RO water has critically high silicates

[reefinusa]

I just got back my first ICP test. The most concerning thing I think I saw was the level of silocates in the RO water. It was at 16146 µg/l (reference .001 µg/l). I dont know a lot on the chemistry of water, but that seems crazy high. Like its an error high. The weird thing is that my tank water is also high at 381.5 µg/l. I do have diatoms on blthe back of tank and on powerheads and loc-line. Im not sure how.to proceed. I did just switch out my filters in my RO bulk reef supply 4 stage system, but I can't remember if it was before or after the test. Everything else on the RO sample was undetectable.

Some other concerning numbers in the tank water:

Stated as Above Normal on test:
Nickel: 5.91 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47

Stated at Normal on test:
Zinc: 5.62 µg/l - Ideal value: 1.89 µg/l
Tin: 2.52 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47 µg/l
Copper: 3.94 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47 µg/l
Alluminum: 44.97 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.09 µg/l

I have been getting some new acro frag die off. Looking for advise on how to a) fox my RO situation, and b) lower some of these metal numbers.

I will look for any screws or things of that nature in the tank immediately. I did recently add two bioblocks into my tank for additional bio filter for the tank. It is a bare bottom tank. I have also bought new wet sides for my mp40s but havent installed them yet. I'll do that immediately. How harmful are the numbers I'm having to my inhabitants?!? :(

Thanks!
Chris

 

[Subsea]

I will bump this for you.

For me, silicates are not a problem. I dose silicates for my sponges. It comes in with the Middle Trinity groundwater.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

I dose silicate. Unless you have a diatom problem, silicate is no concern.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

The silicate level over 16 ppm suggests the ro water would not likely have been 0 ppm tds, or the icp is in error.

 

[BZOFIQ]

I had initial high silicates from the use of Siporax in the sump. Subsequent tests showed very low levels.

My sponges took off like weeds

 

[reefinusa]

he silicate level over 16 ppm suggests the ro water would not likely have been 0 ppm tds, or the icp is in error.

@Randy Holmes-Farley - Thanks for the quick response!

It very well might have been that - I did have around 10ppm before changing filters out on my RO system (and I don't remember if I sent this in pre/post that) - that said, I might have just ordered additional canisters for additional di filtration! :P

How concerning are those other parameters I stated? I might have done an emergency order for some MetaSorb and Rowaphos (along with Neophos to help increase phosphate if necessary) to help :# Maybe I'm chasing/worried about numbers too much?

 

[Subsea]

I just got back my first ICP test. The most concerning thing I think I saw was the level of silocates in the RO water. It was at 16146 µg/l (reference .001 µg/l). I dont know a lot on the chemistry of water, but that seems crazy high. Like its an error high. The weird thing is that my tank water is also high at 381.5 µg/l. I do have diatoms on blthe back of tank and on powerheads and loc-line. Im not sure how.to proceed. I did just switch out my filters in my RO bulk reef supply 4 stage system, but I can't remember if it was before or after the test. Everything else on the RO sample was undetectable.

Some other concerning numbers in the tank water:

Stated as Above Normal on test:
Nickel: 5.91 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47

Stated at Normal on test:
Zinc: 5.62 µg/l - Ideal value: 1.89 µg/l
Tin: 2.52 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47 µg/l
Copper: 3.94 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.47 µg/l
Alluminum: 44.97 µg/l - Ideal value: 0.09 µg/l

I have been getting some new acro frag die off. Looking for advise on how to a) fox my RO situation, and b) lower some of these metal numbers.

I will look for any screws or things of that nature in the tank immediately. I did recently add two bioblocks into my tank for additional bio filter for the tank. It is a bare bottom tank. I have also bought new wet sides for my mp40s but havent installed them yet. I'll do that immediately. How harmful are the numbers I'm having to my inhabitants?!? :(

Thanks!
Chris

Chris,
I don’t chase numbers and I don’t believe your test results.

Do you really have 4 ppm of Copper in your display tank.

