Oxygen Not Included: Polluted Water Storage Solutions

Polluted water is a common issue in the space-colony simulation game Oxygen Not Included. It is caused by a variety of factors, including duplicants not reaching a toilet in time, stress-vomiting, or as a by-product of certain amenities such as lavatories and showers. Polluted water can have negative consequences, such as creating polluted oxygen, which can then infect the air and spread to other areas. Therefore, it is essential to manage and deal with polluted water effectively to prevent it from causing larger problems. There are several methods to address polluted water, including purifying it with a water sieve, using it for irrigation or coolant, converting it into fertilizer, or storing it in a way that prevents contact with oxygen to inhibit the growth of microbes.

Purify polluted water with a water sieve or gulp fish

Polluted water is a very important resource in Oxygen Not Included and can be used for various purposes. It is a better coolant than pure water and has a wider temperature range. Polluted water is also required for irrigating certain plants and can be used as a source of polluted oxygen, which can be deodorized for clay and clean oxygen.

Purifying Polluted Water with a Water Sieve

The Water Sieve is a building that can be used to purify Polluted Water. It uses a filtration medium, such as sand or regolith, to purify Polluted Water and produce regular water. The Water Sieve does not change the temperature of the water and does not kill germs, so it is important to use separate sieves for filtering your main water supply and wastewater. The Water Sieve is helpful because it allows a colony to operate structures like the Carbon Skimmer or the Lavatory without consuming clean water.

Purifying Polluted Water with Gulp Fish

Gulp Fish are an alternative method for purifying Polluted Water. However, there is limited information available on how to effectively use them for this purpose. One player has shared their design for a gulp fish cleaning tank, which involves using a cycle sensor to control the liquid vent, ensuring that the cleaned water does not turn into ice.

Other Methods of Dealing with Polluted Water

There are several other methods to deal with Polluted Water in Oxygen Not Included. One option is to use a Bottle Emptier to release clean water into the Polluted Water to prevent it from off-gassing. Another option is to use deodorizers to clean up the slime and prevent the spread of slimelung. Polluted Water can also be used for oxygen or food production, such as farming thimble reed or feeding a puft ranch for endless slime.

Store polluted water in a 'pee pool' or bottle it

Polluted water is a common issue in the Oxygen Not Included game, and it can be a nuisance to deal with. It is created when Duplicants don't make it to the toilet in time or vomit due to stress. It can also be a byproduct of certain amenities, such as lavatories, showers, and algae distillers. While it may be tempting to get rid of polluted water, it is actually a very useful resource. It can be used as a coolant, as it has a wider temperature range than pure water and can reach much colder temperatures. It can also be used as a source of polluted oxygen, which can be deodorized for clay and clean oxygen, or used to feed a puft ranch for endless slime. Additionally, some plants, such as Pincha Pepper, Thimble Reed, and Arbor Trees, require polluted water to grow.

One way to store polluted water is to create a "pee pool" or a designated area for Duplicants to relieve themselves. This can be done by digging out a space and sealing it off with airlock doors to prevent the polluted water from leaching into your base. You can also use deodorizers to help clear the air and prevent the spread of germs. Another option is to build a bottle emptier in a sensible location, where Duplicants can take bottles of polluted water by hand to a storage area. This method is great for storing the liquid with zero risk of infecting other water supplies, but it's important to keep an eye on the Duplicants to ensure they don't accidentally put the bottles in the wrong place.

If you're looking for a more short-term solution, you can place a Bottle Emptier over the polluted water and release enough clean water to prevent it from off-gassing. Over time, you may want to consider merging your polluted water pools into fewer but larger pools to optimize storage. Additionally, you can use a Liquid Pump to pump the polluted water into a Water Sieve for purification, although this doesn't remove any germs, so you may need to add chlorine if you intend to use it for drinking or bathing.

There are also some creative ways to utilize bottled polluted water. One method is to feed it to Hatches to produce coal, although this is not a very efficient process. Another option is to turn the polluted water into steam and use it in Steam Turbines to power your base or as fuel in Steam Engines, but this is also inefficient as polluted water requires a higher temperature to turn into steam compared to clean water. Additionally, polluted water produces blocks of dirt when it evaporates, which can be an issue and require constant cleanup.

