Top Off Water, TDS, and Phosphates!

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Top Off Water, TDS, and Phosphates!

Ok let me know what you all think.

I have had an on going algae issue with a type dark brown/blackish algae that settles on the rock and sand. Not Diatoms. At any rate you can use a baster and blow it right off but if it sits in one spot for a while it eventually cause hair algae to grow underneath.

Well a few days ago I changed out some sand, water, got my skimmer fine tuned and was ready to rock. Today the algae is starting to come back again. I got to thinking about my top off water and so I did some test.

Top Off Water from the container and straight from the RO/DI was showing 0.5 in phosphates. It was also showing 0.4 in TDS. Do you think this could be my issue?

 

[skinz78]

Well if it isn't your whole issue it is definitely a part of it, how long has it been since you have changed filters?

 

[drainbamage]

If it's not the primary issue, you'd notice something much more obvious- pleanty of phosphates to be causing you problems, especially considering you're adding a decent amount of top-up and through water changes. The irony is in your healthy/established tank, you could actually be changing cleaned water for "dirty" water. Also, how long after the AlgaeFix nuke you dropped (you really didn't have any setbacks from it? Some stubborn algae in my tank is about to get the same treatment, and just trying to reassure myself my SPS's, Zoa's, Cucumbers, etc etc don't get killed in the process) did the algae start reappearing? Same as the old stuff or something you haven't dealt with before?

Well if it isn't your whole issue it is definitely a part of it, how long has it been since you have changed filters?

Not to derail thread, but curious on this-I'm running a 5 stage and the TDS finally started creeping up from the 0 mark, which filter should I be changing first? Only been up for 3 months, but the DI chamber looks fairly used, while the micron filter still seems pretty clean. Thoughts?

 

[sexycorals]

.4 is high bro. Just from my experience I remember I had a bit of an algae problem then tested my phos and it was about .35-.45 if I remember right. I then got a phos reactor and some gfo to bring it down slowly.... The sticks started to color up and the algae started to disappear. I always try to give my experience but i never wanna say it's the solution .. It was just my solution. Hope it helps.

 

[bulkhead]

A typical RO/DI doesn't pull out phosphates, does it?

 

[Captain Nemo]

Wouldnt you change the DI resin??? This is the part that pulls out the phosphates, right?? I am having the same prob Rev, same stuff as you, I am ordering the DI resin this week to change mine.I have even tried the GFO and it gets it all but this stuff........ Think its the DI resin......

 

[skinz78]

A typical RO/DI doesn't pull out phosphates, does it?

It should strip the water of everything, that is if it has the DI. Plain ol RO leaves a bit in there.

 

[LeCorals81]

If you are adding any nitrate or phosphate you will experience unwanted algae growth. First step is probably to get the RO checked out, maybe needs some maintenance?

 

[Rayzback]

I'm not going above 1ppm TDS.... have you done tds before the ro, after the ro, and after the di to see what all needs replaced? My water before the RO (117ppm), after the 5 stage RO (2ppm), and after the 2 stage DI (0 ppm).

 

[gparr]

0.4 is not horrible for DI water but it's certainly at the edge of needing to change your cartridges. When did you last replace your membrane? When did you last empty, wipe out, and dry your DI water-storage vessel?

Stuff settling on rocks always suggests insufficient flow to me. If you can blow it off with a turkey baster, it shouldn't be allowed to settle in the first place. Maybe try hopping up your flow? Also, blow crud off of all of your rocks with a powerhead everyday for a week to get stuff in the column and out of the system. Also a good idea, just before a water change, to turn off the flow, blast the rocks with a powerhead, and then siphon out the water with all of that detritus floating in it.

Gary

 

[redtop03]

Wouldnt you change the DI resin??? This is the part that pulls out the phosphates, right?? I am having the same prob Rev, same stuff as you, I am ordering the DI resin this week to change mine.I have even tried the GFO and it gets it all but this stuff........ Think its the DI resin......

depending on the usage,the sediment and carbon filters should be changed at least a couple times a year,they're relatively inexpensive and they make the RO filter last much longer as chlorine will destroy the RO membrane,all those filters prolongs the life of the DI resin by stripping out as much as possible,the DI resin should be changed when it's no longer producing 0TDS JMO :D

 

[btkrausen]

I change my RO filters way too often probably, but I'd rather spend $25 on a full swap then have to deal with bad water going into my tank. I also run my flush valve for about 30 seconds every few times I make water to keep the membrane clean and make it last longer. If my TDS reads anything but 0, I do a complete replacement of all filters besides the membrane.

 

[redtop03]

Top Off Water, TDS, and Phosphates!

Ok let me know what you all think.

I have had an on going algae issue with a type dark brown/blackish algae that settles on the rock and sand. Not Diatoms. At any rate you can use a baster and blow it right off but if it sits in one spot for a while it eventually cause hair algae to grow underneath.

Well a few days ago I changed out some sand, water, got my skimmer fine tuned and was ready to rock. Today the algae is starting to come back again. I got to thinking about my top off water and so I did some test.

Top Off Water from the container and straight from the RO/DI was showing 0.5 in phosphates. It was also showing 0.4 in TDS. Do you think this could be my issue?

I would definitely get the RO/DI back to 0 TDS output,you already know you're adding bad stuff with each top off and water change...it might not be the whole problem but it's for sure fueling the algae

 

[redtop03]

i change my ro filters way too often probably, but i'd rather spend $25 on a full swap then have to deal with bad water going into my tank. I also run my flush valve for about 30 seconds every few times i make water to keep the membrane clean and make it last longer. If my tds reads anything but 0, i do a complete replacement of all filters besides the membrane.

+1 :tongue:

 

[phi delt reefer]

they sell bulk filters on ebay pretty cheap.

i remember reading this somewhere....

DI water by its nature will naturally seek other "impurities" to bond too. Make sure you water container is food grade and has a tight fitting lid. Its always good to only make ro/di water as you need it - keeping a hundred gallons of it around at all times means the water has time to pull any impurities out of your water holding tank.

 

[SaraB]

So Rev, do you keep your top-off water on a float valve or do you make batches of it?

I personally prefer to make batches of top-off water every week as I don't trust a float valve as I think it allows some bad water to keep feeding into the vat. I prefer to be in control and able to flush my RO/DI first every time and then direct the flow into my vat. I have a float valve in my vat but that is only to shut off the water when the tub is full in case I don't check it during the 65G fill period.

 

[aquafrags]

order the double DI resin canister from brs and kiss all tds issues goodbye, I run the double DI and dual tds meter on the inlet and outlet and it works great