[dmhampton83]

Hello All,

I have a water rower like in the picture below. Basically it's a rowing machine that uses water as resistance. It's pretty awesome, but becoming a real pain in the butt to maintain.

I fill it up with water, and put in some chlorine like the instructions said. It doesn't get lots of daylight, and it says it should be good for 8-12 weeks before i need to change the water. But in only a couple weeks it already starts turning brown and growing stuff. The constant siphoning and refilling is a real pain. What can i do?

Are there any other solutions i could put in here to prevent this from happening? I considered just filling it with windshield wiper fluid, lol, but one concern is whatever i put in here has to be safe to breath, as i know sometimes i can smell the chlorine in the air from the water once i start rowing and the water is swishing around. Thanks.

[Babcock_Hall]

I sometimes have used a small amount of antifreeze in circulating water baths.  Antifreeze is toxic to us and to our pets if ingested, but your system looks to be closed.

[Corribus]

In grad school we used antifreeze, too, but I don't remember the ratio. That might change the resistance of your equipment, though, if you use a significant proportion. Now in our circulating baths we use Chloramine-T. Usually replace the water once a year, no algae growth. I'm not sure where you might buy it though.

[dmhampton83]

It's closed for the most part, but there's a small air hole in the stopper, and if i put too much Chlorine(which i did because i thought i just needed more), then my eyes will start to burn when i row. So it is definitely getting into the air.

I had considered antifreeze too, just don't want to murder myself.

[dmhampton83]

You think if i placed a UV light by where i keep it, and leave it on, it will always stay clean?

[Babcock_Hall]

It's closed for the most part, but there's a small air hole in the stopper, and if i put too much Chlorine(which i did because i thought i just needed more), then my eyes will start to burn when i row. So it is definitely getting into the air.

I had considered antifreeze too, just don't want to murder myself.

Antifreeze is toxic if you ingest it, but it is not volatile.  It's boiling point is close to 400 °F.

[billnotgatez]

!00 proof Vodka?

There is an antifreeze that is used in RVs and campers that is less toxic?

High concentration of Table Salt unless you are worried about corrosion maybe?

[Intanjir]

Use a propylene glycol based anti-freeze. PG has very low toxicity and will not readily vaporize.

[dmhampton83]

!00 proof Vodka?

Alcohol, i didn't think of that. That's an interesting idea. Filling it with vodka might be kind of expensive though. What if i filled it with a bunch of that cheap bag wine? Lol. Cool then is, when i row it will smell lovely like a wine vineyard!

But something like alcohol would make me feel safer.

I wonder how long alcohol would last...wine lasts forever airtight, but once oxygen gets to it i'm sure its composition will start changing...I think wine eventually becomes vinegar.

[Babcock_Hall]

The suggestion of propylene glycol was very good IMO.  If ingested ethylene glycol is oxidized into oxalate, which is toxic (it forms crystals with calcium ion).  If ingested propylene glycol might be oxidized into lactate or pyruvate, both of which are common metabolites.
EDT
Of course if not ingested, I don't see what the problem with ethylene glycol is.  If the liquid is exposed to the outside, then I would strongly advise to keep pets away.  I seem to recall that ethylene glycol tastes sweet to dogs.

[Corribus]

If you use alcohol, you would want to use something like vodka, white rum, or the equivalent. Wine can ferment.

Also be aware that the viscosity of ethanol is different from water. This will throw the resistance of your exercise equipment off.

[Yggdrasil]

Copper sulfate is something we use to keep the water in our cell incubators from growing algae:
http://bitesizebio.com/24188/fuzzy-wuzzy-problems-achieving-and-maintaining-a-contamination-free-incubator/