Filtering Polluted Water In Oxygen: Effective Strategies For Survival

Polluted water is a common issue in the space-colony simulation game, Oxygen Not Included. It can be caused by a variety of factors, such as duplicants not reaching a toilet in time, stress-vomiting, or as a by-product of certain amenities. While it may seem like a nuisance, polluted water can actually be quite useful. It has a wider temperature range than pure water, making it an excellent coolant. Additionally, it can be used to irrigate certain plants and can even be purified into clean water. However, one of the biggest challenges with polluted water is its emission of polluted oxygen, which can be harmful to your colony. In this paragraph, we will explore the different ways to manage and utilise polluted water in Oxygen Not Included, as well as the potential benefits and drawbacks.

Using a Water Sieve to filter polluted water into water

Polluted water is a common occurrence in the Oxygen Not Included game, especially in the Swamp Biome. It can be created by various activities of the duplicants, such as when they do not reach a toilet in time or vomit due to stress. It is also a by-product of certain amenities like lavatories and showers. While polluted water has its uses, such as a coolant and for growing certain plants, it is important to know how to filter it into clean water when needed.

The Water Sieve is a plumbing building in the game that can be used to filter polluted water into clean water. It is unlocked in the third tier of Plumbing Research in Distillation, and duplicants must have learned Filtration and Plumbing to access it. The polluted water is pumped into the Water Sieve via the connect input, and the sieve will filter the water and expel clean water from the output.

It is important to note that the Water Sieve does not remove any germs present in the polluted water. These germs will remain in the clean water and can spread to future batches of filtered water. Therefore, it is recommended to use separate sieves for filtering drinking water and wastewater. To remove germs from the Water Sieve, you can use the 'Disinfect' dupe command. Additionally, heat can destroy the germs, so boiling the water is another option to ensure it is safe for consumption.

The Water Sieve also produces polluted dirt as a by-product, which will be dumped onto the floor once the internal storage is full. Duplicants will need to remove the polluted dirt and take it to the compost. The Water Sieve is a valuable tool for managing polluted water and ensuring a steady supply of clean water for your colony.

Boiling polluted water to create steam and a small amount of dirt

Polluted water is the most common naturally occurring liquid on most asteroids, especially in the Swamp Biome. It is dirty, unfiltered water and is not fit for consumption. It can be created by Duplicants not reaching a toilet in time, by stress-vomiting, as a by-product of the Algae Distiller, or through certain amenities such as lavatories and showers.

Despite being dirty, polluted water is quite useful. It is a better coolant than pure water due to its 40-degree wider temperature range. It also has the same heat capacity as water but a much better range. Polluted water can be used to grow arbor trees and other plants. It can also be used to irrigate certain plants.

Polluted water emits polluted oxygen, even in a vacuum. However, this emission is not strictly negative as the polluted oxygen can be filtered into pure oxygen. Polluted water in liquid reservoirs does not emit any polluted oxygen, which is useful for players who want to store the resource for later use.

Polluted water can be purified into regular water using a water sieve, although this does not remove any germs present. The germs will remain in the clean water unless additional steps are taken. Most naturally occurring and produced polluted water contain no germs and should be kept separated from infected water.

Polluted water can also be boiled to create steam and a small amount of dirt. This process will produce at least 1 gram of dirt, so boiling 100 grams of polluted water or less per cell per second will produce 100% of the mass as steam.

Using polluted water to grow plants like Pincha Peppers and Thimble Reeds

Polluted water is abundant in the game Oxygen Not Included, especially in the Swamp Biome. It is also common in the Frozen Biome, where polluted ice will melt into puddles of polluted water. While polluted water can have negative effects on duplicants, it is a valuable resource with many uses.

One of the most important uses of polluted water is for irrigation and growing plants. Some plants, like Pincha Peppers and Thimble Reeds, require polluted water for their growth. Pincha Pepper domestic growth requires 35 kg/cycle of polluted water, while Thimble Reed domestic growth requires 160 kg/cycle. Other plants that can be grown with polluted water include Bog Buckets (40 kg/cycle), Arbor Trees (70 kg/cycle), and Saturn Critter Traps (10 kg/cycle).

