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Thread: Storing ro membrane in preservative

  1. #1
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    Default Storing ro membrane in preservative

    I have always stored my membranes in the machines. This year I would like to store my membrane in a separate canister in the house so I dont have to heat my ro room. My question is can I just place the membrane in the storage canister, mix up preservative in a bucket with distilled water, and dump it into the membrane/canister? I would like to skip the recirculation of the preservative through the wash tank while still in the ro if possible.
    1000 taps on vac down to 100+ buckets 99% sugars
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    Tapping the same trees my great, great and great grandfathers tapped.

  2. #2
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    I will just be storing mine in the membrane housing filled with preservative. I’ll connect bottom outlets of the housing with the top inlet using a Tee connector as shown below. No need to reinvent the wheel by glueing pieces of pvc together 😁

    https://imgur.com/a/4bMWS9q

  3. #3
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    What preservative do you use? new to the ro this year. read after doing rinse, soap, rinse, acid, rinse, soap and final rinse
    that some just use premate or distilled water to store for the summer.

  4. #4
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    Preservative = Metabisulfite Sodium
    2024 - New Maine resident, 12X12 sugar shack under construction
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  5. #5
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fun4stuff View Post
    I will just be storing mine in the membrane housing filled with preservative. I’ll connect bottom outlets of the housing with the top inlet using a Tee connector as shown below. No need to reinvent the wheel by glueing pieces of pvc together ��

    https://imgur.com/a/4bMWS9q
    It’s my first year too!! I’m just doing the trees in my yard. Made about 1.5 gal of syrup. So i think I’m relatively small time and didn’t put as much stress on my membranes as others doing a lot more.

    I read about those extensive wash/rinsing too. Also seems to be a lot of people that just store them in distilled water in their fridge. I may just do peroxide (2 quarts peroxide per 3 gallons warm water) and rinsing. Then store in sodium metabisulfite solution (1.1 oz per gallon) (i already have it from beer and wine making).

  6. #6
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    Connecticut
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    I have the same question. Seems like people store their membranes differently. Some in preservative and some in water.
    The end of season storage instructions for my set up says to flush with preservative but rinse and store in water.

  7. #7
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    Mar 2011
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    Central Vt
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    Jumping on the question of storing as well.. I have a 4 membrane setup and was wondering if anyone stores their membranes in preservative in a 5gallon sealed bucket ? I was going to make some tubes for storing, but thought the bucket would be just as good. Then next season I rinse them out prior to using them.

    The idea of storing in the fridge after a wash is out not an option due to space ...

    Getting close to having to have a solution for this year, but hopeful to get some more syrup in after this warm spell.
    31 Taps in 2011 with buckets, Barrel evap
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  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by Fun4stuff View Post
    I will just be storing mine in the membrane housing filled with preservative. I’ll connect bottom outlets of the housing with the top inlet using a Tee connector as shown below. No need to reinvent the wheel by glueing pieces of pvc together 

    https://imgur.com/a/4bMWS9q

    This seems like a good idea. But one of the concerns I have is how PVC stands up to metabisulfite sodium over time.

    I have been told by people that know something about it that it probably suffers some decomposition over time when it is exposed to MS, whether it is DWV or PW-G rated.

    With that in mind I would rather decompose some pvc I glued together rather then my pvc housings which I will then be running my sap through.

    But then again perhaps your clever idea will have no issues, at least none detectable anyway.

    I.E. the metabisulfite sodium preserves the mebranes we can safely assume, but can we also safely assume it preserves PVC?
    Last edited by Sugar Bear; 03-25-2021 at 08:33 PM.
    If you think it's easy to make good money in maple syrup .... then your obviously good at stealing somebody's Maple Syrup.

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  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
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    Connecticut
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    Seems like most are storing their membranes in preservative. Why would my directions say to store it at years end in water? Now I'm questioning it?

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2017
    Location
    NY
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    124

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    Hey Gord,

    Which directions are you using for end of season storage?

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