Rodi cloudy water question

[Saltgator]

After making Rodi water (30-50 gallons weekly), I've noticed my water turns cloudy after a day or 2. I've tried several ideas on the cause and I'm not finding the reason. Here are my actions:

-Bleached the barrel I use, allowed the bleach to circulate for 24 hours then throughly wash the barrel, fill and circulate for 24 hours, drain and allow the barrel to dry.
- Changed filters (all)
- Changed resin
- Used a filter sock (100 micron, I understand it was probably useless)
- Made sure the tds was zero. Checked with inline and handheld.
- Added a air stone
- Added a bigger circulation pump

All this is well water too. Never had this issue before, even on wells. I'm probably forgetting something else. Any ideas? Thanks

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Do you keep it covered?

Does the cloudiness settle out eventually?

 

[Saltgator]

No cover. In my garage (I forgot to mention). The cloudiness never settles. Hope this looks ok. Quick pic if my 29g top off tank.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

It could be dust or pollen is getting into it.

 

[Saltgator]

I'll see about constructing a clear cover for it to see if it changes. Could it be a bacteria within the water? Tonight I noticed that my pump was slimy. I take the pump out while not in use and it has several days to dry along with the barrel and any transfer hoses.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

Yes, it might be bacteria, but I'm not sure what they'd be eating unless organic matter was getting into it somehow.

 

[Saltgator]

I was wondering that as well. If it was bacteria, what effects do think there would be on a reef system? Should I start using a filter sock with extreme filtering capabilities on the output of the Rodi? I think the smallest I've seen was 10 micron, but I might be mistaken.

 

[FishGuyTy]

Have you tested your RODI for nitrate, phosphate, nitrite, and ammonia? Also, have you tried a new container, like a clean drinking glass? Does it come out cloudy or does the cloudiness develope overtime? Many wells are different and environmental changes can affect them greatly. Are you near any mines where fracking is being done?

 

[Saltgator]

No mines that I'm aware of. The cloudiness appears after 2 days. I've tried a brand new brute trash can with the same results. Water comes out clear then transitions to cloudy.

As far as the no3, po4 and ammonia, no I haven't tested my top off water, but as a experiment I poured straight water from the well and let it sit. Water was pulled from the well, after the well system and then the house faucets. No issue of cloudiness.

Just for other ideas, I tried running a uv sterilizer in the top off tank. No clarity noticed.

Also wanted to mention that when I stated all filter changed above, that includes the membrane and flow restrictor too. Only items I haven't changed on the entire system is the hoses, booster pump and filter housings.

 

[Saltgator]

Just thought of this too so thought I'd share for more thoughts. The water that sits in the filter canisters that contain the carbon block and sediment filters appears as clear as possible.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I don't really think some bacteria in the RO/DI is a concern. Don't drink it, but corals might actually eat the bacteria. They probably won't survive in salt water for long if they live in RO/DI water.

 

[Saltgator]

Thanks Randy. I'll try the filter sock (smallest micron I can find) and if that don't fix it, I'll try to keep a eye on the corals. Just don't want a massive die off and then a unexplained spike in parameters

 

[Ashish Patel]

I filled my tank for the first time and it took me 5 long day ( to check for leaks and add bracing etc.) - so water was sitting in my tank for 5 days without much movement. Anyways by day 4 the water became very cloudy. Their was no rock/sand, media, or salt. Therefore, I ran some DI resin on the manifold for 24 hr and it helped clear maybe 60%

The ironic part is it the water appears crystal clear in the sump. Could it be that it is the micron sock removing or the bacteria living in the tank only? I added raw shrimp to kick start the cycle and this causes the tank to cloud some more but I hoping once I clean the tank that the dry rock, sand, marine pure, and refugrium ecosystem mudd will help clear this cloud

 

[SashimiTurtle]

One thing I can add is that once pure RODI water hits air, it's no longer pure. Something is getting in there too cause the cloudiness.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley]

I filled my tank for the first time and it took me 5 long day ( to check for leaks and add bracing etc.) - so water was sitting in my tank for 5 days without much movement. Anyways by day 4 the water became very cloudy. Their was no rock/sand, media, or salt. Therefore, I ran some DI resin on the manifold for 24 hr and it helped clear maybe 60%

The ironic part is it the water appears crystal clear in the sump. Could it be that it is the micron sock removing or the bacteria living in the tank only? I added raw shrimp to kick start the cycle and this causes the tank to cloud some more but I hoping once I clean the tank that the dry rock, sand, marine pure, and refugrium ecosystem mudd will help clear this cloud

I expect the bacterial bloom will disappear once you get everything operating. If not, there are ways to deal with it.

 

[Ashish Patel]

Randy - Thanks,, Its actually very frustrating because I am questioning the quality of the glass...

Below are pictures of day 1, Day 3 ( i think) and day 4. Note the clarity in the sump

 

[Ashish Patel]

One thing I can add is that once pure RODI water hits air, it's no longer pure. Something is getting in there too cause the cloudiness.

Thats a good point. I played around with the vortech pump as soon as I had about 8" of water..this could have triggered the bloom.. During the night I turned off all the pump and woke up to a slightly cloudy tank. I did not think to much of it but now that it make sense.. The bacteria was forming as I was getting the tank leveled and right.

by day 4 i got the sump full circulation but cutt the power at night - woke up to cloud.

 

[SashimiTurtle]

Thats a good point. I played around with the vortech pump as soon as I had about 8" of water..this could have triggered the bloom.. During the night I turned off all the pump and woke up to a slightly cloudy tank. I did not think to much of it but now that it make sense.. The bacteria was forming as I was getting the tank leveled and right.

by day 4 i got the sump full circulation but cutt the power at night - woke up to cloud.

Was your vortech brand new or used? New tanks often cloud up quickly from the ammonia cycle and bacterial blooms. Not much you can do other than good circulation and surface agitation, it'll clear on its own.

I had a crab die and caused a little bloom, tank was hazy for a few days then went back to crystal clear.

 

[Saltgator]

My issues still exists on my 55g drum I use for top off or to make water changes. From down here in SWFL, apparently we get bacteria in our wells. The softener equipment should (if it's working correctly) will help some. I'm currently in the process of sending clorox through my softener and home, little by little to remove what's in the home already.

Regardless of what it may be on my end, it's harmless to my reef. It is only in the fw top off. Once it goes into salt, bye bye

 

[Dbasileccim]

I know this is a really old thread but I have a really similar thing happening in my rodi filled 144 gal tank. I filled it about 6 weeks ago for testing and setup purposes and the water was crystal clear for a week or so. After that it was cloudy and stayed cloudy. I tried 40 watt uv with no results. I put in a filter sock (300 micron) and it didn't change. This weekend I put a small pump on a 20 micron filter housing and that isn't working (at least not quickly). Tank was and is completely empty, most of the equipment is new and all very clean. I have a full covered canopy with only the back open. It is lit with 6 ai 26 lights. Lots of flow. I can't seem to change the cloudiness. I'm probably going to drain, fill back with rodi, add salt and start the normal cycle and hope it stays clear. Anyone have any new ideas about rodi getting cloudy? Thanks