To use polluted water for irrigation, it can be piped into a Water Sieve, which will purify it into regular water. However, it's important to note that this process does not remove any germs present in the polluted water. Most naturally occurring polluted water is germ-free, but it should still be kept separate from infected water to avoid contamination.

Players can also store polluted water in Liquid Reservoirs without it emitting polluted oxygen, which can be useful for those who want to save it for later use. Polluted water has a higher specific heat capacity than clean water, brine, or salt water, making it an excellent coolant in the early game. It has a wider temperature range of 40 degrees and doesn't freeze until -10°C.

Purifying polluted water by dumping clean water on top of it

Purifying polluted water in Oxygen Not Included can be done in several ways, and dumping clean water on top of it is one of the methods to prevent it from releasing polluted oxygen. Polluted water is a common occurrence in the game, especially in the Swamp Biome, and it can be a nuisance as it emits polluted oxygen and can cause issues for your duplicants.

To stop polluted water from emitting polluted oxygen, you can use the "capping" method. By dumping a bottle of clean water on top of the polluted water, you prevent it from off-gassing and releasing polluted oxygen. This is a simple and effective way to manage polluted water, especially if you have not planned for atmo suits or deodorizers. Once capped, you can drain the polluted water to the bottom of the map. It is important to note that this method does not purify the polluted water; it only prevents the release of polluted oxygen.

Additionally, if the polluted water is in a liquid reservoir, it will not emit any polluted oxygen, which can be useful for storing it. However, if left unattended, polluted water can be a breeding ground for bacteria and can make your duplicants sick. Therefore, it is essential to manage it effectively.

In the long term, you may want to consider using a Water Sieve to purify the polluted water. The Water Sieve can convert polluted water into regular water at a rate of 5 kg/s of polluted water and 1 kg/s of sand or regolith, resulting in 5 kg/s of clean water and 200 g/s of polluted dirt as a byproduct. It is important to note that this process does not remove any germs present in the polluted water, so additional steps may be necessary to ensure the clean water is safe.

Overall, while dumping clean water on top of polluted water is a quick fix, it is important to have a long-term strategy for dealing with polluted water in Oxygen Not Included to maintain a healthy and efficient base for your duplicants.

Storing polluted water in Liquid Reservoirs to prevent the release of polluted oxygen

Polluted water is a common occurrence in the space-colony simulation game Oxygen Not Included, and it can be a source of stress for players. While it may seem like a problem, polluted water is a valuable resource that can be used for various purposes. One effective way to manage it is by storing it in Liquid Reservoirs, which can hold up to 5 tons of liquid. This prevents the release of polluted oxygen and provides players with a useful asset.

Liquid Reservoirs are excellent for storing polluted water because they perfectly insulate their contents from their surroundings. This means that very hot or cold liquids can be stored without affecting the temperature of the surrounding area. Additionally, Liquid Reservoirs smooth out temperature spikes and differences, making temperature control much easier. This is especially useful when dealing with heated liquids from Metal Refineries, as regular piping can be used to allow the liquid to cool down before returning it to the reservoir.

Another advantage of using Liquid Reservoirs is that they eliminate the need for intermediary liquid pumps. They can connect directly to a Liquid Intake Pipe, and optionally to a Liquid Output Pipe, making them a power-free in-line buffer. However, it is important to note that Reservoirs can overheat depending on the environment, with a low initial overheat temperature of 75°C. To mitigate this, players can construct them using Gold Amalgam or Steel in high-temperature environments.

To effectively manage polluted water and prevent the release of polluted oxygen, players can utilise a setup with three sequential Liquid Reservoirs built upon Mechanized Airlocks. These airlocks are connected to a Cycle Sensor that alternates between a Green Signal and a Red Signal in each half cycle. This setup ensures that the contaminated liquid stays in each reservoir for a half cycle, providing sufficient time for any germs to be killed. Additionally, by placing the reservoirs inside a tank underwater, players can achieve more compact liquid storage.

By following these strategies and utilising Liquid Reservoirs, players can efficiently manage polluted water in Oxygen Not Included. Not only does it prevent the release of polluted oxygen, but it also provides a convenient way to store and utilise this valuable resource for various purposes, such as coolant, irrigation, and even deodorizing for clean oxygen production.

Frequently asked questions