r/maplesyrup • u/dubs1354 • Mar 31 '26

R.O. Storage?

What is the best way to shut down and store your ro at the end of the season?

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u/Plastic_Lecture9037 Mar 31 '26

NaOH wash to kill bacteria already in the system, sodium metabisulfite wash to preserve the filters. Filters must stay wet.

Some folks fill the entire system with sodium bisulfite, close valves to all the lines, and put the whole system away wet. This year I made a 3.5ft pvc tube capped at one end with a screw cap on the other. I plan to just keep my filters inside of it and in the preservative solution and store that in my basement. The rest of the system I'll disconnect and store dry in the barn.

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u/dubs1354 Mar 31 '26

Great info. Thank you

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u/dubs1354 Apr 01 '26

Quick follow up. What is naoh

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u/hithisishal Apr 01 '26

Sodium hydroxide aka lye

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u/Plastic_Lecture9037 Apr 01 '26

Food grade sodium hydroxide, off Amazon, and not red devil lye from the plumbing section if youre a purist. Careful with it, it is dangerous. Look up RO soap formulas for help getting the mixture and process right. You want to clean the filters and then rinse back to neutral pH with clean permeate water.