Use polluted water to grow plants like Pincha Pepper

Polluted water is a common occurrence in the game Oxygen Not Included, and it can be used to irrigate certain plants. Pincha Pepperplants are food plants that can be grown from Pincha Pepper seeds. They are found in the Caustic Biome, growing exclusively from the ceiling. They can be grown domestically in a Farm Tile or Hydroponic Farm tile with a downward orientation. This plant is 3 tiles tall, and the Pincha Peppernut spice it produces cannot be eaten raw but is used in several Gas Range recipes to create higher-quality meals.

Pincha Peppernuts are required for high-quality food such as Pepper Bread, Spicy Tofu, and Stuffed Berry. They can also be used in an Espresso Machine to improve Duplicant Morale and to make Immuno Reducers in the Apothecary. A domestic Pincha Pepperplant takes eight cycles to grow and requires 1 kg/cycle of Phosphorite and 35 kg/cycle of Polluted Water. Phosphorite for fertilizing the plants can be produced by ranching Dreckos.

Pincha Pepperplants require a temperature range of 35 °C - 85 °C and an air pressure of 150 g - 10 kg. They can grow in any atmosphere, and their ability to grow at 85 °C makes them a useful way to dispose of hot polluted water at the end of a cooling cycle. Polluted water is a great coolant and is commonly found in the early game, making it a useful resource for players. It can be purified into regular water using a Water Sieve, although this does not remove any germs present.

It is worth noting that Polluted Water creates negative effects if a Duplicant walks or is submerged in it, adding to their stress. It can be created by Duplicants not reaching a toilet in time or by stress-vomiting. It can also be a by-product of certain amenities such as Lavatories, Showers, and Algae Distillers.

Convert polluted water into steam to power Steam Turbines

Polluted water is a common nuisance in Oxygen Not Included, but it can be used to your advantage. It can be used as a coolant, a source of polluted oxygen, or to irrigate certain plants. One useful application of polluted water is to convert it into steam to power steam turbines.

Steam turbines are a primary device for harvesting power from heat, and they work best when the temperature of the steam is kept high. The steam or crushed steam must be at least 125°C for the turbine to function, and the turbine itself must be kept below 100°C to avoid overheating. The steam turbine draws in steam from the tiles directly below its foundation and uses it to generate electrical power, outputting water or crushed water in the process. This makes it a very effective heat deletion device, capable of removing significant amounts of heat from the environment and turning it into power.

To use polluted water in a steam turbine, you will need to boil it into steam. This can be done by heating the polluted water to 121.35°C, which is higher than the boiling point of clean water at 101.35°C. Keep in mind that boiling polluted water will also produce small amounts of dirt, which can be problematic and require constant cleaning by Duplicants. Polluted water can be used in a steam turbine/thermo aquatuner combo as a coolant, but this is not very efficient, and upgrading to a super coolant is a better option.

Overall, while using polluted water to power steam turbines is possible, it is not the most efficient method due to the higher boiling point and the production of dirt. However, if you have an abundance of polluted water, it can be a useful way to generate power and deal with excess polluted water.

Use polluted water as a coolant

Polluted water is a valuable resource in Oxygen Not Included and can be used as a coolant before you get super coolant. It has a wider temperature range than pure water, reaching colder temperatures, and freezing only at 10°C. This makes it ideal for cooling machinery and electronics.

To use polluted water as a coolant, you can pipe it into a liquid reservoir and then use a liquid pump to transport it to the components that need cooling. You can also use it in a cooling loop by storing it in a reservoir building and using a pipe system to circulate the water to the components. This will help keep your base cool and prevent overheating.

Additionally, you can use polluted water to cool your oxygen supply. Polluted water emits polluted oxygen, which can be filtered into pure oxygen. By setting up a system to capture and filter the polluted oxygen, you can increase the oxygen supply for your base while also using the polluted water as a coolant.

Polluted water is also essential for growing certain plants, such as Pincha Peppers, Thimble Reeds, and Arbor Trees. These plants have various uses, from high-quality food recipes to producing fibre for insulation. So, while using polluted water as a coolant, you can also divert it to irrigate these plants and improve your duplicants' lives.

However, it's important to manage polluted water carefully. It can be a breeding ground for bacteria and can make your duplicants sick. It's recommended to purify polluted water before using it for cooking or drinking. This can be done using a water sieve or by adding chlorine. Additionally, make sure to store polluted water separately to prevent it from contaminating clean water supplies.

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