be required to effectively treat 200L though.

[woodshed]

Sodium Percarbonate aka Oxy Clean. 1 scoop per 10 gallons. Never mess with it again in my experience.
My 300 gallon recirc tank water has not been changed in 2 years. Have to top it off on occasion but no growth issues.
And you can use it to clean all over the distillery.

[rumbo]

Will it affect tubing or copper?

Does it bother your house waterlines?

Good point.

[rumbo]

Sodium Percarbonate aka Oxy Clean. 1 scoop per 10 gallons. Never mess with it again in my experience.
My 300 gallon recirc tank water has not been changed in 2 years. Have to top it off on occasion but no growth issues.
And you can use it to clean all over the distillery.

That sounds like a good solution! I'll try that.

[bonehead]

would hydrogen peroxide work? i know it helps in my hydroponic nutrient tank. it seems to kill every thing but the plants. they seem to like it and thrive. it fixes a lot of problems for me. there is a lot of info on using it on the web.

[Drunk-N-Smurf]

Hydrogen peroxide would likely make the problem worse. Your slime is probably algae. It would flourish with peroxide.

[Hound Dog]

Sodium Percarbonate aka Oxy Clean.

I have used bleach before, just a bit makes my water smell like city water but I will have to try the Oxy Clean. That sounds like the ticket.

[S-Cackalacky]

Thanks for posting the OxyClean thing Woodshed. I'll be trying it too. If I don't pay close attention with the Chlorine bleach, I start getting green algae on the sides of the tub. Would be nice not to have to futz around with it so much.

[ranger_ric]

S-Cack.. Using a little chlorine like that in your closed system will not work over time. The chlorine WILL kill the algae but without a filter system to remove the dead algae it will immediately rebound with a vengeance because now it has its dead forefathers to feed on once the chlorine drops below about 2ppm at 7.2pH (the higher the pH the higher you need the chlorine). In the cooler months this would probably work fine but once that water gets and stays into the high 60°s it is off to the races with all kinds of growth. Limiting the amount of light that gets to it will help control a lot of algae, but there are so many other little creatures that love the warm moisture. Personally I would be changing it out every couple of weeks. surely there are some flowers/trees that could use a drink.

[Tokoroa_Shiner]

What about star San? Or some other concentrated no rinse sanitiser?

[carbohydratesn]

How about iodine, my favorite no-rinse sanitizer? I think it'd be great for this application. 'Polar Pure' is a good brand, it's sold for sanitizing drinking water. It's sold as a glass container with iodine crystals in the bottom. You pour the liquid out into whatever you're sanitizing, and then refill it with water to always have a concentrated iodine solution on-hand.

[woodshed]

Since a few have expressed interest I should note that Sodium Perc aka Oxy Clean will make anything you use it on very slippery.
Wait, VERY slippery.
Goes away when you rinse it but just a heads up.

[Saltbush Bill]

It seems to be rapidly growing some slime. The warm water from the runs seems to be encouraging this greatly! What can I add

Try adding some dark, as in don't let any light in, Most slimes are plant growth of some type, they cant survive without light.

[rumbo]

Hi - just an update to this. Used the oxy clean idea. Didn't work. Got some funky long white stringy snot looking shit growing in the barrel after only a few weeks. I think the long time it takes to cool down after a run (sometimes a couple of days) definitely accelerates the growth. I aslo made sure it was covered and not exosed to light except for a couple of hours during a run.

Regarding foreshots, I'm not convinced that the concentration of alcohol would be anything near enough to inhibit growth. In micro labs that use 75% ethanol as that is where it has it's optimal effect on killing microbes. Also even if you did have enough ethanol or other volatile alcohols to acheive this, they are going to evaproate out pretty quick during a run.

Chlorine sounds alright but not a fix and forget solution. May be the only option. If there was a better idea I guess they'd use it in pools...... salt maybe? Would that affect copper lines over time?

[meatheadinc]

For those like me using stainless steel stills

DO NOT use bleach or chlorine as it will corrode the stainless

Napisan (oxyclean ) works for me

[3d0g]

Why not inhibited propylene glycol? Kinda the brewing and distilling industry standard. I've got a laser cutter in my shop that uses a water tank with inhibited ethylene glycol and I haven't had to touch the water in years.

[SenileToo]

Might try a humidifier treatment product. It's made to inhibit micro organism growth. I use the recommended amount when refilling our big humififier. Really keeps it clean with practically no scale either. I'm sure a recirc system would need periodic treatment but I don't have a clue on the interval, maybe once a week or less. I was considering this option or ant-freeze for my, yet to be completed, cooling water system as I have it on hand and I know chlorine disapates pretty quickly. Come to think of it, the toilet tank / bowl tablets and hangers should also work. Need to look at their ingredients to ensure nothing bad would happen to SS. I do know their safe for copper but He'll on some kinds of rubber with prolong exposure. Safe with porcelain though. Wonder if that old toilet could be made into a pot still....?