 

[BZOFIQ]

Chris,
I don’t chase numbers and I don’t believe your test results.

Do you really have 4 ppm of Copper in your display tank.

@reefinusa

Which ICP?

 

[reefinusa]

Chris,
I don’t chase numbers and I don’t believe your test results.

Do you really have 4 ppm of Copper in your display tank.

I mean, I hope not! We do have a lot of metals in our well water - so maybe. MY tds on my ro was reading around 10 before I changed it. I also have a sediment filter before any water hits the house that needed replacing too.

 

[reefinusa]

@reefinusa

Which ICP?

ATI

 

[reefinusa]

I mean, I hope not! We do have a lot of metals in our well water - so maybe. MY tds on my ro was reading around 10 before I changed it. I also have a sediment filter before any water hits the house that needed replacing too.

@Subsea - Also, I always read 3.94 µg/l as 3.94 part per bilion (ppb)

 

[wally311]

I use an RODI filtration system. In my experience, when TDS gets above 0 the ICP tests will usually show silicates creeping up. This usually means its time to change the DI resin. New DI resin equals no more silicates.

 

[BryanM]

Well water is always a gamble, probably should be tested, and then a RODI system designed to deal with what your working with needs to happen.

If you really have copper this is not good. Essentially zero is the only acceptable number.

 

[Subsea]

@Subsea - Also, I always read 3.94 µg/l as 3.94 part per bilion (ppb)

If that’s the case, then you don’t have much copper.
When I sent Red Ogo to be analyzed by regional agriculture lab, analysis showed 4 ppm Cu and 2 ppm Zn. However, neither ground water or system water showed those heavy metals at a detection limit of 5 ppb. The EPA allows for 1.3 ppm / 1300 ppb of copper in drinking water

 

[reefinusa]

Well water is always a gamble, probably should be tested, and then a RODI system designed to deal with what your working with needs to happen.

If you really have copper this is not good. Essentially zero is the only acceptable number.

That's what I thought too! Which is why I'm worried. I will say my RODI is showing 0 copper, so that's good, but maybe it snuck its way into my tank when my filters were bad?

I did think/worry I had a problem with copper before this test (about 2 months ago) because I had CuC dying randomly. I bought a salifert copper test kit and it came back 0 - And I just did it again and it's 0 again - but maybe it's testing a different kind/component of copper? I seem to remember it'd only pick up certain variants or some such thing.

 

[BryanM]

That's what I thought too! Which is why I'm worried. I will say my RODI is showing 0 copper, so that's good, but maybe it snuck its way into my tank when my filters were bad?

I did think/worry I had a problem with copper before this test (about 2 months ago) because I had CuC dying randomly. I bought a salifert copper test kit and it came back 0 - And I just did it again and it's 0 again - but maybe it's testing a different kind/component of copper? I seem to remember it'd only pick up certain variants or some such thing.

Seems likely if part of your RODI filters were bad.

I choose ICP tests that also test my RODI water, and I assume if there was copper in the RODI it would show up there.

But it would also be good IMO to have the well water tested so you know what you're working with.

 

[reefinusa]

Seems likely if part of your RODI filters were bad.

I choose ICP tests that also test my RODI water, and I assume if there was copper in the RODI it would show up there.

But it would also be good IMO to have the well water tested so you know what you're working with.

agreed - in the meantime, I think the plan is to throw some media at it to filter out anything that i can (probably including some useful elements as well. I can either do a water change or I have all of the elements on hand to dose back into the system as I get future ICP tests back (which I'll probably do another test in a week or two.

If anyone has any other thoughts or experiences, please let me know! Thanks!

 

[obanarama]

Whenever I start to see silicates in our RODI water ICP test results then I know it's time to swap out the DI cartridge in our RODI filter as its letting stuff through.

 

[Randy Holmes-Farley Verified Community Expert]

Assuming you are not dosing anything with trace elements, I’d remove the bio blocks, and look for metals as you are.