stopping water going stagnant

[chris1000]

Hello all
i am setting up a rainwater container 1000 ibc containerits also in my garage which is quite warm when we get abit of sun!!!  . i was wonder the best way to stop the water from stagnating. there is a 3p filter on the down pipe i intend using the water for toilets, dishwasher and washing machine. i though about using there same stuff that you use in hot tub either Chlorine Granules or Bromine Tablets . i don't know if i need to do this can anyone offer any advice
cheers Chris

[guydewdney]

one of the most important things is to keep it in the dark - you can get black IBCs instead of the normal white / clear ones for this very reason. There are plenty of chemicals you could add - as you say from h*t t*bs or the camping / caravan / motorhome world. Filter as much cr*p out of it as you can first (slow sand filter?) then there wont be any bugs to make it stagnate. Then kill of any extra bugs with a UV light from a fish shop. Change bulb every 6 months for drinking water - I suspect you can do it every year for bog water+

And size it accordingly, so that lots of it (%age wise) gets used.

[chris1000]

thank you for that i have got a black ibc by chance. can you make a sand filter ??
it also has one of thses 3p mesh filters that goes in line with the drain pipe.
at the moment i intend to use it for two toilets and dishwasher and the washing machine.
cheers

[chris1000]

Hi what size UV lamp would be suitable??
cheers

[dhaslam]

The only application you are proposing that might need a UV filter would be the dishwasher and then only for the final rinse.  Since a dishwasher only uses tiny amounts of water it would be better to skip it and the UV filter.

[guydewdney]

making a sand filter is easy - water in the top, into big box of sand, then fine gravel, then coarse gravel. take water from bottom, but pipe it up so that the tank is always full of water. scum appears at top on sand, eating the nasty stuff. Theres loads of info on t'internet.... UV is OTT, i agree - but hey.

[billi]

Sure sand filters .... and then ozone in my opinion    or just a automated backwash ultra filtration membrane


Billi