"normal" level for Silica?

PedroYoung

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Just trying to get a handle on my well water post RODI. I've done several Triton ICP tests and the results for Si are pretty consistant in both my tanks and the freshly mixed salt water. Usually around 125 ug/l. I've had some issues in my older 75G tank with what I'm pretty sure are diatoms and trying to determine if my Si is excessive. I use well water with a booster pump through RO membrane, then BRS Pro-Di (separate Anion, cation, and mixed bed), then another regular mixed DI bed. Triton shows setpoint between 0-200 ug/l. Thanks in advance, if you have triton results I'd be curious to know folks Si readings on city water.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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There is no single normal level. It is highly variable in the ocean, with very little remaining in surface water as diatoms suck it up, and more in deeper water.

I dosed silicate to keep it up.

City water is also highly variable, but can be super high because it is often intentionally added.
 
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There is no single normal level. It is highly variable in the ocean, with very little remaining in surface water as diatoms suck it up, and more in deeper water.

I dosed silicate to keep it up.

City water is also highly variable, but can be super high because it is often intentionally added.
thanks for the feedback. What level were/are you trying to maintain via dosing?
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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thanks for the feedback. What level were/are you trying to maintain via dosing?


Silicon (Si). I dose silicate (as sodium silicate solution) to my aquarium. I boost the concentration to about 200 µg/L of silicon equivalent once a week or so. This water sample was drawn one week after the last dose of silicate. I know from previous studies that silicate is rapidly depleted in my tank, presumably by sponges (the reason I dose it), by diatoms, and possibly by the GFO that I use to bind phosphate.

This has more:

 
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Silicon (Si). I dose silicate (as sodium silicate solution) to my aquarium. I boost the concentration to about 200 µg/L of silicon equivalent once a week or so. This water sample was drawn one week after the last dose of silicate. I know from previous studies that silicate is rapidly depleted in my tank, presumably by sponges (the reason I dose it), by diatoms, and possibly by the GFO that I use to bind phosphate.

This has more:

Thanks Randy, as always great info.
 

Randy Holmes-Farley

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As part of fluoride adjustments?


from it:

For more than 80 years, sodium silicates have been utilized by municipalities to battle corrosion, a common issue within potable water systems.

Today, the U.S. EPA requires the use of corrosion inhibitors, including sodium silicates, in some public water supply networks.
 

nereefpat

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from it:

For more than 80 years, sodium silicates have been utilized by municipalities to battle corrosion, a common issue within potable water systems.

Today, the U.S. EPA requires the use of corrosion inhibitors, including sodium silicates, in some public water supply networks.
Interesting. We don't have a need for corrosion inhibitors here.

I wondered if you were referencing the addition of fluorosilicic acid, but I didn't think that would add up to much silica.
 

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Interesting. We don't have a need for corrosion inhibitors here.

I wondered if you were referencing the addition of fluorosilicic acid, but I didn't think that would add up to much silica.

Have you checked your water company report?

Ours does. It runs about 3.5 ppm SiO2 at the tap according to the local water authority.


"
 

nereefpat

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Have you checked your water company report?

Ours does. It runs about 3.5 ppm SiO2 at the tap according to the local water authority.


"
I looked through pages of results, more than what they put out to the public, and I don't see silica anywhere on it. I know there would be at least some in there, as our public water system fluoridates. I just don't see it listed.
 

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I looked through pages of results, more than what they put out to the public, and I don't see silica anywhere on it. I know there would be at least some in there, as our public water system fluoridates. I just don't see it listed.

Likely they do not use it then.

In my case, googling MWRA and silica goes right to the documents (MWRA is the water authority)
 

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